HVLP for on site spraying

[ericbuggeln]

I think my buddies is too little and old to sink money into, 1050VR is for an all day everyday pro, and the Eco 5 is just right for me. Gonna buy it tomorrow and if there are shortcomings, I will man up and deal with it. I was always having fits with my Graco 390, but persisted and never left a job site that didn't have a damn good finish. I will do the same here. Expect me to be in on every finishing conversation from here on out, until I have achieved full nerd status. Thanks to everyone who helped me make this decision. I could not have done it without you, Eric

 

[tjbnwi]

Tim, I'm with you 100% on this one. TMI over load. I'm so glad I just make a decisions and deal with them from there.

I see Eric did make a decision (maybe, could be). Then again he could borrow his buddies older unit, if it works pay him, if not return it and pay the cost of having a new one overnighted or second day'd to you.

Sorry, had to make it more confusing for Eric.

Tom

 

[ericbuggeln]

Tom, cant go there dude, gotta move on. We havent even gotten into the finer points of tips and compatible finishes yet. Plus, i dont want my first hvlp spray job to be with a sprayer that may or may not even do what i want it to do. That could be a rough start.

I have gotten next to no work done in the last two days, but ive learned so much that i know its gonna pay off down the line, Eric

 

[Scott B.]

Eric

I don't think the Eco will disappoint. Apollo is such a good company, even though I haven't been in a room with that rig, I did check and the specs are very, very similar on paper to the 1050. As I messaged to you, the difference will be in the user experience, the features won't be quite as plush. That would make a big difference to you, but from a pure functionality standpoint, I think it would do you fine.

HVLP turbine units are hard to shop for. In the lower end of the price spectrum, Earlex is great bang for the buck. I can get a good finish with that, and its great for occasional use, but I could not have it as a primary piece on professional projects. There is very little in the mid price range. It quickly goes up to $1200-1500 to get something good, which ends up being really good. For that reason, I think the Eco in that price range is intriguing. Eric is a classic example of someone who needs to do fine finish, but not everyday.

Turbines are great from a convenience standpoint. Easy to use, and portable. We run them in the shop, and they are easy to transport and set up in the field. Quality of finish is very consistent in either setting. Just have to get to know your products in that technology.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Rock on brother, Eric

 

[Michael Kellough]

Eric, you didn't say how much of your buddies equipment you would get for that $300 but that is an attractive price for the turbine alone. Apollo stuff is built to last. That unit could have been in continuous use for the last twenty years if routinely maintained (the filters need to be replaced often and the brushes wear down, with a lot of use the bearings will die and at that point you would consider a new unit).

You still have a steep learning curve that is really hard to climb alone, and money is tight. If your friend is agreeable I'd seriously consider hiring him to spray the new work with his Apollo equipment to demonstrate that it is capable of spraying the products you want to use, and teach you how to use it etc. Pay him for his time and buy his stuff if you want or go ahead and buy the Eco 5 with a much better understanding of what you need.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Oh Mike, i was just minding my business, working away and youve drawn me back into the vortex that is my purchasing decision. You make very valid points. Im gonna give him a shot and have the Eco 5 as a back up. One thing that would be nice is the previous owner, who has been spraying for thirty years could run me through it, which with a new unit i would just be bothering you guys. I will give you guys a full report with pics for evaluation, thanks again Mike, Eric

 

[ericbuggeln]

Mike may be the genius of the bunch? This is what he's got. He says it is an 1100 HVLP dual turbine 3+2=5 stage with five air filters. What are we looking at boys? Eric

 

[Scott B.]

While I have met neither, by all indications over the past couple of years, in my opinion Tim Raleigh and Tom Bader are two of the most knowledgeable and competent spray technicians I have met on the internet. They "get it", at a very deep and successful level.

Scott:
Thanks, I am sure I don't deserve such praise. I'll keep working on it.

You guys might recommend that I learn and master some simple Kreg jig joinery before purchasing a chain mortiser. Or something like that.

Not me, if you want to work with a chain mortiser I say get the best you can afford and go for it. [big grin] I have never understood the learn on cheap equipment theory. Shouldn't you learn on the best so you don't develop bad habits? Cheap equipment is for those who have mastered their craft.

