Harbor Freight HVLP Conversion Guns...

Rob,

I couldn’t get your links to open.

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

I couldn’t either.

-- Maplewood, MN

Links should be fixed now. Sorry about that.

-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA

I own one of the 30 dollar types and used it to paint the lower left side of my house. Had termites in the press board siding that I had to replace. Worked great for me and I used it using a water base paint. I did have to cut the paint by about 10% but that’s not unusual for spraying. Haven’t used it since, but for 30 dollars it paid for itself already. (I hate to brush on paint over a large area). LOL

As a matter of fact I buy a lot of the Chicago tools from HF and have had no bad luck with any of them.

-- JJohn

I’m not so sure 5.3 oz isn’t big enough unless you are doing a very large project. When I did my TV table I don’t think I used a fourth of a quart can of finish for three coats.

-- Maplewood, MN

Watch the CFM usage to be sure you can supply adequate air volume to the paint.
Gravity feed systems don’t like to be tilted and are limited with the space you can get the nozzle in to so be aware of that.
Also Harbor freight has a small air turbine set for about $40.00 bucks that should do furniture and the like quite well. ( probably a 1.5 mm nozzel)

I think I have all three around here and have had no particular problem with them.
p.s. I have a 5 hp compressor with 80 gallon tank. (12-14 cfm)

I also have this one that Harbor freight carries and it works quite well.

Cheers
Bob

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

I would get for first one available that I didn’t have to clean!

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

Gary, either or the two above are about as easy as a brush.
1. remove needle valve- 15 seconds
2, remove paint container and pour extra paint in a mason jar including a suitable solvent ( about 2 -3 ounces.)
3.Clean off the take up spout with you are in there.

4.Clean and re-insert needle valve.
Spray some solvent into a paper towel from the paint canister.
Shake gun and repeat.
5. Put gun in a plastic bag or pail with a lid.
Toss the paper towels outside to dry and dispose when dry.
Yer done.

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

Bob – I have the second turbine pictured, although I haven’t used it yet. Good to hear it works well and easy to maintain. I picked it up one day as I had a high discount that was floating around 8-9 mos ago. Didn’t need anthing, so I picked it up.

Thanks for adding your second comments on the ease of use. Regards, Jusitn

You never said anything about AIR? I Use a brush spray equipment is to much work and if you are careful and use a good brush you will not see any strokes if you do rub it out, If you have never used a gun you will most likely have to rub it out any how.

-- Just another day in paradise.

I have the turbine type of sprayer from Cambell-Hausfeld. I think for the $70.00 I paid for it, that is works great. I have sprayed only water based products with it. Both paint and clear finishes, and I’m happy with the results. NO BRUSH MARKS.
I also bought a “Critter” from Woodcraft. It’s $50.00 and is a siphon type of gun. It uses mason jars for the liquid that can be sprayed and then capped for use at a later date. It’s kinda like a large airbrush and needs a 1hp compressor to run.

-- SAWDUST...Source of Fiber......Bob

Justin, It’s not the very best unit on the market but for run of the mill small jobs it pushes out a decent pattern and is not at all difficult to clean.
It makes a great starter gun to learn on.
Incidently, painting wood products is not nearly as demanding as spraying metals and plastics where every imperfection shows.
You can use the same vacuum cleaner/turbine motor and housing with a more accurate gun should you feel the need to upgrade the gun later on.
p.s. Try to keep the blower part a good distance from where you are spraying so it does’nt circulate paint aerosol into the filter and or turbine.

This is a pic of the first job I did with this gun:

Bob

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

Hey Rob,

You might also consider the EARLEX, TWW just got one and did a…well…sort of reveiw and it got really good marks. More money than you are planning ~$275, Harbor Freght, but this machine is getting good marks all over. See: http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-45-music-to-my-earlex/ for Marc’s vidieo, interesting information about sprayers even if you don’t want to go this route. I’m thinking about moving toward spraying too, but don’t have the compressor for a gun. Just some more info that may help.

-- Jim Hallada, Chesterfield, VA

Thanks all for the input. I forgot to look at the air requirements. It looks like I will need a new compressor if I go with a conversion gun. When I look at the price of a new compressor and a new gun, I can get into the Earlex system for about the same, or maybe even better, cost. I am going to try to work it into the budget this weekend. I really could benefit from using this thing when finishing the bunk beds. I have already bought several spray cans of lacquer for the natural maple pieces. I could really use some help getting a good finish on the rest of the bed. I guess we will see come this weekend.

Thanks again for the help.

-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA

It’s been my experience, if you buy something from Harbor Freight with moving parts, it breaks in two weeks.

-- Odie, Confucius say, "He who laughs at one's self is BUTT of joke".

I paint cars & motorcycles, as a hobby, have used op.#1 & #3. great little guns! work as well as my Apollo’s & Binks sprayguns. Air consumption is the only draw back for furniture. HF also has a touch-up spray gun #00086, which I just bought, low cfm non-bleeder unit works very good. Paid $9.00 on sale have used it on 2 bikes, and on small cabinet. sprays shellac, poly equally well. Odie, been using these guns for 3yrs keep ‘em clean no problem.

-- Pretzel L8agn