In June 2005 FW There is an article about putting a fine painted finish on a cabinet. Don’t have the mag here so that is about as much as I can tell you about the reference. This guy was a ‘professional refinisher’.
He talks about spraying a finish (pea green) on what looks like a TV cabinet. Mentions he uses the best paint suitable for spraying but doesn’t mention brand. Darn I hate that when that happens. Mention names! If they advertise, great. If they don’t then maybe they will start.
Anyone know brands of paint they have used that is suitable for spraying. Did you have to do something to it to get it through a gun. What kind of gun do you use? HVLP or conventional?
Other details that would be useful to know?
Jerry
Replies
Automotive acrylic enamel is the way to go. Dupont is good. Krylon (not in the spray can) works pretty good too. The important thing to remember is that the prep and primer has to be perfection if you're going for high gloss. Let it cure for a couple of weeks and wet sand the orange peel and polish it to the gloss you want using various grades of McQuire's polishing compounds. Also available at most auto paint stores.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
The important thing to remember is that the prep and primer has to be perfection if you're going for high gloss.
That is absolutely true and can't be stressed enough.
The universal truth of finishing and painting is : Prep will make or break the finished product much more often than not. And with high-end paint or finish tasks it will always make or break the final product.
The best painter in the world is absolutely at the mercy of the prep job that was done before he/she started spraying.
Edited 8/20/2005 1:32 am ET by Kevin
John,Most manufacture's have hardeners for acrylic enamel which should cure overnight.The next day you should be able to polish it. The hardener makes for a more dangerous health risk. Anyone using these products with activators or hardeners must use a resperators designed for these type of chemicals.Garryhttp://www.superwoodworks.com
I agree, but I was more concerned with allowing time for shrinkage besides just the hardening. The guy who painted my Elco used single stage S-W paint and let it "shrink" for a month before color sanding and clear coating. When all was said and done it's almost candy black.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
He talks about spraying a finish (pea green) on what looks like a TV cabinet.
While I would agree with John that an automotive (or industrial) acrylic urethane enamel would be ideal in many respects. And I would agree with his implied argument that they spray very well (some spray spectacularly well)... I suspect that the refinisher in the magazine was talking about solid-color lacquer. An acrylic enamel would offer superior properties after it's cured out. But, when creatively reduced and competently sprayed, there's nothing quite as easy and incredibly forgiving as good old nitrocellulose lacquer.
Brands: DuPont for all automotive. Sherwin Williams for both industrial acrylic enamel (such as Polane HS, which sprays like a dream) and for their Sher-Wood line of solid-color lacquers.
Did you have to do something to it to get it through a gun.
I'm unsure what you mean by that. Are you asking about how much to thin the paint? If so then the paint manufactorers have very explicit and strict guidelines which I would not tamper with... with the exception of cellulose-based lacquers.
HVLP or conventional?
It all depends on the brand, the specific model, type (conversion HVLP or turbine HVLP?) etc. Not all conventional guns are comparable. Ditto for HVLP spray guns. And now there are the new LP conversion guns which compete with the HVLP spray guns in both performance and cost.
With the exception of turbine HVLP units which I have never used... A general rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for. Meaning that the more expensive brands/models will perform commensurate with the price difference over the el cheapo guns.
A lot also depends on what you intend to paint. Gravity guns are awesome. But, they simply aren't the right tool for every job. A small cabinet I would be tempted to use a gravity gun on. Bigger and complex cabinets and fixtures I would only use a pressure pot to paint.
We could spawn and entire long thread just on the fine points of which guns are best suited to which situations. I will say that a good quality HVLP gravity gun is by far the most versatile spray gun that I've ever used in the two decades that I've been doing this stuff for a living.
Edited 8/20/2005 1:42 am ET by Kevin
http://www.compliantspraysystems.com
sell both tinted poly and enanel for spraying Buckism: Will show you the the way
I use Serwin Williams ProClassic Acrylic top coat, and SW ProClassic primer for all my interior and kitchen cabs. Thin both 20% with water. Asturo HVLP conversion gun with pressure pot. Great results.
Hi Jerry,
I took a look at the article and it did mention a couple spray paints in the photo on page 84; Target Coatings (.com) and ML Campbell. I happen to know the author had that color, "Dutch Tile Blue," mixed at Sherwin Williams using the white base from Target Coatings. ;) You can spray the paint from Sherwin Williams (ProClassic Acrylic) but you'll have to thin it quite a bit with water and possibly add some Floetrol to help it level out.
The article concentrated on water-base paints, but you can also get paints mixed by a finishing supplier in any color in a variety of bases including water-base, lacquer, catalyzed lacquer, conversion varnish, and catalyzed urethanes. Choose the base according to the amount of durability you need.
Paul
http://www.finishwiz.com
Interesting infor about the sprayers. I have owned a couple inexpensive setups with small Thomas compressor and was never happy with them but I can't remember why. I think the guns used to clog easily or sputter. I used to blame myself for lack of knowledge with regard to paint viscosity.
Also read several aricles in the mags and still couldn't get myself to buy another one. Your comments may get me excited again. Thanks for that.
The last post mentioned durability. Hummm. I made several kids 'treasure boxes' that look like small foot lockers approx. 1' x 1' x 18" out of 20 year air dried clear pine from my lot. [I wanted to create a momento that they would keep because they knew I cut the three to make the board yada yada... ].
This white pine is really soft and subject to dings easily. What, if anything, would you recommend that I use for primer and finish that I can get from Sherwin Williams.
Just chiming in. When you said soft pine that dings easily I thought milk paint and oil.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
Hey john,
Where is it you live. I live in Fullerton. Buckism: Will show you the the way
Fountain ValleyJohn O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
your almost a neighbor Buckism: Will show you the the way
I probably drove right past you this afternoon. Made a round trip to "Funtana" from Cerritos. 91E-57N-10E then 10W-15S-91W. It's such a nice slice of life out there in the smog belt.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
Great spray finishes.. My wife before I married her back in the late 50's.. French Curl.. hair style... DAMN she looked 'Cool'EDIT:: I think she used White Rain or somethin'
Edited 8/23/2005 12:03 pm ET by WillGeorge
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