HVLP Sprayer

HarryD · 03-30-2012, 09:44 PM

Does anyone have any thoughts on this system for home use? the price is attactive and given the limited amount of painting I am planning, this seems to be a good way to go.

High Volume, Low Pressure Spray Gun Kit

David McLaughlin · David McLaughlin's Garage

I can't see this working well. Part of what makes HVLP work is that it's a gravity feed cup (cup on top). Suction cups require more pressure just to pull up the paint. My take is that this will not atomize the paint well at all and will just spit it out in blobs; you'd be better off with a brush.

962porsche · 03-31-2012, 10:33 AM

how that type of guns work is the cup gets pressurized . so they are knid of like a HVLP spray set up .
do they work ???? well i used one like that when i was a young man to clear my airbush work . and yes it did lay down the clear ok but just ok and never like glass . alot of that was the tip size that came in the gun i had . i still have it some were . it was some thing like a 1.6 or 1.7 when i realy needed a 1.3 or 1.4 tip for it . going to a smaller tip atomizes the top coats better with most paint systems .
they still make siphon feed guns that are HVLP . you don't need to have the cup on the top of the gun to have it a HVLP gun at all .
why gravity feed guns are so popular are because every drop of product you put into the gun will get used unlike they do with a siphon feed type gun . with a siphon gun you always get a little product left in the cup that can't get sucked out . also a siphon gun will spit as you get just that little product left in the cup . an other down side to siphon guns is that when your refinishing some like a roof you could hit the roof with the cup of the gun . there is also better balance with a gravity feed gun when the air line is cuppled (pluged into )to the gun .
because a HVLP gun will not work as it should with out getting all new hvlp air lines , cupplers , fittings , regulator and so on from the air tank to the gun . you can look for hvlp compliant guns they will work with out changing every thing over to hvlp .

HarryD · 03-31-2012, 11:41 AM

Thanks for the thoughts.

I am looking for an inexpensive solution (i.e Harbor Freight) to repaint parts of my vehicle. If I want to go with a spearate gun etc set up, what should I consider that will let me use my 2 hp, 3 gallon conventional compressor? It is rated at 5.8 cfm at 40 psi and 2.9 cfm at 90 psi.

I am not married to a HVLP system, just something that will work for panel repairs.

David McLaughlin · David McLaughlin's Garage

Depends on how big the parts are. I can run a touch up gun off of my studio compressor; it's about the same size as yours. Anything of any size will run out of air pretty fast.

drcoastline · 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryD

Thanks for the thoughts.

I am looking for an inexpensive solution (i.e Harbor Freight) to repaint parts of my vehicle. If I want to go with a spearate gun etc set up, what should I consider that will let me use my 2 hp, 3 gallon conventional compressor? It is rated at 5.8 cfm at 40 psi and 2.9 cfm at 90 psi.

I am not married to a HVLP system, just something that will work for panel repairs.

Harry,

I'm no expert or professional but your compressor is to small for all but an HVLP touch up gun and even then it is iffy. HVLP stand for HIGH VOLUME low pressure. Your compressor can not keep up with the volume of air an HVLP gun needs to operate. In addition to not being able to produce the volume of air the compressor is creating a lot of moisture in the tank which goes through the air lines. Moisture and paint don't mix and moisture and air tools in general aint so good either.

You may want to search Craigs list in your area. You can probably find a decent size compressor and a good HVLP gun used.

That being said I did buy the Harbour Freight HVLP gun combo a few years back. I have used them to paint cabinets, a few small boats, a lawn tractor, my front struts, suspension and SEM rust shield the undercarriage of my 911. My compressor is 6HP 30Gal. @ 8.6SCFM. The HF guns use 9SCFM. As you can see I am right on the edge of the compressors capacity. I use two oil/water seperators in my line with the guns and one for my air tools, I need to stop every so often to let the compressor catch up. If you are painting a mirror your compressor and and the HV touch up gun will work. If you are painting a 911 door your compressor and the large HVLP gun are going to be iffy. At the least you will be stopping and waiting for the compressor to catch up every pass or two. You will never be able to paint a 911 bhood.

I was able to find a SATA and BRINKS HVLP guns on Craigs list and paid less for both than either would have cost new.

When I am ready to paint the important parts of my car I will move the car to a friends garage that has a compressor that can handle the amount of volume needed to operate the guns properly.

Good luck.

Don