Which HVLP Spray System ?

[RiazG]

Hi, i've searched on the forum's and i'm still confused as to which HVLP spray system to buy.
I'm a newbie at woodcraft mainly creating chip carvings and small/medium AV cabinets as a hobby not business....yet :wink:
I need a HVLP Spray system that would enable a decent finish but without breaking the bank, i don't have a budget in mind. I've seen systems as low as £50 and as high as a few grand.
I would be grateful if you could point me in the right directions with your experience and hopefully a link to where i can purchase it.
Thanking you all already...!!

 

[Chems]

People hear seem to recommend the Earlex system highly.

 

[RiazG]

yeah earlex seem to come up quite a bit on my online searches. They have quite a few models, the cheapest being £37.49 HV1900 from Argos.

Has anyone got any experience with one of these?
Which earlex models would provide the best balance in terms of quality and price?

 

[houtslager]

for a bit more try APOLLO, the've upgraded since I bought my 700.

good unit

hth,

hs

 

[Oryxdesign]

I'm happy with my Fuji Q4 but I haven't used any others to compare against.
If you get to Kent at all come round and have a try.

Simon

 

[RiazG]

Thank you for your kind offer.....
I've seen some reviews of the Q4, i must say it is definately quality, however i am knew to all this and wouldn't be able to justify the amount it costs.
maybe the Apollo range would suit me better....i've seen the Spraymate which goes for around the £100. has it got a rival in price and quality?

 

[chippy1970]

one for sale here https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=38456

 

[RobertMP]

I've only used one system- the Fuji Q3.

Apart from the quality of the gun the amount of air a system provides must be the main variable i would guess. A small cheap system will need thinner paint and/or a smaller spray throughput if it produces less air. When I first started with the Q3 it was putting down as much paint as I could cope with. Once I was more experienced with it I kept wanting more throughput but was already on maximum. So my guess is that the more you pay the quicker you can paint.

 

[Philly]

I'm currently using an Earlex HV5000 - at excellent machine for the money. I used a cheap B+Q HVLP system for a few years - a bargain at under £50. But the Earlex is much better built - a "proper" gun. And easy to get replacement needles and parts if needed.
Hope this helps,
Philly

 

[RiazG]

I am thinking of taking the plunge for the Earlex HV5000, although ideally i would like to be spending up to £100. The fuji systems are a bit out of my league for the moment.
I now the HV5000 would be able to handle wood finishing but would i be able to paint my walls with it, (thicker paint)?

 

[Philly]

Yes, you just need the larger needle.
Philly

 

[TheTiddles]

I'm too thinking about this, but I have a couple of questions...

1 - If using it for household jobs like walls and skirting, how much overspray is there? Do I need to remove everything from the room and get a diving suit or just mask the area?

2 - If I was painting panels for built in cupboards (to pick a random example) would I be ok with a small (4'x4') spray booth in the corner of the garage made from polythene sheet, or would I need an extractor and filter etc...?

ta in advance

Aidan

 

[white_sw]

I've had the Earlex about 3 months now and have just used it to spray all the woodwork in my receintly finished bathroom.
From my experiance, there is very little overspray. I simply masked the area's using A4 paper and masking tape. Used a
piece of A4 card to mask area's on the move just by holding it in place. Worked a treat with trade eggshell.

Got mine from this guy on eBay as I had a 10% discount voucher to spend. Purchased it in the afternoon and turned up the following lunchtime.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Earlex-HV5000-Pro ... 5ad63f7b04

Cheers,
Sam

 

[OPJ]

Aidan, I'd also seriously consider a form of of respiratory protection, particularly if you're spraying indoors. Plenty of ventilation is also good.

Another very satisfied user of the Earlex HV5000, here. :wink: Only thing I don't like about it is the noise but, you can't have it all at this price (I believe the Fuji models are also quite noisy). I've dropped mine on the concrete floor several times and it still works superbly.

It is also very important to clean them after each and every use...!

 

[RobertMP]

The Q3 isn't silent but for the amount of air it shifts I wouldn't call it loud. It is like a average domestic vac with the inlet blocked

As to overspray it is a lot less than high pressure spraying with a compressor but still happens. Just like high pressure systems you can reduce the air flow to less than maximum for a gentler spray (assuming it still atomises the paint ok) and that will reduce overspray but coat slower.
I wouldn't consider using it indoors unless everything else was masked/covered.

 

[RiazG]

Well i think the Earlex HV5000 has won it for me...... :shock:

I'll be parting with some reddies just slightly above my budget but hey...we all got to start somewhere......

Things that swayed me are your input, Phillys review and the numerous videos on youtube by the Wood Whisperer and Woodcraft. Just in case more of you want to see it in action. :wink:

Thank you guys, i really do appreciate it......

PS..Just as a side note does anyone know if other HVLP Gravity Fed Guns are compatible with this.

 

[RogerS]

....

It is also very important to clean them after each and every use...!

That's a good point, Olly. I was wondering if there was any difference in ease of cleaning between the various models/types of sprayer. Nozzles presumably after every spray but if, say, one had to strip the entire thing down into a zillion parts, soak in thinners for a week etc for Model X based on Technology Y and it cost £Z but was cheap...as compared to a more expensive model that is easier/quicker to clean.

 

[gidon]

Roger I've tried a few guns including an expensive SATA gun and they are all pretty similiar to clean. Perhaps gravity cups are slightly easier to clean since you can spray out every last drop unlike suction cups like the one that comes with the Earlex.

Star79 - just to say that you don't get any real control over the air with the Earlex HV5000 - which is a slight issue spraying smaller items and inside cabinets. But to be honest for me the lack of controls on the HV5000 also makes the gun very easy to use - especially if you're not using it that often.

I've mentioned before but you can get 10% off the Screwfix price if you subscribe to their email.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[RobertMP]

My Q3 was second hand and I went through a few problems that were down to previous use. All detailed on the forum here if you want to search out the gory details.

Afterwards i wrote up a few tips and showed how I cleaned the gun. I know it is a different system but the principles will be the same - https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=28072 see page 2 and 3

 

[RiazG]

After speaking to a friend who is also thinking of purchasing the Earlex HV5000, he pointed out to me that he has come across the Apollo 1200, its in the same price range but looks more "industrial" but i know sometime looks can be deceiving.
Has anyone out there got one or seen some comparative reviews against the Earlex?

I was just about to go to screwfix and buy it as well.......