# Pressure pots and HVLP sprayguns???



## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

Hello all! Glad to be a member here! :smile:


The Builder/Contractor that I sub my work from recently bought a new spray system that uses the HVLP gun (kinda like a normal HVLP gun) but it has a pressure pot system that it uses as well. 

I can use a 'regular' HVLP cup type gun with no serious issues (still learning and NOT a pro by any means) but the pressure pot thing really messes me up. It shoots so little paint that it is hard to tell it is even going on...

As it stands now - I am not good enough with this equipment to do spray jobs for the guy and he hires an outside professional painter to come do the work when needed. 'IF' I was to get better at using these tools then I could convince the guy to sub the paint work to ME and make more money in the long run by having MORE work to do for the guy. As it stands now - If the only work we have going on is painting and nothing else is available for me to do - I have NO work. 

If you guys can offer any advice or tips to help me learn to use the HVLP pressure pot system it would be GREATLY appreciated and you would be helping me to make myself more 'valuable' when looking for work. :yes:


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I personally don't care for the HVLP sprayers so I've never tried one with a pressure pot. I use a cheap harbor freight siphon sprayer with a pressure pot and it sprays almost like an airless. It does take some tinkering to get the pressure right though. There is a fine line between it barely spraying and pouring paint out like a garden hose. I suspect you your case you need more tank pressure. I normally operate it at 40 psi having between 1 to 2 pounds of pressure in the pot and choke the sprayer down at the nozzle. What hurts is spraying at different elevations. I painted a two story house a couple of years ago with it and up at the roof line if the sprayer was adjusted right the paint would pour out at ground level. I finally started carrying the pressure pot up the ladder to alleviate the problem. You can even feel the difference spraying the finish on a tall cabinet is why I try to slightly overpressurize the tank.


----------



## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I personally don't care for the HVLP sprayers so I've never tried one with a pressure pot. I use a cheap harbor freight siphon sprayer with a pressure pot and it sprays almost like an airless. It does take some tinkering to get the pressure right though. There is a fine line between it barely spraying and pouring paint out like a garden hose. I suspect you your case you need more tank pressure. I normally operate it at 40 psi having between 1 to 2 pounds of pressure in the pot and choke the sprayer down at the nozzle. What hurts is spraying at different elevations. I painted a two story house a couple of years ago with it and up at the roof line if the sprayer was adjusted right the paint would pour out at ground level. I finally started carrying the pressure pot up the ladder to alleviate the problem. You can even feel the difference spraying the finish on a tall cabinet is why I try to slightly overpressurize the tank.


This site is AWESOME! Appreciate your input here! :smile:

I will get pictures of the tools I am talking about tomorrow so you guys can better understand what exactly I am dealing with...

If it matters - We are currently using the Valspar brand of finishing products. Switched from the ML Campbell stuff that I 'could' spray and use...

Stuff is NOT the same and I am still trying my best to get with the learning. :blink:


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The sprayer I use is a Harbor Freight #97855. I get them for about 20 bucks with one of their 20% off coupons.

The finish really doesn't matter. I've sprayed anything from furniture lacquer to latex house paint through a pressure pot. The only Valspar paint I ever used was an alkyd and I was not impressed with it at all. The color was orange and it faded badly within a couple months. I've never used ML Campbell finishes but I've heard good reviews here.


----------



## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Oneal,
I have an hvlp setup with a pressure pot. It sprays latex fine. You have to adjust the material flow knob to get enough paint at the tip without the actual air line hooked up. Mine has two rubber hoses going to the spray handle. One is the pressure fed material, other is air. Without the airline hooked up, when you pull the trigger, the material should come out in a single line like a squirt gun and travel about 6 feet and hit the ground. Then when you hook the air line up, it atomizes the paint. Proper needle and orifice size are critical. I have a Spraytech machine. New, they're about $2000, so maybe that has something to do with it. When I built my mother's house, all the woodwork and doors were getting painted. After masking the windows, I could shoot the whole house in less than 2 hours. One prime coat and two finish coats. Came out slick as a whistle. Get some cardboard and practice different settings. 
Mike Hawkins


----------



## plainolebill (Mar 31, 2013)

Here's a video from C.A. Technologies showing how to adjust the pot/gun.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

plainolebill said:


> Here's a video from C.A. Technologies showing how to adjust the pot/gun.
> 
> Produce_1.mpg - YouTube


That's a pretty good video. Unless there is a lot of spraying to do, a pressure pot system can be a PITA. especially with HVLP. It does keep you from filling a 1qt cup on large projects. Keep in mind that the fluid hose has to be maintained and kept clean between projects. That's another PITA. For what little advantages an HVLP has over siphon, I prefer a siphon gun. I've sprayed everything from waterbased dyes and polyurethanes, to contact cement.








