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DIY Spraying Kit?


Blanco

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Reading recent posts and having to look up HVLP, I realise that technology and paint for that matter have changed enormously since I last sprayed anything.

With a view to painting my RRC when it comes apart, can I ask those that know what would make good basic equipment for me to invest in for the job? All my existing kit and compressor was sold for the house move so effectively starting again. All input appreciated.

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decent compressor, and a water trap are essential.

 

a good heater to grt a decent temperature in he shed

 

a dehumidifier makes life easier,

 

 

the HVLP spray guns from screwfix are very good for the price. i have 4.

 

does a good job considering....

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Edited by qwakers
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When I installed my air compressor, originally bought to spray a Series 3, I deliberately ran the air through metal pipe work for several metres, before the regulator and connection.

The first two metres of pipe were vertical and the next two or three just a little off horizontal. The thinking was that the surface area would allow the air to cool and the moisture to condense and run back to the tank. 

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I guess you read my thread about me spraying with HVLP :D

My HVLP set up is part of a larger tool selection we use on projects in the construction trade, so it wasn't ever bought to do what i'm using it for, but it works!

The point i'm making is that it was an expensive piece of kit ( £1490 with 1 or 2 extras ) and uses a 5 stage turbine and an expensive gun (£500+) which allows minute adjustments on everything ( air/fluid/turbine ).  Using it on celluse paints has shown the need to replace filters and liners much sooner as the paint and thinners upset the plastic/rubber in these.

This also proves that great expensive equipment doesn't make a **** job any good if the bloke using it hasn't much of a clue!  By that i mean me, not you 😂 but i'm learning !

I wouldn't recommend you spend out that much as compressor type guns are just as good if set up correctly from what i hear.

My HVLP set up is not gravity fed either, the fluid chamber liner is under air pressure so can be used in any direction.

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8 hours ago, Badger110 said:

I guess you read my thread about me spraying with HVLP :D

Spotted!, ..... yes it just got me thinking that this is one (more?) area where I lack confidence and  practical experience, I had a quick look and things seem quite multiple choice these days; my old spray gun came with the set that came free with the compressor, nobody said what size the nozzle was or what type of gun it was!

I am thinking that I will build a compressor hut out the back just to keep the noise down, I have some copper pipe in 4m lengths and plenty of headroom, so a condensor on the back wall won't be difficult.

13 hours ago, qwakers said:

does a good job considering....

But Qwakers, your Land Rover has melted into a very strange shape!!!!

It seems the Screwfix spray guns look like what I had anyway, although they now wear the label HVLP, they aren't quite as technical as Badger's system, (and I was hoping not to spend capital money on it). 

 

 

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I put my some money into a (decent) conventional gravity fed deviblis spray gun. I'm self taught and borrow a small ish compressor for paint jobs. Cellulose is not easy to paint with unless you have good temp control,  2k is a lot more forgiving (in my novice opinion) I've got a 3m battery power air fed grinding mask (adflow) with a stackable cat2(I think) (organic compounds) air filter to allow use with 2k paint works a treat.

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20 minutes ago, Maverik said:

conventional gravity fed deviblis spray gun

.... that is kind of where this thread started,...... I know Devilbiss is a top make, but I don't really see/understand the difference between the £70 and the £500. I also thought celulose was more or less history now, I didn't ask about paint systems and I know its potentially a huge subject but what is readily available on the market that suits the DIY'er and isn't too dangerous or omplicated would also be a good question?

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You can get small quantities of cellulose and 2k for classic/small car restoration is my understanding and experience. Again from my limited view most car paint now is acrylic based which is water based, not used this at all and I should imagine you need a place to bake the paint one applied.

I did a lot of research at the time and found this as a good all around gun for what I wanted Devilbiss FLG5.

And like I said I'm a self taught novice but have done a few jobs now that dont look half bad.

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8 hours ago, Maverik said:

I put my some money into a (decent) conventional gravity fed deviblis spray gun. I'm self taught and borrow a small ish compressor for paint jobs. Cellulose is not easy to paint with unless you have good temp control,  2k is a lot more forgiving (in my novice opinion) I've got a 3m battery power air fed grinding mask (adflow) with a stackable cat2(I think) (organic compounds) air filter to allow use with 2k paint works a treat.

Is the adflo definitely okay for 2k? 

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1 hour ago, Gazzar said:

Is the adflo definitely okay for 2k? 

I also did a lot of research on this too, and as they do the correct type of filters there was nothing to say they wouldn't work for that kind of atmosphere. It's a positive pressure type system. I spent a fair few hours painting and had no ill effects. I wouldn't have done it unless I was sure I wasn't going to poison myself. I work in the oil and gas industry, I'm an HSE paranoid.

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I used to paint cars for a living a long time ago. Late Seventies, early Eighties. Cellulose was the norm, and IIRC Vauxhall had started to use acrylic paints. Lacquer was not normally used back then, and 2K had only just started to be used in the refinishing trade.

Anyways, I made myself a compressor in 1985 using a big Calor Gas cylinder (Scottish spec as they are thicker) a big English Electric 2HP motor, that was old even then, a Westinghouse brake compressor from a Bedford truck, proper Condor switch, some angle iron, and some gas pipe. Finished off in Hammerite blue, and it looks like the real thing. I still have it !

