Minimum paint set up when upgrading beyond aerosal cans

[VegasCustom]

Hey everyone, just wondering what the minimum requirements or gear I need for spraying nitro lacquer out of a can. Seems it might be cheaper ultimately and give me access to mixing colors and developing my own.
At this point, space may be an issue. I've maxed out my garage so I'm not sure if I can fit a big air tank

 

[bobdabilder]

Respirator with proper cartridges, ventilation with filter, a wet floor or a very clean room for no dust and a hvlp or similar gun.
Edit: a small compressor to spray with.

 

[NedRyerson]

My workshop is 10x10, and I have two 2x4 workbenches, shelves, a band saw, oscillating spindle sander, and drill press on stands permanently affixed in there, so that's effectively 8x8 of working space. I also have a dust collector mounted to a cart on casters I built out of 2x4s, plus a shop vac, so I can move those in and out whenever needed (oh, and my daughter's workbench because she wants to be down there with me whenever I'm working on a project).

For spraying, I have the tall Husky (Home Depot) air compressor, set up a Wagner paint tent, take out the window pane and pop in a box fan for ventilation, and away I go with a spray gun attached to the compressor. I'd love more space, but I make do with what I have.

I can do both rattle-can spraying and spray-gun mixes with that set-up. More often than not, though, I'm doing rattle-can because despite the higher cost, it's a helluva lot more simple and quick than mixing ratios, getting my spray gun prepped, doing the sprays (multiple times), then the clean up and tear-down.

For any non-retail colors or non-StewMac kits, I am mixing colors and using the spray gun. So then I do have to go through the set-up and clean-up. But as far as space goes, 10x10 or even 8x8 is enough space as long as you have a ventilation config (like a box fan blowing vapor out the window).

 

[Matt Liebenau]

And if you’re actually using nitrocellulose lacquer don’t forget that all of the above, fans, compressor, anything running while you’re spraying or for a while after should be explosion proof.

 

[Grinderman]

I don't know what you already know or what opinions you might have already formed about this so I won't assume and cover some basics.

Choosing the type, make and model of spray gun is where to start. Since you're operating in or from a cramped garage then perhaps a Fuji HVLP turbine spray system would make the most sense for your situation.

If you must choose a compressor then a 10-gallon tank would be a decent starting point. It seems like a 20-gallon unit would take up too much space and would not be entirely necessary at this point. It essentially depends on the volume of spraying you anticipate doing now and a few years down the road though.

Also if you choose a compressor then it needs to be rated to provide the CMF at 40 PSI your choice of spray gun needs.

A resource to check out: Quality Wood Finishing Supplies since 1994 - Homestead Finishing Products

QualSpray HVLP Guns - Homestead Finishing Products

 

[Rôckhewer]

I found your question slightly confusing.
And, I have nothing to do with nitro.
But whenever someone asks, "what do I need"
There are several answers... predicated by stuff like:
What can you afford?
What are you comfortable with?
And my favorite...
...what can you get away with

Shooting 2k cv on a calm day in my carport.
The $100 hvlp gun from Harbor Freight.
Small hotdog compressor, $150
Hose & in-line filter... that's it.

It came out fine

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hey everyone, just wondering what the minimum requirements or gear I need for spraying nitro lacquer out of a can. Seems it might be cheaper ultimately and give me access to mixing colors and developing my own.
At this point, space may be an issue. I've maxed out my garage so I'm not sure if I can fit a big air tank

Compressor, cup gun, air hose, in line oil/water seperators. Or, you could go for a self contained cap sprayer.

PPE and ventilation is kind of a no brainer.

 

[smo]

Hey everyone, just wondering what the minimum requirements or gear I need for spraying ...

Be careful. Read the safety instructions. Some paints, like some of the 2k stuff, contain isocyanates. A simple cartridge filter won't filter them out. If you paint these without ventilation & protection you're gonna regret it. Most other paints are some version of plastic, the correct masks are adequate.

For air compressors, it depends on how big a project you're ever likely to attempt.
Something as big as a car will require a setup that can deliver a minimum of 12cfm and above, to feed those HVLP guns adequately.
For a guitar, we don't need that, we can get away with a LVLP or HVLP gun and a smaller compressor.

An in-line water trap/filter is a must, providing you with a consistent finish free of water blobs and potential contamination from the inside of the compressor (rust, oils etc.). FYI, don't connect the water trap straight onto the compressor, give it a couple of meters from the compressor.
I like to use a pressure regulator on the gun, mainly so I can adjust pressure without having to walk over to the compressor.

You don't need an expensive gun. Once dialed in, the cheap guns can get great results.

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Ideally (but I don't know what you've got or how uptight your local building department is) your compressor (even if small) would live in a shed outside your garage anyway. They are annoying to listen to, throw good deal of heat, and air goes through walls in pipes quite nicely. If you even have a basement, and the noise in the basement wouldn't be a bother when you were using it, that would be another good place to put it on the end of a pipe leading to the shop/garage. These locations also mean that (with reasonable venting design) the compressor motor & switch doesn't need to be explosion-proof as it's not in the fume zone.

In the unlikely event your framing is not just barely able to hold up the roof they can also go up there, but I would suppose that would be excessively hot in Vegas, so probably not, and 99% of garages don't have enough roof framing to hold more than a box of lightweight out of season ornaments without risking roof collapse. And it's not out of the way of blowing up, so you're back to explosion-proofing it if you're wedded to using nitro.