 







.


----------



## plainolebill (Mar 31, 2013)

As an amateur woodworker/finisher I wouldn't even consider a pressure pot setup if I sprayed anything but waterborne finishes. Think of all the solvent you'd need to use/store/dispose of.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

plainolebill said:


> As an amateur woodworker/finisher I wouldn't even consider a pressure pot setup if I sprayed anything but waterborne finishes. Think of all the solvent you'd need to use/store/dispose of.


 In my shop the only solvents that are disposed of is what is sprayed through the gun. When I wash out a sprayer what is left is saved in a empty can. After it sets for a couple of days the solids go to the bottom of the can and what is on top is usable for cleaning. I normally wash a gun out with the used thinner first and then follow with clean thinner. I also use used thinner for cleaning car parts. Solvents have gotten too expensive to waste.


----------



## calwilliams63 (Dec 17, 2008)

I am a professional woodworker and cabinet maker and use a pressure pot set up. But, I do only spray lacquer out of it and that's all. If you are a hobbyist then I wouldn't think a pot would be the way to go. Mostly if you are using different types of finishes. Good luck guy!!!


----------



## harmonpa (Mar 4, 2016)

If you wanted a few other good training resources 



 and theres another video with written instructions as well here on pressure pot/HVLP use. One way to cut back on the waste of coating is to back pressure the pot when your done. What you do is turn off all fluid pressure to the pot and bleed off the pots pressure. You leave the atomization air pressure on and grab a rag. Place your hand over the air cap and press with a little bit of force , you should have the lid untightened. This will force the air from the air cap down through the fluid tube removing 90% of the coating back into the pressure pot which will reduce your solvent use.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

harmonpa said:


> If you wanted a few other good training resources sherwin williams does a video and theres another video with written instructions as well here on pressure pot/HVLP use. One way to cut back on the waste of coating is to back pressure the pot when your done. What you do is turn off all fluid pressure to the pot and bleed off the pots pressure. You leave the atomization air pressure on and grab a rag. Place your hand over the air cap and press with a little bit of force , you should have the lid untightened. This will force the air from the air cap down through the fluid tube removing 90% of the coating back into the pressure pot which will reduce your solvent use.


I've never been able to blow the fluid back into the tank with that method. I usually have to take an separate air nozzle and place over the sprayer nozzle and blow the fluid back. If the paint is a little thick I have to loosen the lid of the pot to keep from building pressure.


----------



## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

Used to use a pressure pot, cheap HF one with a Binks 2001 HVLP gun on it shooting CARC military coating. Loved it.


----------



## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

harmonpa said:


> If you wanted a few other good training resources sherwin williams does a video and theres another video with written instructions as well here on pressure pot/HVLP use. One way to cut back on the waste of coating is to back pressure the pot when your done. What you do is turn off all fluid pressure to the pot and bleed off the pots pressure. You leave the atomization air pressure on and grab a rag. Place your hand over the air cap and press with a little bit of force , you should have the lid untightened. This will force the air from the air cap down through the fluid tube removing 90% of the coating back into the pressure pot which will reduce your solvent use.


I have both the Binks 2 1/2 gallon and the Binks 2 quart pots shown in the video you posted. If done properly as you instructed, you should be able to blow the fluid lines clear. Thats always a good tip.

It also depends on the length of your fluid hose as to it being "worth' going through the steps. On a 2 quart setup, they are made to be hand held and come standard with a fluid hose of 5 feet which holds roughly between 12-16 ounces of material if I remember correctly. 

