Which paint gun?

[gary300]

Hello all. I have a Husky VT6315 compressor which I just use for around the house stuff, no auto body work. It is rated at 6.6 CFM @ 40 PSI and 5.8 CFM at 90 PSI and has a 30 gallon tank. 135 PSI max.

I want to re-do all the oak cabinets in my house with stain and polyurethane and would like to get a paint gun for my compressor to avoid a lot of brushing and rattle cans.

My question is, what paint gun would you recommend for my compressor, and what accessories (drier, etc.) would be required for painting. I have a 50ft 3/8" hose just connected directly to the compressor with the regulator that came with the compressor. Not so much for the stain, but for getting a nice finish with the Polyurethane.

Thanks!

 

[Hotrod Addiction]

Do a google search for LVLP (low volume low pressure) paint guns. Most all the manufacturers today make a low volume gun. At your CFM levels you can't properly run a HVLP (high volume low pressure) gun. That requires about twice the air your putting out. Also check out RP-HTE (reduce pressure-high transfer efficiency) guns they're supposed to work pretty good for wood working in the 6 CFMish range. Spraygunworld.com is about the best place for info.

 

[warweapon762]

I have no problem running certain HVLP guns on my 30 gal Husky air compressor (same as yours I believe). I typically run HVLP at 6 cfm/40 PSI and it runs the guns adequately, there are some however that do run at like 12 cfm but you do have the option of running something like this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/paint/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html

I use these ones:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-HVLP-and-Standard-Gravity-Feed-Spray-Gun-Kit-HDK00600SG/203497812

They only have a CFM rating of 4 and you can get quite a bit of mileage out of them with your air compressor.

 

[gary300]

Thanks for the info. The HD unit looks like a match for me. What about a drier? I live in desert area with low humidity if that matters.

 

[strutaeng]

Gary, a true HVLP will typically use 12-15 CFM @ 30 psi. You really need 2-120V compressor hooked together or a REAL 5 HP compressor for this amount of air volume.

Other options for your existing compressor is a low CFM HVLP or LVLP. These usually require 6CFM.

Note that the 30-40 psi CFM rating on an air compressor will only be 1-2 higher than the rating at 90 psi.

Now for your refinishing question: Finishes that are meant to be sprayed cure really fast (shellac, lacquer, waterborne), so you can apply the desired coats on a few hours and be complete with the project. On the other hand, oil polyurethane dries so long, that it is not worthwhile to spray (you have to clean your gun for every coat applied and everything in your shop will be sticky for at least 4hrs from overspray). The good thing is that since it takes so long to dry it is self-leveling. Hence, you get nothing out of spraying it as far as appearance. So, yes, you can spray Poly, but it is not ideal.

There are so many misconceptions out there about wood finishing. I highly recommend reading Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner.

Good Luck

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

The harbor freight $12 guns are very highly rated.
Look them up.

These are the 'purple' guns that are both loved and hated in the autobody community. They are basically rebranded from other well known brands, but the units have some pros and cons.

They spray *great* initially, but are likely to start getting worse and worse over time.

Contaminants are common which will cause problems with spraying.

These two issues are actually easy to fix. Disassemble and clean the living tar out of the gun- and that includes the air passage in the handle. They pack these with silicone and that gets into your finished product. Clean it up (including O rings) and you'll start out fine.

Take this time to also deburr the spray openings as well as the threads on the cap. This brass doesn't get cleaned out fully and can cause you trouble later. Take the time during disassembly to really go through the gun and you'll have a good experience.

These steps apply to a lot of the brands. The difference largely being that the other name brands have already taken these steps and you pay for that labor in the price. Be willing to do it yourself and you'll save decent money. Just be prepared that you may have to toss the gun and replace it after a few uses if you experience issues. But at $9-12, this isn't a big deal.