Replies

1. 
   Scott_Dog | Mar 16, 2002 06:32am | #1

   *
   Yes, you'll need the extra strength to spray water based finishes. The only reason I know is because the first HVLP spray system was the Apollo 700. The reason I purchased the 700 and not the 800 or 1000 was because I was just getting into spraying and could not see spending another few hundred dollars. Knowing what I know today I would have purchased the Apollo 1000. The reason I went with the Apollo is because they made the best impression on me at a "Fine Woodworking Show". As far as choosing between the Fuji Q4 or the Graco 4900 I wouldn't know.

   I do understand that a basic booth requires a fan with a spark proof motor (sparks and fumes do not get along), a filter in front of the fan (this reduces what gets sprayed on the fan), filter at the other side of the room where the air comes in (you don't want dust coming through the booth) and sparkles lighting. Oh! the inside of the booth has to be clean.

   I hope this helps

   MSD

1. 
   Scott_Dog | Mar 16, 2002 06:32am | #2

   *Jeff,Yes, you'll need the extra strength to spray water based finishes. The only reason I know is because the first HVLP spray system was the Apollo 700. The reason I purchased the 700 and not the 800 or 1000 was because I was just getting into spraying and could not see spending another few hundred dollars. Knowing what I know today I would have purchased the Apollo 1000. The reason I went with the Apollo is because they made the best impression on me at a "Fine Woodworking Show". As far as choosing between the Fuji Q4 or the Graco 4900 I wouldn't know. I do understand that a basic booth requires a fan with a spark proof motor (sparks and fumes do not get along), a filter in front of the fan (this reduces what gets sprayed on the fan), filter at the other side of the room where the air comes in (you don't want dust coming through the booth) and sparkles lighting. Oh! the inside of the booth has to be clean. I hope this helpsMSD

1. 
   Ron_Brese | Mar 16, 2002 04:37pm | #3

   *b From the Workshop of Ron BreseJeff if waterborne finishes are what you intend to use then skip the Turbines and go straight to a compressor driven conversion gun. A wide ranging concensus of opinion that I have read on many boards is that under the best circumstances turbines do only a marginal job of spraying waterborne finishes. When I first decided to change over to waterborne top coats I tried spraying it with the turbine I already had. The results were less than optimal. There is a good Asturo pressure pot system for sale in the classified section that will serve your purpose much better than a turbine. Check the post by Ken Heinz it may still be available.Ron

1. 
   Paul_Snyder_ | Mar 17, 2002 01:15am | #4

   *Hi Jeff,I'll run through your questions as written.1. Will these two systems spray my finish of choice nicely? A four stage turbine should atomize a water-base finish nicely. I use a strong 3 stage and it has enough power to do the job very well.2. Is one of these spray systems superior to the other? I think the Graco system is about $1100, and the Fuji is about $800. I have only used the Graco and can say their new turbine spray gun is excellent! Also, I saw a new Graco 4900 on ebay.com for around 1/2 price (searched for "HVLP").3. Will I need any other equipment in my shop? Fans...etc... I use two fans to circulate air over freshly sprayed items to speed dry time. An exhaust fan to remove overspray will help a lot if you're in a closed room or have little fresh air supply. Don't skimp on fans. Get good quality, continuos duty, sealed motor fans like Dayton or similar manufacturer.4. What do you think of using a water-based polyurethane on kitchen cabinets? durability and ease of application? A lot depends on the manufacturer of the material. Is it designed for spray equip.? How fast does it dry? I know http://www.targetcoatings.com has some very durable water-based finishes that are designed for production spraying - may be worth looking into.On the question of turbine vs. an HVLP conversion gun that works with a compressor - the conversion set-up is the way to go.

1. 
   JasonMI | Mar 21, 2002 04:54pm | #5

   Funny, I just got a new Graco 4900 ProComp last week and used it to spray water-based poly...certainly not a problem. No orange peel, spitting, hissing crap that my last gun provided. I can't really speak about the whole turbine vs. conversion; this outfit fit our needs better than any other option we were considering. I'll have to let you know about other finishes after next week. Oh, and I believe, if I can get through all the crap on my desk, that Graco currently has a rebate going on now until the end of March or April; buy a ProComp unit and get another gun for free.