I switched to Binks guns a little over a year ago, but since switched back to DevilBiss within the last couple of months. I am currently running a DevilBiss COM-PS078-18-00 Compact (http://www.devilbiss.com/products/spray-guns/manual-spray-guns/hvlp/compact-pressure-feed) on all of my pot setups and I couldnt be happier. Although at times I still use my Devilbiss JGA-510 with the old 30 air cap http://www.devilbiss.com/portals/2/repository/sb-2-252-n.pdf which I think is the best gun ever made. :grin:


----------



## harmonpa (Mar 4, 2016)

Randy if you ever need parts for BInks and Devilbiss the company in the second video Pittsburgh Spray carries all there stuff in stock including old obsolete parts


----------



## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

harmonpa said:


> Randy if you ever need parts for BInks and Devilbiss the company in the second video Pittsburgh Spray carries all there stuff in stock including old obsolete parts


Thanks. I already have a source I've been dealing with for many years straight through devilbiss. Luckily I obtain items at cost plus 10% through my work.


----------



## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

We just bought a couple 5 gallon sprayers from C A Technologies about a month ago and work fine. One for contact adhesive and one for the paint room for odd ball finishes. I did read and setup according to the instructions included. Within minutes of setup it sprayed flawless.

After years of dealing with Binks and there troubles I will use no more.....


----------



## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Rebelwork said:


> After years of dealing with Binks and there troubles I will use no more.....


Yeah, I was using the trophy series Binks guns for about 9 months and I thought they were pretty good.....but once I put a new Devilbiss gun back in my hand there is no comparison to me. Im sticking with Devilbiss and not looking back. 

Pressure pots are pressure pots, but a good gun makes a world of difference.


----------



## xmas (Nov 24, 2013)

I'm just researching spray guns now have no real experience in this world, but I've found this brand astro pneumatic that I'm thinking of buying, on spraygunworld.com haven't read a bad review of them yet.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

xmas said:


> I'm just researching spray guns now have no real experience in this world, but I've found this brand astro pneumatic that I'm thinking of buying, on spraygunworld.com haven't read a bad review of them yet.


What you have to understand is on sprayworld site those guys are primararly finishing cars which is completely different than finishing wood. They use metalic paints which need to be sprayed on in a very fine mist to look right. Also the clear coats set up very quickly so the finish tends to have a texture to it if you use too big of nozzle on the gun. With wood finishes even lacquer the finishes tend to flow out regardless of the size tip used so it isn't necessary to spend big bucks on a sprayer to get the same results.


----------



## Danny870 (Oct 7, 2015)

Getting ready to move my small, one man cabinet shop to a new, bigger space. Now that I have room to spray anything I want, I am thinking of buying a couple of Harbor Freight pressure pots. One will spray solely polyurethane, and the other, solely latex primer. What are some decent guns that won't break the bank for use like this? 

I noticed that Harbor Freight also has two different sized pressure pot kits that come with, I believe, a 2qt pot, gun, and hoses for around $70 give or take a few $$. How do these smaller kits work? Anyone have any experience with their smaller kits? Or, gun suggestions if I were to buy their $99 pressure pot only?


----------



## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Danny870 said:


> Getting ready to move my small, one man cabinet shop to a new, bigger space. Now that I have room to spray anything I want, I am thinking of buying a couple of Harbor Freight pressure pots. One will spray solely polyurethane, and the other, solely latex primer. What are some decent guns that won't break the bank for use like this?
> 
> I noticed that Harbor Freight also has two different sized pressure pot kits that come with, I believe, a 2qt pot, gun, and hoses for around $70 give or take a few $$. How do these smaller kits work? Anyone have any experience with their smaller kits? Or, gun suggestions if I were to buy their $99 pressure pot only?


I own both a 2 1/2 gallon and a 2 quart pots. Both are the same, except of course, 2 quart will not spray as many pieces as the 2 1/2 gallon will. :grin:

Here is a 2 quart setup to look at:
http://www.amazon.com/Astro-2PG7S-Q...qid=1457739620&sr=1-45&keywords=spray+cup+gun

I am able to spray roughly 2 arm chairs and 4 side chairs with my 2 quart setup...and thats using a vinyl basecoat....I can almost double that when spraying a dye stain, but not quite, I usually get a little over 9 chairs. The 2 1/2 gallon setup will allow me to spray 2 complete bedroom suites without stopping to refill. So it basically comes down to how much you will be spraying as to what setup you will want or use.

