[silvertogold]

I know little to nothing about HVLP sprayers and related equipment but want to purchase one.

What recommendations might you have?

 

[ing3018]

I bought a cheap HVLP gun at Harbor Freight for $14. I have only hobby experience with painting, yet I have been able to get very pleasing results with enamels. What is really nice about using one, is the reduced overspray due to the low pressure. You don't get the big cloud of paint and as such your work area doesn't get impacted as much. You should still wear a respirator. If you are painting small stuff, you can get by with a small compressor, as your run times can be shorter. A larger compressor that can deliver around 8 CFM would be a good idea if you want to do larger areas and need to spray continuously. This can depend on the tip diameter of the spray gun you use, of course.

What I'm saying is; even if you have a small compressor, there are really inexpensive guns available to try so the money risk is low.

Paul

 

[Mr onetwo]

This HF gun is very well recommended for the money on paint forums elsewhere.Find a 20% off coupon code online and you have a really cheap setup to play with....always use a good respirator!!! http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/ ... 47016.html Find an old dented car hood for free, hang it in your garage and try your hand at spraying it.Good luck! :trink:

 

[oldfrank]

I always tarp off an area just large enough to house the pieces to be painted. If possible get a cross flow of clean air and let the mist and over spray move towards the exit side, {port out}. Try to make sure the area is as clean as possible before spraying and when your done, walk away for a few hours afterwards. this will give the painted surface a chance to tack up nicely. {1} light spray let it get tacky
{2} light spray let it get tacky
{3} medium heavy spray and then walk away---let completely dry before handling.

Dirt and bugs / flies and other air born particles are your worst night mare.

just take your time and enjoy the results. ---oldfrank--- :thumbsup:

 

[silvertogold]

Well, I bought the 94572 HVLP Spray Gun Kit from Harbor Freight.
they call this "Professional Automotive :sidelaugh: :sidelaugh: :sidelaugh:

Anyway, I added an air pressure regulator and filter and gave it a try. It was quite impressive!
I know it's not a SATA that I have been reading about, but it seams to work very well for my purposes.

Thanks to 'ALL' for your help.

some times its font to play grown up

 

[Brad Gyde]

I bought a very similar setup.. But paid double the money for just about a year ago.. Mine is a "Starting Line" by DeVilbiss.. I am VERY satisfied with the job it does. I was actually going to buy that set from HF, but, my uncle (who is a paint/body guy by trade) recommended I buy the guns I bought (and since he is teaching me so far, I am following his advice)

As for setting up the area, I agree with OldFrank. Last spring we shot many of the parts for my first resto project with many of the things in my shop now having red specks on them. I have since run a tarp across the building, and plan to run another (will basically break my shop into 3 bays). I have a large shop built fan (kinda like the big round ones you see at TSC).. It was built from a attic fan and some scraps of tin. I put the roll up door high enough to put the fan under and close the door down. I block the rest of the doorway "opening" with plywood. The fan pushes out, and we get fresh air in at the top of the door.. Seems to make a pretty good circulation.

We usually try to blow the floor off with a blow gun the day before we paint, and have had good success taming the residual dust on the floor by wetting it down lightly with a garden sprayer just before shooting primer, then doing the same before shooting the top coat (usually spray the primer and within a hour shoot the top coat).

I am by far no expert, but the best advice I have received so far is:

1) You can never prep "too much"
2) Cleanliness of the work area for spraying is godliness
3) Follow the directions for the paint
4) Feather the trigger on the gun.. I used to set the needle so I squeezed fully to get my desired spray.. I now just squeeze the trigger to the point I get my desired spray, and I can squeeze a little harder if I decide I need a little more product in a given spot.
5) NEVER STOP MOVING!!! If you are squeezing the trigger, your arm/hand best be in motion. A consistent speed/distance works best (I'm still working on this).. If you get too close, or slow down or stop, expect to find a run/sag in that area.
6) When painting, "slide" off the surface you're painting, then let go of the trigger, or squeeze the trigger and "slide" onto the surface to be covered.. This also seems to really help with sagging/running

Those are the items as they were told to me/as I understand em.. Again, I am no expert, but I have greatly improved in the 4 evenings we painted over the summer.. It'll be great for me to be able, when all is said and done, to say "I did it myself, with some guidance".. I know I have some thin spots and a couple runs.. But for my first, it looks dang good.. (and all I can do from this point is to continue trying to improve) :mrgreen:

Although not a Case/Colt/Ingersoll, here's my ongoing project.. A Massey-Harris 33. I am much farther along now.. All that is left is some assembly, the tinwork, and wheels. This was about the first thing painted. The first pic is the prep I did, the second is shortly after painted. I have since really worked toward making the area cleaner/better for successful painting.

