A better way to spray in the home workshop

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High-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) sprayers tame many of the bad habits of high pressure equipment, making spray finishing a viable option for the home workshopper. They deliver more than 80% of their spray onto the work surface, don't require a high-capacity stationary compressor, and best of all, they're being marketed in versions priced especially for serious hobbyists. You'll find basic models in the $400 to $900 price range. Look for brand names like Fuji, Lemmer, Turbinaire and Wagner. As the term suggests, HVLP sprayers use a comparatively large volume of air -- 50 to 100 cubic feet per minute -- delivered at a low 3 to 5 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure. The source of this air is a lightweight, portable turbine about half the size of a small microwave. This is connected to the spray gun with a 1-inch diameter hose. There's no need for a pressure tank because the air goes right from turbine to spray gun.

Turbines come with varying numbers of internal impellers or stages, as they're called, depending on capacity. Higher-volume turbines are able to deliver more finishing liquid onto a surface, and to deliver thicker finishing products. These usually have a three-stage design. Lower-priced systems typically have two-stage turbines and lower cfm numbers. These are fine for thin-viscosity varnishes and stains, but they won't move as much latex house paint, for instance.

Another HVLP advantage is the quality of the air that transports the finish. The action of the turbine creates a flow of warm, dry air -- exactly what urethanes, lacquers and varnishes like best. This is an advantage over the cool, moist air that comes from a compressor's storage tank. In fact, in humid weather, compressor-driven air can cause blotchy clouding of many finishing products because of the moisture it carries.

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