When talking about buying a spray gun for a pot, I would pickup a siphon cup gun as well as you can use the gun on the pressure pot, or use the quart can when you dont need the pressure pot. Simply disconnect the gun itself and it should bolt right up the the fluid and air lines on the pot.

This is the exact gun I have on 1 of my pressure pots right now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DeVILBISS-P...:g:QHcAAOSwCQNWeFK3&item=191823144906&vxp=mtr


----------



## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

OnealWoodworking said:


> Hello all! Glad to be a member here! :smile:
> 
> 
> The Builder/Contractor that I sub my work from recently bought a new spray system that uses the HVLP gun (kinda like a normal HVLP gun) but it has a pressure pot system that it uses as well.
> ...


I worked for years as a spray painter with just about every type of system out there up until the solvents began eating away at my nervous system, but the absolute best system I used was the HVLP pressure pot. It took some getting used to, but once I did it made the difference of either sending hundreds of gallons of paint up through the vent stack or those hundreds of gallons actually landing on the equipment I painted. I shot upwards of 70 gallons a week by myself which is roughly the equivalent of painting 70 cars a week. It's designed primarily for the cost savings in material and for environmental reasons, but once you get the pattern of spraying down it can be a fabulous piece of equipment. Mostly it's in the timing of how fast your arms can move back and forth. Most people don't do it right and look like they're playing cops and robbers with the spray gun. As far as the quality of work its not a huge difference, but if you're shooting high volumes of paint all day every day a good HVLP pressure pot can pay for itself in just a few weeks. If you're only shooting a gallon or less or anywhere around that you're probably well served to stick with a good quality deBelvis conventional gun.


----------



## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

And I misspelled DeVilbiss for the grammar and spelling nazis..I don't know a painter alive who pronounces it correctly.


----------



## Gaz (Sep 16, 2021)

Hi all, looks like old posts and new to the site and seeking some advice. Looking to be painting cabinets and furniture, currently have a compressor and HVLP gun setup (1.4mm/1.7mm/2.0mm nozzles) and hopefully not wanting to invest further as budget is tight at present with this Covid causing us all problems. Anyway, would a pressure pot be suitable for coatings and would it require thinning? Seen a few pots advertised with 1.8mm nozzles for thicker paints, and I use mostly Water-based acrylic paints. With the HVLP setup I have been thinning to approximately 10%, although I can with some paints go to 20%, but coatings are thinner and need extra coatings with drying time between each, so a thinned to 10% usually gives a two coat, light first coat and second a little more fluid (not much) gives a nice flat even coat and finish. I have seen some new paints that work with conventional guns, but interested to learn if a pressure pot maybe an ideal way to spray. I think it's they are more thicker in viscosity and need a higher pressure to spray. Airless, for me, is for the future, only if this business ever recovers from the Covid onslaught, and I am sure it will in time. However, for the time being and to keep things ticking over, could anyone advice on the pressure pot setup and performance with paints in regards to thinning. Thanks in advance for any guidance and help! Gaz


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gaz said:


> Hi all, looks like old posts and new to the site and seeking some advice. Looking to be painting cabinets and furniture, currently have a compressor and HVLP gun setup (1.4mm/1.7mm/2.0mm nozzles) and hopefully not wanting to invest further as budget is tight at present with this Covid causing us all problems. Anyway, would a pressure pot be suitable for coatings and would it require thinning? Seen a few pots advertised with 1.8mm nozzles for thicker paints, and I use mostly Water-based acrylic paints. With the HVLP setup I have been thinning to approximately 10%, although I can with some paints go to 20%, but coatings are thinner and need extra coatings with drying time between each, so a thinned to 10% usually gives a two coat, light first coat and second a little more fluid (not much) gives a nice flat even coat and finish. I have seen some new paints that work with conventional guns, but interested to learn if a pressure pot maybe an ideal way to spray. I think it's they are more thicker in viscosity and need a higher pressure to spray. Airless, for me, is for the future, only if this business ever recovers from the Covid onslaught, and I am sure it will in time. However, for the time being and to keep things ticking over, could anyone advice on the pressure pot setup and performance with paints in regards to thinning. Thanks in advance for any guidance and help! Gaz


The finish would need to be thinned as though you were using a conventional sprayer. Where you would get the benefit of a pressure pot sprayer is getting inside the cabinet spraying the finish at any angle. Not having the cup to contend with makes finishing cabinets a lot easier with a pressure pot. 

