HVLP Spray Gun for air compressor for latex and polyurethane

[Johnny Currado]

I am looking, well in the market, for a good HVLP spray gun that I can attach to my 20 gallon air compressor.  I would like to use it for latex paint for my wood working projects that I build - furniture, desk, bed frames, etc and also for polyurethane and stain.  What does everyone have or recommend I look at in a good spray gun?  thanks in advance!

[Tapper]

No expert on spray painting here, however my guess is that spraying latex paint with a 20 gallon compressor may be tricky. I would recommend doing some research online as there are many applicable articles and videos on this topic out there.

As for HVLP spray guns, Harbor Freight has an extensive lineup for very short money. Many people have had very good results with these guns, depending on the project. If one of their models doesn't happen to meet your needs, you're not out much.

Doug

[jteneyck]

I am looking, well in the market, for a good HVLP spray gun that I can attach to my 20 gallon air compressor.  I would like to use it for latex paint for my wood working projects that I build - furniture, desk, bed frames, etc and also for polyurethane and stain.  What does everyone have or recommend I look at in a good spray gun?  thanks in advance!

If your compressor has enough output, you could use Homestead Finishing's AM-6008 LVLP Smartpak pressure assisted gun.  I have the HVLP version and it does, indeed, spray everything from water to thinned latex paint very well.  That said, I would never spray typical latex paint, like wall or house paint on a furniture or cabinet project.  There are far better products for those applications.  

You need to look at the specs to see if your compressor can output at least 8 cfm at 40 psi.  That's the cutoff for that gun.  If you do decide to get the Qualspray gun from Homestead, get the one with the 3M PPS cup.  It allows you to spray at any angle, even upside down, and you can see how much finish is still in the cup.  I've had my gun for about 7 years now and it's a great system.  Not top end, but a good solid mid-level gun.  

OK, now for the bad news.  If you plan to spray very often, for very long, you likely will wear out that compressor in short order.  If your projects can be sprayed in just a few minutes, however, it may last a very long time.  Also, the small tank size of your compressor means it will cycle frequently, and may indeed run non-stop if it can barely keep up with your gun.  That's likely going to cause water and possibly oil unless your compressor is oil free to get carried to the gun and wreak havoc on your finish, so you will need at least a rudimentary filter/absorber system.   

John

[lincmercguy]

"As for HVLP spray guns, Harbor Freight has an extensive lineup for very short money. Many people have had very good results with these guns, depending on the project. If one of their models doesn't happen to meet your needs, you're not out much."

I use the really cheap ones from there to spray water-based tint and lacquer (one for each). They work pretty well for that, but those are forgiving materials when it comes to spraying.

[Johnny Currado]

Ok thanks for your input John!  You provided a ton of useful information that I can definitely use.  And you brought up information I did not even think about.  


If your compressor has enough output, you could use Homestead Finishing's AM-6008 LVLP Smartpak pressure assisted gun.  I have the HVLP version and it does, indeed, spray everything from water to thinned latex paint very well.  That said, I would never spray typical latex paint, like wall or house paint on a furniture or cabinet project.  There are far better products for those applications.  

You need to look at the specs to see if your compressor can output at least 8 cfm at 40 psi.  That's the cutoff for that gun.  If you do decide to get the Qualspray gun from Homestead, get the one with the 3M PPS cup.  It allows you to spray at any angle, even upside down, and you can see how much finish is still in the cup.  I've had my gun for about 7 years now and it's a great system.  Not top end, but a good solid mid-level gun.  

OK, now for the bad news.  If you plan to spray very often, for very long, you likely will wear out that compressor in short order.  If your projects can be sprayed in just a few minutes, however, it may last a very long time.  Also, the small tank size of your compressor means it will cycle frequently, and may indeed run non-stop if it can barely keep up with your gun.  That's likely going to cause water and possibly oil unless your compressor is oil free to get carried to the gun and wreak havoc on your finish, so you will need at least a rudimentary filter/absorber system.   

