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Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:24 pm
by robthemac
I'm not happy with the amount of orange-peel I'm getting using rattle cans. I'm super careful with environmental conditions, thin coats, spraying at the right distance and angle etc. I even lightly sand between coats. So I'm going to get a compressor and gun to do it right.
Looking for recommendations or advice on compressors and guns. Also, how much nitro do I need to buy? Already have a printer coat so just need colour and gloss.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:24 pm
by robthemac
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 10:02 pm
by Slowy
You'll need a regulator and a water trap or whatever passes for one these days. All you have there is pressurised air. It needs to be cleaned and dried and reduced to the pressure and volume required by the spray gun.
Perhaps start by looking at some actual paint compressors?
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 10:48 pm
by Molly
Easy enough to wet-and-dry out the orange peel. Buying loads of equipment really isn't necessary. I used to warm the cans in hot water for a bit. I think that helped.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:23 am
by jeremyb
Molly wrote: ↑Wed Jun 29, 2022 10:48 pm
Easy enough to wet-and-dry out the orange peel. Buying loads of equipment really isn't necessary. I used to warm the cans in hot water for a bit. I think that helped.
What Molly said, plus it generally happens with paint that’s not thin enough, so make sure your nozzle is nice and clean before spraying and maybe experiment with your distance too… with spray cans you don’t have any control over there thinning of the paint but if you find a place that can do custom cans you might get a better result as they can likely thin it to a better consistency.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:47 am
by Molly
I've never had paint not need hours of sanding. No biggie. With nitro you can generally get away with not needing to flat every coat as the new one melts into the last one.
I had great results with 3M Trizact pads. Cut into wee pieces and done by hand. All the way to 5000 grit. I don't have the pics to hand but I've previously posted images showing perfect mirror-like reflections. That said, as the nitro will gas-off for weeks, the quality of that mirror finish will diminish.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:42 pm
by robthemac
Thanks for the feedback. Might see if the shop can add a little more thinner and use a different nozzle. Will go from there.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:15 pm
by GrantB
If you're going to do a lot of spraying, and you want ultimate colour flexibility, bite the bullet and get the gear. I'm happy to do a rig run down on what I use. None of it's fancy.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:17 pm
by robthemac
GrantB wrote: ↑Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:15 pm
If you're going to do a lot of spraying, and you want ultimate colour flexibility, bite the bullet and get the gear. I'm happy to do a rig run down on what I use. None of it's fancy.
Please!
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:19 pm
by Jay
GrantB wrote: ↑Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:15 pm
If you're going to do a lot of spraying, and you want ultimate colour flexibility, bite the bullet and get the gear. I'm happy to do a rig run down on what I use. None of it's fancy.
Another please
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:27 pm
by GrantB
Im using these two main devices.
That's a moisture trap on the bottom of the gun. I use a coiled hose to again minimise moisture.
The tuning of the gun is critical. I've modified this one over the years to be just how I want in terms of needle shape and how the air ratio mix screw works It is a cheap gun, maybe $80 from a tool shed type place. I do have a bugger, better one but I find it's actually not subtle enough for sunbursts etc.
Nitro around 55/45 (paint/thiner resp.). Sometimes 50/50 if you want wash coats.
PSI at around 40, and away we go. Test always on a scrap piece. Clean everything after every use (a real pain). Dust is your biggest enemy.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:33 pm
by Bg
looks very similar to one of my guns, I've also got a high pressure I use for general work.
Used pretty much the same setup to respray front and rear bumpers of an mx5 I used to own.
Will get a belt driven compressor when I move house, save taking the old one with me. Though as it only cost me $80 in a mitre 10 sale (long time ago, back before they were in Lunn Avenue!) its done its duty admirably. Built 3 decks with it powering a framing gun etc.
I want more pressure for tools as well.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:36 pm
by robthemac
GrantB wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:27 pm
Im using these two main devices.
That's a moisture trap on the bottom of the gun. I use a coiled hose to again minimise moisture.
The tuning of the gun is critical. I've modified this one over the years to be just how I want in terms of needle shape and how the air ratio mix screw works It is a cheap gun, maybe $80 from a tool shed type place. I do have a bugger, better one but I find it's actually not subtle enough for sunbursts etc.
Nitro around 55/45 (paint/thiner resp.). Sometimes 50/50 if you want wash coats.
PSI at around 40, and away we go. Test always on a scrap piece. Clean everything after every use (a real pain). Dust is your biggest enemy.
What do you use for cleaning between uses? And do you clean between every coat, or just every day/changing paint.
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:32 pm
by GrantB
If I have say 3 coats going down, in say 15 min cycles, I won't clean between...but I might mix a little thinner.
After the last coat of the day I always clean. Wipe the bowl and run through around 30mls or more thinner,
Re: Nitro spraying advice
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:47 pm
by robthemac
GrantB wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:32 pm
If I have say 3 coats going down, in say 15 min cycles, I won't clean between...but I might mix a little thinner.
After the last coat of the day I always clean. Wipe the bowl and run through around 30mls or more thinner,
So you use the thinner for cleaning?