HVLP Sprayer = Good Tool!

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:44 am

For any of you wanting or needing a High Volume-Low Pressure spray gun Here is one I heartily recommend looking into.

Friday I finally cranked up my new HVLP sprayer. (Only $99 at Rockler) I was a little frightened as I have never used a sprayer before, and wasn't really sure of this inexpensive machine, although it had good reviews. I used it with a lot of success! The motor/air pump it comes with is a fancy little thing that even has storage for the spray gun and cleaning tools. It sounds like a small - not very noisy vacuum cleaner when running. The spray gun works from the exhaust of the thing. The power switch is easy to reach so you can turn it off or on when needed. I had zero problems with it and it did a beautiful job for me. Incidentally I saw an add for an HVLP sprayer in a magazine the other day for $700. This one cost only $99.00

I think HVLP sprayers were designed to be used for spraying oil based products and all I have read say they spray stain and varnish beautifully. I've only used it to spray latex (water based) paint, so have no experience with other fluids. Except it does spray water well - That's how I cleaned it. The gun parts are simple and easy to dis-assemble and re-assemble. I bought a several brush cleaning kit with it - Those bottle brushes came in handy for a final clean up.

If you want more info. click on the link below. There are ten reviews of this machine. The first nine sold me! The 10th is by yours truly!

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page ... ilter=HVLP

No - I don't work for Rockler (or Shopsmith) but I thought you should be aware of this reasonably priced wonderful little sprayer.

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:16 am

Chuck:

How about overspray? Do you have some type of enclosure in which to use this spray gun?

I don't have a separate painting room, so I have always put plastic down to protect the floor and resorted to the old fashioned brush finishing method. I do have an 8' x 24' concrete apron outside the shop. Would this be a better place to use a HV-LP system?

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:15 am

I wonder if this is a the same unit Woodcraft is now offering?
Anyone know??
Ed

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:17 pm

I bought an inexpensive Wagner Control Spray unit to paint my exterior steel door with oil base enamel. It worked very well. Latex is usually too thick to spray unless it it thin excessively, I'm told. If you want to spray lacquer, etc. you will want very good ventilation and wear a good organic vapor mask.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:25 pm

8iowa wrote:Chuck:

How about overspray? Do you have some type of enclosure in which to use this spray gun?

I don't have a separate painting room, so I have always put plastic down to protect the floor and resorted to the old fashioned brush finishing method. I do have an 8' x 24' concrete apron outside the shop. Would this be a better place to use a HV-LP system?

I had fear and intepredations about overspray - but reasoned the thing is designed to work with low pressure - I thought high pressure was the cause of all the overspray mist that gets everywhere. This made me think of a HVLP sprayer in the first place. Guess I reasoned right for once! I hung a plastic tarp (3 layers) from my lumber rack down to the floor and underneath the shutter. I put good oak scraps on top of the plastic to hold it to the storage shelf that is 68" from the floor. (just measured it) The shutter is 57" tall - so only had 10" of tarp above the shutter.
The tarp extended to 8 feet wide to cover the Shopsmith and the plywood rack. - about 4 ft. each side of the shutter. Virtually all of the "overspray" was directed by the gun as I went from side to side. Later I found a few very small droplets of white paint of some of the oak I used to hold down the tarp - at 69 to 70" off the floor. These droplets are so few - I could actually count them. They will be no problem and will easily get cut or sanded off.

In fact the Shopsmith was hidden behind the tarp and the shutter leaned on the Mark V through the tarp.

About using the outdoor area. - - I preferred indoors - in the shop as there is no wind or dust. Thought a little about outdoors - but dismissed that quickly.

Hoping this answers your questions! This thing is really a breeze to use. I think it would be real hard to have a problem using latex paint. It was thinned (almost) according to instructions on the can. (8 oz of water to a gallon of paint) (I actually added a skosh bit more)

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:40 pm

Ed in Tampa wrote:I wonder if this is a the same unit Woodcraft is now offering?
Anyone know??
Ed

Looks like the same unit! Same price! Looks like the same blower unit! Hose looks like the same. Gun looks almost the same - Might be the angle of the picture.

P.S. (Next Day) Got a new Rockler Catalog today - noted they said this HVLP sprayer is only available at Rockler. No Brand Name.