Spraying finish

[Cecil]

I am considering buying a spray gun.  I have a pancake style compressor, which is not big enough.  Since I am a hobbyist, and I will only use it occasionally, I am thinking about buying a second pancake compressor and using a 'Tee' to feed the air sprayer from both units.  Even then it will be a bit anemic, but perhaps OK for occasional use.  I would make sure they are each on a separate circuit.
Has anyone done this?  Did it work OK?

Thanks.

[jteneyck]

It doesn't really matter how occasionally you use it, the compressor has to be up to the task when you do use it.  If you don't want to buy a compressor large enough to supply a conversion gun, I think you would be better served buying a turbine unit.  FWIW, if you buy a LVLP gun you only need a compressor that can put out about 5 CFM at 40 psi.  There are plenty of low cost options in the 30 gal range that will do that.  

John

[Steve N]

I am considering buying a spray gun.  I have a pancake style compressor, which is not big enough.  Since I am a hobbyist, and I will only use it occasionally, I am thinking about buying a second pancake compressor and using a 'Tee' to feed the air sprayer from both units.  Even then it will be a bit anemic, but perhaps OK for occasional use.  I would make sure they are each on a separate circuit.
Has anyone done this?  Did it work OK?

Thanks.

I didn't need a big compressor for anything else, so when I considered spraying finishes I had the same quandary. I ended up buying an Earlex 5500 at WoodCraft when they were on sale.  Now this was some years ago, and danged if they don't cost more now. As life would have it I ended up buying a big honking compressor  for air tools (which I use grinders and such for welding more than I use to) and can spray either way. Anyhow the Earlex may not be the best on the market, but I will stand with a lot of people who will swear, for the money, it is the best HVLP out there. Finish, paints, anything other gizmo's will spray, it will too. As far as support there must be 100 videos for every kind of finish you can think of, and how to spray them with the Earlex 5500, something I have not seen even from the several thousand dollar toys out there.

[Cecil]

It doesn't really matter how occasionally you use it, the compressor has to be up to the task when you do use it. 

John

I would think that I could pause spraying for a few seconds and let the compressor catch up.  It would take a bit longer to finish the job, but would be doable, for occasional use.  Whereas, for constant use, one would not want to pause every 20 to 30 seconds of spraying.

[jteneyck]

I would think that I could pause spraying for a few seconds and let the compressor catch up.  It would take a bit longer to finish the job, but would be doable, for occasional use.  Whereas, for constant use, one would not want to pause every 20 to 30 seconds of spraying.

That tactic works if the finish you are using is really friendly and doesn't set up while you are waiting for the compressor to cycle back up to pressure.  But if it does you will see it.  Knowing that, the operator typically tries to compensate by continuing to spray even when the compressor cycles on.  With a compressor with high output that doesn't matter because the compressor can output more air than the spray gun needs, but with a little pancake compressor the pressure will continue to drop and, at some point, the spray pattern will change for the worse and you will see it.  So there are two ways to lose. 

Occasional use on small projects?  Sure.  Large projects?  Not for me.   

John

But if you add a second pancake compressor and get up to to at least 5 CFM at 40 psi then you could easily run a LVLP gun. Get up to 8 CFM and you could run some HVLP guns.

[Hank Knight]

Jeff Jewett is the owner and operator of Homestead Finishing Products (http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com). Jeff is a well known published expert on wood finishing. He is very approachable and helpful. Pick up the phone and give him a call. He can advise you better than most about what will suit your needs. I did that 7 or 8 years ago and bought a high quality HVLP gun from Jeff that he had on closeout. It was an expensive gun he sold me for way below the listed retail price. It works fine with my small compressor. I would never have known what to buy if I hadn't spoken with Jeff before I made my purchase decision.

[Bill Holt]

Hank may have a good suggestion.

I did not know about Jeff Jewett.  My dad told me "If you need a tool, buy it, you will need it again."  Your 2 pancake system may work fine on a small project, but if you later need more capacity, what will you do?

Taking my dad's advice I bought the Earlex 5500.  Knowing I had it allowed me to take on bigger projects.

[Cecil]

My dad told me "If you need a tool, buy it, you will need it again."  Your 2 pancake system may work fine on a small project, but if you later need more capacity, what will you do?

Taking my dad's advice I bought the Earlex 5500.  Knowing I had it allowed me to take on bigger projects.

I see that Wagner bought Earlex.  I am not impressed with Wagner.  Is Earlex still a good product or has Earlex joined Porter Cable et. al. in the race to the bottom?

Based on what you said I should buy the big compressor.  However my dad told me not to spend money I don't have
.

Looking at the Earlex, it is only $50 more than buying a second pancake compressor and a decent LVLP gun.

[jteneyck]

FWIW, a conversion gun doesn't have to cost much to do a very good job.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Qualspray gun with 3M PPS cup that I paid about $350 for from Jeff Jewitt.  But I got really good results with a $10 purple Harbor Freight gun, too, with thin products like shellac, and good results with WB clear coats using another HVLP gun that cost about $40.  The advantage of the Qualspray gun is it has a pressurized cup and 3 needles so I can spray anything from dyes to thick paint, and at any angle.  But for clearcoats below about 45 seconds #4 Ford cup the cheap guns with a 1.4 mm needle worked fine. 

Long story to say you will get more value for your dollar buying a decent compressor and low cost HVLP gun to start with.  The only advantage of a turbine gun is portability, not ability.  Someone else has done the leg work for you to give you a package that will work, but it won't work better than a conversion gun and in some cases won't work as well, and you will pay more for that package than if you put together your own system.  

John

[Dave Diaman]

Cecil, if i was in your shoes right now I would be looking for a used mid sized compressor or pick up one of the Harbor Freight 20 gallon compressors for $180. I ran my conversion guns off a comparable Dewalt compressor for several years. I eventually switched to a big compressor because I was spraying some really large projects. Some of my guns are high end automotive conversion guns and are real air hogs. Jeff sells some really nice guns that are much more efficient than mine. If you get the bigger compressor you will not regret it. Conversion guns also do a much better job of atomizing the finishes. You can also pick up decent conversion guns relatively cheap. I have a gun for everything I spray. I have one for water based, shellac, solvent lacquer, dye and paint. My water borne and shellac guns are my good ones. All my other guns were under $50.