Earlex Spray Station 5000

My concern about any type of sprayer is the cleanup. I would hate to spend 3 times longer cleaning it
up as it took me to spray something.

What is the cleanup time for this unit?

Great review and video BTW.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Nice demo Marc. I’ve been waiting for you to review the Earlex to see what you thought about it. I have one and it seems to be ideal for a small shop. Great work as usual. Thanks

-- gbear, Carmichael, CA

Thanks guys. Gary, the cleanup on this unit is really no more/less that any other HVLP gun. Now compared to other types of finishing, you are certainly looking at a little more maintenance. But it just goes with the territory when spraying.

After spraying, I usually clean out the cup, and then fill the cup with the thinner for whatever finish I was spraying. I spray for a few seconds to clean the needle out and then disassemble. The included cleaning kit has a nice brush that cleans out the tube easily. For water-based products, I clean the gun if I don’t plan on using it for 4 or more hours. For standard lacquers, I clean it if I don’t plan on spraying again for a few days. The lacquer is more forgiving.

Hope that helps.

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

Good review. I’m not quite up to the spray gun level yet in my finishing, but good to know there are some good choices out there.

-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/

I’ve been toying with getting a spraying setup. Got a few other higher priorities, but I’ll have to remember this when the time comes. Cleaning would be my issue as well. Knowing the abuse I give my brushes and such, I might need to develop a better cleaning ethic.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

Thanks Marc! I just got on of these. It arrived on my doorstep this morning and I can’t wait to try it out. Just as a side note, Woodcraft includes a second needle (the 1.5 mil.) in their price. Thanks again for the excellent video.

I have had this sprayer for almost a year, and have been very happy with it’s performance (I’ve been meaning to write a review … ). I used to use SATA sprayers, but when I decided to go HVLP, I had just seen a glowing review of this sprayer so I gave it a try and haven’t looked back.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

Thanks for the information about cleanup.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I wonder why the vacuum motors suddenly get called “turbines” when the get used for HVLP?

Apart from a suitable length of spiral tubing that fits a sprayer there is not much to separate the good the bad and the ugly except fit and finish on the guns.

It should be noted that HVLP guns move a ton of air and do not work well in enclosed (blind) areas like drawers and cupboards.
Aerosols and overspray although less are still present with most materials water based or VOCs.

Barring that they are quite useful.

The other mentionable is that they move a lot of material so runs, wrinkles and orange peal are constant threat for the uninitiated.

Cheers

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Rick and I talked to the rep at one of the wood shows and he showed how he could spray some cupboards right there in the booth and the contents not cover everyone and everything in or around it – that was cool
And then we were told that he was asked if he could refinish a bathtub and he did. The Earlex worked wonderfully, so the story goes.

Rick and I were impressed with the demonstration.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

This was a good time for me to join this forum, i’m currently trying to figure out what kind of spray system to go with. I’m trying to collect as much info as i can. One painter friend said you don’t want to go HVLP, too much overspray, just get a good gravity feed spray gun. I’m so confused.
Thanks for the review. i’ll look into it.

-- Talent on Loan from God - Rush Limbaugh ----------www.genesiswoodworks.com----------

thanks for the great review. I’ve been looking into one when i start to get some woodworking jobs. thanks for the review.

One of the big selling points for HVLP is the low overspray. My understanding is that some countries are requiring that professionals use HVLP because less chemicals are introduced into the environment than with standard spray equipment.

Bob #2 mentioned a problem with spraying into drawers and cupboards because of the high volume of air. I usually spray cabinet components before assembly, but occasionally spray after assembly. I don’t notice any worse performance with HVLP than with compressor driven guns. Possibly the lower pressure allows the paint droplets to exit the airstream when the air bounces back?? I do spray all my my drawers (assembled) with HVLP with no problems.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

Thanks for the review Marc and the confirmation Peter. I just bought one of the Earlex machines a few weeks ago, but have not used it yet. I am looking forward to trying it out. Good review.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Thanks for the review Marc. I have seen these and have considered getting one. Right now I have a Wagner that, while it works, is ok but I would like to go to a better unit. I will have to put one of these on my wish list (along with a myriad of other tools as well).

thanks again.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Good review Marc. I have a similar(?) unit I got from Rockler. I have not tried it yet. I have to spray in my garage, which is unheated.

