HVLP

[Jake]

Anyone got any recommendations on HVLP gear?

Looking at the Fuji stuff, it seems on paper to offer good specs for a reasonable price, compared to Apollo, say. Anyone with experience of using one of their 3 stage units?

Jake

 

[Chris Knight]

Jake,

I have tried both at exhibitions and found both to be pretty good. I have had a Wagner 4 stage unit for several years with a Capspray gun that I do not rate as good as either the Fuji or Apollo guns.

My recommendation would be to buy none of them!

Their development has gone into the deep freeze since the market has voted overwhelmingly for the so-called "conversion" guns which are HVLP guns that run off a regular compressor. This was dictated by the huge autobody painting industry who had existing investments in compressed air systems,

These conversion guns are nowadays so much more sophisticated and adjustable than the (basically primitive) units that come with turbine outfits that there is no contest..

They come in all shapes and sizes from touch up guns that will work off 4 cu ft/min to bigger guns that need a serious compressor. But don't forget you can use that same compressor for a myriad other things..

I have a cheapy Machine Mart conversion gun and also a top of the line Sata gun - for most things the cheapy will do very well.

A compressor in a woodshop is extremely useful and I would not wish to do without mine. Think hard before opting for a turbine that can't be used for anything else.

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hi Jake,

I totally agree with what Chris says, most of the woodturned pieces I finish are thin and light in weight, so on recommendation I tried an HVLP gun with my normal compressor.

There is little overspray and the pressure coming out of the nozzle is low, I finally bought a gun from the Sata range.

CC

 

[Jake]

(Thanks for responses, guys.)

Really? I looked at the specs for Devilbliss GTi conversion guns (cos there are loads on ebay) and the CFM requirements were so massive that the compressor would be ridiculously expensive. Something like 20 to 30 cfm. That's getting way pricey and stupid massive (this thing has to be portable), in fact there wasn't even anything in machine mart's catalogue that could cope. Was that just the wrong gun to look at?

Thanks

Jake

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hi Jake,

There are HVLP guns available that will fit small compressors, try looking at the Sata Mini 3, This one needs around 3 to 4 cfm, shop around for prices, there are others too.


CC

 

[Chris Knight]

Jake,

The quoted air requirements are for non-stop operation - in practice one is always stopping for something. It is then the size of the air receiver on the compressor that becomes an issue rather than the continual pumping capability of the compressor. I have a 50 litre tank under my SIP 3HP compressor and it handles my guns easily for the sort of spraying I do which is quite large furniture at times (Welsh dresser size for example) .

As I said I can run the Machine Mart gun very well. I also have a Sata touch up gun - too small for the Welsh Dresser that only needs 4cfm and I also have a Sata RP gun which is halfway between HVLP and a regular gun in terms of overspray and air requirements (it uses less air than HVLP) etc.

My RP gun really is the bees knees and has very precise, delicate controls. You can spray the side of a house if need be or a chair leg. It is however quite an expensive gun but if you look around you can find sone good deals. I got the small Sata gun thrown in when I got the RP. (which stands for "reduced pressure" by the way)

 

[Jake]

Thanks guys

Chris, the RP thing is interesting, nice compromise. I'm a total beginner at spraying, so the supposed ease of HVLP attracted me, is the difference between HVLP and RP noticeable?

Jake

 

[Chris Knight]

Jake,
You won't notice any difference in usage if you are not an experienced sprayer . There is a slight extra materials (ie paint or finish) saving with HVLP but it only matters where you are spraying huge amounts and the cost becomes noticeable.

The RP technology meets all current VOC legislation and so is "environmentally friendly" It uses about half the air of HVLP. This page http://www.sata.com/Produkte/produkt.js ... ischedaten

has details and if you dig around the site you can compare all the various Sata offerings. My gun is the Sata digital. I ended up getting it in preference to a deVilbiss because the cognoscenti seemed to rate Sata guns as the very best and because it offered the advantages of HVLP without the high air consumption.

I haven't followed what every other mfr is doing since I got my gun but the industry now seems to be heading for a LPLV system (Low pressure AND low volume) I guess the RP is somewhere down that path - when I got it about 18 months ago - maybe two years, it was a technology leader.

I would emphasise that you can get good results with cheaper equipment but don't go for the very bottom of the market, that stuff is awful.

 

[Jake]

Thanks Chris (and CC) , plenty to chew on there.

There's a guy on US ebay selling the SATA RP digital for 400 bucks, which seems a reasonable prices for a top-notch gun.

Hmm .. . off to look at compressors


Jake