# Sprayer for Painting Cabinet Doors?



## keith204 (Nov 5, 2013)

I'm painting some cabinets for a friend using the Critter. It's my first go at spraying latex, and I'm quite impressed. But, as most people, I'm finding it difficult to hit the sweet spot between ratios, height of nozzle, and pressure. Once the sweet spot is dialed in, it's amazing.

Some other friends are looking at hiring someone to paint their cabinets for $2200.

I'm considering finding a nice sprayer for painting cabinets, and volunteering to do the work (with their help) if they buy the sprayer.

Do you have recommendations of sprayers that would have very consistent results and a straightforward (not necessarily easy) cleanup process?

+bonus: if it could spray dewaxed shellac out of the jar (or close to it), that would be a plus. But, the critter does that pretty well and has easy cleanup with alcohol, so my main objective is paint.

...

To be clear: I do not like the idea of painting solid wood cabinets very much. But, I do find value in helping friends who have already set out to do this act of absurdity.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

HVLP is a good choice. I think you'll appreciate the reduced overspray, especially compared to a Critter. I have an old Fuji Q4 and the gun that came with it. It's an old school bleeder setup, but still performs beautifully. Fuji still makes a great product, and the features have come a long way. Non-bleeder guns are better since they aren't constantly blowing air that can stir up dust, and the controls on the new guns are far more intuitive. Fuji is by no means the only good choice out there, it's just a brand that I have had good experiences with.


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## keith204 (Nov 5, 2013)

Interesting. I have used HVLP before for spraying dyes, and thought it would get clogged easily for spraying latex. However, I have only used the $10 Harbor Freight HVLP, so I'll take a look at some nicer options.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Well, you do have to choose the right tip. There are guides for what to use for what sort of viscosity finish you're spraying. I've actually sprayed latex through my 1mm tip, but the Q4 is a 4-stage turbine and pretty powerful. If I planned to spray latex regularly, I'd spring for the right tip for sure.

Also, there's HVLP and there's HVLP. If the Harbor Freight gun connects to your compressor, it's a conversion gun. What I'm referring to is a system with a turbine that moves about 100 cfm of air at very low pressure, and a gun specially designed for it.

It might not be the way you want to go, but I figured I'd throw it out there.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Take a look at this short article.

http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/paintspraying_ver3.pdf


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I've got a used Wagner pump and sprayer that I don't want. It lays down a perfect coat of paint very quickly with no thinning required. You can't beat airless for spraying thick paints. The cleaning process is easy to do but I don't like the system because it takes 10 minutes to get it primed, then 15 minutes to flush it out if using water based paint. Oil paints are a nightmare to clean because flushing requires at least a gallon of solvent to get the hose clean enough for long-term storage. It's only worth the effort for those who plan to do long painting sessions.

PM me if interested and I'll send pictures and look up the resale value of the setup. I'd planned on selling it on eBay.


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## keith204 (Nov 5, 2013)

JAAune,

Are you referring to an airless sprayer that can hold a 5 gallon bucket?

I know someone who has one. I've borrowed it a time or two for painting large walls and floats, but did not consider it for cabinets. But, maybe that is indeed perfect for the job.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Yeah, I can attest to JAAune's post about the airless sprayer. I have a twin-piston Wagner that can spray anything, but like he says, the clean up is time consuming, since the hose is the conduit for the paint, unlike a spray gun. I started to mention airless at first, but yours didn't seem like that big of a job. It's not the kind of thing you stick into a quart can of paint.

If you can borrow one, that would be the bee's knees.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

So how the over-spay on those airless (as if I didn't know) especially using indoors?

Might be able to rent one.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

It's airless, so overspray is at a minimum. They are really for big jobs though. I never thought to suggest one for cabinets, even though it would work. I've seen videos of guys doing kitchen refinish jobs where they mask off everything but the cabinets, and lay down lacquer like there's no tomorrow.

One video I saw, the boss was doing the masking, but the workers were there spraying lacquer with P100 masks. They won't live long doing that in a closed space. The results were beautiful though.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> It s airless, so overspray is at a minimum. They are really for big jobs though. I never thought to suggest one for cabinets, even though it would work. I ve seen videos of guys doing kitchen refinish jobs where they mask off everything but the cabinets, and lay down lacquer like there s no tomorrow.
> 
> One video I saw, the boss was doing the masking, but the workers were there spraying lacquer with P100 masks. They won t live long doing that in a closed space. The results were beautiful though.
> 
> - RichTaylor


I have an old wanger, the one with a one gallon bucket, don't tell me there is no over-spray.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> I have an old wanger, the one with a one gallon bucket, don't tell me there is no over-spray.


Where did I day "no overspray?" I said it was at a minimum, like HVLP - as in compared to a regular gun. There's no such thing as no overspray, unless you're using a brush or roller (which I thought to recommend to the OP, unless this is a huge job).


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

The system I have has a one or two gallon tray to feed the pump. It looks similar to the one in the picture below but it's a different model. I'd have to go take a look at it to find out the actual model. Mine is gray and black. It came from a Sherwin Williams clearance sale and was used to paint a dozen or so pieces of furniture for a large church job that was going through the shop at the time. It make quick work of that and the quality of finish was excellent.










"Minimum" overspray is relative. Airless and air-assisted do have excellent transfer efficiency compared to other systems. But all spraying operations will make a mess if precautions aren't taken. Even a gun that has 80% efficiency will still send 20% of the finish into the air.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> I have an old wanger, the one with a one gallon bucket, don't tell me there is no over-spray.
> 
> Where did I day "no overspray?" I said it was at a minimum, like HVLP - as in compared to a regular gun. There s no such thing as no overspray, unless you re using a brush or roller (which I thought to recommend to the OP, unless this is a huge job).
> 
> - RichTaylor


My mistake some how I though I read that. Anyway with my old Wagner I got more over spray that I do now with my HPLV's


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> My mistake some how I though I read that.


I've done that too. No worry.


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