Marc
I purchased the same sprayer about a month ago at the Toronto Wood show. I have used it about 6 times since then and I love it. I’ve never owned a sprayer before but I find this amazingly easy to use and clean up. I believe this is a great deal for us amateurs.
Bruce

-- Canadian Wood Chuck (Bruce)

Harbor Freight has them for $279.00 right now.
Did you know you can use the gun alone with a home made turbine from a vaccum machine?

For those of you on a budget this might help take you up notch.

Peter O is almost right on with the blowback with HVLP.
Blowback will leave a sand papery finish where the paint aerosols and drop back on the job.

He is right about there being less misting than with compressed air type guns but I wasn’t comparing them only making new users aware of what to expect from HVLP. ( less not being none)

I was also thinking that in many instances the cabinets etc are being re sprayed on sight in installations and there is no opportunity to spray the parts before assembly.

Cheers

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Bob –
Thanks for the Harbor Freight info! I’m thinking about buying a second sprayer (always on a budget!).

Also – thanks for the further clarification on using HVLP in tight spaces. Now that you mention it, I have seen some “sandpapering” in the bottom when spraying completed cabinets. This can be minimized by working from the top down.

My comment on less overspray was more a response to dhg who mentioned that he had been told that HVLP has too much overspray. The only thing with less overspray than HVLP would be airless (which is probably what dhg’s painter friend is using). I have an airless and they are great for house painting, but airless doesn’t create small enough droplets for the smooth finish most people expect on cabinets and furniture. I’ve heard that there are some very high-end airless sprayers that are capable of automotive quality finish, but I don’t know anyone who is using them.

So Bob – I’m sorry if my response seemed to be putting words in your mouth. That was not my intent.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

That’s OK Peter just trying to make sense of the thread for any newbies thinking of getting started.
Nothing is more discouraging in this craft than to buy something that dosen’t work as described.

Speaking of airless, I believe that the high end units ( $1500-2500) are capable of finer aerosols but the price is pretty much prohibitive for most of us.
Some of these may be of interest too where the voume of paint is small .

Cheers
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

A great video Marc. Nice to hear that the Earlex did so well in your tests. I will put it on my list of sprayers when I am ready to buy.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

Another great video Marc…I just finished watching. The Epifanes is a great varnish. I used it on my canoe and it’s performed beautifully. However, I had problems applying the varnish on the boat, simply because it was such a large area and it seemed that I was always crossing over fresh varnish with an area that was already begining to cure. It looks like a spray system would allow me to get the varnish on quicker and avoid that problem.

Do you need the turbine system to spray an HVLP gun? I already have a 150psi compressor…what would I need to use it with an HVLP spray gun (assuming that’s an OK thing to do)?

Mike

Hey Mike. I can imagine how tricky that would be over a large area. Spraying could certainly alleviate some of the pain, although you might want to dilute the material a bit to get the proper flow. And be very aware of the potential for runs. If you are spraying vertical surfaces, this WILL definitely be an issue.

Now you don’t actually need a turbine system to run an HVLP gun. HVLP is hi volume, low pressure. So to use it with your “hi pressure” compressor, you need to convert it to low pressure. So what you need to look for is known as a conversion gun. These guns regulate the air flow, making it possible to achieve the low pressure needed. I am no expert in spray guns so so a little research and you should be able to find some good recommendations. Just make sure your compressor meets the air requirements of the gun. You don’t want the compressor running constantly to satisfy a hungry gun.

Good luck!

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

Thank you for the well done video. Combined with comments from these users, I feel there there were a few points overlooked. I believe strongly in the maxim “you get what you pay for.” Repeatedly made is the comment about “sandpaper” which is caused by less than ideal air volume or pressure. Getting what one pays for is particularly true of the retailer mentioned.

