New Mini Mite w/xpc gravity gun need help dialing in

[bass cowboy]

Just purchased a mini mite 3 stage w/xpc gravity gun.

I have a few projects with white lacquer. shot a few doors today really didn't hit the mark but will need sometime to get it right, had a couple of primer coats the other day and did 2 semi gloss coats and finished with a satin white which help alot to calm it down. ( I know why all the semi custom pre made shops are shooting all paints in a 5% sheen in conversion varnish)
I was either gritty or too heavy.

I was about 6 inches off of the piece and had the air wide open and the volume 30-40% open , that was my best result but to heavy
fine balance between the air,volume and distance off the piece.

need a little guidence in the proper steps.

Here in California and they take alot out of the material, using a precat white Valtec by Valspar.

Used a viscosity cup and straight out of the can it took 10 sec to run out, so I would assume I wouldn't need to thin? Maybe a retarder? I am told use a retarder if it is cold not sure some say when its really hot.

Another question on pigmented lacquers, would it be better to apply a couple of clear coats at the end but I know with white it can yellow , one guy said he put a little white in the clear to stop it from yellowing at first,  tried that but the Matte had a little yellow cast to it even with a splash of white satin, just going for it,

Southern Cal weather really not a problem about high 60's mid 70's right now.

the bottom line  HELP!!

 

[tiralie]

I was either gritty or too heavy.

Gritty is a sign of too little coverage and too heavy is a sign of well too much coating.
When spraying doors, particularly those with profiles, it helps to use a turn table and turn the work vs. walking around the door. You get better coverage on the profiles and don't overload the flat areas.

I was about 6 inches off of the piece and had the air wide open and the volume 30-40% open , that was my best result but to heavy
fine balance between the air,volume and distance off the piece.

I have found that reducing the needle and cap size helps atomize lacquer. I leave the air open and the volume/trigger  at 25% and the fan a little wider than mid level as I shoot with the gun a little closer off the piece. Make sure you are overlapping each pass by 50% and as you spray keep your gun parallel to the surface you are spraying.

Used a viscosity cup and straight out of the can it took 10 sec to run out, so I would assume I wouldn't need to thin? Maybe a retarder? I am told use a retarder if it is cold not sure some say when its really hot.

I am assuming that you are using a Ford #4 cup which is the cup supplied with the Fuji system. Relatively speaking a 10 second run out is considered light viscosity and you should be able to spray it with your 3 stage. Based on what you are reporting above I would start thinning the Valspar 5% by volume to see if the coating lays down better.

Another question on pigmented lacquers, would it be better to apply a couple of clear coats at the end but I know with white it can yellow , one guy said he put a little white in the clear to stop it from yellowing at first,  tried that but the Matte had a little yellow cast to it even with a splash of white satin, just going for it,

You can apply clear coats but after complete curing (see can or MSDS for details), lacquer is a reasonably tough finish. If this is for a kitchen or for cabinetry that will get used every day and will be close to water I would consider another coating. I have applied a water clear polyurethane over a lacquer on areas such as cabinet tops that I thought would get more abuse.

 

[bass cowboy]

Thanks Tim,

I added the 5% thinner as well as 5% retarder kept the gun close, air wide open, volume 25 ish and the fan at 75% . Killed it, looked like glass. Tried the trick of spraying semi-gloss first then satin on the final.

Have a few more lower level jobs that I can practice on to get a couple of more details together, building a whole house beaded inset job that need to be spot on.

I will stay with a low sheen level for now but with more practice will get into the higher sheens ,will still outsource more difficult finishes for now.

thanks again

 

[tiralie]

I added the 5% thinner as well as 5% retarder kept the gun close, air wide open, volume 25 ish and the fan at 75% . Killed it, looked like glass. Tried the trick of spraying semi-gloss first then satin on the final.

Good to hear.
You really don't need the retarder particularly with that viscosity and at that temp.
Try it without. It should lay down as well.
Your temperature is perfect for drying...I am jealous...it's been the second ice age here...so much for global warming...

Tim