Right now, I have an HF spray gun with a .8 mm nozzle that I use for spraying clear water based finishes on turnings. It's OK, but I think I need a bit bigger nozzle. I'd like to buy a better gun with a 1.0 nozzle for the same purpose. I'm looking for recommendations and welcome any that you may have (i.e., brand, approx price, etc.). Thanks.
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Need New Spray Gun - Looking for Recommendations
- Thread starter Bill Stewart
- Start date
Bill, I’ve had good luck with my conventional type (Husky) from HD. Don’t know the nozzle size but spray everything from lacquer to enamel.
What's your budget? You can spend up to $1,000 for a Sata.
I have had great success with the CAT-33000 LVLP Spray Gun. A very concise spray pattern and the price will not break the bank. About $40 on Amazon for the gun or get the whole kit for $79.
I have been using a similar gun from HF for many years and also had great success. The parts seam to be identical except for the color of some of the metal parts, but I don't know if there is any difference in the quality. The one I have cost about $20.00 at the time and I did add a regulator that I had laying around so it wouldn't be necessary to turn down the line pressure.
What are your opinions on gravity fed vs. pumped? I have a gravity fed spray gun, but after a year I still haven't tried it out.
Kent, after 30+ years of metal fab and shooting primer and finish coats out of a quart conventional cup, I guess I’m just comfortable with it and see no reason to change. But do want to get and try an airbrush gun.
Pumped is production hardware and just cleaning up after spraying would take longer than the spraying!
I am not into the deal with nozzle sizes and always seem to have trouble getting the needle clean. I use a Critter for larger jobs and for small lacquer projects a HF Bypass airbrush. If it is water base I do have a couple other airbrushes also HF. Have acquired a couple thru an estate but have not used them yet.
I am no expert on spray guns but with the gravity feed HF gun I only add about 10 or 15% thinner when spraying lacquer billed as "brushing lacquer", which results in more solids per coat and less coats required.
Brushing lacquer just has more retarder in it so it has enough time to lay down and minimize brush strokes.
There is quite a difference between a HF HVLP and the CAT LVLP. I can spray a 1" rod with almost no over spray with the LVLP
You are correct that you need a larger needle/tip combination. About 20 years ago, before I started turning and was doing flatwork WW, I decided to up my finishing capabilities. I wanted a gun that could spray oil and water based finishes. I tried several under $100 guns, and none could appropriately atomize WB finishes. All of them could spray OB just fine, as OB finishes can be thinned pretty much without worry. WB cannot - usually about 10% max. WB is much more difficult to get a nice finish "off the gun".
There are 2 design aspects with spray guns - 1. tip/needle size, 2. Air Cap design. Even with a larger tip/needle to get enough flow, air cap design can limit atomization. You need fine atomization without hi air cap pressure (which generates hi velocity and a lot of overspray). I finally purchased a nice gun, and things fell into place. I have the one below with the tip/needle sizes for wood working. I think I got it from Finish Systems. Scroll down and read their blog - they have very good spraying information. A also have the 3M PPS cup system, much easier to use vs a standard cup.
C.A. Technologies CPR Gravity Feed Reduced Pressure (RP) Spray Gun
The C.A. Technologies CPR (CAT Pressure Reduced) gravity feed spray guns combine the transfer efficiency of HVLP with the speed and finish quality of conventional air spray. The spray gun comes equipped with an HVLP and Pressure Reduced (Compliant) air cap allowing the user to switch between the...
www.finishsystems.com
I will say that I do not use WB on turnings anymore. If I spray a turning it's typically OB lacquer, and just about any cheap spray gun can be made to work by thinning the lacquer to a good spray pattern. The WB finishes just do not look as good as OB to me.
Sounds like a good deal for only slightly more $
Bill,
I would not ask a bunch of woodturners like me - I constantly use 3 guns for 3 different purposes - my opinions are worthless for you.
Suggestion: Call tech-support for whatever coatings you want to shoot - if that is not available, you're using the wrong supplier. Don't be discouraged when you hear "It's another dumb-ass woodturner" - most will step you through their process, especially if you send a pic of what you're doing
And maybe the above is why I love doing weed-pots - after shaping, I can both sand and apply my favorite tint of Gel and be done
I would not ask a bunch of woodturners like me - I constantly use 3 guns for 3 different purposes - my opinions are worthless for you.