An airless sprayer is handy if you are spraying large open areas like walls or the exterior of a house. Spraying something smaller like woodwork or cabinets they put out so much volume it doesn't work very good. Until you get really accustom to spraying an airless you end up getting a lot runs. With a conventional sprayer you get a spray pattern about 10" wide where an airless is around 16" wide.


----------



## Gaz (Sep 16, 2021)

Steve Neul said:


> The finish would need to be thinned as though you were using a conventional sprayer. Where you would get the benefit of a pressure pot sprayer is getting inside the cabinet spraying the finish at any angle. Not having the cup to contend with makes finishing cabinets a lot easier with a pressure pot.
> 
> An airless sprayer is handy if you are spraying large open areas like walls or the exterior of a house. Spraying something smaller like woodwork or cabinets they put out so much volume it doesn't work very good. Until you get really accustom to spraying an airless you end up getting a lot runs. With a conventional sprayer you get a spray pattern about 10" wide where an airless is around 16" wide.


Thanks Steve, that's very helpful. Yes, it's difficult to get into those areas, so the pressure pot seems to be the answer and solution. Airless, has no adjustments, so kind of put me off with paint blasting out at high pressure, I understand the ability to spray larger areas and volumes of paint on big projects. The Pressure Pot, I believe has more fluid and air control and can effectively give a lower overspray, than even a straight HVLP hookup to a compressor, is that correct Steve? 

Would help with paint transfer and efficiency, if that's the case regarding lower overspray. So not only would it be ideal for cabinets and furniture interior work, it can potentially could save on paint loss.


----------



## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

Oneal-Woodworking said:


> Hello all! Glad to be a member here! 😄
> 
> 
> The Builder/Contractor that I sub my work from recently bought a new spray system that uses the HVLP gun (kinda like a normal HVLP gun) but it has a pressure pot system that it uses as well.
> ...


My guess is if you are working for a contractor/builder then much of your painting is doors, trim, etc. Likely spraying a lot of latex. Yes you can spray latex with an hvlp but I certainly would not want to on a regular basis. I would strongly suggest an airless. I you want the work and are not doing a lot of painting, such as walls, I recently started using a Graco 20v airless. Great for trim, doors, smaller jobs and the upside is it uses Dewalt batteries. This would pay for itself in a few jobs. They run around $575


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gaz said:


> Thanks Steve, that's very helpful. Yes, it's difficult to get into those areas, so the pressure pot seems to be the answer and solution. Airless, has no adjustments, so kind of put me off with paint blasting out at high pressure, I understand the ability to spray larger areas and volumes of paint on big projects. The Pressure Pot, I believe has more fluid and air control and can effectively give a lower overspray, than even a straight HVLP hookup to a compressor, is that correct Steve?
> 
> Would help with paint transfer and efficiency, if that's the case regarding lower overspray. So not only would it be ideal for cabinets and furniture interior work, it can potentially could save on paint loss.


The pressure pot sprayer will put out a little more volume of paint than a cup gun but easily controllable but because of the increased volume will make more overspray. You just have to keep the tank pressure down to 2 or 3 psi. The pressure pot is certainly a lot more controllable than an airless. I have both and for doing cabinets I would never consider using the airless on woodwork. I just use the airless to paint sheetrock walls. The pressure pot sprayer I have is a 2 1/2 gallon pot which I have put 25' long hoses on. The hose is long enough I can set it in the middle of a kitchen and spray everything. I rarely put 2 1/2 gallons of paint in it, it's large enough I can set a gallon paint can inside of it so it makes for a little less cleanup.


