Looking at buying a spray setup in the next few months and trying to decide between a Fuji HVLP rig and conventional. I do have air supply and not hard to fit a filter and dryer.
Loss of finish material from overspray is not a big concern. I will be shooting conversion varnish and pigmented lacquer. No specific brand names of finishes, but will be working with oil based and practicing with Target coatings. This is for smaller furniture projects, cabinets, chairs, and the like.
I see a lot of benefits to HVLP over conventional, greater use of finish coatings with the former. Since I will only be finishing 2-3 projects a month, this is not a big concern. Using the finish before expiration is more of a concern, so overspray is fine. My compressor is a fixed mount 30 gallon Campbell Hausfeld which should be sufficient for conventional spraying. I do have a booth and that’s where I do all my finishing, nothing done on the job site.
Looking for input one way or another. I’ve never used an HVLP rig before, only conventional or airless spray. I’m somewhat experienced at spraying (always happy with my end results) but I’m likely not as good as some experts here. Conventional would be minimal setup for me. Just curious if there is some major benefit to going with HVLP. From my research, the Fuji HVLP units seem reliable and good spray qualities. I’m not sure which conventional guns are recommended. Gravity feed is important for either option.
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When I switched from conventional to HVLP (not a turbine system) years ago it was mostly to get away from the very toxic toluene and xylene solvents we used for conversion varnish and catalyzed lacquer. I had a very good spray booth with a very powerful explosion-proof fan and good mask. But that solvent gets on and therefore into your skin, whether directly by touching it or in the air, and not every breath is toxic-fumes-free. Years later, with a slightly smaller, CFM-wise, compressor, and fully finally embracing the latest water-based finishes, I switched to LVLP, which isn’t as fast for lots of production work, but there are lots of models that handle higher viscosity finishes. I own a QualSpray gun from Homestead Finishing. https://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/products-we-offer/hvlp-spray-equipment/qualspray-hvlp-guns/ I’ve been very happy with it.
I think your real question is turbine or compressor, because while all turbine systems are HVLP, conventional compressor spray systems can be standard, HVLP or even LVLP. Since LVLP is probably best left to pros who are looking for production speed and minimal material waste I won't discuss that option. While I am very happy with my Apollo 5 stage turbine, if you already have a quality compressor and don't foresee ever having a need for portability then by all means stick with compressed air and put your money into a couple of quality HVLP spray guns. Why anyone would what to work in a cloud of overspray when you don't have to is beyond me. I'm speaking as someone who spent many years doing that before HVLP technology was available.
“ Since LVLP is probably best left to pros who are looking for production speed…..” Um…. what? No, HVLP is clearly the winner in the fast production race.
I have found that for small projects, especially things like chairs that have lots of spokes and rungs, the LVLP guns are great. Because they put out a finer spray and a lower volume, you can get closer and not have to move so quickly to prevent runs. Homestead Finishing Products (link above) has a pretty good write up explaining the difference and also sells them. I have a really cheap one from Home Depot that does a really nice job.
Years ago I learned to spray paint show cars using the conventional way. Several years ago I switched to the turbine HVLP for my woodworking projects and am very happy with the results. I spray a lot of lacquer, water based finishes and even thinned latex. Works great and very little learning curve. Less overspray, noise and waste. I'm glad I made the switch.