I have a Devilbiss JGA gun that I bought in 1980, and I use oxygen hose from a welding set, as it is nice and floppy, even in freezing conditions.

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57 minutes ago, smallfry said:

Anyways, I made myself a compressor

Sadly everyone wants full value now for recycled/upcycled stuff and it would be tough to put that together now unless you had access to a decent scrap pile, interesting too about the Scottish cylinders.

11 hours ago, Maverik said:

I've got a 3m battery power air fed grinding mask (adflow)

Now that is an aspect I was forgetting about, thanks for that.

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20 minutes ago, Blanco said:

Sadly everyone wants full value now for recycled/upcycled stuff and it would be tough to put that together now unless you had access to a decent scrap pile, interesting too about the Scottish cylinders.

 

By this time I worked at an Agricultural and Plant dealers, also a Calor dealer, and yes, there was a VERY comprehensive scrap and warranty pile. Not worked there for 20 odd years now, but still visit now and again, but all the scrap is quickly disposed of now. Its a crying shame really, but most people nowadays do not seem to have the inclination to try to make anything.

I guess back then it was out of necessity due to lack of availability and the fact that things were relatively expensive.   

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I had the same issue as you, complete novice but wanting to produce relatively good results. The best investment I’ve found is in the compressor. Good high CFM, seems to top out at 14CFM with a compressor running on normal mains power, and with a 150-200l tank. I’ve found when doing full panels, the 200l tank gives you enough air to get some good passes In before the compressor kicks in. If I’m doing a top coat and clear coats, I tend to wait until tank is full before moving on. For primers etc. there’s more leeway. 
 

For a gun, I went with a 3m accuspray one, that allows various tips at an affordable price. It’s very easy to clean, and the 3m pps system makes it easy to mix paints and use. You get about 10-20 uses out of the tips, depending on how thorough you are about cleaning and the type of paint in use. https://www.spraygunsdirect.co.uk/index.php/3m-accuspray-hvlp-primer-spray-gun.html#sthash.lOSaD5df.dpbs
 

I built a home made water trap, sorry no pics other than this one. Just a simple board with a few passes of push fit pipe that then feeds a water drop, two stage air filters and a regulator. I use the hi-flo air fittings throughout and sufficient diameter air hose so that the connectors are the smallest diameter.

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I tried a dual tank setup, to feed my air fed mask using old compressor and new, but even this setup couldn’t support both. I suspect you need a good 20CFM plus to do this and my free flow combined was probably nearer to 16-18. I considered using one compressor to feed the mask, but then I’d have the additional investment of another filter and water trap set up. With the air fed mask you also get into a mode of needing to ensure that the compressors are placed where they can draw in any fumes from painting. So for the majority of my painting I’ve used an open free flowing area, 3m half mask, goggles and a full paint suit. I wear this when mixing paints too. I’ve built a home made booth, with an extraction fan, and this is great for reducing contamination, no wind etc. but I suspect it’s not the best from a health & safety point of view.

Practice obviously helps, but it doesn’t take long to get to an acceptable standard. I’ve found the hardest is clearcoats and getting enough coverage to gloss, without any runs. 

 

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Thanks Steve, that gun is interesting. I dont see me going to the extent of a booth, (unless my numbers come up), plastic sheeting will have to do, 200lt compressors do seem more affordable now, I have a small stop gap 25lt one I bought a couple of years ago until such times as the shed is finished, I am keeping my eyes peeled for something now, although more with a view to blasting stuff clean, I didn't realise painting was so air hungry?

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I find actually painting quite rewarding and if you keep your area clean and keep to some basic rules you can get a decent finish relatively easily. 

I paid an arm and a leg for a "vehicle restorer" to paint my 90 when it was stripped down to panels and they did an awful job. I've easily had better finishes on panels.

The massive downside for me is the space required to make it relatively hassle free is what I've never had. You need to keep the area pretty dust free as your paint gun will stir up anything sitting, over-spray and residual spray that hangs in the air then falls onto everything else in the space your using, so you either need to make a booth, or protect everything you don't want covered in a fine layer of dust paint. I've done both all in the same place I've been welding, grinding and spannering in.  You need to be very systematic and keep a very tidy space which can be exhausting to do. Having not enough space really takes the fun out of tasks as your always tripping over yourself.

One of my goals is to have a space dedicated to painting in. I reckon once set up you'd be able to make your money back relatively easily as there's always people needed stuff painted.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is the problem with trying to use HVLP at home with a single phase compressor. It is VERY air hungry. A 200 Litre tank is very big to me, and should have a big pump on it, at least 15 CFM or bigger. Even then you will not keep up with demand using HVLP equipment.

For HVLP at home, an air pump is way better, like Apollo spray or Fuji etc, However it is expensive for occasional use, so hiring may be a better option ? 

My old compressor is about 9 CFM on a 100 Litre tank, and I can easily paint a Land Rover roof with no problem, but of course that is using the "old fashioned" high pressure equipment.

The compressor will be running all the time though. I could not paint a whole vehicle in one go though.

CFM is cylinder capacity X RPM, and is not the true output of any compressor. Free air delivery is the important thing, and you will not find many manufacturers who will even quote it.

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