----------



## Gaz (Sep 16, 2021)

Steve Neul said:


> The pressure pot sprayer will put out a little more volume of paint than a cup gun but easily controllable but because of the increased volume will make more overspray. You just have to keep the tank pressure down to 2 or 3 psi. The pressure pot is certainly a lot more controllable than an airless. I have both and for doing cabinets I would never consider using the airless on woodwork. I just use the airless to paint sheetrock walls. The pressure pot sprayer I have is a 2 1/2 gallon pot which I have put 25' long hoses on. The hose is long enough I can set it in the middle of a kitchen and spray everything. I rarely put 2 1/2 gallons of paint in it, it's large enough I can set a gallon paint can inside of it so it makes for a little less cleanup.


Appreciate your help Steve, you've been a great help! Couple more question, as you definitely know your stuff my friend. Are you hooked up to a compressor (like me) or a turbine, as many are using turbines, but surely tanks are limited to pressure. What is the usually psi? or does that depend on the actual tank size? With work been limited I was going to purchase a 2L (max 50psi) just to see how it works out. Also do you have a recommended nozzle size, would depend on paint I suppose, but most of the acrylics we use state a 1.4/1.8mm nozzle - We also have very tight enviroment air control on polutions, even though we filter via extraction and ventilation, we still have to maintain a conssitent control on what is released (maybe your the same in your area) Anyway, If all is well maybe go for a larger tank and take on board your advise with the can inside the tank for easier clean up. As you say Airless setups in my shop would not work, I am just not catered for that kind of spraying, small booth that works well with my current HVLP setup, and a pot not going to be blowing too much paint around if the pressure is set right like you said.


----------



## Jar944_2 (Oct 30, 2020)

Steve Neul said:


> The finish would need to be thinned as though you were using a conventional sprayer. Where you would get the benefit of a pressure pot sprayer is getting inside the cabinet spraying the finish at any angle. Not having the cup to contend with makes finishing cabinets a lot easier with a pressure pot.
> 
> An airless sprayer is handy if you are spraying large open areas like walls or the exterior of a house. Spraying something smaller like woodwork or cabinets they put out so much volume it doesn't work very good. Until you get really accustom to spraying an airless you end up getting a lot runs. With a conventional sprayer you get a spray pattern about 10" wide where an airless is around 16" wide.


They make different airless tips that have different orifice sizes, just like different cap and needle sets for conventional/ hvlp rigs.

The low pressure fini finish tips are available in a variety of sizes (FFLP 108 is the smallest with a 2-4" patern)





__





Fine Finish Spray Tips & Guards


Choosing the right fine finish tip will help determine the quality of your finish and can help you save money by using less material and help you save time by finishing your jobs faster. Each Graco fine finish tip is 100% tested for flow rate to meet tough contractor standards.



www.graco.com


----------



## Gaz (Sep 16, 2021)

Gaz said:


> Appreciate your help Steve, you've been a great help! Couple more question, as you definitely know your stuff my friend. Are you hooked up to a compressor (like me) or a turbine, as many are using turbines, but surely tanks are limited to pressure. What is the usually psi? or does that depend on the actual tank size? With work been limited I was going to purchase a 2L (max 50psi) just to see how it works out. Also do you have a recommended nozzle size, would depend on paint I suppose, but most of the acrylics we use state a 1.4/1.8mm nozzle - We also have very tight enviroment air control on polutions, even though we filter via extraction and ventilation, we still have to maintain a conssitent control on what is released (maybe your the same in your area) Anyway, If all is well maybe go for a larger tank and take on board your advise with the can inside the tank for easier clean up. As you say Airless setups in my shop would not work, I am just not catered for that kind of spraying, small booth that works well with my current HVLP setup, and a pot not going to be blowing too much paint around if the pressure is set right like you said.


Steve, just re-read your reply and you stated


Steve Neul said:


> The pressure pot sprayer will put out a little more volume of paint than a cup gun but easily controllable but because of the increased volume will make more overspray. You just have to keep the tank pressure down to 2 or 3 psi. The pressure pot is certainly a lot more controllable than an airless. I have both and for doing cabinets I would never consider using the airless on woodwork. I just use the airless to paint sheetrock walls. The pressure pot sprayer I have is a 2 1/2 gallon pot which I have put 25' long hoses on. The hose is long enough I can set it in the middle of a kitchen and spray everything. I rarely put 2 1/2 gallons of paint in it, it's large enough I can set a gallon paint can inside of it so it makes for a little less cleanup.


