Fuji HVLP or normal compressor with a HVLP gun?

[sanjay]

Hi,

I would love some help as i am getting more confused the more i research.  I do not have any spray equipment at the moment and need to spray a large number of kitchen cabinet doors, wood, trim etc. 

It seems most people use a Fuji type HVLP sprayer for this sort of thing. Is this better, then using a normal compressor with a HVLP gun and regulator.  all the HVLP guns i find seem to be designed more for automotive? ?? 

 

[woodferret]

This might help (or confuse things more for you)
https://pittsburghsprayequip.com/bl...sor-for-airless-paint-sprayers-and-spray-guns

TLDR: your 'normal' compressor likely won't provide the sustained CFM required.  4gal is probably the very min for cabinet doors, but HP and stages determine how fast it recharges before your wet edge dries.  Turbine HVLPs are designed to keep going, but there the stages will determine how thick/viscous of a fluid you can push through.

 

[gunnyr]

I can't recommend the Fuji MiniMite 4 enough!  I bought mine from Phelps Refinishing.  I spoke with Roger before purchasing and he was very helpful. 

I had tried a cheap compressor driven HVLP set up and ended up with overspray EVERYWHERE!  My 20 gal compressor wasn't up to the job either.

I struggled to learn how to spray until I learned to use a Ford cup to get the viscosity correct. (I was trying to spray SW Emerald).  Once I figured that out I have had spectacular results.  I'm sure you've read through the Finishing and Painting topics but I know it can get very overwhelming.  I find that I tend to over think things and painting was no exception!  I am most definitely not an expert but I can finish my own projects and occasionally find that I can out perform the pros!

 

[usernumber1]

if you're starting out or have little experience, fuji setup will save you a ton of frustration

 

[xedos]

Apollo is also worth considering for turbines too.

Some consider their 7700 gun to be the ultimate choice.  Can’t go wrong with either brand.

 

[tjbnwi]

I have a Q4 and Q5 for field work and color sample work.

The advantage to a turbine system is probability. If you need to spray something away from the shop, it is easy to do with a turbine system.

Add the 3M PPS system.

As Jeff mentioned above use the Ford 4 cup to prep your finishes for spraying.

Tom

 

[twistsol]

I also have a Fuji mini mite 4 purchased from Phelps refinishing (no relation) and a couple of guns. It has worked flawlessly no matter what I'm spraying whether stain paint or clear coats.

Compressors put out wet dirty air that will cool when it expands. You need to add a dryer and filters to prevent contamination of your finish from the compressor air supply.  A turbine doesn't have those issues. Plus a small turbine  its far more portable than a compressor.

 

[blues]

Apollo sprayers are considered to be top choice in professional hvlp equipment.  Their professional series are just amazing. Their 7700 gun is superb. Very precise control. Easy to break down to clean and quick to re-assemble.  One can never go wrong if you can afford it. One can spray very thick coatings without diluting it and expect fantastic results. I have never felt wanting in any way after using Apollo. Their after sales service is very personal. John the owner does not hesitate to call you if you have any technical questions.

I'd say Apollo is like Mafell, while Fujii is like Dewalt. Both get the job done. It's a lot more enjoyable getting the job done with Apollo and it's made in the USA! Fuji is made in Canada.

 

[RobS888]

Hi,

I would love some help as i am getting more confused the more i research.  I do not have any spray equipment at the moment and need to spray a large number of kitchen cabinet doors, wood, trim etc. 

It seems most people use a Fuji type HVLP sprayer for this sort of thing. Is this better, then using a normal compressor with a HVLP gun and regulator.  all the HVLP guns i find seem to be designed more for automotive? ??

Trying to use a compressor and spray guns is about the most frustrating thing I have ever tried to do.

I follow DIY builds and he just posted a video about painting his cabinets and at one point mentions how much time he wasted using a compressor and guns to paint. He used a Wagoner HVLP in this video. Just a suggestion that it might be a way to start.=7s

 

[Packard]

I have a 4-stage (or stage-4) HVLP sprayer.  Getting the right dilution is key to getting good results.  I used to use PPG's Breakthrough! but the dealer went out of business.  Now I use Benjamin Moore's Advance.  Advance dries very (very!) slowly.  This drags out the painting process.  But it self-levels and lays down very nicely.  B-M introduced Command and that dries faster. 

I made a comparison test between Command, Advance and Breakthrough! (The punctuation is part of the name).  Command and Advance sprayed out nicer (satin).  The breakthrough was not quite as smooth. 

Breakthough! dries in a hour or two and recoating can be done quickly.  Command has a 4 - 6 hour recoat time and Advance requires that it cures overnight before recoating.

Inititally Breakthrough! dried harder than the others.  But after 4 weeks all cured to similar hardness.  (I have a set of graduated pencils and I used the points of the pencils to test the "Plastic deformation" which is the hardness that is required to create a dent in the finish. 

After 24 hours Breakthrough achieved a hardness of "H" whereas the others took two or three days to get to "HB", but ultimately all three achieved "H" but no better.

Dark colors take far longer to harden. 

I have both an airless and a HVLP system.  The airless feels like a runaway freight train.  I much prefer the HVLP system.  HVLP atomizes the paint better (assuming you have added the right amount of water.)  Note: All of these paints seem "watery" compared to premium wall paints.  Wall paints suck for cabinet use.  They never get hard enough for hard usage.

