If you have a small compressor (smaller than 5-6 HP and a 26 gallon tank - less than 8cfm), we have a few recommendations:
People and salesmen are often confused. HVLP is NOT a description of a spray gun you purchase, but rather, HVLP is the classification category of environmentally approved regulations created by the government. Therefore, if a spray gun meets those guidelines,and is environmentally conscious, it may be labeled as HVLP. In other words, you will find HVLP markings on turbines, compressor guns, and air assisted airless guns. As long as they are environmentally friendly and qualify, they can be labeled HVLP.
Problem: Why cheap HVLP at your do it yourself store doesn't work well. Since HVLP was created by the government, many HVLP guns do not work that well. They are great for the environment, but these guns tend to consume a lot of air and do not have enough power to break up Hi-Solid clears and thicker paints.
Solution: you generally need a Hi-Quality well designed and manufactured spray gun to produce the professional results you expect. That is why we are here. Thank you Uncle Sam. And, truth be told, in the end, many people end up using a HVLP with higher inlet pressures than approved in order to get better paint atomization, so the environmental savings are really a farce and the benefits lessened as the gun is no longer technically compliant anymore. So is the life of government regulations. Just make sure you put it back to the correct settings for the EPA.
So should you not get HVLP? - NO NO NO. Do not get just any lousy or cheap HVLP, BUT you can get a professional, name brand, and well tested wood HVLP gun from us. Thanks.
Here are your definitions
(Conventional, HVLP, LVLP, Reduced Pressure, the New Conventionals)
WHAT ARE CONVENTIONAL GUNS
Conventional spray guns use a compressor to atomize the coating (Paint). They are the most powerful spray guns on the market and have the fastest working speed and arguably the highest atomization power of any class of guns on the market. The drawback is that these guns also waste the most paint with the highest overspray levels of any guns.
Who should use conventional guns then?
We still recommend conventional guns for industrial users who are allowed to use conventional equipment and also users who wish to spray very viscous materials. Also used by those who wish to up the inlet pressure to use the spray gun as an applicator in addition to being a finisher.
We also carry the New Conventional's as described below as an alternative.
We carry all the major players in the professional end of spray equipment. Please check out our OLD SCHOOL section for traditional conventional suction guns.
WHAT IS HVLP?
Conventional spray guns use a compressor to atomize the coating (Paint). General rule of thumb is that this type of gun puts 1/3 of the coating on the substrate being coated and 2/3 into the air.
HVLP Spray Guns HVLP is a classification of guns created by the government to reduce the emissions created by traditional conventional spray equipment. The basic rule of thumb is this method puts 2/3 of the coating on the substrate and 1/3 in the air.
HVLP Guns use an efficient cap design (the cap is the piece at the front of the gun with "horns"). This cap design creates a high volume of air flow at lower air pressures (therefore the name HVLP - High Volume, Low Pressure) to create a fine, soft spray pattern (about 10psi) with high atomization. By using such a high velocity air flow through the air cap, HVLP is able to achieve both high transfer efficiency and low overspray (wasted paint in the air). 2/3 of the coating on the substrate and 1/3 in the air.
Many people ask what their cap pressure is? This is not very relevant. By using the suggested inlet pressure by the manufacture, your gun, if marked HVLP, is supposed to translate its suggested inlet pressure into around 10 psi at the air cap. i.e. a 29 inlet pressure on some guns equate to 10psi at the cap while 44 inlet pressure on some guns equate to 10psi at the cap. It all depends how the manufacture decides to design their gun. So depending on the brand of spray gun, you will see a wide disparity of inlet pressures, but they should all equal 10 PSI @ cap.
Besides, most people "cheat" and go as high as they can without splitting the fan pattern to get the most material delivery and best atomization - so your cap pressure generally is higher than 10psi anyway so don't worry about it - just don't do it when the EPA is looking... For those very particular people, we have and most manufactures offer air cap test kits, but they usually run around $50-$100.00. WoodSprayGuns.com therefore does not recommend them due to cost considerations.
Please note: There are way too many HVLP guns on the market. They are all not the same!
At WoodSprayGuns.com we have spent a lot of time researching the best most professional spray guns on the market. Due to popularity, the amount of HVLP spray guns out there is confusing at best! There are many cheap aftermarket HVLP guns not worth a penny and Turbine HVLP guns which we do not recommend. Some HVLP guns from China cost $10 and are sold by our competitors for $60.00 (you will never find such a gun here). All are called HVLP as a class like the word (car). But, as you know, there are bad cars and good cars on the road... Have no fear! at WoodSprayGuns.com we only try to bring you the best of each class of "cars" (HVLP guns).
So HVLP Saves me 30%-35% of my material costs! Great, but can I spray the same way?
