New to finishing with sprayers

[Terry Clark]

For years I've applied finishes by hand but would like to learn more about using sprayers. Until recently all my projects have been small so brushing on a finish was not big deal. They looked good but there is room for improvement. Now I've got a much larger project to tackle. I've been looking at a Porter Cable Compressor / Nail Gun combo deal at Home Depot. The compressor is a 6 gal pancake with I think a 2 hp motor and 150 psi. I've never used a compressor or sprayer so this is all new to me. Is this big enough to run a sprayer? If so, what sprayer would you recommend? What are the primary features I need to be looking? Most likely I'll be using stains and poly finishes but would like to be able to apply latex as well. Sorry for all the questions but any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Terry

[Jim Becker]

A pancake compressor is unlikely to give you very much satisfaction when trying to spray finishes. There may be a gun that will have a low enough SCFM requirement, but it's going to run constantly. Better results will be with a compressor that has a minimum of a 20-30 gallon tank and a rated SCFM at or higher than the HVLP conversion gun you choose to spray with.

[Terry Clark]

Thanks for the info Jim. Is there a particular brand of compressor you would recommend over another?

[Jim Becker]

Is there a particular brand of compressor you would recommend over another?

IR, Quincy, etc., if money is no object... :D

[Joe Chritz]

I use a conversion HVLP (which means it takes high pressure air and converts it at the gun) made by DeVillbiss. It is their entry level finishline model and it is way more than qualified for wood finishes. It isn't like shooting a two part finish on a car.

You will need a bigger compressor. I ran a 20 gallon "portable" for a long time and it struggled to keep up. Bigger tanks are better for spraying since the re-start time is longer between. HVLP is an air hog for sure.

Now I use a Porter-cable model which is very similar to many of the other ones available just with different paint.

You can get by with a compressor with about 8-9 CFM at 90 psi. I think the finishline specs for 13 CFM at 30 psi inlet pressure. If you were spraying for long periods you would need something a lot bigger.

Anything oil base (poly, etc) isn't suitable for spraying. Since it doesn't flash off it settles wet and makes a mess of epic proportions. A search on this site will point you to Target coatings for waterbase spray finishes.

Good luck, it is pricey to get going sometimes but spraying opens up a lot more options and is well worth it.

Joe

[Mark Roderick]

Your best bet is to call Jeff Jewitt at Homestead Finishing and buy your equipment from him based on his recommendations. He doesn't sell compressors but he'll point you in the right direction.

You can also visit the website of Target Coatings, one of the best manufacturers of water-based finishes (Homestead sells some Target finishes, but not the whole product line).

[Rob Cunningham]

With the way the economy is right now , you might be able to find a good used compressor. I bought a 5hp 80 gal compressor with a refrigerated dryer from local machine shop that was closing, at a very reasonable price.
Good advice from the others on talking to Jeff Jewitt and checking out Target Coatings.
Another option to consider is a turbine set up. A few good names are Apollo, Accuspray, and Fuji.

[terry sanders]

Terry,
I purchased a campbell hausfeld 30 gal from HD several yrs ago and a Devilbiss $350 suction feed hvlp gun that I could never get to work. I tried different needles without success. Finally determined that my gun required more scfm than my compressor could provide. I purchased a cheap spray gun kit from HD that had two guns, one hvlp, and it works great. It is gravity feed and I use MinWax polycrylic and General Finishes water borne. I prefer the latter but it is more expensive. Considering the speed of drying time,the much better quality of finish, and the ease compared to brushing, I will never brush again, regardless of the size of the project.
terry

[David Kreuzberg]

I have no problems spraying oil-base products (enamel and poly). I thin them, if necessary, with turpentine, and have used a DeVilbiss JGA type suction feed gun and now a DeVilbiss HVLP/TransTech gun. Sprayed a front door for my son a couple days ago with Ben Moore Satin Impervo, and it looks great.

[Paul Ryan]

Terry

I do things a little unorthdoxed. For one you are told never to spray oil base finished inside you are risking an explosion. So take that as you wish. I spray in my basement. I call it my finishing room. I use it for glue-ups, staining, assembly, and finishing. It is a farily large room about 22x17. I have three large bathroom fans mounted in the ceiling to vent the funes. I have been spraying down there for years with poly finishes and have never had a problem. The fans to a good job of removal. I use a 10 year old craftsman 25 gallon 5 hp compressor that does a very good job. I wouldn't go any smaller than that. The CFM output is 8.7 at 90 psi. I use a good old cup feed sprayer that I paid $35 dollars for. I have been real happy with the setup and the finishes turn out very nice. I usually us minwax just becuase it is readily avaiable and thinner then other finishes so I don't have to thin it. If I hand finish I would never use it but it works good for me.

[Jim Becker]

Paul, most folks don't spray oil based finishes. There is some risk with them, but the biggest reason the majority don't spray oil based products is that they dry slowly and the overspray creates a sticky mess. I'm not saying one shouldn't spray them...just that most don't.

Now solvent lacquers...those are not a good thing to spray in your home or even a shop attached to your home without a proper spray booth. Those fumes are dangerous to your health in a major way and they can ignite quite easily...