Suggestion: Call tech-support for whatever coatings you want to shoot - if that is not available, you're using the wrong supplier. Don't be discouraged when you hear "It's another dumb-ass woodturner" - most will step you through their process, especially if you send a pic of what you're doing
- If you're looking for an "all-purpose" that will shoot anything, get ready for disappointment
- If you're shooting in a garage that is connected to a house where humans live, don't.
- I use a cheap ($200) gravity gun for barrier, a cheap ($200) gravity gun for sealer, and a relatively cheap Sata ($500) for clearcoat
- I can get by with "cheap" since I sand orange peel after each session
- Only car-guys need $1000+ guns - they don't sand. A new Ferrari was on display at a mall - the surface was the most consistent orange-peel I've ever seen - drop-dead gorgeous on the car - drop-dead ugly on my work
And maybe the above is why I love doing weed-pots - after shaping, I can both sand and apply my favorite tint of Gel and be done
Orange peel is something you have to learn. You are either applying too much or too little finish. When I learned that I rarely get OP.
Roger Wiegand
Beta Tester
I really like the Qualspray guns I've gotten from Jeff Jewitt (Homestead Finishing), but they are the only guns I've used, so I have no basis for comparison. I have a bigger one with a pressurized pot and a small gravity feed gun; both work well with a broad range of finishes. I use the one with the pressurized feed a lot more, it's just easier to adjust for perfect atomization with thicker WB finishes.
Whatever gun you get the 3M PPS system is worth it's weight in gold, so make sure your gun is compatible with it.
Whatever gun you get the 3M PPS system is worth it's weight in gold, so make sure your gun is compatible with it.
Gerald,
"Rarely get orange-peel" is something to aspire to. What coatings do you shoot? Correct to assume you sand after each session?
I've always said I would gladly work at a "chop shop" at no pay just to learn how to use a gun (spray gun)
I have a very similar CAT gravity gun with several needle/nozzle options and the pps cup system. A good gun is an investment, if you want consistent results and flexibility pay up. A $50 gun will do ok work within its limitations. The pps system on a gravity feed gun is worthwhile as you need to run only a few ounces of solvent through the fluid passages as opposed to cleaning out a quart cup and you can run the material right down to zero without sucking wind and sputtering.You are correct that you need a larger needle/tip combination. About 20 years ago, before I started turning and was doing flatwork WW, I decided to up my finishing capabilities. I wanted a gun that could spray oil and water based finishes. I tried several under $100 guns, and none could appropriately atomize WB finishes. All of them could spray OB just fine, as OB finishes can be thinned pretty much without worry. WB cannot - usually about 10% max. WB is much more difficult to get a nice finish "off the gun".
There are 2 design aspects with spray guns - 1. tip/needle size, 2. Air Cap design. Even with a larger tip/needle to get enough flow, air cap design can limit atomization. You need fine atomization without hi air cap pressure (which generates hi velocity and a lot of overspray). I finally purchased a nice gun, and things fell into place. I have the one below with the tip/needle sizes for wood working. I think I got it from Finish Systems. Scroll down and read their blog - they have very good spraying information. A also have the 3M PPS cup system, much easier to use vs a standard cup.
C.A. Technologies CPR Gravity Feed Reduced Pressure (RP) Spray Gun
The C.A. Technologies CPR (CAT Pressure Reduced) gravity feed spray guns combine the transfer efficiency of HVLP with the speed and finish quality of conventional air spray. The spray gun comes equipped with an HVLP and Pressure Reduced (Compliant) air cap allowing the user to switch between the...
I will say that I do not use WB on turnings anymore. If I spray a turning it's typically OB lacquer, and just about any cheap spray gun can be made to work by thinning the lacquer to a good spray pattern. The WB finishes just do not look as good as OB to me.
Well it is not perfect and I di get some runs occasionally when I get in a hurry. I usually use Minwax brush on lacquer and thin it to 50%. I use a simple Harbor Freight bypass airbrush. Not for production work but easy to clean and does the job.