 

[tjbnwi]

[member=74278]Packard[/member],

Try SW Emerald, Duration or Cabinet Coat for your finish (Cabinet Coat is a BM company) they all dry faster and harder. I find Advance does not stand the test of time.

We use special waterborne cabinet finishes in the shop that are not readily available to the public. They cure to pack in 8 hours. I can add an cross linker to make the finished surface even harder.

Tom

 

[Packard]

The local SW dealer is on my do-not-deal-with list as they are not trustworthy. I will check on Cabinet Coat. 

I did find that given sufficient time, the three finishes hardened to similar levels.  I realize that my pencil test is not repeatable as I did not use calibrated pencils, but as a relative test, I think it is valid.

For testing, I was checking for "plastic deformation" or when the pencil made a dent in the finish that I could perceive by running my fingernail over the line.

I did not check for adhesion.  I did not test for abrasion.   

 

[krudawg]

I can't recommend the Fuji MiniMite 4 enough!  I bought mine from Phelps Refinishing.  I spoke with Roger before purchasing and he was very helpful. 

I had tried a cheap compressor driven HVLP set up and ended up with overspray EVERYWHERE!  My 20 gal compressor wasn't up to the job either.

I struggled to learn how to spray until I learned to use a Ford cup to get the viscosity correct. (I was trying to spray SW Emerald).  Once I figured that out I have had spectacular results.  I'm sure you've read through the Finishing and Painting topics but I know it can get very overwhelming.  I find that I tend to over think things and painting was no exception!  I am most definitely not an expert but I can finish my own projects and occasionally find that I can out perform the pros!

X2

 

[Packard]

I was a complete novice when I got my Sprayfine stage4 turbine kit.  Easy to use right out of the box.  Came with everything except:

Paint filter cones
Paint
Containers to mix paint in

The package was just under $500.00 when I got it from Amazon.com.  They don’t seem to carry it anymore.  You can buy the system for $559.00 directly from the manufacturer.

It came with a pretty decent gun. 

See: https://www.turbineproducts.com/sprayfine-a401-4-stage-turbine-hvlp-spray-system/

 

[ryanjg117]

I have an Apollo Precision-5 but started with their 3-stage unit. As others have said, the 7700 gun is awesome. It's very fast and easy to break down and clean as mentioned previously, with only one small component which I sometimes flip when re-assembling (it doesn't harm the gun but the adjustable fan control won't work). The ability to easily clean a gun is, IMO, one of the biggest deals. If you own a quality gun, you be cleaning it all the time, between coats, etc. I can clean the 7700 in about three minutes, and deep clean it in about twice that time. 

The nice thing about a 5-stage unit is you don't really have to thin down... anything. I sprayed Rustoleum enamel with hardener earlier this week, no problem. SW latex, no problem. Paints specifically formulated for spraying, like most General Finishes products, are super easy. As someone else mentioned, a viscosity tester is a good, cheap accessory especially when you're new to spraying. It will help you pick the right nozzle and air cap for your material.

Another big fan of the PPS system here. It uses a high pressure hard cup with a liner inside that puts your material under constant pressure, so you can spray upside down for extended periods of time. Seems like something that wouldn't be terribly useful, but I find myself in awkward body positions especially with larger items (I paint a lot of welded structures).

I haven't used Fuji but I've heard good things about them. I just prefer to support a US company when I can. I've also had good experiences with Sally at Apollo. She often has recertified units and can offer special direct pricing/discounts.

 

[usernumber1]

Fuji made in Canada, even better than made in USA with global components

 

[xedos]

Fuji made in Canada, even better than made in USA with global components

And why is this ? 

Is that steel in the Fuji's housing made in Canada ?
How about the turbine itself ?

This is a Festool site with much of their line being imported to us, some of it with "global components".  Does that make it better or worse ?

 

[usernumber1]

yes Canadian steel made by the famous Innuit, Beaver & Elk steel Co.

relax its just a joke

although I heard Fuji is using the turbines straight out of the miele vacuums. no idea how true this is. where's the miele steel coming from, maybe their finest recycled ww2 tanks

 

[RogerF]

I’ve had a Fuji Q4 for about fourteen years and it has never had a problem. I don’t always spray finishes but when I do I am very comfortable with this tool and get great results with General Finishes water based products.
My work neighbor is a professional finisher and has some powerful equipment for spraying. He just invested in a high end Apollo. We’re in San Diego and they’re local to us.  He ordered it and they built it for him. I like my Fuji but this Apollo is another level and in a completely different price category.

 

[krudawg]

I can't recommend the Fuji MiniMite 4 enough!  I bought mine from Phelps Refinishing.  I spoke with Roger before purchasing and he was very helpful. 

I had tried a cheap compressor driven HVLP set up and ended up with overspray EVERYWHERE!  My 20 gal compressor wasn't up to the job either.

I struggled to learn how to spray until I learned to use a Ford cup to get the viscosity correct. (I was trying to spray SW Emerald).  Once I figured that out I have had spectacular results.  I'm sure you've read through the Finishing and Painting topics but I know it can get very overwhelming.  I find that I tend to over think things and painting was no exception!  I am most definitely not an expert but I can finish my own projects and occasionally find that I can out perform the pros!

I second that.  I have purchased a lot of Fuji stuff from Roger Phelps (I bought my Fuji MiniMite4 from another vendor as I did not know about Roger's operation at the time)  He is a great guy and ships his orders out zippidy quick.  I've even called him to ask him about some finish I sprayed and didn't like what I saw - his advice in invaluable.