John

[lincmercguy]

"OK, now for the bad news. If you plan to spray very often, for very long, you likely will wear out that compressor in short order."

This. Compressors have a duty cycle.

Years ago, I got a screaming deal on one of those remanufactured Dewalt 15 gallon portable 200 PSI compressors. I thought I would be (not so) smart and use it to supplement my main compressor while sandblasting. I did not pay close enough attention and burned out the windings. On the plus side, I was able to sell the good parts for more than I had into it.

[kurt18947]

It might also depend on what you're spraying. If you're spraying smaller items you're not going to squeeze the gun's trigger and hold it until the cup is empty. If you're spraying many square feet like a dining table you're not going to want to stop if you can help it. I know I'll spray for a couple minutes then stop while I reposition the piece or do something else before resuming spraying. I was using a Porter Cable gun, those are no longer available but Harbor Freight was selling a gun that sure looked close at least externally.

I then got an Earlex 5000 HVLP setup. It does pretty well with thinned 'latex' wall paint. The cup is pressurized which I imagine helps. The latex spray job was a pretty crude utility piece that the guy "just wanted it white". Interior wall paint cut about 10% with distilled water and a little floetrol. It worked better than I really expected. Having said all that, there are better materials than "latex" for painting furniture. Tinted lacquer I believe is one recommendation. It's intended to be sprayed with HVLP units as opposed to house paint that is intended to be sprayed with airless units.

[ajkoontz]

Sprayer for latex paint- My advice is get a Grayco Truceoat 360 VS (variable speed), currently $275 on Amazon, but they sell them at most of the big boxes or your on-line retailer of choice. I have the older model, difference being the new model uses the semi-disposable latex bags. I prefer the cleanable hard plastic containers but not sure if these are available any more. These are an all in one unit, meaning you won't use your AC. I know you're looking to use your existing compressor and save some $$, but I don't think you'll be happy with any DIY gun for latex. 

You want an airless for latex is the key. If you think you'll paint walls/ etc. you might consider a bigger sprayer. Difference being, the Graco is made for spraying about a quart at a time- perfect for most WW projects. The bigger rigs shoot gallons/ 5 gallons and it's kind of a hassle cleaning all the paint from the lines. Getting an airless sprayer was game changing for me. I'm not quite professional level, but it took my painted finishes from obviously DIY level to pretty darn good. If you get into airless, you'll want a couple of tips- different size openings for thicker/ thinner, and different fan widths, so factor that in too. There are other DIY level options besides the Graco, but if you're only painting a few times a year the DIY models will take your finishes to the next level and should last at least a decade. I'm recommending the Graco because I have one and have been very happy with it.

And good paint makes a difference too, but that could be a whole thread in itself.

[ajkoontz]

I also should have added- I also own a DIY level Earlex HVLP sprayer, and it will spray properly thinned latex. It is not easy, and it doesn't do a great job. It is fantastic for stains/ poly/ laquer/ shellac/ anything but latex. I'm really happy I have both airless and HVLP because different applications. I was in your shoes and I don't think there is a one size fits all gun that will do latex + everything else. It does get expensive as now I'm telling you that you need to get 2 guns, but the good news is the DIY level guns will up your results with a very small learning curve.

[Cabinet Monkey]

Spraying Latex Paint with an HVLP gun is a FOOL'S ERRAND


 Sure, where there's a will... there's a way......but you'd have to thin it soooooo much that you'd exceeded the manuf. tech. specs. and compromise the finish's protective properties.


Others have provided sound advice that you should follow:

- be sure your compressor's PUMP will keep up with your air needs.  - The gallon capacity has very little bearing on spraying.
- choose a better/ more suitable product after you've verified your compressor is suitable.  
there are lots of DIY friendly coatings that are suitable for HVLP setups.  The downside is they ain't available in most locales, which means ordering it in.