Hi Steve, just re-read your reply, pressures very low 2 - 3psi I thought it would be much greater, like 10psi and upwards. So do you set the compressor to the max pressure of the pot (in this instance 50psi or below?) and then the pressure pot to a low setting, like you indicated above - sorry just trying to clarify exactly the actual setup and control, would I need to increase if atomisation wasn't right, although I feel that's common sense and and increase would atomise the paint greater. Always been led to believe the pressure pot was lower in overspray. Your help and support has been gratefully received and thank you so much. Not much advice out there, or what there is, can be very misleading.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gaz said:


> Steve, just re-read your reply and you stated
> 
> Hi Steve, just re-read your reply, pressures very low 2 - 3psi I thought it would be much greater, like 10psi and upwards. So do you set the compressor to the max pressure of the pot (in this instance 50psi or below?) and then the pressure pot to a low setting, like you indicated above - sorry just trying to clarify exactly the actual setup and control, would I need to increase if atomisation wasn't right, although I feel that's common sense and and increase would atomise the paint greater. Always been led to believe the pressure pot was lower in overspray. Your help and support has been gratefully received and thank you so much. Not much advice out there, or what there is, can be very misleading.


All the pot does is push the paint up to the sprayer. From there it works much the same as a cup gun. Therefore it doesn't take very much pressure on the pot. I think if you put 10 psi on the pot it would blow more paint than an airless. Now the air pressure at the sprayer would be 30-40 psi. There is just a different pressure regulator on the pot than the spray gun. You have one hose for air and another for fluid. I think when you get it altogether with paint in it and start spraying you will see pretty quickly what adjustments you need to make.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Jar944_2 said:


> They make different airless tips that have different orifice sizes, just like different cap and needle sets for conventional/ hvlp rigs.
> 
> The low pressure fini finish tips are available in a variety of sizes (FFLP 108 is the smallest with a 2-4" patern)
> 
> ...


Yes the do but when you are spraying woodwork and cabinets you are frequently making adjustments on the volume of paint and the spray pattern. Some of these adjustments you don't have time to be changing tips or you would loose the wet edge. This is the advantage of a conventional sprayer, it has these adjustments on the gun you can make quick adjustments.


----------



## Jar944_2 (Oct 30, 2020)

Steve Neul said:


> All the pot does is push the paint up to the sprayer. From there it works much the same as a cup gun. Therefore it doesn't take very much pressure on the pot. I think if you put 10 psi on the pot it would blow more paint than an airless. Now the air pressure at the sprayer would be 30-40 psi. There is just a different pressure regulator on the pot than the spray gun. You have one hose for air and another for fluid. I think when you get it altogether with paint in it and start spraying you will see pretty quickly what adjustments you need to make.


I typically run 6-10 psi in my remote pots, but I'm running a pressurized cup gun @ 10 psi if there is no remote pot.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gaz said:


> Appreciate your help Steve, you've been a great help! Couple more question, as you definitely know your stuff my friend. Are you hooked up to a compressor (like me) or a turbine, as many are using turbines, but surely tanks are limited to pressure. What is the usually psi? or does that depend on the actual tank size? With work been limited I was going to purchase a 2L (max 50psi) just to see how it works out. Also do you have a recommended nozzle size, would depend on paint I suppose, but most of the acrylics we use state a 1.4/1.8mm nozzle - We also have very tight enviroment air control on polutions, even though we filter via extraction and ventilation, we still have to maintain a conssitent control on what is released (maybe your the same in your area) Anyway, If all is well maybe go for a larger tank and take on board your advise with the can inside the tank for easier clean up. As you say Airless setups in my shop would not work, I am just not catered for that kind of spraying, small booth that works well with my current HVLP setup, and a pot not going to be blowing too much paint around if the pressure is set right like you said.


