My Paint Spray Setup with a Fuji MiniMite 4

[Pnw painter]

When given enough time to cure Advance becomes very hard. In many cases I believe that it takes much longer than 30 days for Advance to reach its maximum hardness.

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[QuailRider43]

Glad it worked out for you
I would NEVER spray doors verticaly, just spray them horizontally and rack
They level out perfect! No one sprays door like that!

I use the coat hanger method.  It works a treat.  No runs if you apply thin coats.  Less dust / bugs landing on the faces while drying.  Can do both sides at once.  A ladder on two saw horses becomes an instant drying rack (can easily fit 3-4 doors per ladder rung).  Can easily move wet doors around without worrying about where to grab.  No need to plug the hook holes if you choose their positions carefully, so can quickly put the hooks back in and add another coat in a few years time.

 

[JCLP]

Hi Jim,

Wanted to let you know that Tom is correct. the Duralac product can be tinted to any BM colour but because the bases are different then those from BM directly, you need to find a dealer that knows how to do this. I found a dealer in the states that has formulas for tinting the duralac products to match the most popular BM products. Most BM retailers do not know how to do this.
Also, I have the same setup that you do, except I have a Q5 which I dial down to match the output of the 4 stage from Fuji. Using the PPS system as well, I found that I can spray Advance and Select Regal, which is thicker, without any thinning with a 1.8mil needle. If you don't thin it will dry faster and risk orange peel. So I add 5% of water for Advance and 5% BM extender for Select Regal and I get a perfect finish.
These 2 paints don't like air at all. The less air you can introduce to the paint the better the results.

Thought I would share,
JC

 

[butzla]

Thanks [member=24938]JCLP[/member] , for your tips on spraying.  How much air do you suppress?  Say if wide open on the hose valve is 12:00 and fully closed is 3:00, what time do you recommend?

The first coat I brushed on my base cabinets this morning has dried.  I'm amazed how slippery smooth it is.  Advance gets a lot of knocks around here but I think it's a great paint.

 

[QuailRider43]

I just re-read the initial post.  I have a chemistry related issue with thinning waterborne alkyd or latex with wiper fluid for spraying.  I've seen this method mentioned in some forums, particularly in hobby model painting and woodworking circles.  Some points to consider:

1) The purpose of adding a conditioner like Floetrol is to slow the dry time, allowing the atomized paint droplets enough time to lay out on the surface and level back into a flat layer.

2) Adding ~10% water is necessary to lower the viscosity of these thicker paints that are designed for brushing / rolling, allowing adequate flow through the gun and atomization to occur.

3) Thinning the paint will make it dry faster.

With these facts in mind, here's my issue:  adding a thinning agent that has a faster evaporation rate than water defeats the function of the paint conditioner (which is trying to slow down the drying rate).  So while washer fluid may in fact work, you're better off sticking with water to allow adequate leveling.  Is my reasoning correct?

 

[butzla]

[member=45495]QuailRider43[/member] ,  You say thinning the paint makes it dry faster, JC said it drys slower.  Some hang their work pieces vertically while others swear by horizontal.  Some thin with water while others thin with wiper fluid.  Some like Kem Aqua,  others like Duralaq and on and on.  There's no right or wrong way, ask my wife, according to her I'm wrong 99% of the time.  Advance is known on this forum for being problematic in many ways.  The whole point of my post was to show the methods that I used to get a very successful result.  Take it or leave it.

 

[brewster201]

Looks great Jim, nice to see the progress

 

[QuailRider43]

Not criticizing, just learning. I like understanding why the paint behaves the way it does, so hard work doesn’t go pear shaped due to some unforeseen factor. I considered washer fluid myself before, but then I read about how it can affect the conditioner, so I reconsidered. I enjoyed reading about your project.

 

[brewster201]

Ok open to criticism lol From my experience WHY try to thin when you can spray right from the can. There should be NO--- talk on mixing, diluting just try Kem Aqua plus
If your that naive on trying to spray BW Advance I give up. Spend $40 bucks on a gallon and try it
Use BM Advance on the cabinets using a sponge roller and spray the doors with SW Kem Aqua +
From experience BM Advanced will not stand up to daily abuse on the doors! Try the nail test
Pre spray with Bin shellac primer

Try to move forward not backward and listen from experience!!
I moved on from a Fuji 4 stage, then a 3m system, then a Cat stainless pressure pot and finally to a AAA Kremlin 15-25 pump/excite gun
It is all an evolution to try to get better
Just trying to help
Thanks
Bruce

 

[tjbnwi]

Just to throw another wrench in the gears....

