High-volume, low-pressure paint sprayers provide a superior paint finish, and reduce time and labor for a painting project. The small and portable design of an HVLP paint sprayer makes it easy to work with and the design of the spray gun eliminates excess over-spray. The reduced over-spray saves paint and material expense. The spray functions for HVLP paint sprayers allow you to control the spray pattern and the pressure for more control. You can use both latex and oil-based coatings in an HVLP paint sprayer to spray most house paints, stains and clear finishes.
Instructions
1. Apply thinner to the material you're spraying. Read the label on the paint can and refer to your paint sprayer's instructions manual for the recommended amounts of thinner. Most HVLP paint sprayers require thinning of paint materials to avoid clogging. If you have a small HVLP paint sprayer, it may require more thinner if you're using oil paint. Add the recommended amount of paint thinner to oil-based paint and add water to latex paint if necessary. Stir the material thoroughly with a paint stir stick.
2. Attach the spray gun hose to the air compressor. Set the air pressure regulator on the spray gun to the recommended amount of 22 PSI. Adjust the pressure by turning the air pressure regulator knob clockwise. For a faster and more powerful flow of material, set the air pressure regulator to a higher PSI setting. To avoid excess over-spray, maintain a lower setting of around 22 PSI.
3. Plug in your air compressor and set it to the appropriate PSI setting. Read your paint sprayer's instruction manual for the recommended amount of PSI coming into the spray gun from the air compressor. If you don't have instructions, set your air compressor to 50 PSI. A compressor set for more than 50 PSI can damage the air pressure regulator on the spray gun.
4. Remove the lid on the cup of your HVLP paint sprayer. Pour the material from the paint can or bucket into the HVLP paint sprayer cup. Carefully add the material so it does not overflow or overfill. Properly thin the material before adding it to the spray gun cup. Place the lid back onto the paint sprayer cup.
5. Adjust the material flow by using the material volume knob located on the top of the spray gun near the back of the gun. Turn the knob clockwise to limit the amount of paint flowing from the cup into the spray gun. Use a lower material setting to save time and achieve a finer finish. Adjust the material volume to a higher setting if you're painting a larger area.
6. Set the air volume to the desired amount by turning the air volume knob, located near the bottom of the spray gun. Turn the knob completely clockwise to shut off the air flow. Avoid paint drips and over-spray by setting the air volume to a lower setting. Spray some paint on a piece of cardboard and make adjustments to get the best results.
7. Adjust the fan width knob next to the spray gun trigger to produce a smaller or wider spray width. Turn the knob clockwise to create a narrow fan width and turn it the opposite direction for a wider fan. Choose a small fan width if you're spraying smaller areas such as baseboards and molding. In addition to the fan width knob, use the spray cap on the front of the gun to change the fan width to either a horizontal or vertical fan.
8. Turn on the compressor and begin spraying. Maintain a distance of at least 12 inches between the HVLP paint sprayer and the wall. If you're spraying too close, the paint will become to thick and begin dripping. Spray the surface in a steady motion from one side to the other, without stopping in the middle. Overlap your spray pattern to achieve uniform paint coverage. For a lighter coat of paint, spray in a faster motion and move the sprayer in a slower motion for a thicker coat of paint.
9. Pour the leftover paint from the spray gun cup back into the paint can and pour paint thinner into the cup. Clean the HVLP paint sprayer by spraying mineral spirits or paint thinner through it. Dismantle the spray gun for cleaning. Remove the air cap and submerge it in mineral spirits or paint thinner. Remove the spray nozzle and clean the fluid needle located inside. Remove the spray cup and pour paint thinner into the hole where it connects. Wipe off all of the parts with a rag and reassemble the parts.
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