Thanks again.
Tim

"Best" is a relative term. What is best for you or me (which are even two different things), won't make much sense for Eric. The Apollo Eco 5 (on paper and price) is not cheap equipment at all. I think it would be suitable here, mostly for simplicity sake. I have seen too many guys buy technologies that just didn't make sense to them when they could have learned basic techniques and gained experience with less frustration and cost.

 

[Scott B.]

Mike may be the genius of the bunch? This is what he's got. He says it is an 1100 HVLP dual turbine 3+2=5 stage with five air filters. What are we looking at boys? Eric

Eric

There is no "genius" in the bunch. There is no right or wrong. Just what is right for you. Honestly, any of these options will be better than where you are at now.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Scott, I actually hand painted some trim today, what sucker, right? I'm gonna see this sprayer and if it looks like something that will work for me, I will buy it and if not I will get the Eco 5. The one thing that would be nice is that my friend could show me how to set it up and let me practice with it. I was thinking of getting some LenMars? Do you have a product recommendation? Whatever happens the brush and mini roller are being retired, Eric

 

[Scott B.]

Scott, I actually hand painted some trim today, what sucker, right? I'm gonna see this sprayer and if it looks like something that will work for me, I will buy it and if not I will get the Eco 5. The one thing that would be nice is that my friend could show me how to set it up and let me practice with it. I was thinking of getting some LenMars? Do you have a product recommendation? Whatever happens the brush and mini roller are being retired, Eric

I think you would gain greatly from your friend's experience.

Bottom line, if your previous spraying life was with a 390, you are about to enter a different finishing galaxy with any of the options you are considering. Buckle up for safety, be patient, and use the force.

Lenmar rocks, but is very fast. HVLP is not fast. Everything in between is where your craft is challenged.

 

[ericbuggeln]

What do you normally practice on before you get it just right? Ply, cardboard? I have one wall cabinet for the shop and a bookcase I built to practice on. Eric

 

[Scott B.]

What do you normally practice on before you get it just right? Ply, cardboard? I have one wall cabinet for the shop and a bookcase I built to practice on. Eric

Don't go into a real piece until you do a few things first.

Put water in it and spray the studs in your garage first, just to get a feel for it. Learn the range of the fan pattern at watery viscosity and learn the difference between 3 si and 9 at that viscosity. Then go to cardboard. Then scrap plywood. Then put some product in and spray something. Stay on open road and learn the range of the rig before you go inside anything. When guys are off with hvlp, they are never off in the middle...its either way to much fluid or way too much atomization. Find the middle and exploit it. If you learn the machine at a water consistency, you then know what to do with more viscosity.

To Tim, I was thinking about what you said earlier, and its a great point...about how when you are experienced, you can do it with lesser equipment. That got me thinking, and not at all in relation to Eric, just in general, you are correct...I can get the finish I want out of a Earlex 5500, but I can't "live" with it. The wonkiness of the design and lack of features would make me miserable. Point being, its about finding what you can "live" with. That is what strikes me about you and Tom, you have found what you can live with and built a deep relationship with that. Finishing bliss. Thanks for making me think from a different angle.

 

[ericbuggeln]

That sounds like a good start. I'm so happy in my garage, Eric

 

[tjbnwi]

Eric,

When you can spray an even coat of water on a 2' square piece of vertical polished glass, with no bounce back or runs, you can start on a finish piece. After you practiced on all the stuff Scott listed try it, lots of fun to challenge yourself to do it.

Tom

 

[tiralie]

Eric,

When you can spray an even coat of water on a 2' square piece of vertical polished glass, with no bounce back or runs, you can start on a finish piece. After you practiced on all the stuff Scott listed try it, lots of fun to challenge yourself to do it.

Tom

That's a good one. Gonna try it.
Tim

 

[Scott B.]

Eric,

When you can spray an even coat of water on a 2' square piece of vertical polished glass, with no bounce back or runs, you can start on a finish piece. After you practiced on all the stuff Scott listed try it, lots of fun to challenge yourself to do it.

Tom

That's a good one. Gonna try it.
Tim

Actually, me too.

Bader!  [mad]

 

[ericbuggeln]

Boot Camp for finishing? Im up to the challenge and clearly too scared to spray a finish piece without putting in work first, Eric

 

[Scott B.]

Boot Camp for finishing? Im up to the challenge and clearly too scared to spray a finish piece without putting in work first, Eric

Careful what you wish for.

With Tom's permission, I am so going to put this task into our spray cert program. Just gotta make sure I can do it first.  [cool]