Minwax Ploycrylic is a great thinner for acrylic paints.

Tom

 

[brewster201]

With all respect Tom
Why would anyone want to mix, dilute and play around when you can spray with the real deal!
We ALL have tried the shortcuts and realize what works. This is a business not playtime

Bruce

 

[tjbnwi]

With all respect Tom
Why would anyone want to mix, dilute and play around when you can spray with the real deal!
We ALL have tried the shortcuts and realize what works. This is a business not playtime

Bruce

Sometimes you can't get an exact color match with KA+. I have one of the best there is at matching at the finish store I use, there's times you have to go with paint and clear. Just went through it trying to have a BM color matched.

By the way, there is not a product I've run into that I can't spray straight---I have a unit that will spray block filler, Tuff Hide or Spary-Plast XP.  Putting the info out there for the ones that can't spray some of the heavier products without a little applied alchemy.

Tom

 

[brewster201]

Tom
I spray 120 doors a week with Key Aqua Plus, Sherwin Williams matches it perfectly.
Just not trying to reinvent the wheel

Just trying to give GOOD advice

Bruce

 

[tjbnwi]

Tom
I spray 120 doors a week with Key Aqua Plus, Sherwin Williams matches it perfectly.
Just not trying to reinvent the wheel

Just trying to give GOOD advice

Bruce

Matches it to what?

I buy between 15-20 gallons of KA+ a month, clears and whites of various sheens. You'll find most of the guys who use KA or KA+ here is because I recommend it for the last 5-6 years. I field calls at least twice a week from people asking about settings, technique and application of the product.

The vast majority of times they can get the color dead on. About 2 weeks ago I need a couple gallons of KA+ tinted to BM Simply White. They couldn't get the hue just right. Had the issue with other BM colors. I attribute it to the titanium white concentration and the fact BM has 2 different gray colorants. Ended up with Advance topcoated with KA+ MRE.

As I said, have yet to run into a product I can't spray apply--by the way, I'm not a painter or a finisher--but I sure do a lot of it....

Tom

 

[brewster201]

I have had good success just limiting the customer colour selections to the SW colour book. Using SW Kem Aqua plus on the doors and Pro Classic on the cabinets if they can't be sprayed. Been happy with there colour matches.

I recently purchased the Graco GX19 as a standalone Bin primer pump. I really don't want to spray shellac based Bin through the Kremlin. That could be a different post lol

Thanks 

 

[tjbnwi]

I have had good success just limiting the customer colour selections to the SW colour book. Using SW Kem Aqua plus on the doors and Pro Classic on the cabinets if they can't be sprayed. Been happy with there colour matches.

Thanks

At times I don't have that option. The colors choices are made by others and I have to match them.

Tom

 

[wptski]

Just to throw another wrench in the gears....

Minwax Ploycrylic is a great thinner for acrylic paints.

Tom

Ah, you've played with this more?

 

[mrFinpgh]

Just to throw another wrench in the gears....

Minwax Ploycrylic is a great thinner for acrylic paints.

Tom

I'm curious about this, [member=4105]tjbnwi[/member].  If I add polycryclic to an acrylic paint, what would be the effects, beyond reducing viscosity?  Would it affect leveling qualities?

 

[tjbnwi]

Just to throw another wrench in the gears....

Minwax Ploycrylic is a great thinner for acrylic paints.

Tom

Ah, you've played with this more?

Not a lot since I got a- AAA. It will shoot latex and acrylics without any problems.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

Just to throw another wrench in the gears....

Minwax Ploycrylic is a great thinner for acrylic paints.

Tom

I'm curious about this, [member=4105]tjbnwi[/member].  If I add polycryclic to an acrylic paint, what would be the effects, beyond reducing viscosity?  Would it affect leveling qualities?

The paint does layout better. I noticed no affect on the paint film strength.

Tom