Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 03, 2008 07:54pm | #1

   You can spray paint, but it helps a lot to start with paint that has been made for spraying.  Paint designed for brushing is usually so viscous that it can only easily be sprayed with airless spray equipment and then only for an OK finish.  Ordinary waterborne paint can't be thinned enough to spray with HVLP equipment that you can also use with clear finishes.  Oil based paint can be thinned more, but still dries relatively slowly so overspray is often a sticky mess.

   However, there are waterborne acyrlics that come at a sprayable viscosity from the can.  Target USL is one that is popular.  Checkout http://www.homesteadfinishing.com to get product info and to order custom colors. 

2. 
   dgreen | Feb 04, 2008 08:25am | #2

   What do you consider a large compressor, cfm@psi?

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   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

1. 
   wiskers | Feb 04, 2008 06:17pm | #3

   Ok, I may be large is overstating it, but here are the numbers 6.5 scfm at 40 psi and 5.1 scfm at 90 psi.

1. 
   dgreen | Feb 04, 2008 08:22pm | #6

   Might be a little close to the edge , the Astro Hvlp with a 1.7 nozzle wants 6cfm@29psi.

   The Sata 70961 with the same size tip wants 12.4cfm@29psi.

   The Asturo ECO wants 7cfm@21psi.------------------------------------

   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

3. 
   terrylee86 | Feb 04, 2008 06:18pm | #4

   Wiskers,

   I always use a different gun when I am spraying paint as opposed to lacquer. No matter how clean you think you have the gun from spraying paint the solvents in lacquer will pull one little flec of paint into your clear finish. I use a high quality Sata RP gun for all my lacquer and a Astro HVLP for all my paint. I love that Astro gun and it was only about $80. I bought an Asturo HVLP because that is what Jeff Jewitt was using on all the shows I saw, but I am not sure I like it as well as the Astro gun that I recently bought for lacquer(1.7 tip).
   Sraygunworld.com has a special on an Astro woodworking set-up. 2 guns and a minigun(stains) in a case and aluminum cups for about $200. I know it doesn't make sense to be that cheap, but they are really decent for the money. I have an IR 5HP 80 gal. upright and it does fine, 13cfm at 90 psi.
   Your finish will be ten times better and faster if you know how to use a gun and use the right product. I spray Benjamin Moore alkyd enamel reduced for spraying with paint thinner and have had tremendous success with that product. High end builders are using the same system on trim and doors now. My brother has been a professional painter for 30 years and he goes in and masks off the windows and sprays all the trim and doors with BM oil-based enamel and the customers are astonished at the glass like finish. He use an airless but the finish is the same for my system. I taught him how to spray(always thought a brush was best)

   Terry

4. 
   danmart | Feb 04, 2008 06:22pm | #5

   Wiskers

   The continuous pressure is very important when using the HVLP. Equally important is having a gun and multiple tips for the different paints and clear coats. I have lots of experience with auto paints and the low pressure guns work well but... you have to practice with different air pressures and use the best tip.

   dan