Tips, trick and resources for a complete HVLP/spraying newbie?

[RC]

So... I went and splurged a bit and ordered a Fuji Q4 Gold HVLP system with the xpc Gravity gun, #4 & #5 air caps & the extension hose... I know I'm cheap since I didn't cough double-up the money for the Apollo 1050VR, but one has to start somewhere [embarassed]

So for someone who has never painted with anything more mechanical than a paint roller I would be grateful if your pros would like to share pointers to good sources of information on HVLP painting/lacquering of wood projects like cabinets, outside furniture, table tops, bookshelfs, patios and fences.
Also any tips on best practices on paint gun clean-up are much appreciated since to my knowledge a clumsy clean of the gun is the quickest way of destroying an sprayer. I ordered the Axminster cleaning kit as well... [big grin]

I have bought the Taunton book on Finishing (Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing) by Jeff Jewit and will be reading it with more attention to details now, but I don't expect to find much details there about paint gun control fine tuning, air cap selection, etc.
So enlighten me with the hidden gems of knowledge you wish you had known when you started spray painting, hints to best-in-class accessories every sprayer should have and general spraying process tips [wink]

 

[festup]

Reiska, I just got an Apollo 1050VR, and am finding quite a bit of information on the Targets Coatings forum here: http://www.targetcoatings.com/forum/. I got some of their sealer and lacquer too. I'm a newbie sprayer, and am having fun spraying scraps of qswo and cherry and whatever else looks like it needs a practice coat or two. So far the dog hasn't got an extra coat... I framed a 12' x 12' (4m x 4m) room in my basement for finishing. It's "Dexterized" (enclosed in 6 mil plastic). I will only spray waterborne coatings, so I'm planning on setting up ventilation for overspray. Another process to learn! Here's another helpful site: http://uppercutwoodworks.com/2011/02/woodworkers-spray-finishing-tips/.

 

[tjbnwi]

What type of paint?

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

A little light reading;

http://festoolownersgroup.com/finishing/hvlp-for-on-site-spraying/

Tom

 

[mouppe]

Two tips I have are i) start and finish the strokes past the edge of the wood and ii) the distance the gun is from the wood is critical and can vary for different finishes.

 

[Steve Wagner]

Two tips I have are i) start and finish the strokes past the edge of the wood and ii) the distance the gun is from the wood is critical and can vary for different finishes.

In that same vein, another tip is to spray horizontal (flat) to the surface with your arm, don't use your wrist. 

When spraying raised panels, I rotate the spray head to give me a round pattern vs spray, I then spray into the relief or raised side, basically flat to that surface, then I rotate to fan spray and apply a coat across the entire panel using the flat spraying motion. (if you just spray a fan spray horizontally, you'll end up with not enough coverage on the sloped surfaces)

Experiment with your sprayer, you'll find that when you switch from a fan spray to a round pattern, you'll need to crank down on your material volume quite a bit. (or you'll  have running paint or pooling in the recess)

Good luck,
Steve

 

[denovich]

Jerry Work's guide to HVLP and Target finishes: http://thedovetailjoint.squarespace.com/storage/Target%20Coatings%20Manual%20R%201.0%20reduced.pdf

I recently tried Target's EM6000 production spray lacquer. I love the results, but the best feature is being able to spray without poisoning myself or the family (basement shop). Clean up is a snap too.

Best recommendation: Shoot test panels first, with the same finishing schedule you intend to use on your project. You'll save yourself a lot of time/tears by smoking out problems on test pieces first.

Now take out some guess work and get these:

Something to measure viscosity: Viscosity is usually quoted in # seconds to empty a viscosity cup, Zahns and Ford are two styles. I use a #4 Ford cup (Zahns cups are way more expensive, but you can convert #sec on Ford to #sec on Zahns if you need to.).  On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ES42NG/ 

Something to measure film thickness: Some finishes prefer to be put on thick, some thin. So, buy a wet film thickness gauge. This is a cheap plastic/metal card that has a stair step edge, each .001" shorter than the next. You push that edge against your freshly sprayed finish, and then by examining the last "stair" to leave a mark you can tell how thick in mils the finish is. I couldn't find one on Amazon, but they are apparently easy to find at paint shops. I need one.

Repairing a botched finish is a huge buzzkill, so develop and stick to a process to improve consistency and increase the odds of success.

 

[deepcreek]

I learned to spray using General Finishes High Performance Water Based Top Coat.  It is VERY forgiving and an excellent finish.  Read the online reviews on this product and you'll see what I mean.  I prefer to use an oil based wiping stain.  Let the stain dry 48 hours before spraying.  Afterwards, you can wipe on a spit coat of shellac to add a little more depth to the finish.  You can also add a little amber dye as High Performance is crystal clear.  I tend to use it straight and have been happy with the results.  It's still my favorite.  For countertops, you can add General Finishes cross-linker to High Performance for super durability.

 

[tjbnwi]

I get my mill gauges at no cost from Sherwin Williams, if you ned to purchase one Highland has them;

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/wet-mil-gauge.aspx

A short video on the gauges use, not the best, then again my videos never are;



Tom

 

[RC]

Thanks for the great pointers this far - will keep me busy for a few evenings as they are, but keep them rolling in  [big grin]