- Thread starter Ryan
- Start date
MrSurly
Well-known member
OK, I'm going to need some help, here. Can we 'back up' a bit? I'm reading this with interest as I've got a couple of automotive projects that will require extensive paint work from blasted steel to finish paint (likely a year or more progression) focusing mainly on primer and prep work. I also plan to tackle a kitchen remodel and painting cabinets and shelves.
I once painted cars decades ago, back when Imron was King. In the forty years hence so much has changed; HVLP/Low VoC/water based paints.... so I'm trying to catch up.
I understand the meaning of the words in HVLP but tell me reason for using a turbine over using the big compressed air system I already have in the shop? Let's assume that I want to produce equal results, and have equal paint handling capabilities to a '5-stage' turbine. Can I use my compressor to do this? What equipment would I need to add? What CFM does the gun consume? Portability is not a selling point as I'm not looking to go anywhere with it, so why do I need a turbine? Are there aspects of this the *cannot be done* without a turbine system?
I once painted cars decades ago, back when Imron was King. In the forty years hence so much has changed; HVLP/Low VoC/water based paints.... so I'm trying to catch up.
I understand the meaning of the words in HVLP but tell me reason for using a turbine over using the big compressed air system I already have in the shop? Let's assume that I want to produce equal results, and have equal paint handling capabilities to a '5-stage' turbine. Can I use my compressor to do this? What equipment would I need to add? What CFM does the gun consume? Portability is not a selling point as I'm not looking to go anywhere with it, so why do I need a turbine? Are there aspects of this the *cannot be done* without a turbine system?
You can use your compressor. Just make sure you have a dryer inline so you don't end up contaminating the finish with water from the compressor. The turbine systems are portable and meet the needs of those that don't have a large compressor. Neither applies in your case, so a conversion gun would work fine for you.
https://thefinishingstore.com/pages/conversion-spray-guns
https://thefinishingstore.com/pages/conversion-spray-guns
LegacyIndustrial
ALLIANCE MEMBER
jar944
Well-known member
I like this pressure-pot set-up.
The fuji 2qt remote only works with the 4 and 5 stage.
For $60 the harbor freight works well, and is a direct fit to the fuji bottom feed gun
OP
Glad it's working out for you. By the way, since you never took me up on my Bosch Challenge - how about spending $57 on the Harbor Freight pressure pot rig and let us now hot it works compared to your Fuji 3-stage?
ps - if you wouldn't have spent all your money on those 'designer' tools, you could have a bought a better turbine
This is from the thread - https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6417979&postcount=61
The pressure pot is interesting for sure. If I end up shooting a material that I can't get decent results from, I'll try it. It took me a while to figure out what to do with this "all surface" oil, but I've got it dialed in pretty good now.
That being said, I think if I switch to a different paint (and I will) the learning curve starts over.
As for the Festool vs. Bosch challenge thing - that would require me to look back and think about sunk costs. Who wants to do that?
I'm honestly too busy building **** with what I got to get into some kind of a challenge. At some point, you gotta stop thinking about tools and just get your *** to work - ya know?
Thus far with all of my festool stuff, here are the major pros and cons:
Pros:
- I love my track saw... and yeah, I have the super long track allowing me to rip full sheets of ply.
- I love my MFT setup. I don't use it to break down ply - I have a separate table for that. I use mine in place of a miter saw and as a fixture table for sanding, glue ups, etc... It's also my outfeed table for my table saw at the moment. It's a really versatile setup that I didn't have to spend time building...
- I adore my sander. I only have one and haven't found myself wanting anything other than my 150.
- Love the domino. It's fast and accurate and doesn't create dust.
- Dust collector. It flat out rules... And I like it wayyy better than the Bosch equivalent from both a usability and a performance standpoint.
Cons:
- I like my router and it does a great job, but I'd bet a similar Bosch would do just as well at half the price.
- The rail extension things? Worthless.
- The parallel guides? Terrible design... aftermarket stuff is so much better.
- LR32 is awesome when doing a whole row of cabinets/shelves like I'm doing now, but too much trouble for small/simple projects.
In the end, I'm still happy with my big expenditure last year. More than anything, it motivated me get out in the shop and build things.... and I've been able to do it without covering my shop in dust which is super important to me.
SBMM
Member
Sweet Rig
todd_fuller
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 301
To add to the other commenter, one of the big advantages of a turbine is the air is DRY. In fact, the air can be a bit hot which causes other issues, but there won't be water/oil contamination from the compressor. Another advantage is the turbine puts out the air volume all day long.
To touch on the cost side of things, turbines are very simple. I bought a 'scratch-and-dent' 5-stage turbine from a paint spray supply place online for ~$350. New 6-stage ones are $440. All you need is a gun and hose, build the enclosure.
OP
The 3 stage with no additional mods? Finish looks great.
OP
Yep. No mods at all. Thinned to 20 seconds. I shot the first two coats thin and sanded with 320 between. Last coat I shot thick.
pault28
Well-known member
When you say “thinned to 20 seconds”, is that a emptying a full Ford #4 viscosity cup til the stream “breaks” in 20 seconds? Is that what you’re referring to?
OP
Yes sir.
pault28
Well-known member
Wow! My earlex 5500 I just bought said it can spray up to 130 seconds but it sprayed like ****. Seems that number is GROSSLY incorrect, especially since it is a toy compared to your fuji! Explains why it sprayed so poorly. I was nowhere near the viscosity I needed...Not. Even. Close! I wish I had the Fuji!
OP
I'm far from an expert on finishing. I only used 20-seconds, because the manual told me to do so. And even with that, I went through a lot of test panels before I got a finish I was happy with.
I'm sure when I use a different material on my next project, the learning curve be there again.
I am very happy with the Fuji thus far, but do not at all enjoy painting. Such a pain in the ***... But, it's done - for now at least!