# HVLP gun recommendations



## Matt0034 (Mar 29, 2015)

I'm looking to get an hvlp gun in the near future. Looking for recommendations on brand and models from you guys. 

I want a gravity fed that'll work on 6cfm @40. Small but I know they make them. No suction fed, dont like them to much. Budget of about $100.

Have any of you had any experience with spray gun world?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Harbor Freight sells one that sprays well for about sixteen bucks. The only problem with it is the cup. It has a lid that screws on like a mason jar and the least little paint gets in the threads and it's glued on. Charles Neil said they sell a replacement cup for the sprayer the lid just snaps on which would make it a good gun. Personally I don't like a siphon sprayer. It would be fine for spraying a car but on woodworking you end up needing to spray inside cabinets and the cup on the top gets in the way.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I have the "purple" gun*

I have the HVLP purple gun from Harbor Freight with the "disposable" cups which I clean out after using. It sprays great for the price. I used it to spray these parts:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> I have the HVLP purple gun from Harbor Freight with the "disposable" cups which I clean out after using. It sprays great for the price. I used it to spray these parts:


Did you have to make the truck match the sprayer for color? :laughing:


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Agree on the cheap Harbor Freight gun. Have only used with lacquer, but did fine with that.

George


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

Matt0034 said:


> I'm looking to get an hvlp gun in the near future. Looking for recommendations on brand and models from you guys.
> 
> I want a gravity fed that'll work on 6cfm @40. Small but I know they make them. No suction fed, dont like them to much. Budget of about $100.
> 
> Have any of you had any experience with spray gun world?


I use and prefer Iwata over the china guns.

Spraygunworld does sell Iwata stuff but you can likely get them cheaper elsewhere if you shop around.

:yes:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*let's see now...*

http://www.tcpglobal.com/Spray-Gun-Equipment/Spray-Guns-Iwata-LPH400-LV/

The HF gun is about $20.00 more or less. The Iwata is about $600.00 more or less. Can the wood tell the difference? I don't think so.... but then I've never used a $600.00 gun unless if fires .223. :blink:

The HF gun is like a rattle can on steroids, if you really get down to it. The pattern isn't a wide as it might be, but you just overlap a few more times to make up for it. The atomization may not be a good, but for most projects it will do fine.

I would feel really bad if my $600.00 gun got clogged up from a lack of thorough and proper cleaning... the HF gun, not so much. :no:


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

woodnthings said:


> http://www.tcpglobal.com/Spray-Gun-Equipment/Spray-Guns-Iwata-LPH400-LV/
> 
> The HF gun is about $20.00 more or less. The Iwata is about $600.00 more or less. Can the wood tell the difference? I don't think so.... but then I've never used a $600.00 gun unless if fires .223. :blink:
> 
> ...


Iwata does make a $700.00+ gun (the tulip pattern gun is one) but they also make much less expensive guns than your $600.00 number. 


Example: http://www.tcpglobal.com/IWA-9233_5.html?sc=120&category=2673345#.Vfdndp0o5_I

I think I got somewhere around $175 in this one: 









That number included a few 'extras' like different cups and the air flow control valve.

If you were closer I would loan you one for a while to 'test out'. :yes:


One of the things I noticed first after switching to these was the difference in the level of 'fog' left floating around after use if NOT spraying in the actual paint room. This gun will lay down material FAST and where it is pointed but not hardly leave any fog as compared to the china gun I used to use for the same stuff. 5 drawer boxes worth of clear lacquer (@ 30 oz of lacquer) out of the china gun would leave a thick and noticeable fog in the shop if NOT done in the paintroom with the exhaust stuff turned on - Five similar boxes done in the same spot with this Iwata leave hardly no cloud or fog at all. Seems like more of the material hits the workpiece instead of getting tossed out into the shop air as waste. Less crap floating around for me to be inhaling or settling on stuff I don't want it to settle on...

High Transfer Efficiency or something. :huh:


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## kenkutter (Apr 24, 2013)

I bought the HVLP kit from Rockler and have had good luck with it. It seems to handle lacquer and paints well or at least well enough for me. The have raised the price, it used to sell for just under $100, but now is about $115. This is for the gun, hose and turbine. The turbine sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it runs. I have wondered if an old shop vac or even household vacuum would work just as well, if the hose fittings could be adapted.


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## Matt0034 (Mar 29, 2015)

I was thinking of the asturo r-ii series that's on spray gun world

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## Matt0034 (Mar 29, 2015)

http://www.spraygunworld.com/products/Asturo/RSeries/Asturo R Series Wood.html

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Other than the price, I don't see anything wrong with that gun. It just doesn't take fancy equipment to spray wood finishes. When you spray automotive finishes especially metallic's the finer the gun atomizes the better.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

I strictly prefer and use DevilBiss and Binks, but like said above, you dont need an expensive gun to get the job done. 

Ive got guns that are almost 20 years old and still have the original packing in them and spray just fine. As long as you clean them properly, they will last a long time regardless of who makes them.