No, HVLP is a different way to spray. If you are used to spraying with conventional equipment and are a "fast and loose" sprayer, please look at the newer trans-tech or (Reduced Pressure) spray guns below . For new sprayers or those willing to adapt and learn what is being taught in most finishing schools today HVLP is ready for you.
HVLP sprays different because of design. A conventional gun uses a lot of air to break up the paint. 50 PSI inlet on a conventional gun gives you 50 PSI out at the cap. That's a lot of power, but also a ton of overspray and wasted paint. Depending on the brand you choose, an HVLP spray gun may require 18-50 PSI in to produce the mandated 10 PSI at the cap. Since the paint exiting the gun at 10 PSI will not carry as far as at 50 PSI, the gun must be closer to the painting surface. The recommended 8"- 10" distance for most conventional guns guns should be 4"-6" for HVLP depending on the painter's technique. Being closer to the surface also means you seem to move with a faster stroke to avoid runs. However, since more of your paint is hitting the surface your actual production time will be about the same.
Please note: Since your material hits so close to the surface, medium and slow reducers and hardeners should be used to allow for good solvent escape and flow out. This helps prevent micro bubbles in your finish. This is very important for woodworkers who may not have temperature control in their spraying areas.
Is it worth leaning such a new technique?
Yes, 30-50% material savings is easy to obtain and at that rate your equipment pay-back period is short. As your HVLP technique improves, so will your savings.
Why are you guys different than my paint store and have so many tip sizes with your guns?
We are fanatical and particular at WoodSprayGuns.com. We don't believe that 1 size shoe fits all people. This is even more important today with the newer technology. In the old days with conventional guns, if the material was too thick you could simply crank up your air pressure on the gun and "force the material out" - no problem. However, today's guns are designed to operate in a certain range. Therefore, no only will your gun no longer be in compliance, but your fan will start to distort. To solve this problem, you should always have the correct tip sizes as recommended by the manufacture for the certain viscosities of paint you are using. At WoodSprayGuns.com we have viscosity charts and many tip sizes in kits to help you get the best results.
We carry all the major players in the professional end of spray equipment.
What is LVLP?
Want HVLP performance, but with less air requirements? Welcome to LVLP.
LVLP is great for painters who want all the benefits of HVLP but with less air requirements. Automotive or Wood painters who do not have a large air compressor will now be able to achieve a professional finish and paint an entire car or very large surfaces "HVLP Style" without stopping. You can get away with an inexpensive compressor from Sears and the like, 7CFM@40 (or even less for wood 5 CFM@40). LVLP is also good for mobile painters due to the smaller air requirements and low overspray (discussed below).
Note: for woodworkers, pausing is not as big an issue and compressor size is less important UNTIL you fall under the 6CFM@40 mark, then LVLP guns are a great alternative to Low Air HVLP guns or Reduced Pressure Guns. (On a side note: for higher than 6CFM-8CFM we recommend Reduced Pressure (reduced pressure) guns, especially for people who are used to traditional conventional equipment, or those who like or need a fast working speed, or those looking for top quality finishes without much hassle. Devilibss Plus is lowest Reduced Pressure gun available on the market and is a top choice for wood workers.) Over 8CFM and you can use any technology you wish, You can successfully move away from Low Air HVLP guns and comfortably use some of the full sized, power hungry HVLP guns.
The second benefit of LVLP is the low overspray levels. The designation for LVLP is Low Volume, LOW Pressure. An LVLP Spray Gun can operate at less than 10 psi at the nozzle cap as compared to HVLP which operates at 10 psi at the air cap and is usually pushed higher by the user for better atomization. LVLP has a transfer efficiency over 70% (3%-5% higher than HVLPs) of putting the paint onto the surface being coated. This means very little overspray will be produced, saving on paint cost and environmental hazards.
What this means to you...
What is LVLP?
1) LVLP uses a lower volume of air to atomize the paint at the cap. LVLP compensates for the lack of air with a precision air cap that acts like a bunch of tiny shaReduced Pressuree knifes that cuts your material. By using a lower volume of air, it means you can operate your LVLP gun with less CFM and a smaller compressor, usually about 1-2CFM less than HVLP. (Note: Reduced Pressure,CG,Plus or reduced pressure guns also use less inlet CFM than HVLP, usually about 1.2CFM less than HVLP - It seem un-intuitive, but it is a matter of engineering design). Therefore, you can operate either LVLP or Reduced Pressure guns typically with a smaller air compressor than standard HVLP guns - 2-3hp recommended.
Note: While we still like Reduced Pressure,CG, Plus or reduced pressure guns for the finest finish quality, you will be hard to tell the difference with the quality LVLP guns we have at spraygunworld.com. All are amazingly professional, and spray amazingly well using such little air. LVLP also has the highest material savings of all guns, even slightly better than HVLP gun. On the down side, LVLP moves the slowest. *Woodworkers without a booth, with a smaller compressor and who take their time spraying may like the low overspray of LVLP.
