Replies

1. 
   JMadson | Feb 12, 2008 06:31pm | #1

   Flexner's book on Understanding Wood Finishing is a great source to learn about finishing. It may not delve into large shops but it should help.

   You could also check out http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/

    

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 13, 2008 06:28am | #2

   It's not my strong area, but one place to check out is http://www.mlcampbell.com They have a resource center with a number of links that might be of help, and a section on common woodfinishing problems that is pretty extensive. 

3. 
   Paul_Snyder | Feb 16, 2008 02:59am | #3

   What sort of information are you looking for? The only book I know of that's dedicated to spraying is by Andy Charron, and as I sit here browsing through it, I'd say it's a good place to start if you're not familiar with the basics.

   The book doesn't get into production spray equipment, like air assisted airless pumps, or even double diaphragm pumps. The picture I'm attaching to this post shows and air assisted airless pump that siphons the finish straight from a 5 gallon pail. I added a 1 gallon gravity cup to the pump (on the left) for spraying smaller quantities. They also make pumps that are larger and siphon from a 55 gallon pail. This equipment sprays very fast with excellent atomization which makes it ideal for production work. It's not appropriate for any sort of intricate or overly complex work because of the high rate of fluid flow.

   View Image

   Paul
   http://www.finishwiz.com

   
1. 
   quietude | Feb 21, 2008 03:49am | #4

   Thanks Paul. I've picked up Charron's book and am working through it. In the end I will be looking at a set up for a production millwork shop. Runs of up to 500 kitchens. I'm also to be looking at a few furniture set-ups. Any further advice would be appreciated.
   Thanks,
   Luke

1. 
   Paul_Snyder | Feb 21, 2008 04:57pm | #5

   Luke,A "run of up to 500 kitchens" is major production for a large manufacturing facility. I would expect to find quite a bit of automation in a facility doing this kind of production. Check out http://www.cattinair.com and http://www.deimco.com for example. There's an article in the current issue of finishing magazine that is the first in a series on the subject of automation. You can read the magazine online at this link - http://www.finishingmagazine.com/publication/index.jsp?pubId=1For the items that are sprayed by hand, automation can still play a role. There are conveyor systems, either hanging or carts, that bring the pieces into the spray booth on a steady basis. Check out this link for an example - http://www.pacline.com/applications/02_finishing.phpThe "hands-on" spray equipment used in shops doing this kind of production will consist of pump systems. Check out the Airmix and Plural Component spray systems from Kremlin for examples - http://en.ekremlin.com/all_products.asp - In a 'typical' system, multiple pumps would be connected together, each pump delivering a different finish (e.g., one pump each for sealer, primer, clear topcoat, pigmented topcoat) with another pump dedicated to cleaning solvent. If you're going to use catalyzed finishes, then you'd want a plural component system that automatically mixes the finish and catalyst as you spray. In this system, each finish has two pumps - one for the finish and one for the catalyst.A 'simple' system consisting of a plural component pump capable of handling two finishes (e.g., sealer and topcoat) will cost around $30K.Paul
   http://www.finishwiz.com

   Edited 2/21/2008 12:05 pm ET by Paul_Snyder