# Spray painting with LVLP gun



## BrandonD (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi all...

I am picking up a few rather large (in size) projects for a school. They want them painted white. With smaller projects I usually pick up a can of spray paint, but I would like to try my hand at spraying with a gun. I inherited a cheap gun from Harbor Freight that I haven't used -- Item 92841:
http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/92000-92999/92841.pdf

The items being painted will be made of select pine from the box stores. Not my choice.

What are my options? Looking up the gun, it says it's made for spraying latex paint. Is that my only option or can I spray an oil based paint with good results? I understand with the latex I would need to thin it down with water so that it runs through a funnel easily? Should I use a primer first, what type?

I am concerned with using latex as a lot of what I've read says latex isn't good for much outside of painting walls. I am building several four post "canopies" for tables, and an Eiffel tower type structure.

Thanks for any insight... and remember I'm a complete newbie to spraying :blink:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

BrandonD369 said:


> Hi all...
> 
> I am picking up a few rather large (in size) projects for a school. They want them painted white. With smaller projects I usually pick up a can of spray paint, but I would like to try my hand at spraying with a gun. I inherited a cheap gun from Harbor Freight that I haven't used -- Item 92841:
> http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/92000-92999/92841.pdf
> ...


I haven't used that particular gun but I would be real surprised if it sprayed usable latex paint. Any cup gun I've ever used you have to thin latex so thin to get it to spray it's like spraying colored water, not paint. 

What is the project? You have to choose the right paint for the application. There isn't one paint for all applications. You don't have to use a primer on wood however primers have a lot of solids in them and cover the wood better so it would use less paint. If the project doesn't get a lot of ware then a latex enamel might work alright for you. I would use a oil based enamel if the project is furniture or is handled a lot. If you choose to use a primer I like Bushwacker white lacquer primer from Sherwin Williams. It builds fast and sands easy. I also use Kilz II.


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## BrandonD (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi Steve.

I will be building three of these guys (the two side stands holding up the curtain canopy):
http://i1.wp.com/blog.amyatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/IMG_6330ef.jpg

Along with an Eiffel tower type thing made with select pine boards and lattice material, I can't seem to find the picture of it right now.

These pieces will be hauled to and from parties and events, so you think an oil based enamel would be the right way to go? Would my gun spray that or do I need to look at getting a new one for that?

Everything needs to be purchased thru Home Depot per the school, so I think the Bushwacker primer is out.

[edit] Reading the reviews on that gun, a lot of people are reporting success with latex paint thinned with a bit of water.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

BrandonD369 said:


> Hi Steve.
> 
> I will be building three of these guys (the two side stands holding up the curtain canopy):
> http://i1.wp.com/blog.amyatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/IMG_6330ef.jpg
> ...


 Your gun should spray enamel alright. You will need to thin it as it is formulated to be brushed. Thin it as little as possible with naphtha in order to spray it, even if it has a texture to it as you are spraying it. Enamel dries slow enough it will flow out as it dries. Over thinning enamel will make it take longer to dry and sometimes screws up the sheen. If you can't use the Bushwacker primer you might use Kilz II or Kilz original primer. The original primer is an oil based primer. Either would work fine, I just think the original might spray better in your sprayer. When I spray latex I use a pressure pot sprayer or an airless. Latex just needs to be pressurized in order not to have to thin it so much.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have one of these. It has worked pretty good so far. The Benjamin Moore Impervo had to be thinned, and I probably should have thinned it a little more and used the largest tip (of the three that came with it). This sprayer is the same as the one Rockelr sells, just different paint and decals. 

I have sprayed lacquer and latex and Zinsser Bulls Eye primer with it.


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## Jason_J (Feb 18, 2014)

Using something like oil-based paints with a latex gun is also ok; if you are going to use latex paint you can think it with water, but do not use more than 25 percent water in any paint because excessive thinning reduces the paint's ability to adhere to and cover a surface


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## BrandonD (Feb 14, 2013)

Well I had to purchase the materials on Monday before the additional advice here and went with the latex. Here's to hoping it works. I spent some time last night and tried to use the gun for the first time. The previous owner did not clean it well after its last use and it would not siphon up a water mixture I had in it. I took it apart and cleaned it as best as I could but there were still some visible dried paint. It did start to spray the mixture, but it would sometimes spurt. For $20, I decided to throw it away rather than invest any more time in it. I am torn between purchasing a new one (same gun) and trying it again, or just brush and roll the paint on this project. I'd like to get into spray finishes down the road beyond this latex project, but don't want to invest the money into a good setup right now. But if this $20 gun works as all of those reviewers say, it would save me quite a bit of time and provide a better finish and would be worth it just in these three projects.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

BrandonD369 said:


> Well I had to purchase the materials on Monday before the additional advice here and went with the latex. Here's to hoping it works. I spent some time last night and tried to use the gun for the first time. The previous owner did not clean it well after its last use and it would not siphon up a water mixture I had in it. I took it apart and cleaned it as best as I could but there were still some visible dried paint. It did start to spray the mixture, but it would sometimes spurt. For $20, I decided to throw it away rather than invest any more time in it. I am torn between purchasing a new one (same gun) and trying it again, or just brush and roll the paint on this project. I'd like to get into spray finishes down the road beyond this latex project, but don't want to invest the money into a good setup right now. But if this $20 gun works as all of those reviewers say, it would save me quite a bit of time and provide a better finish and would be worth it just in these three projects.


Try cleaning the gun with lacquer thinner, and soaking the needle tip and cap in it. Spray lacquer thinner through it. It usually breaks down dried water base paints.


















.,


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## BrandonD (Feb 14, 2013)

I did purchase a new one and shot some today as a test. I didn't thin it one bit. I used Behr's premium primer + paint. Pretty darn satisfied with the finish. Definitely worth the $20 for this project alone I think.


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## Priusjames (Jan 13, 2014)

It's not legal to use oil based paints in schools/universities in California, for about 10-15 years...if you were building them for me, I'd ask you not to tell me what paint you were using. I'd hope you knew to use oil without telling me as much.

Latex paints have improved greatly, and hvlp works well with it...as long as you're not covering old oil paint...something I haven't been able to get across to the maintenance painters, so any doors or walls they paint starts peeling off in sheets after a couple of years. I stopped trying to teach penny wise vs pound foolish a decade or so ago, hired people like you (and me) to do it right. It was always a hassle/fight hiring contractors do better work for less $$, common sense and academia rarely intersect.

I'm so glad to be retiring...


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