Getting started with nitro HVLP - questions

PeteC · July 2023

Hi Folks
just looking for a bit of advice on materials / thinning / cleanup when nitro spraying

So, after 9 builds so far finishing mostly with either oil slurry or french polish i now have my Fuji HVLP set up and plenty of 3m PPS cups

I dont have a spraybooth and probably wont be able to build one in the workshop but am keen to spray nitro “semi-outdoors” on good weather days
Or in the garage entrance with the doors wide open

Deapite much searching i havent really been able to find much info about quantities and in particular cleanup materials and routines when using nitro

theres a ton of stuff about how volatile nitro is, and precautions about lighting etc but I could do with advice
on typical spraying and cleanup using sprayguns. Apart from the lacquer itself what other materials will I need ?

Any advice (specific or general ) is really welcome.

Cheers
pete

Corvus · August 2023

Hi Pete,
Gunwash thinners (cheapish thinners thats been recycled usually), I use stainless bowls to swill parts in, kitchen towels, brushes - you can get cheap gun cleaning kits.
Separate kit for metallics & solids/clear, ideally a separate gun too.

When you start off you'll be using fresh clean gunwash but when a thinners gallon can gets empty I put the cleanish used thinners into there, via funnel & filter. Use this for the first swill & clean in future. Again one of each for solid/clear and metallics.

If first wash is too coloured I'd bin that, but the next go should be save-able.
Saves burning through loads of fresh gunwash.

Use fresh clean thinners for final blow-through the gun.

I take a gun apart after every session, couple are 20 yrs old and still look pretty nice & newish. Not stripping right down isn't worth the risk for the 5 mins it takes to clean, to me. Like a tiny bit of red in the gun will show in a white job, that type of thing

PeteC · August 2023

Thanks @Corvus Thats just the sort of info I am looking for.

PeteC · August 2023

Any brands or sources for nitro and thinners/cleaners that you/anyone can recommend ?

just been searching and there seems to be loads of relatively cheap gunwash but I wondered hiw good this would be for thinning my nitro

i saw @WezV recent post that mentioned Morrels 280 pre cat in his latest build thread - so i was thinking of buying some of that first.

My current builds will have leather dye stained tops so I was planning several clear coats after grain fill, stain and sanding back

WezV · August 2023

Nitorlack. Behlen and Fiddes instrument lacquer are the others I have used regularly, as well as the morrels 250.

I will probably stick with the nitorlack for relic stuff and morrels 250/280 for the rest. Can't seem to order fiddes or behlen anymore.

Given your environment, get some anti bloom thinners. Some decent thinners for mixing, and the gun wash for cleaning.

Best to test that leather dye under finish too.

Corvus · August 2023

For gunwash I buy on price, it's no good for painting with. I like Churchil top gloss thinners for it's lack of acetone (if I read the data sheet right). Anything labelled top gloss, anti bloom, top coat thinners is for painting (basically 'not gunwash' I guess).
It's a lot cheaper to get 20 or 25 litres of gunwash but I don't like having that much in one container. Possibly slightly silly given the amount of paint & solvents here, but..

Celly lacquer is mostly from Autopaints Brighton, among others - I'm not really fussed. Some arrives nearly clear, some is brownish like old school lacquer. Each has it's use. I have a few tins of old-school formula for aged stuff.

If it's a spirit leather dye a test won't hurt but but I reckon it'll be fine like any other spirit dye/stain/tinter will, no idea about oil ones though. But then PRS do use oil, spirit and water all on the same guitar - probably a case of leaving the oil dye a good while to set up well.

PeteC · August 2023

Great. Thanks @WezV and @Corvus ;

much appreciated

GoldenEraGuitars · August 2023

PeteC said:

Hi Folks
just looking for a bit of advice on materials / thinning / cleanup when nitro spraying

So, after 9 builds so far finishing mostly with either oil slurry or french polish i now have my Fuji HVLP set up and plenty of 3m PPS cups

I dont have a spraybooth and probably wont be able to build one in the workshop but am keen to spray nitro “semi-outdoors” on good weather days
Or in the garage entrance with the doors wide open

Deapite much searching i havent really been able to find much info about quantities and in particular cleanup materials and routines when using nitro

theres a ton of stuff about how volatile nitro is, and precautions about lighting etc but I could do with advice
on typical spraying and cleanup using sprayguns. Apart from the lacquer itself what other materials will I need ?

Any advice (specific or general ) is really welcome.

Cheers
pete

The one thing I’m drawn to here is the lack of a proper booth/using HVLP to spray.

You will be moving a lot of air with an HVLP system. Throw in some chemicals, neighbours, outdoor spraying etc and you’ll end up with other issues.

If you are in a built up area the noise from the compressor alone will annoy people let alone the overspray.

Obviously, if you’re not in a built up area disregard what I’ve just said.

PeteC · August 2023

I’m in a rural area with plenty of space between the houses so no real problem there luckily

WezV · August 2023

I'm in a row of terraces spraying from the workshop at the bottom of the garden. Thankfully my neighbors run a much noisier workshop

I would also say to consider where to leave things drying/curing if the spraying environment isn't perfect.

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