I really have never used a turbine sprayer. Except for sheetrock walls, I do all the painting I do with compressed air. I prefer a siphon sprayer and use it at around 40 psi for wood finishes. The sprayers I use are from Harbor Freight. Most all their guns have a 1.7mm tip. It seems like they are heading toward doing away with siphon sprayers so I bought a couple of them a couple weeks ago and noticed the ones I got had a 2mm tip so apparently they are a different model than what I've been using. I think they will be fine for wood finishes. The only issue I have with their guns is spraying metallic automotive paint. It's difficult to make the paint atomize like I need. 

If you don't have a lot to spray HF makes a two quart pressure pot sprayer that works pretty well. It comes with the cup, hose and sprayer as a set. I just need the larger pot myself because I sometimes will go into someone's house and strip the finish off their kitchen cabinets and refinish them in the house. It's just easier to put the sprayer in the middle of the room and be able to spray everything. Also on occasion I will stain a wood fence for someone and the pressure pot sprayer works great for that. You can get in right up next to someones house and just shield the house from the stain. 

The pressure pot sprayers are a pain to clean but the time they save you doing the job makes it all worthwhile.


----------



## Jar944_2 (Oct 30, 2020)

Steve Neul said:


> Yes the do but when you are spraying woodwork and cabinets you are frequently making adjustments on the volume of paint and the spray pattern. Some of these adjustments you don't have time to be changing tips or you would loose the wet edge. This is the advantage of a conventional sprayer, it has these adjustments on the gun you can make quick adjustments.


True, on the lack of adjustment. Though when I spray cabinets with a conventional or hvlp rig I generally leave the flow and pattern alone once I get it set where I want it. Yes it leads to more waste and but I rarely care about product usage compared to the finish quality. 

Basically pick a tip/ fan width and leave it alone. Change the angle of the gun and speed depending on if you are spraying a large flat surface or a door edge.


----------



## Gaz (Sep 16, 2021)

Steve Neul said:


> All the pot does is push the paint up to the sprayer. From there it works much the same as a cup gun. Therefore it doesn't take very much pressure on the pot. I think if you put 10 psi on the pot it would blow more paint than an airless. Now the air pressure at the sprayer would be 30-40 psi. There is just a different pressure regulator on the pot than the spray gun. You have one hose for air and another for fluid. I think when you get it altogether with paint in it and start spraying you will see pretty quickly what adjustments you need to make.


Thanks again Steve, sorry I watch too many youtube videos. I saw one show a 5psi and then increased to 10psi - however I will definitely be following your advice and adjust in accordance with your recommendations.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gaz said:


> Thanks again Steve, sorry I watch too many youtube videos. I saw one show a 5psi and then increased to 10psi - however I will definitely be following your advice and adjust in accordance with your recommendations.


Every piece of equipment is different and takes different adjustments. All I can give you is the settings on my old Sears sprayer. If it doesn't spray turn the pressure up and if paint gushes out turn the pressure down. The idea is to adjust it to where it sprays about like a cup gun.


----------



## Gaz (Sep 16, 2021)

Steve Neul said:


> Every piece of equipment is different and takes different adjustments. All I can give you is the settings on my old Sears sprayer. If it doesn't spray turn the pressure up and if paint gushes out turn the pressure down. The idea is to adjust it to where it sprays about like a cup gun.


I will Steve, just waiting on my pressure pot to be delivered. Once I am in possession of the pot I will test as you have indicated and give feedback on my experience. I spoke with contractor, who also gave the same advice. 30-45psi at the compressor, with low start pressure at the pot 2-3psi with increments of +1psi until the desired spray atomization is achieved. Recommended Floetrol which can give 20% less pressure requirement, due to the thinning and conditioning of the paint. Thanks again!


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Gaz said:


> I will Steve, just waiting on my pressure pot to be delivered. Once I am in possession of the pot I will test as you have indicated and give feedback on my experience. I spoke with contractor, who also gave the same advice. 30-45psi at the compressor, with low start pressure at the pot 2-3psi with increments of +1psi until the desired spray atomization is achieved. Recommended Floetrol which can give 20% less pressure requirement, due to the thinning and conditioning of the paint. Thanks again!


The floetrol is better used when brushing paint. What it does is slow the drying time down to make it brush better. It's kind of counterproductive to use it in a sprayer.


----------

