My HVLP gun clogged mid-job on a big table yesterday

I was spraying a conversion varnish and the needle just jammed, leaving a nasty streak. Had to stop, strip the whole section with denatured alcohol, and start over. Anyone know a good trick for keeping that tip clear when you're spraying thicker finishes?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_hall21d ago

Why even bother with an HVLP for thick finishes? They're made for thin stuff. Just use a conventional gun, crank the pressure, and get it done. Thinning the varnish too much ruins its durability anyway.

hugow3021d ago

Tried that with a conventional gun on some heavy floor poly once. Ended up with a ton of orange peel and sags because it laid it on too wet. Switched to a good HVLP with a bigger fluid tip, didn't thin it much at all, and got a much smoother build without the runs. The key is having enough air volume to actually move the thicker material.

fiona33219d ago

Nina's missing the point about air volume. A conventional gun at high pressure just blows the thick finish everywhere and lays it down too heavy. A good HVLP turbine setup moves a lot of air, but it's low pressure, so it carries the material without splattering. Lets you use a bigger tip and keep the finish thick for durability. That's the whole trick right there.