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Fabric spray equipment

B

bearsnack

I am interested to hear what everyones favorite setup is for spraying poly fiber products. I am getting ready to purchase a new system. Gun and 3 stage turbine, not sure of which brand yet. Don't keep it limited to poly fiber, all products have been applied in my shop at one time or another. I just prefer poly fiber. Don't hold back boys, I need all the info I can get.
 
Spray Gun

I use an Iwata LVLP (low volume, low pressure) gun that runs off standard shop air. I purchased another new Iwata gravity feed gun last spring (my first Iwata LVLP was a suction feed), it is their top of the line gun and was around $450.00. It is a great gun, I feel it breaks up the material better then an HVLP so you get a better finish. HiTek paint in Anchorage sells them. With LVLP you also don't have to deal with changes that occure when the HVLP turbine heats up and blows hotter and hotter air as it runs. What ever you buy, make sure it has good product support in the way of parts and advice. Crash
 
I use a Graco HVLP that I bought from Clyde Smith in Lock Haven. It has the correct length of hose to obviate the heated paint problem that plagued some of the earlier attempts at adopting HVLP to aircraft paint (or any paint for that matter).

The unit is simple to use, simple to clean and produces an excellent finish. I never thought spraying would be so much fun, but it is with good equipment. With a little bit of practice you can achieve awesome results.
 
I've got a similar unit........although I'm not the best painter I was amazed what you could do with the HVLP units. I bought a regular garden hose valve and installed ahead of the cup......enables you to cut pressure and paint small areas with hardly any overspray.
 
Paint Equipment

I like the Citation HVLP duel sprayer/respirator. I'm on my second spray job now. The first was an 2003 Oshkosh winner.
Koz
 
So are there any down falls to the 3 or 4 stage turbines? We did a set of wings last Spring with one it seemed like a good piece of equipment. Did I miss anything is there any major or minor downfalls?
 
The only down side that I can tell with the Croix turbine that I use is that the adjustment for the fluid flow and aircap is a little more critical, the Croix sprays different ( but I assume all turbine hvlp's ) compare to the convenisional gun. If you plan to use the system for aircraft (mainly) see if you can get a 2 QT capacity gun so you don't have to reload half way through a large surface.

Matt
 
I have two Graco/Croix HVLP systems. One is on wheels with a two gallon pressure pot and the other is mounted in the wall of my paint booth with a one quart gun. I use two lengths of hose with a gaden hose "Y" in between that tees to a third hose to run a fresh air mask. Make sure the turbine you pick has the capacity to run two guns or a gun and mask if you want fresh air. I get all my stuff through C.J. Spray. I will get their number from the shop and post it. They have anything and everything you need in stock and know these things. I have a fluid and cap set for the poly spray/brush and polytone or dope and one for aerothane or other polyurethane paints. I never use as much product as Poly-Fiber says you need. I also have a small cup that C.J. Spray sells for touch up. I can turn everything down and touch up like I'm using an airbrush. Have shot a lot of Air Tec polyurethane and don't get any orange peel. Only time I have had a problem with the air getting hot is when it has been 100 degrees outside. I usually don't do any fabric work in the dead of summer but the guy needed his aileron repaired. Been using the systems with Stits, Air Tec and Randolph dope for 6 years and have been happy with the results of all three systems although Aerothane took a while for me to master.
 
If you want a stand-alone system, the Citation and the Graco are very good. I like the Citation for the second turbine that supplies the fresh air mask, but I don't like the constant air bypass. The Graco stops blowing when you let off the trigger, and Graco fluid tips are easier to get. You can get used to either. The DeVilbiss, Sata, and Iwata guns are nice, but you need a big compressor and air dryers. If you already have that, they're great. If you don't, the cost of the system just got really high. My shop has a big compressor. I have both DeVilbiss and Iwata guns. I'm using a Graco system, with Polyfiber products, to do my 12. If you're looking into a Graco, call Curtis & Campbell in Anchorage.
SB
 
Alright, I ordered a Citation 240 with a Lexair gun. Getting the paint booth set up now, it must be Christmas!
 
If you are using plastic sheets for your paint booth load your gun with alcohol and spray the walls prior to painting. I also spray the part I am painting. This breaks up the static and cuts down on dust. I always get shocked when wiping down a fabric project prior to spraying. I used to buy a product for this but it got hard to obtain and it smelled like pure alcohol anyway so I experimented with denatured alcohol and it worked. Used it ever since with excellent results (reduction in dust especially in the poly-urethane finishes.
 
That's a good tip with the Citation. Don't get me wrong, I have one and use piss out of it, but the constant air bipass can stir up some dust. Put an air shut-off valve on the air line near the gun, so you can turn the gun off while you get out of the booth to turn the turbine off.
SB
 
My Graco came with the air valve on the end of the hose. I put the front panel in the booth so I can turn it on and off without opening the door.
 
Be sure to electricly ground all equipment and airframe parts prior to spraying. We here in Ak have really dry air in the winter and as you know lots of static E.pak
 
Finished the paint booth today. I did notice alot of static electricity. I can see dirt sticking to it. It is 16 foot wide by 29 foot long, I am hoping size/distance will help keep some of the static away from the surfaces to be sprayed.I will try the alcohol and the shut off valve.
The good news is in order to spray I will put my airplane on skis and out of the hangar, which means I will have to get out and do some ski flying!
 
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