However, TOTALLY OVERLOOKED are the air quality regs being slowly enacted everywhere that will require or do now, down feed guns and spray booths for sale of VOC materials. Spraying out doors is highly questionable because of drifting, and because of airborne junk settling on the work.

The EARLEX suction/pressure spray CUP gun is an anachronism in my opinion in comparison to small and regular down feeds and “touch up” guns as defined by the auto industry but which are great from wood projects.

-- Regards, Steve2

Thank you for the review. Great review and great video too.
I’ll include HV5000 in my priority wish list.

One question : Is the carrying handle collapsible?

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

Not to my knowledge Woodworm.

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

Thanks Marc.

The HV5000 is supplied with 2mm needle & tip as standard and Woodcraft offers 1.5mm needle as additional accessory.
If my spray work is mainly using lacquer nitrocellulose and polyurethane, do I need to buy 1mm needle & tip?

Thanki you.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

I think you can easily get away without the 1mm tip. I had decent result with lacquer over a wide range of tip sizes. I find lacquer to be pretty forgiving. But I seem to use the 1.5mm quite a bit. Maybe I am just too lazy to change it. lol

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

Thanks Marc for your prompt reply.

Have a nice day and take care.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

It’s very hard to get hold of the different needles sizes in the UK for some reason. I’ve contacted Earlex direct so hope I get some positive feedback. By the way the review is very informative ..you should have your own TV show mate.

Marc Thanks for the review and discussions on this sprayer. I know that Charles Neil likes them also.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I just tried out my new earlex using some water based latex zinser primer. It was my first time with a sprayer, but I got pretty lame results.

The gun threw big blobs of paint, and looks pretty orange peely. I’m using the 2.0mm needle which came with the unit, and have even tried thinning the primer, with no good luck.

Marc, in your review, you suggested that the smaller needles (1.0mm) would be better for water based finishes. Before I go and buy another tip, I wanted to make sure that it wasn’t user error, or more thinning should be tried?

Thanks.

Hey Dave. Like I said in the video, I don’t spray much latex. But this is my experience so far. I didn’t put any paint in the gun again until I had to spray an exterior wall. I figured why not try out the Earlex. I tried every tip size I owned and diluted as much as was reasonable, and couldn’t get enough material on the wall. Now mind you, I was spraying stucco. But it was just too slow. So instead, I used a $50 wagner and got the job done in a reasonable amount of time. Now if you are spraying primer, chances are the material is even thicker than my latex paint. And diluting it too far could be problematic. Trying a smaller tip does help atomize the finish, but if its pretty thick stuff, you’ll never get it through the tip. So I would stay with the bigger tip size, and try using some Flotrol to help the paint self level.

I should probably make an official addition to this review to let people know about my experience. But for painting smaller woodworking projects, it seemed like it would be able to handle the job as long as the material isn’t too thick to begin with. But please keep in mind, I rarely if ever use latex paint so my actual experience spraying it with the Earlex is limited to what you saw in the video, and the wall project.

I am sure there are others here who might be able to help you in finding the upper limit of the dilution range for that primer. And specifically, I know that Charles Neil has quite a bit of experience with the Earlex and might be able to give you some tips to get this stuff spraying nicely for you.

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

Be careful with the “get a smaller tip for water base” statement.

I’ve sprayed 50+ gallons of ML Campbell solvent nitrocellulose lacquer, as well as 20-25 gallons of ML Campbell Ultrastar water based lacquer, and usually use a larger tip for WB on my Fuji 4 stage. The water based product needs a full, wet coat, which is hard to impossible to do with the same setup as the solvent based product.

Many solvent-based lacquers can be “tack coated”, a definite no-no for WB lacquer. Unless, of course, you LIKE orange peel finishes! <g>

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

Thanks Marc. I’ll try the flowtrol, and post the results.

BTW, great video, thanks!

