spray painting

[Rob Young]

Saw what I assume was your post over on LJ. 

How's your search for information and decision making process progressing?

[Cooler]

Thanks for the replies.   I was collecting information from all my available sources.   I have still not moved on this yet.  I will keep you advised as I move forward.

I'm in the middle of a bathroom remodel and I probably won't do anything until it is done.

[Snipe Hunter]

Out of curiosity, why does everybody here recommend 4 stage turbines?

The difference between a 2 and 4 stage is about 1psi. Between a 3 and 4 is about 1/2 psi. The 4 stage runs a little cooler during long runs. I haven't looked in a while but do they still make two stage machines? A 2 stage is about half the size of a 4 stage. I've been painting cars for 10 years with the same 2 stage AccuSpray turbine and it's fine. It's done great shooting wood finishes also. No issues whatsoever. Just keep a clean filter in it. I use a 6" MTD mower filter and pre filter. I'm pretty sure it's the same filter sold by 3M/AccuSpray.

If a person on a budget could save a few bucks by going with a 2 or 3 stage, he probably should consider it.

I have used a couple different 4 stage turbines and I'll admit, they can move a little more finish when set wide open but the reality is, we almost never shoot wide open.

If it were me and I had a $400 budget. I'd spend $360 on the biggest compressor I could find, and a drier and rubber (not vinyl) hose. Spend the other $40 on a Chinese mini conversion gun with a regulatur like this one.

Spend what's left on a 20 oz cup and be done with it.

It will lay out finishes nicer than any Turbine gun and I'm pretty darn good with a turbine gun..

[Rob Young]

100cfm and 9psi rating on my 4 stage. Footprint about the same as a small toaster oven.

More than 3x the cfm and 4x the psi of the Earlex 5500

[Snipe Hunter]

Earlex is probably not a very good comparison. Like comparing a golf cart to a car.

[BloomingtonMike]

You are missing a steal if you let pinky's deal go. Pinky Ill give you $100 for the gun if it goed unsold. PM me.

[Rob Young]

Earlex is probably not a very good comparison. Like comparing a golf cart to a car.

Fuji Semi-Pro2 ($400 average price) -- from manual, rated as a maximum 40 second viscosity for "primers" (using 2mm N/N set) or about 30 seconds for "latex" (1.8mm N/N set).  Rated at about 100cfm & 5psi.  N/N sets run about $55-60 ea.


Graco 3 stage (can't seem to find a current production 2 stage) -- about $1000. 65cfm, 7psi (variable speed as stock option? not certain).  Wasn't immediately obvious to me what N/N sets cost.  Insufficient time Googling to update.


Campbell Hausfeld (looks very much like the Earlex 6000 series) -- about $350, 65cfm, 6 psi.  Again, N/N sets didn't pop up quickly enough in Google to satisfy my morning pre-coffee ADHD.  Earlex 6002 has similar specs and pricing at around $400.  There is more than one model of 2-stage C-H out there.  One is priced >$500 in a blue color for the turbine housing, the other less expensive one is black.  Probably the same internals, different could be gun and accessories.


Capspray brands run >$700 for the low end models, perhaps even $1000.  I don't have numbers other than what I remember from looking many months ago.


The Graco has the largest footprint but perhaps only because they have accessorized the turbine housing with wells and storage hooks and junk.  Otherwise they all have about the same footprint of a medium-small toaster oven.  All have power draw ratings between 1300W and 1500W making them compatible with the average 110VAC/15A household circuit.


Mix and match gun types (gravity vs. cup-under) and bleeder vs. non-bleeder -- although I really like the T750 gravity feed series of gun from Fuji, got to borrow one and it is a comfortable and nice spraying gun.  Hose length (at least 20ft, some greater than 30ft) and stock N/N size but most seems to come with either 1.3mm or 1.5mm by default.  Number of air filters varies, cost of replacement air filters varies widely.

3M cup system is extra in all examples above. And I believe it can be used with all the above but can't say absolutely. Pretty sure it CAN'T be used with the Earlex 5500 (plastic-fantastic model we've been love-hating on in this thread) because the gun is a bit non-standard.

If one already has or can put ones hands on a sufficiently rated compressor AND you want to use the compressor for other air powered tools AND the overall price is right (compressor, hoses, valves, dryer, possible wiring upgrade), conversion guns are probably the way to go.  

I don't have a large compressor, don't have the space for a large compressor and don't feel the need for air powered tools so I went with a turbine system for the occasional use and small (storage) footprint.  Went with 4 stage because I could purchase one on my budget and it has the capability to do the heavy flow materials, w/out (or with VERY LITTLE) thinning, I expect to be using in the near future for small home remodel jobs.  Otherwise a 3 stage would have been just fine and probably even the Fuji Semi-Pro2 for stain/shellac/poly clear-coat stuff.

[Snipe Hunter]

I'm not sure what you are driving at

[BloomingtonMike]

Rob, try an airless for paint.

[Rob Young]

I'm not sure what you are driving at

Other choices of less than 4 stage turbines.  None of which fall into the small incremental gains you mentioned.  The improvement over the last 10 years is such that there are more than 1/2psi improvements per stage.  And around +30cfm per stage.

And that there are valid reasons to go with a turbine system instead of a conversion gun.