Replies

1. 
   bill_1010 | Sep 25, 2002 09:29pm | #1

   http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=23294.1

   this thread had some things to say about spray equipment check it out. 

2. 
   RW | Sep 26, 2002 02:40am | #2

   Cup guns ( suction feed) do pretty well with lacquers and oils, not so well on latex paint. I suppose some waterborne finishes are not that thick though. If money isn't really an issue, I'm tickled silly with my Binks pressure pot. If you go that route, get dual regulators, invest in pot liners, get enough hose to walk around with (like at least 25 ft) and here's the downside - expect to start using a lot of solvent when it comes time to clean. If you use it only for lacquer, then use lacquer thinner to clean it out after you flush the lines, and leave clean thinner in the lines until the next use. If you swap out with oil paint, you have the chance of having paint residue in the lines and when the lacquer hits it, you suddenly have paint sputters on your finish. The rare times I put something other than lacquer in it, I'm partial to running a gallon of acetone through afterwards to grenade anything in there out.

1. 
   jmbrasch | Sep 26, 2002 07:00pm | #3

   Thanks for the quick feedback.  I checked the thread and this provides some good advice.  As for the pot, I think this may be to large for me.  my projects tend to be small and one piece at a time.  I think I'm going to opt for gravity feed and a mid size container.

   I see the guns falling into two price categories, $100-200 & $300-500.  Are there really any performance differences betwen the two? I'm sure the production guns are built to last, but don't they both lay down roughly the same quality finish given the operator uses the same technique?

   To give you an idea of what I mean:  I just moved from a Dewalt random orbit finishing sander to the Fein sander of the same size.  I paid a ton for the Fein but the difference between the two is night and day.  I don't mind paying more for a product when there is such a marked improvement in performance and results.  I dont sense that spray guns are the same, it appears to me that the more expensive models perform at near the same level.  Would you say this is basically true?  If so, I would be perfectly happy with one of the lower priced products and can get on with my selection.

   I apologize for being so picky about this, I cannot recall having such a difficult time choosing a tool.  Maybe it's because the technology is so far removed from actually working the wood that I'm just struggling to understand where the value points are.

   Thanks again

   John

1. 
   Elcoholic | Sep 26, 2002 10:59pm | #4

   My first gun was a cheap "Bulldog" import.  Nice for splatter painting.  I got a Binks #95 for around $300.  This is a gun more than good enough to paint cars with.  Works great with lacquer, varnish and waterborne poly (stainless steel innerds) but I'd like to switch to a Turbine HVLP system so I can spray waterborne in the shop without all the overspray.  Most people I've talked to say the conversion guns are air hogs.  I usually look to pay 1/2 price for used stuff so I'll make you the same deal if you're interested.  John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

1. 
   RW | Sep 27, 2002 12:00am | #5

   yeah, oddly enough, I was trying to match "splatter" on some drywall repairs and could not for the life of me get my gun to do it. Turned the pressure way down and still got a very small, nicely atomized stream. I called my sales rep from SW and said "now what?" He opined that my gun was too nice, and suggested going to Bob's El Cheapo Closeout Everything, Inc and getting a $20 cup gun, since it would probably be well adapted to just that. I did, and the splatter job looks perfect. Not your average problem.