Need advice on getting started with spray finishing
Hello:
I need some advice on getting set up to start spraying my finishes. I am a part-time woodworker with a small shop in my basement. Most of what I make gets shellacked or polyurethaned, and I have also brushed varnish onto a few tabletops (with mixed results).
I am currently making a lot of furniture for classrooms at an elementary school, mainly coat cubbies and cabinets with many drawers for holding the kids’ lesson books. I have been brushing on polyurethane, and this has been killing me on the time, and in addition, it is not the smoothest finish. So it is time to take the plunge into spraying.
I have little idea of where to begin. A spray booth is out of the question in my small space, so I assume I will be using water-based finishes, probably out in the yard. I am guessing that I want an HVLP system. Beyond this, I am more or less clueless. Can anyone give me some guidance about types of systems, brand names, and cost? (Or simply point me to a website that can orient me in the right direction?)
Thanks a lot.
Alex
Replies
Buy a book titled Spray Finishing by Charon. Amazon will have it. It will give you lots of info that you need about spray finishing.
You might also check out the book Spray Finishing Made Simple by Jeff Jewitt. I made the leap to spray finishing this year with Jeff's guidance. I purchased a 7 cfm compressor and a QualSpray AM-6008 pressurized cup LVLP gun. The whole set up cost about $800 which is comparable to a 3 stage FUJI turbine system and a bit more expensive than the new Apollo budget system. I think any of these three options would work. I wanted a compressor because I had the space and have visions of future purchases of a die grinder for carving and a veneer press kit. Spray finishing takes some getting use too. I sprayed 3-coats of polyurethane on oak stairs I built- 13 treads and 14 risers. I wasn't happy with the first two coats but the third coat was the charm. I sanded between coats and ended up building up a finishing that I could have only achieved with about 10 brush on coats. I'm now spraying maple kitchen cabinets with water based dye stain and acheived a blotch free finish. Overall, I'm very happy with my system. My advice is to get a good quality gun and go with a 4-stage turbine or at least a 7 cfm compressor + gun. I purchased the NorthStar 20 gallon compressor for about $450 new. I don't spray all of the time so it's nice not to have to frequently fill and drain a 60 gallon compressor.
- Lyptus
I have some set of furniture. I want to do finishing. Can I do it at home self or is it necessary to avail the professional services like Austin furniture and leather repair?
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