How to match a compressor with an HVLP paint gun

[ondarvr]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

I tried to pull up an MSDS for the Valspar hardener to see if it contained isocyanates, but couldn't find one easily. I figured you should check and see before worrying about it.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

THAT is very interesting. I thought all hardeners contained iscocyanamates. Tractor Supply sells Valspar and the hardener, as does Home Depot. We have both stores in our area so will check it out tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[ricohman]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

As a coincidence I just finished painting one of my tractors with Valspar paint. And yes, their hardeners produce isocyanates as do all paints with a catalyst.
If you add a hardener to that paint I would probably go with 8 parts paint to one part hardener + your reducer. You are lucky that you can go to Napa and buy hardener as they sell implement paints. I am surprsied that it is an oil based paint as I though Rustoleum was all enamel. You will not need to wait 24 hrs. I would think that on a nice morning it will be ready for the next coat by the time you finish one side of the boat. Don't paint on a hot day.
The 5% reduction is a starting point and you can use more as needed to spray. What size is the tip on your gun?

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Sorry for the brief reply but it is late. Tip size in the HVLP gun is 1.4

 

[ricohman]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Sorry for the brief reply but it is late. Tip size in the HVLP gun is 1.4

That will be fine for the paint you are using. I wouldn't go any smaller though. And primer can get hard to shoot through anything below 1.5 but you always have the option of thinning.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Thanks, I used the 1.4 tip to spray the primer but it came out too rough, sort of like very fine sand paper. Do you think the tip could have contributed to the rough coat? I was thinking the rough coat was caused by the material knob being turned out 5 turns and supplying too much paint. Will turn knob to 2.5 turns and practice spraying before painting the boat next week. Still plan to use the 1.4 tip and will hand the boat before painting.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Fine sandpaper is indicating the gun was too far away and or not enough tip pressure so the paint was "drying" on it's way to the surface.

I have always practiced on a sheet of cardboard. HVLP guns MUST be held at 90 degrees to the work surface so if you tilt a bit that will also cause the roughness.

Just be prepared to see some orange peel surface which is common with rustoleum/oil type paints.

Best thing is you are making progress

 

[ricohman]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Just like Bob_VT said, practice is the best thing you can do before painting the boat. Always shoot some test patterns before spraying because the you can have a slightly different mix in each hopper of paint. Don't rely so much on the instructions but use them as a starting point. Rely on what you are seeing in the spray pattern on your test board. Don't use cardboard or newspaper to test anything but the pattern itself as those substrates absorb to much. I use PPG paper for this as it does not absorb the paint and will give an accurate representation on how much or how little paint is coming out of the gun.
With this type of paint (and hardener) you may have to slow your passes as this paint can be put on pretty heavy. I had to slow down quite a bit to avoid orange peel when it was a bit to warm to paint.
When I taught my buddy how to paint we used some scrap car doors and trunk lids from a wrecker. This gave him a feel for the gun and speed before he tackled his FJ40.
What you see in that 1 second test burst from the gun is very important.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Thanks. I just got some PPG paper to make plywood templates to carpet. Will use it for test pattern instead of the scrap piece of drywall I was using. Had not considered how coarse drywall is. Hopefully can get some scrap sheet metal to test paint.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Thanks Bob Vt. I do recall reading painting too far away will cause a rough surface from dry paint with an HVLP gun but forgot about it. About the only painting I have done is with a spray can at 12" so painting at 6" just seems strange.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Will order the PPE after talking to a local body shop about what they would recommend. After that will paint. Question is what tip to use? Thinking of painting an oil-based enamel with the 1.2 tip in the kit. Primed with a 1.4 tip and had planned to paint with it too until reading about what the different size tips are for. Will most likely use the hardener and thinking of using a clear coat when the paint cures. Any thoughts on using the 1.2 tip to paint with? Use the clear coat too and if so, use the 1.2 tip for it too?

 

[ricohman]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Will order the PPE after talking to a local body shop about what they would recommend. After that will paint. Question is what tip to use? Thinking of painting an oil-based enamel with the 1.2 tip in the kit. Primed with a 1.4 tip and had planned to paint with it too until reading about what the different size tips are for. Will most likely use the hardener and thinking of using a clear coat when the paint cures. Any thoughts on using the 1.2 tip to paint with? Use the clear coat too and if so, use the 1.2 tip for it too?

The 1.2 is way to small for a big job. I use small tip like this on my 250ml gun for touch ups, door jams ect. I would not want to paint an entire boat with one. And the 1.4 you have is good for the paint you are using.
If you are going to clear make absolutley sure that the clear you are using is compatible with your paint. I think it would be safer to buy the entire lot from Napa or wherever in this case as they will sell all the compatible product together.
BTW, spraying clear over anything but a proper base can give very mixed results as your substrate is not suited to a clear coat. Have you ever sprayed a 2 stage paint?
My brand new Starcraft has single stage paint. This is the easiest paint to touch up.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Be careful using clear coat. Auto clear coat paints are great but they are HOT (chemically) and will lift some paints that are not 100% cured. Enamel paints can take up to 2 weeks + to fully cure.