3) Why an HVLP or LVLP? Today, HVLP is most common spray gun on the market. HVLP has a long track records and good guns have become available at lower prices. In our estimation the 3%-5% in higher transfer efficiency of the LVLP is not a discernible difference for most users and should not be a concern unless overspray is the most important factor to you. In general then, we can recommend either HVLP or LVLP for most applications. While we recommend HVLP over LVLP for a professional with a large compressor, smaller shops or hobbyist we recommend either with complete confidence..
In favor of HVLP, some argue that so little air is used to atomize the paint of an LVLP gun, (remember, it is the air that breaks up the paint) that an LVLP gun must be maintained in great condition, otherwise they tend to be finicky and any imperfections in the gun will affect your atomization quality. If you are in an unclean environment or have contaminants after long spraying time (or if you are lazy or clumsy with your guns), LVLP may not be consistent from spray to spray. Also, some argue that LVLP has harder edges and therefore is not good at blending as HVLP (others like the harder edges as it is more precise). In addition, LVLP tend to spray slower than many HVLP guns and definitely slower than Reduced Pressure guns.
In favor of LVLP is that it has a softer spray with the lowest overspray levels on the market, and assuming LVLP guns are maintained well, they are a joy to work with. Also, for auto painters with small compressors, LVLP give you another option besides Low air HVLP or Reduced Pressure (reduced pressure guns) to paint an entire car nonstop. LVLP are also great for mobile workers who spray outdoors or in car lots. For woodworkers and LVLP allows you to get a professional result with very small compressors even under 6CFM@40psi. And those spraying on location or inside your own home, will appreciate the lower overspray.
4) What about Reduced Pressure,CG, Transtec, and PLUS? In a large shop environment we prefer this Reduced Pressure style guns for wood and auto. It has the benefits of operating with a relatively small compressor and provides arguably the best finish quality over LVLP and HVLP. The fastest working speed is also an important factor for a professional - maybe not as important for a serious hobbyist.
In the end, however, when you purchase any professional gun from our site the differences are slight. So do not be overly concerned about which technology you go with or call us with questions. Since we only carry the best spray guns on the market, you will be happy with your choice. .
What this all means? Not Much.
Feel comfortable when choosing any spray gun at SprayGunWorld.com. We have done all the screening and testing for you and all guns we carry have been selected for their professional quality, construction and finish. We know at SGW you will be happy with any gun you choose because we took the guess work out of it by bringing you only the best!
After all, spray guns are what we do...!
Trans-Tech (Reduced Pressure R-P), Hi-Tech, Plus, CG) technology - Created for the Professional Painter
Maximum Efficiency with Environmental Responsibility
One of the newest technologies on the market, DeVilbiss introduced this alternative high efficiency, compliant atomization process to Automotive Refinishing in the late nineties early 2000s. Trans-Tech simply means “Transfer-efficient Technology”. This atomization technology provides the familiar performance of the legendary JGA gun and its competitors like the model 7 and newer 2001, yet fully complies with the Environmental Protection Act legislation in respect of being in excess of 65% paint transfer efficiency despite the same 29 psi gun inlet pressure. Trans-Tech perfectly combines speed of working with large spray pattern sizes and fine atomization for the clear coats, single layer top coats and primers, fillers and surfacers.
Most Manufacturers now carry Reduced Pressure Guns as an alternative to conventional guns and HVLP. They are meant for professionals who want the best balance of fast working speed, superior atomization for clears and flat colors and super low overspray levels. Unfortunately, they are also among the most expensive guns on the market. Luckily you get what you pay for. WoodSprayGuns.com highly recommends (Reduced Pressure) technology to its customers.
With Reduced Pressure guns you can spray 8" away from the surface which is more similar to conventional equipment. They are good for industrial customers and those who want to spray quicker or are in hot areas where coating drying is common.
Reduced Pressure Guns utilizes the very latest advances in computational fluid dynamics. This results in superior atomization with exceptionally efficient material transfer for optimum coverage and paint usage is achieved with reduced air consumption, lowering your electrical needs and energy costs.
Exceed your production requirements with the highest atomization levels at an accelerated application rate of up to 600cc/min.
The NEW Conventionals
We carry Drop in Replacement for the Model 7 and 2001 which provides the same wide pattern and strong drop forged gun construction BUT with 30%-40% material savings. It will pay for itself in no time!
K1 - HTE - see it in action with a very thick Adheasive as compared to a HVLP 10" fan pattern.
Please, we are happy to help you email us at Help@woodsprayguns.com.