Instead of an HVLP, get a conventional gravity feed.......you will be alot happier.


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## walnutavenue (Nov 9, 2011)

I have two Neiko guns that I found on Amazon, and have been very happy with them


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## Johne230 (Oct 11, 2013)

Anybody have an opinion on the earlex 5500.I dont have room for a large compressor and was thinking about getting this setup.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Johne230 said:


> Anybody have an opinion on the earlex 5500.I dont have room for a large compressor and was thinking about getting this setup.


You can get an upright compressor that wouldn't take up much more room than an earlex would. An air compressor will come in alot more handy because you can also use air tools etc.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Johne230 said:


> Anybody have an opinion on the earlex 5500.I dont have room for a large compressor and was thinking about getting this setup.



I have one and sprayed my butt off with it and burnt the turbine in it. They sent me a new complete set on a phone call. Got it in less than a week. The unit has plenty of power and can spray latex with no problem. I have another HVLP gun that was around $60 and sprays fine finishes better. But the 5500 is one I would recommend if your just getting into spraying and don't have a compressor. 

Not going to spray a car with it though.

Al


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Johne230 said:


> Anybody have an opinion on the earlex 5500.I dont have room for a large compressor and was thinking about getting this setup.


I don't think you would ever be happy with a turbine sprayer. How big are the projects you need to spray and what type finish would you spray the most? With lacquer I could spray a project the size of a small table or a chair with a small smudgepot compressor. Very few compressed air sprayers will spray latex well. Sears used to make one you could turn a knob and the compressed air would pressurize the cup. Latex needs pressure behind it to make it work right. An airless is the best sprayer for latex.


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## Johne230 (Oct 11, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I don't think you would ever be happy with a turbine sprayer. How big are the projects you need to spray and what type finish would you spray the most? With lacquer I could spray a project the size of a small table or a chair with a small smudgepot compressor. Very few compressed air sprayers will spray latex well. Sears used to make one you could turn a knob and the compressed air would pressurize the cup. Latex needs pressure behind it to make it work right. An airless is the best sprayer for latex.


I have an airless for latex hardly use it.The Earlex would be for small pieces of furniture and cabinets spraying mostly lacquar and urathane.I dont do big pieces anymore since I retired.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The only problem with a compressor that is too small on a bigger project you run out of air before you can get to a stopping point. With lacquer unless you have a really slow drying solvent if you have to stop in the middle of something and wait for the compressor to catch up it leaves a line where stopped and started. It will work if you have enough air to spray one side of a cabinet at a time. Of course if you had a big compressor it would be just one thing you didn't have to think about and plan for. If space is the only issue you might consider setting one up outdoors. As long as you put a awning over it where it doesn't get water on the motor it should be alright. You could also use a portable model and just roll it outdoors when you are in the shop working.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Steve Neul said:


> I don't think you would ever be happy with a turbine sprayer. How big are the projects you need to spray and what type finish would you spray the most? With lacquer I could spray a project the size of a small table or a chair with a small smudgepot compressor. Very few compressed air sprayers will spray latex well. Sears used to make one you could turn a knob and the compressed air would pressurize the cup. Latex needs pressure behind it to make it work right. An airless is the best sprayer for latex.



Steve
I'm sure anyone would be happy with the 5500. It will blow about anything. It also takes about a minute to set up and can go about any where. The only problem I had was too much air and it lays a finish like a cheaper $50 gun.

Al


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I used this HVLP gun*

http://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html











This gun is on sale for $14.00. I used it to spray the hood of my truck. The hood is the most difficult part of the vehicle because it reflects anything that's above it from the side. I ended up sanding it all over again because I want it as good as possible. I'm at 220 grit now and probably will go to 400. I'm using PPG "one step" Shop Line primer and top coat. It really flows out nice and gives a great gloss in "one step" .... can you believe it?


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I have a gun from Homestead Finishing. They seem to fill the gap between the cheapie guns and the high end ones. The one I have seems well made. 

http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/products-we-offer/hvlp-spray-equipment/qualspray-hvlp-guns/


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

the hf advertisements I have been receiving show 2 of the purple guns. they just opened a hf half hour away but I haven't seen them yet. which gun are you guys talking about? I see there is a 3rd model down the page but they just added a regulator for 10 bucks.


http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=spray+guns


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## Tom-G (Nov 11, 2012)

Quickstep said:


> I have a gun from Homestead Finishing. They seem to fill the gap between the cheapie guns and the high end ones. The one I have seems well made.
> 
> http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/products-we-offer/hvlp-spray-equipment/qualspray-hvlp-guns/


I have the AM-5008S from Homestead Finishing. I'm using it with Target EM6000 waterborne finish. Very happy with it.


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## tanhar020 (Apr 12, 2017)

I am using HomeRight C800766 Finish Max HVLP Paint Sprayer. It is flexible sprayer because of adjustable spray control which can improve my output. This HVLP spray gun is best seller on amazon.com.
I have bought it from http://www.besthvlpspraygun.com/.


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