Brad

 

[Stewart]

I bought a very similar setup.. But paid double the money for just about a year ago.. Mine is a "Starting Line" by DeVilbiss.. I am VERY satisfied with the job it does. I was actually going to buy that set from HF, but, my uncle (who is a paint/body guy by trade) recommended I buy the guns I bought (and since he is teaching me so far, I am following his advice)

As for setting up the area, I agree with OldFrank. Last spring we shot many of the parts for my first resto project with many of the things in my shop now having red specks on them. I have since run a tarp across the building, and plan to run another (will basically break my shop into 3 bays). I have a large shop built fan (kinda like the big round ones you see at TSC).. It was built from a attic fan and some scraps of tin. I put the roll up door high enough to put the fan under and close the door down. I block the rest of the doorway "opening" with plywood. The fan pushes out, and we get fresh air in at the top of the door.. Seems to make a pretty good circulation.

We usually try to blow the floor off with a blow gun the day before we paint, and have had good success taming the residual dust on the floor by wetting it down lightly with a garden sprayer just before shooting primer, then doing the same before shooting the top coat (usually spray the primer and within a hour shoot the top coat).

I am by far no expert, but the best advice I have received so far is:

1) You can never prep "too much"
2) Cleanliness of the work area for spraying is godliness
3) Follow the directions for the paint
4) Feather the trigger on the gun.. I used to set the needle so I squeezed fully to get my desired spray.. I now just squeeze the trigger to the point I get my desired spray, and I can squeeze a little harder if I decide I need a little more product in a given spot.
5) NEVER STOP MOVING!!! If you are squeezing the trigger, your arm/hand best be in motion. A consistent speed/distance works best (I'm still working on this).. If you get too close, or slow down or stop, expect to find a run/sag in that area.
6) When painting, "slide" off the surface you're painting, then let go of the trigger, or squeeze the trigger and "slide" onto the surface to be covered.. This also seems to really help with sagging/running

Those are the items as they were told to me/as I understand em.. Again, I am no expert, but I have greatly improved in the 4 evenings we painted over the summer.. It'll be great for me to be able, when all is said and done, to say "I did it myself, with some guidance".. I know I have some thin spots and a couple runs.. But for my first, it looks dang good.. (and all I can do from this point is to continue trying to improve) :mrgreen:

Although not a Case/Colt/Ingersoll, here's my ongoing project.. A Massey-Harris 33. I am much farther along now.. All that is left is some assembly, the tinwork, and wheels. This was about the first thing painted. The first pic is the prep I did, the second is shortly after painted. I have since really worked toward making the area cleaner/better for successful painting.

Brad

Thanks for your description of the process :thumbsup: :trink: :trink:

Stewart :canada: :drinkbuddies:

 

[InTroubleAlltheTime]

Be safe if you are doing this in an enclosed area. Most of the VOCs associated with painting can ignite. You need to ventilate the gases out. Get a good mask rated for gases associated with painting. I would only spray during low humidity. Are you going to use a reducer and hardener? I wet sand in between coats, progressively finer and finer grit. It's not a bad idea to pick up a book on automotive painting from the library or bookstore and read up.
I am no expert by any means but got decent results with the jobs I have done. As said, I think the prep is the most important.
:222: :446: Best Regards, Rich

 

[InTroubleAlltheTime]

Clarify: I wet sanded between primer coats.
:222: :446: Best Regards, Rich

 

[Dr Natedogg]

The only thing I would add is that wetting the floor down to prevent dust like mentioned above can be very tricky because as it evaporates that moisture goes into the air creating a lot of humidity so be careful.


Nate