HVLP spray guns ... any advice?
 

Wondering if anyone has any advice on buying an HVLP sprayer. My primary interest is to use it to spray precat laquer on my wood trim pieces, which I'm refinishing. In the future, though, I'd like to be able to spray paint and POR15 over minor body rust repairs. I've seen sprayers ranging in price from supercheap to astronomical, so obviously there's a big quality difference. What should I look for in order to get a nice, smooth finish within reasonable price? I'd like to spend around $100 at highest, if it's even possible to get a decent gun at that price. Thoughts?

If you want a low priced one that will give good results astro pneumatic has a pretty decent one you can find from $50 - $65. I looked on ebay to post a link but none on right now.
http://www.astrotools.com/

Don't look in san francisco... too many gun control freaks.

There is a spray can product, clear coat that combines the catalyst within the can with a push of a button. Don't have name handy but I mentioned it in some posts when I clear coated my rims.
This product is fantastic and shoots like a gun. No lie !
$20 per can.

binks,campell hausfeld huskey.... i would advise against putting por 15 in any spray gun. that stuff is very hard to clean up

IMHO,

I would try Eastwood, they had a special going a while back for two HVLP guns(regular and touch-up) for a real reasonable price.

I can't past the link but I think it's www.eastwoodco.com.

One thing about HVLP, you need high cfm capacityn to run one. I haven't bought one because I'm afraid my old compressor won't run it well. I have had good luck with a plain old Devilbliss brand gun that I bought for less than $100.00 a few years ago. It's a quality product and I have painted a whole car(1954 military Jeep) with it, and the paint still looks good. I have used enamel and laquer with the gun and they both flow pretty well.

Whatever you do, don't buy anything from Craftsman.

I ditto that, a military vehice restorer that I know paints the POR 15 with a paint brush. I looks great, and he swears he will never put that stuff thru his gun again.

I've shot por 15 with a gun plenty of times, although I have several spray guns so I just used one of my cheapie astro guns. Just make sure you clean up the very second you are done spraying and you'll be fine.

From what it sounds like you really don't need a full size gun. I would go with the Sharpe Finex with a 1.0mm tip (fx100). It can be had for around $80-$100 or so and it works very very well. Pretty good at laying down metallic and pearl colors as well.


http://xtremecolorsonline.com/xco/co...4ac84bbb34.jpg

Unless you will be regularly painting large panels, you really don't need a full size gun. The touch up guns allow for more control and less overspray on everything. They also use a lot less CFM than full size guns (I think the fx100 only uses 8 cfm or so?) so you don't need a 60 gallon 6 hp compressor.

Astro also makes some decent cheap guns, but keep in mind that you can't get parts for a lot of their guns. You WILL eventually need to replace parts.

Try this one on for size.
http://www.devilbiss.com/if_02_display.asp?prodid=EXL-620G&prodname=EXL%20HVLP%20GRAVITY%20Feed%20Spray%20Gun

It costs a little more than $100, but is as good as any $300 gun that I have ever used. I've owned one of these for about 12 or so years now and have painted around 30 cars, 2 CJ-6's, 4 Norton Commandos and God knows what else. It performs flawlessly and the various tips for it are reasonably priced. By the way, I have also sprayed dozens of pieces of furniture with the Pre-cat laquer and they have all turned out beautifully. (If I must say so myself)
The gun is available all over the internet just Google "Devilbiss Finishline".

Good luck,
Tom

I've been spraying epoxy and enamel coatings with my "HVLP" gun from harbor Freight.

it works just fine, and was $10.




Binks and DeVilbiss get my vote. Both are quality manufacturers

All I can say is get a gravity feed gun like the one danwatt posted.

Thanks for all the input ... looks like lots to choose from online. Should be a fun project. Of course, first I need to get the old finish OFF of the wood pieces ... that's been a trip ...

Fyi
 

referenced produt is 'Spray Max'
2K rapid cut-in spot clear coat part no. 3 680 062

rapid curing.

This stuff is EXCELLENT. Spray head has 2 settings. Material flows like a spray gun.
Very tough once cured.
$20 per can.

I did up 5 rims with 10 coats and then other items until can was empty.
FYI.:)