Replies

1. 
   RW | Jul 26, 2003 01:42am | #1

   Latex paint will be too heavy bodied for a cup sprayer to adequately atomise the finish. At worst, you will get nothing at all, at best, with very thinned paint, you might get something resembling sputter. If oil is an option, you would be able to spray most oils, slightly thinned, out of a cup sprayer. Bear in mind a cup gun works in the range of 30-45psi for most finishes. Airless pumps pressurize much much higher.

   "The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb "      lyrics by Roger Waters

2. 
   villagehandyman | Jul 26, 2003 04:58am | #2

   try one of those wagner electric cup guns like the power painter they kind of spatter more than mist but they do ok with latex cost about 59 bucks just clean it real good when you are done or it wont work next time

3. 
   TomT226 | Jul 26, 2003 01:42pm | #3

   Rent an airless from HD, or buy one of the small cheapie airless cup guns.

   Or, sunny day, shade tree, six pack, and a good brush.....

4. 
   goldhiller | Jul 26, 2003 05:29pm | #4

   CLWEBB,

   You can shoot latex from a cup gun.......if you thin it appropriately with water and then toss in a bit of Floetrol to make the stuff slippery which helps it slide thru at lower pressures. Since it's substantially thinned, you'll have to shoot an extra coat to make sure you end up with enough solids on the surface when you're done.

   The tip set on the gun will have some effect on success, but a much bigger issue is whether the gun is equipped with a siphon cup or pressurized cup. There are guns out there that have a convertible cup; either siphon or pressurized by turning a little valve.

   You definitely want a pressurized cup for this if you can find one. Properly thinned (get a visocity cup to adjust this), you can shoot latex at 35 psi or less with a pressurized cup. With a siphon cup, you'll require pressures of 60 psi or higher.

   Edit: Make sure you filter your paint. Women's nylons make great filters for this. Just make sure there isn't a hole in them. Tie a knot in it to eliminate any holes or tears.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/26/2003 10:37:48 AM ET by GOLDHILLER

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Jul 26, 2003 05:33pm | #5

   I have used the Lowes Excel spray gun, about $50 I think, and it works.  Need to thin the paint and do several thin coats, but it works.  It's a siphon cup.  Works much better for stain and clear waterbased finish.

   Do it right, or do it twice.

1. 
   goldhiller | Jul 26, 2003 05:55pm | #6

   Yep. It can definitely be done with a siphon cup, but things go so much better/easier with a pressure cup or pressurized paint/material tank. Sprayed more gallons of stuff this way than I'd care to remember. Your compressor will appreciate the pressurized cup too cause it won't have to run its backside off to keep up.

   Bought a Wagner (Capspray) 2600 HVLP turbine unit a while back and recently used it to spray all the frame and raised panel kitchen cabinets (inside and out) with SW latex Everclean. This is a three-stage turbine (6 psi) unit with pressured cup like all HVLP units have. The book recommends a #5 tip set for latex, but at $90 a crack for tip sets, I decided I didn't have much to lose by trying. I was skeptical, I'll admit.

   I soon discovered that I didn't even have to reduce to recommended viscosity to get a great performance and a great job with the supplied standard #3 tip set.

   We're currently recoloring/overcoating all the woodwork in a large house. The more I use this outfit and become familiar with it, the more impressed I am with the performance for the money. Thumbs up, so far.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.