What Type of Spray Gun System to Upgrade To?

[Kbore]

I've Finished 1 guitar and 3/4 way through the second. I will be building a third.

I'm using a cheap StewMac "HVLP" gun today. I want a better spray setup. The StewJack wastes too much lacquer (overspray) and the 3" fan it produces at 32PSI is difficult to overlap and requires a lot of passes. My compressor in the "shop" is a Makita MAC700 Big Bore 2.0 HP 3.8cfm @ 40 PSI: It works fine with the SM gun @ 35PSI inlet pressure, if I let it recover between top and bottom and sides. Its the gun that is not fun to use. I'm NOT buying a new air compressor, I have a bigger one upstairs in the garage, I cant use in the basement shop.

I'm trying to decide whether to buy a Fuji SEMI-PRO 2 STAGE TURBINe ($500 ish) or Qualspray Gun ($350 ish), both from Homestead Finishing https://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/ ... uji-spray/.

I'm using Behlen/ Mohawk stringed Inst Lacquer. May switch to Water Based if I cant stop building these...

I'm asking for opinions between which gun to switch to; Fuji HVLP (real HVLP) or one of the guns Jeff Jewett sells , on my little compressor. I've almost answered my question given that I wont buy another compressor, teh small compressor is working for me. Its the cheap guns killing my spray mojo. I have cheap guns because they are rated at lower CFM. I'm looking at pancake guns, or a real HVLP System, not a SATA, which I'm just shy of the cfm to operate it. My budget is $500 max. Thanks for reading this far.....wishing I had something ordered already. Now, after reading this, I'm leaning to the Fuji SEMI-PRO 2 STAGE TURBINE, and I don't need to buy yet another compressor..... Comments?

[bftobin]

I don't use a compressor for anything, so I bought a 4 stage Fuji a few years back.
One of the best investments I've made for the shop.
Just make sure you get the proper needle for what you're spraying.

Brent

[tippie53]

I love my fuji turbine and use a 1.0 needle
perfection

[Diane Kauffmds]

Thank you for the needle size info. I wasn't completely sure about the needle.

[Stray Feathers]

I have very little experience here, but have wanted a Fuji system, and was able to get a used Fuji Mini Mite 3 from a friend. I am partway through my first job with it and wouldn't consider experimenting with anything else. I have to say, though, it makes a big difference to have input from experienced people using similar equipment. There may be other good equipment out there, but it saves a lot of time if you can lean on the experience of others. And I took John's advice and bought a 1 mm needle, and thin the mix. I'll send photos when I get further along.
Bruce W.

[tippie53]

stray
call me I have learned a bit on nitro

[Kbore]

I love my fuji turbine and use a 1.0 needle
perfection

John, what model are you using? The Two Stage SemiPro 2 is within my budget....

[tippie53]

semi pro 2
I did get the 1.0 needle I like that better than the 1.2

[John S]

Hi John,

What nitro are you spraying, and how much do you need to thin it when using the 1.0 needle?