spraying small pieces

[journeyman]

Hi all. I'm looking for advice on paint spraying and spray finishing on small projects. I make wooden toys and usually hand paint and finish them. However I have a load of orders coming in for Christmas and thought it may be easier and quicker to spray paint them. I have all the equipment for sraying, a compressor and gravity feed gun. I also have an air brush with it's own mini compressor available to me. What I need to know is can I simply thin any paint and spray it or does it have to be special spray paint. I use artists acrylics at the moment as they are child safe but wondered if I could use other non toxic paints that I could buy in larger quantities. Also what is the best finishing product to spray with my equipment or would it be easier to use aerosol products. I'm thinking about cost as well. Thanks
Mick

 

[Dibs-h]

I personally wouldn't use the gravity gun and compressor unless you have a paint booth. In the absence of one - a HVLP turbine would be the way to go. An Earlex 5000 is worth the money and relatively cheap compared to say a Fuji.

Water based paints might be worth looking into - say ones by Morrells - their tech dept should be able to confirm whether they are "child safe".

Aerosols will be expensive in the long run.

HIH

Dibs

 

[twothumbs]

I don't want to highjack the thread but ...Mr D....how would you rate a HVLP gun and compressor? If you already have a suitable compressor and purchase a new HVLP gun to go with it, it would be it be a bit cheaper than a turbine set up, but would it be just as good or better? I see a lot of praise for turbine set ups on the Forum. By a booth I am assuming you mean an enclosure with a form of extraction. HVLP would mean covering things up but no excessive spray around and atomised? Your views very appreciated.

PS I have a compressor you see.

 

[Mike Wingate]

I use a Preval Sprayer for ukuleles and guitars.

 

[Dibs-h]

I don't want to highjack the thread but ...Mr D....how would you rate a HVLP gun and compressor? If you already have a suitable compressor and purchase a new HVLP gun to go with it, it would be it be a bit cheaper than a turbine set up, but would it be just as good or better? I see a lot of praise for turbine set ups on the Forum. By a booth I am assuming you mean an enclosure with a form of extraction. HVLP would mean covering things up but no excessive spray around and atomised? Your views very appreciated.

PS I have a compressor you see.

Most home users won't have a suitable compressor due to the high FAD requirements of true HVLP guns. A quality HVLP gun like an Iwata makes some turbine set ups look cheap.

It would be just as good in the hands of a pro- but an amateur, it might be debatable. With a traditional set up you would need substantial extraction as the "overspray" isn't small.

With a turbine - you wouldn't need to cover a great deal up, as in my own experience you don't end up with a fine "dust" nearby.

HIH

Dibs

 

[twothumbs]

Hi Dibs-h

Have at last checked out my compressor. It is 2HP, 50 litre, 8Bar max pres, air displacement 8.7c ft/im. The FAD is not stated. This would seem to be around the limit for smaller HVLP guns even though they are operating 10-40 psi. Perhaps need to rethink again. Thanks for your thought.