One of the practical reasons folks use waterbased finishes is that they cost a heck of a lot less to set up for, as they don't blow up the shop if you decide that a cheap box fan is good enough for venting...or a normal light switch is fine, just fine. Explosion-proof components are Not Cheap. Not using them is Very Expensive, anywhere from the cost of your shop to your life.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I found your question slightly confusing.
And, I have nothing to do with nitro.
But whenever someone asks, "what do I need"
There are several answers... predicated by stuff like:
What can you afford?
What are you comfortable with?
And my favorite...
...what can you get away with

Shooting 2k cv on a calm day in my carport.
The $100 hvlp gun from Harbor Freight.
Small hotdog compressor, $150
Hose & in-line filter... that's it.
View attachment 5446665
It came out fine View attachment 5446666

It came out fine ???!!!
C'm on, it came out totally INSANE ! Terrific look, I’m flabbergasted by people doing their own stuff here on TB and getting results like this! Tremendous !

 

[ardgedee]

Hey everyone, just wondering what the minimum requirements or gear I need for spraying nitro lacquer out of a can. Seems it might be cheaper ultimately and give me access to mixing colors and developing my own.
At this point, space may be an issue. I've maxed out my garage so I'm not sure if I can fit a big air tank

If you intend to spray nitro or certain other materials (like 2-part finishes) do your legwork on the relevant workplace safety guides and take them seriously. Some of them require a dedicated space with ventilation that's fully isolated from the rest of the building.

The toxicity of traditional paints and finishes is one of the main reasons why there's a big push towards water-based materials.

 

[VegasCustom]

Alright so to try and clarfy a little better. My current set up is a about a 6x6x8 foot PVC frame with cross supports. Its surrounded on all but one side with 5mm plastic and doubled up. The seams are sealed with some good tape I have, not duct tape something like siding but im not completely sure right now. I then spray flex seal over each and every seam to ensure it stays closed.
I then hang my guitars from various points on the ceiling grid within the PVC structure, the structure seems to hold about 7 at a time with no issues. From there I have a super powerful explosion proof fan that I will run for 8-10 hours on paint days and is placed in the bottom left corner. I require the fan to run for at least 4 hours post last spray. It has one of the matrix filters first with just holes and nothing really else, and then a typical high end house filter that is held against the fan with the fans force. After that, the air goes through 10 feet of piping that I snake around to force the air to hit the sides and catch anything left. I myself and in a fully close hazmat type suit I got on amazon and use a full face mask with the pink filters. Recently upgraded to one with a filter on the front and the sides but haven't tried it out yet. If I catch a single whiff of anything I back out of the structure. I also have a WEN shop filter thats in the opposite corner of my garage and I keep on 24 hours a day during the post 30 days of spraying. I also require the garage to be fully open when painting, and half open during the days to ensure adequate airflow from off gassing. Im not educated on this stuff, a complete DIYer, but I really hope this is beyond adequate for safety.
And yes, I am somewhat completely married to nitro for the time being. That wont last forever. But its where I'm at. I don't like the risk of blowing up, and it seems water based finishes for spraying would be MUCH safer.

So to be slightly more specific, I guess my question is, can I get away with a cheap gun and one of those pancake or hotdog compressors if painting between 1-5 guitars at a time? Bolt ons so just the body. My confusion comes from reading a lot about needing large compressors and expensive tools, and also finding stuff saying that wasn't always necessary. I guess my cost is preferably as little as possible, but could max around $400-500. Depending on necessity of equipment. I may just stick to rattle cans if thats easier. Also not too keen on adding even more noise. My neighbors are really cool and support my work but I make an effort to meet them more than half way for being so cool.

 

[VegasCustom]

If you intend to spray nitro or certain other materials (like 2-part finishes) do your legwork on the relevant workplace safety guides and take them seriously. Some of them require a dedicated space with ventilation that's fully isolated from the rest of the building.

The toxicity of traditional paints and finishes is one of the main reasons why there's a big push towards water-based materials.

Does this go for Nitro spray cans? I don't have dedicated space besides what I've described in my comments

 

[ardgedee]

Does this go for Nitro spray cans? I don't have dedicated space besides what I've described in my comments

I don't know, they might use different solvents. The manufacturer or vendor would be the ones to ask.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Over in the water-base polyurethanes thread, we had some long discussions about the size of compressors and tanks and what you need to paint instruments.

Here's one of my main posts on the subject, and there is more in the following pages.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/us...nd-varathane-wb.1116168/page-39#post-21293317

 

[VegasCustom]

Over in the water-base polyurethanes thread, we had some long discussions about the size of compressors and tanks and what you need to paint instruments.

Here's one of my main posts on the subject, and there is more in the following pages.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/us...nd-varathane-wb.1116168/page-39#post-21293317

Bruce, forever to the rescue, Thanks man

 

[Bruce Johnson]

By the way, another cool/cheap air supply trick is to use....A spare tire!! Yes, a tire from a light truck is actually a pretty decent air supply tank. Pumped up to 60 psi, leaning against the wall in the corner, it can supply the air for an afternoon session of spraying basses. And it's silent. You could even have 4 of them lined up along the wall, plumbed up together, for more capacity.

 

[RCH]

In the Nov/Dec 2022 issue of Live Steam magazine, there was an article by Kozo Hiraoka about converting a cheap knockdown portable greenhouse into a spray booth for toxic paint. Very clever.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I used this little Makita with an HVLP gun for a long time to spray one body at a time. It ran pretty continually while actually spraying but worked. I mostly got a bigger compressor for the pin router.

 

[boxerrider]

From what I've seen, the best compressor deals are used ones with 10 - 30 gallon horizontal tanks with two wheels on one end. Get one with a cast iron pump with oil in the crankcase. With a little care they last a long time and are quieter than the oil-less models. Plenty of air on tap for spraying guitars. Make sure the tank doesn't have rust holes in it.