Hey Barry, what tip size do you find works best for the ML Campbell water-based? My main spray is a Fuji 3-stage so I am curious what you prefer. I plan on trying ML Campbell very soon.

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

Marc,

With a pressurized suction cup, I usually prefer the #4 setup for Ultrastar, compared to the #3 I normally use for NC lacquer. I’ll sometimes go up a needle with the non-pressurized gravity cup. I’m using a Fuji Mini-Mite 4 turbine, which is a Q4 without noise control, and Fuji’s standard gun. After you’ve cracked the seal on a new can, don’t skip the straining step, or the internal strainer in the gun.

For most woods where I’d prefer an “ambering” solvent based finish, I usually add ~ 1 drop to 12 oz. TransTint Honey Amber Dye to the finish. The key to spraying Ultrastar is to get a full wet coat, but not TOO much. Too little makes for a gritty finish, too much gets plastic looking. Under a raking light, the right coat will look shiny and wet, with no puddles, with the pores of wood like white oak still visible as you look across the surface.

It’ll look scary as it dries! You’ll be thinking “What have I done?” <g> The finish will go through a stage where it looks like very badly applied cheap polyurethane. It will pass!

Normally, I’ll do a “color wipe” of 33/33/33 of BLO / real pine turpentine / Zinnser Seal Coat, one coat of MLC Ultrastar sanding sealer scuffed w/ 400 grit over a hard felt block, and one coat of finish. The “pre sealer” greatly cuts down on grain raising, adds color, and dries very fast with no oil bleed. If it’s a wood like white maple, birch, etc… I’ll use one coat of SS, followed by 320 to remove raised grain, then two coats of finish, with a 400 grit scuff in between. The sanding sealer dries with a decent gloss, so it’s easy to see your progress while scuffing.

Ultrastar seems to really like warm temperatures to help it flow out. I’ll often warm the finish ever so slightly before spraying, if the shop temp is less than the low 70’s. I’d like to hear how it works out in your climate.

BTW… I’ve also tinted the product with ~ 20% Pratt and Lambert latex with excellent results.

Have fun!

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Excellent! Thanks for the info man. I will hang on to this for reference!

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

So, after lots of good advice from you all (THANKS!) I had great results with the Earlex.

For folks who need some tips on this machine with latex, here’s what I had to do. I got a 2mm tip and thinned the primer to the max recommended by the manufacturer, plus added some Wagner viscosity additive, and after a lot of trial, got the viscosity barely within tolerance of Earlex’s recs. The latex paint was a lot more forgiving, but required both thinning and viscosity reducer as well. It eventually worked great.

Can anyone tell me how well the connection from the hose to the gun is? I have a cheap rockler gun that just slip fits on. It is always coming off. It also finally cracked the other day. After watching Marc’s video and seeing the spraryer at the woodshow, I have ordered.

I had a campbell hausfeld $250 sprayer at my school I was at before, not too bad either. Home Depot used to carry them. That would be a good side by side comparision.

The Earlex is also a slip fit. I haven’t used mine enough to necessarily comment on its longevity though. But so far so good.

-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

I looked around for an hvlp sprayer to spray my buddys kitchen cabinets I built. I ended up going with this unit ( also got it on sale) and I love it so far. I am pretty new to finishing so its nice that is doesnt have to many fancy settings! I have been spraying water based pre-car laquer with it and it works perfect. I’ve also sprayed milk painted watered down and it handled it good.

E Bay has them on sale. Type in the Earlex in the buy column, and it will pop up. I think there are 4 left.
I’m still reading. That is the 5000 model.

-- Paul, Bristol,Rhode Island

After researching all the possible guns to buy, I pulled the trigger, and bought the Earlex 5000. I hope to do some spraying over the long holiday weekend coming up. The gun is well made, and very portable; a feature I like. Thanks to all of you Lumber Jocks for your opinions! I’ll add to this forum when I’ve had a chance to test it.

-- Paul, Bristol,Rhode Island