BC/CC paints are probably way out of your budget and single stage auto paints do not require clear. Just keep going with what you have with the hardener and forget the clear.

There are not any beauty contests for boats and even if your boat was perfect........there is no place to enter it.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Fine sandpaper is indicating the gun was too far away and or not enough tip pressure so the paint was "drying" on it's way to the surface.

Its not enough product to wet out for a coating. It could be that the gun was too far away .. but it could be that the Tip (Air)pressure was too High and atomizing it too much. Could be that the fluid needle was not out far enough to apply the product. The pressure in a Gravity feed or Conventional siphon feed is different to each other.

Thanks Bob Vt. I do recall reading painting too far away will cause a rough surface from dry paint with an HVLP gun but forgot about it. About the only painting I have done is with a spray can at 12" so painting at 6" just seems strange.

6" Is WAY too close for spraying .. Way too close.

Question is what tip to use? Thinking of painting an oil-based enamel with the 1.2 tip in the kit. Primed with a 1.4 tip and had planned to paint with it too until reading about what the different size tips are for. Will most likely use the hardener and thinking of using a clear coat when the paint cures. Any thoughts on using the 1.2 tip to paint with? Use the clear coat too and if so, use the 1.2 tip for it too?

A 1.4 needle/nozzle/air cap should be all you need with this.

Have you ever sprayed a 2 stage paint?

I think He suggested that he has no exp. in spraying Anything other then spray cans.

About the only painting I have done is with a spray can at 12" so painting at 6" just seems strange.

Be careful using clear coat. Auto clear coat paints are great but they are HOT (chemically) and will lift some paints that are not 100% cured. Enamel paints can take up to 2 weeks + to fully cure.

BC/CC paints are probably way out of your budget and single stage auto paints do not require clear. Just keep going with what you have with the hardener and forget the clear.

You should be aware of Clear Coatings .. or any Coatings for that matter is a dangerous undertaking when Sprayed. But Clear is bad bad news. ..

YD.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

OK. A 1.4 tip it is and no clear coat. This has certainly been a learning curve and cost more than I expected, but then I like learning and doing. Has given me much more respect for guys who paint professionally and can see the price they charge is worth it.

As for distance to paint from the surface, if 6" is way to close, what should it be, more like 9"? Thinking 12" would be too far out.

 

[bryanwess2000]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

posted by woodonglass
"You are correct. If you don't plan on leaving the boat in the water for more than 2-3 weeks at a time and it's fresh water. The Rustoleum Paint or Majic Paint with the added Hardener can yield great, durable results with a roller. Here's an example of a Rolled on Finish by one of our iBoat members. No kidding this was done with a Foam Roller."


Not to hijack but I think posting pics of a boat that used a high end paint like interlux perfection to prove your point about the results that can be achieved by roll n roll while recommending far inferior paints is going to be a bit misleading to newbs. Instead why don't post pics of boats using said method with rustoleum or whatever enamel. Post some pics or links with the pic taken at 90 degrees to the paint surface, thats where you see the difference between cheaper enamel and catalyzed urethane. There's no comparison in regards to specular gloss. I'm not saying there's no use for enamel but there's a reason it's rarely used on auto's anymore, there's superior products available now. By the way it needs to be mentioned that intelux perfection was engineered with roll and tip in mind so I'm shure it's leveling characteristics are far better than your average hardware store paint.

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Well I am all ears. It is a lot of work to rebuild a boat. Think I mentioned it here before but if I had known how expensive and time consuming it was going to be to paint a boat correctly I most likely would have sold what I had AS IS and bought the Bass boat I wanted. That is not the case now, and I love to learn and do, especially when experienced people can guide me along.

I actually bought some Interlux marine paint last year (don't remember what type) but returned it because I thought it was too expensive. Now that I am more informed, Interlux does not seem so expensive now, as opposed to painting with X-O Rust and having to do it over again.

Am painting with an HVLP conversion gun matched to my compressor but have several days to wait for another good painting day. It has been raining in Maine for weeks, with one or two days when I can paint outdoors so there is still time to learn and paint correctly the first time. Also have to order some PPE which adds to the time before painting.

SO, is it best to use some REAL Marine paint, either single or two stage paint (not sure on paint terminology) for an aluminium boat that will be in the water from Spring to Fall?

 

[sphelps]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Valspar tractor paint roll and roll..

Is it perfect ? No ..
Is it good enough for a rookie ? Maybe..
Was it inexpensive ? Absolutely..
It is what it is...

 

[Jonboat2Bassboat]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

That looks great. If I could get a finish like that on an aluminium boat that will sit in fresh water from April to October and last 5 years I'd be very happy. After doing much research I don't think that will be the case. Am looking into marine paint and primer that is designed to be below the fresh waterline for 6 months at a time. Interlux comes to mind unless someone has a less expensive Marine paint / primer to recommend.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Re: HVLP and paint additives

Lakelover did the Roll n' Roll with Pettit EasyPoxy and it came out great. Less expensive than the Interlux. He even added hardener to it. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=309879&page=23&highlight=lakelover