posted
Anyone have any experience with these ? I was at a woodworking show and Apollo has a conversion gun that is a true HVLP that utilizes a conventional compressor. I did a newsgroup and web search and opinions are all over the place as to their ability to spray as good a coat as conventional guns and whether they are any good with latex (for sandblasted backgrounds). The do use less paint with less overspray so that might be reason enough to go for it and they are available for just under $300 US.
------------------ Artworks Olympia WA
Posts: 797 | From: Olympia, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Everyone who sprays these days uses an HVLP gun...............
------------------ HotLines Joey Madden,45 years in the Classic Art of Pinstriping $42. a month electric bill here in Grants Pass, Oregon Big Sale deadline May 15th. http://members.tripod.com/Inflite
posted
Mine is from Harbour Freight Tools( about 80 bucks). I use it to spray waterbased acrylic stains on sandblasted backgrounds and DTM acrylic for topcoats. It is gravity fed with a topmounted cup and has a thumb control fan adjustment. It has stainless steel internal parts so it doesn't rust on contact with the waterbased paints. It has a plastic cup which is easy to clean, as is the whole gun, and it does a supernice job for me.
------------------ "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." Albert Einstein
Failure to advertise is a lot like blinking in the dark. Nobody, but you, knows what you're doing.
posted
i don't know about HVLP "conversion" guns. I do know that we adopted HVLP sprayers at my motorcylce shop over 7 years ago, and i would NEVER switch back to the old type of sprayer.
The HVLP uses less material, because everything goes where you put it. Convential spray equipment has about a 30 percent transfer efficiency (at BEST), whereas HVLP has about 85 - 92 percent tranfser rate. that means it takes 1/3 to 1/4 as much paint to coat the same item. automotive paints are really expensive, and those savings add up really fast (because you're saving on paint, reducer, activator, clear coat, etc etc). you also save on overspray cleanup, and you don't need to colorsand for ghosting.
i would probably buy a new compressor if that's what you need. if you're only covering a 4x8, you can get a good compressor with a big tank for under $500 (i use a $295 Craftsman with a 30 gal tank and have no trouble).. if you have a high volume shop, then the cost of a bigger compressor will pay for itself in a few months. my experience with HVLP is that the the better equipment gives better results. i'd personally shy away from "conversion" equipment if it means a comprimise in quality.
------------------ :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: San Francisco :: :: don't blame me... i'm just a beginner ::
Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
I picked up a cheap HVLP gun just to play around with to see what it's like.. it was only $100, I think it's an Astro brand.. It's a gravity feed with a stainless paint cup and has the usual controls.. fluid control, spray pattern (fan to round) and the tip can be spun around so you can make the fan horizontal, vertical, or any angle in between.. like I said.. the usual stuff.
So far I've shot waterbased acrylics, catalyzed gelcoat, and PVA mold release.. I dont have many large jobs requiring waterbased acrylics so I probably wont use the gun for that again (it really sucks the stuff down) but it shot the gelcoat effortlessly and the only clean-up I needed to do was spray some acetone through it to clear the air/fluid paths. PVA is waterbased so that went real smoothly as well.
This weekend I'm going to be spraying a couple jetskis so I'll let ya know how that goes.
I definitely like the HVLP though.. I've never even used a conventional spray gun but the HVLP so far hasnt produced any more overspray than my airbrushes.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
if i read everything correctly what i think jim asked most about was the compressor and hvlp rather than one of the turbine set-ups. i have a turbine unit which i bought for a specific finish which needed to be sprayed and it works well. others that i know swear by the hvlp with a compressor although i heard you need a little more beef behind it than a conventional gun.
posted
At my woodworking shop, i use a 7 1/2 HP 27 cfm compressor. At the paint/vinyl shop a 5 HP 9 cfm compressor. I operate the gun at about 43 psi.
------------------ "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." Albert Einstein
Failure to advertise is a lot like blinking in the dark. Nobody, but you, knows what you're doing.
posted
Yes, the conversion guns are supposed to work just like the standard turbine guns but with compressed air and you do need more uumphf with them than conventional compressed air guns. My search today led me to believe that my 6 hp, 7 cfm @ 50 lbs unit is marginal for latex paint. I wanted a gun that would do it all but realize that I should just get an airless for the heavy latex but I still want the hvlp conversion gun so I don't end up painting my shop everytime I spray. So far the Asturo ECO looks like the best one to me.
------------------ Artworks Olympia WA
Posts: 797 | From: Olympia, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
For what it's worth Jim, I got one of the 'conversion' types 8 months ago and never looked back. It was a cheapie off-brand too. Works soooo much better than my more expensive conventional syphon gun. LOTS less overspray. First time out I dumped on way to much paint and learned quickly to be sparing. It lays down paint much differently. Kind of squirts it right on on in a blanket. You have to develop a bit of technique. Mine came off ebay for about $45.
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