HVLP Paint Sprayers

[Kent K.]

I'm considering purchasing an HVLP paint spray outfit (Wagner's Paint Crew model) for painting house walls, ceilings, wood beams, decking, etc. Are units available that would also be suitable for painting laquer on cars? Approximate cost?
Regards, Kent #6210

[Ron Bauer]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Kent, I'm not aware of any Wagner type sprayers that would be suitable for use for automobile applications. If you intend on using a HVLP type gun the first thing that you need is an air compressor that can deliver the cfm requirement without running all day. Devilbiss has a good selection of guns for HVLP and conventional applications. The GTi is an HVLP gun that requires 16cfm. I have used this gun but my compressor, (5hp-60 gallon tank), would not keep up. I used a Devilbiss GFG conventional gravity feed gun when painting my 62. It requires 9.6cfm at 40 psi. The GFG that I bought about 5 years ago ran close to $275.00. I expect both guns would be over $300.00 by now. Hope this helps.

[Gene B.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Actually ****er does make a commercial grade HVLP sprayer for shooting auto paints. They also have a consumer model for less money and it comes with its own air compressor/air source. I painted my 64 Vette with silver blue (metallic) paint and it turned out great.

Most of the painting on cars is about prep and block sanding between coats anyway. And the Wagner HVLP Fine Coat sprayer did a very good job, even with metallic paints. The biggest obstacle was the air source provided by the Wagner Sprayer was warm, thus you need a higher temp lacquer thinner. I used 105 degree lacquer thinner with good results.

Gene

[Michael H.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Gene,

What is the spray pattern like with the Wagner unit? Is it larger/wider than a conventional siphon cup gun? Would this produce a finer mist than a conventional gun?

I tried to build my own pressure feed spray system years ago but things got too complicated. Just trying to find something that would duplicate the fine mist of a production gun at the St Louis plant in the 60's-70's.

[William C.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

I have learned via my last paint job that HVLP and Lacquer are not compatible processes, They will shoot a metallic, but not Acrylic Lacquer versions.

[Michael H.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Thanks Bill. I guess I was hoping for a cheap, easy to use system that sprayed like the original pressure feed system.

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

why, what did you run into with the Lacquer?

[William C.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Essentially the paint was not adhering as expected, after consultation with paint manufacturers, The HVLP system manufacturer, and other painters, we learned that the temperature of the air delivered with the HVLP system was not compatible with lacquer solvents. At that point, we went with an old fashoned gun and proceeded without problem. I believe the fine print in some (if not all) of the sales lit for HVLP equipment includes a lacquer disclainer (in very fine print). I know I have seen it in at least some of the literature. This was about 3 years ago, and there may be changes, but I'd check carefully, almost drove my painter NUTS! (He liked the use less, limited overspray advertising, mine was the first actual attempt with lacquer)

[John M.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Michael,

There are a whole new generation of guns out there that offer the positive feed of a gravity or pressure feed gun without all the atomization problems of a HVLP gun. I tried one HVLP gun after another, but never got the quality of finish I was looking for, so I stayed with my old siphon-feed high pressure gun.
Even with the fact that it was position sensitive and tended to spray differently as the cup emptied, it was still superior to the HVLP guns.
Now, there is a new generation of guns called RP or reduced pressure guns, that offer the quality of finish of a high pressure gun, the material transfer efficiency that meets HVLP standards in most states, and it is a gravity feed gun that offers positive feed until the last drop of paint is gone.

I bought a SATA Digital RP gun about 2 years ago, and have not picked up my old high pressure gun since I bought it! It has a digital air micrometer built into the handle so you can repeat the exact setup time after time. The size of the fan, and the speed at which you can move is absolutely astounding, and the overspray is substantially less. The SATA gun is not cheap, but if you hunt around on the internet, you can find discounters that will sell you a digital RP gun for under the $400 dollar mark, which is almost a $300 dollar discount from the list price. I understand the Devilbis has a line of value priced RP guns, but I have never shot with one of them. What I can tell you, is that if I lost my SATA gun today and had to replace it, I would buy another of the same gun, even if I had to pay list price for it!
I like it enough, that I just bought SATA KLC RP gun just to shoot primer with, and I can not wait until tomorrow when I use it for the first time.

Regards, John McGraw

[Michael H.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Thanks John. I'll look into this and see if I can find someone in the area that uses one. I'd love to try it out.

The ONLY thing I've ever been able to use to duplicate nearly exactly the original finish is an old Devilbis MBC set up for pressure feed and about 110 Lbs of air pressure, exactly the same as used on the St. Louis line in the 60's and 70's. Problem was, I didn't have the compressor I needed to keep up with the tremendous volume of air needed. Lot of CFM goes theough that gun.

I was able to restore a few door jambs using this setup though, and the results were absolutely excellent. Dead on accurate for that factory look.

[Scott Marzahl]

John, You'll like it

John,
I have the KLC RP primer gun, it is an awesome gun. I actually switched to using it for Gel Coat rather than the Binks #7 because I didn't like all the overspray I was getting. Have fun.

Scott

[Mike G.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Clup:

When you say "HVLP", I'm inferring that you mean the "turbine" type systems that do not use a conventional air compressor, but push a high volume of air through a large diameter hose to a special gun?

You had me worried for a minute, since I'm going to be shooting PPG DDL acrylic lacquer through a Binks "HVLP" gun, supplied by a conventional compressor. I believe these guns (every mfgr. seems to have one) qualify as "HVLP" because of the cap pressure being less than 10 psi.

I've shot some test panels, and the material goes on nice and wet, flows out well, and is pretty forgiving for an amateur like me. Being that it's Ermine White doesn't hurt things either...

[Patrick H.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Michael,

I assume that was when spraying lacquer, and not single stage or BC/CC?

It sure would be nice if there was a sprayer that could help duplicate the texture of an original finish while using a newer material.

Patrick

[John M.]

Re: John, You'll like it

Scott,
The gelcoat is exactly the reason that I decided to take the plunge with the KLC RP gun. You just can't get gelcoat or SlickSand to go on fast enough with the old #7 gun! I shot my last Gelcoat with my Digital RP gun, and emptied a 1 liter cup in nothing flat. With a siphon feed gun, you are always on the verge of having the polyester material set up in the gun due to it's slow speed of application.

Regards, John McGraw

[John M.]

Re: HVLP Paint Sprayers

Michael,
I have a Binks # 7 as well as a old Devilbiss MBC, and a CA Lynx gun, and the SATA gun will make you throw rocks at all these guns! Without a doubt, the finest gun that I have ever shot paint with.

Regards, John McGraw