Thanks for posting the pictures and describing your process. Amazing looking boards!
Remind me never to set my ugly duckling board next to yours on the beach. I think the contrast in beauty would cause a worm hole to open up, ripping open the fabric of space-time, and then we would all be destroyed.
Sweid,
I remember the biggest compliment was** not **getting a compliment on a board…I mean like if some one asks you “Hey,…buddy, err…did you make that board” then you know it must look like crap. If someone asks you “Where did you get that board”…then you might have moved on to the next level…and worm hole adverted.
So true!!!
There didnt seem to be much interest, but i figure there has to be somebody interested into getting into this type of project. Im just getting into this and heres a little guide for others looking into getting into spraying as promised.
Autobody Shops use very large multi stage high end compressors that put out 30SCFM
My compressor puts out 4SCFM at 90psi, and about 5.5SCFM at 40psi with a small 8 gallon tank, and i can spray all day long.
On my search for paint guns, (Thanks a bunch Tom!) I had to stay within my compressors capabilities. I stumbled upon this website http://www.spraygunworld.com/Information2/LOWCFM/lowcfm.html and they had a great selection of guns too choose from even ones at the 100$ price point. This is where i learned about LVLP vs HVLP and Mini Spray guns.
LVLP = Low Volume (SCFM) Low Pressure (psi) | HVLP = High Volume, Low Pressure. A HVLP gun uses more (much more) CFM of air, and therefore faster shooting and better atomization. An LVLP gun uses Lower ,around 4-5 cfm, of air and will work slower, but in my opinion atomizes material just as well as an expensive HVLP gun if set up right. However my painting skill is new-novice. If youre more experienced a better gun maybe is for you. Like this one maybe http://www.spraygunworld.com/products/Asturo/R%20Series/Asturo%20R%20Series%20Auto.html or this http://www.spraygunworld.com/products/Asturo/ECOSX/Asturo%20ECOSX%20K1%20Spraygun.html While i was in my sailing schools shop, I was allowed to test out some of their spray guns. These included an Iwata Supernova (800$), SATAjet 4000 (500-600$) and a few Binks model guns. All of good quality and well taken care of. The gun i purchased for 125$ does not atomize material as well as these guns do, or shoot as quickly, or have as many features. However for just spraying surfboards and small projects, it sprays plenty fast for me, and atomizes material just fine. Well enough to leave a great finish that passed my picky standards about paint and gloss. If you have the compressor to suit a HVLP gun (consumes 10SCFM @ 40psi) then i was told to try out a Devilbiss spray guns, or Binks (also owned by Devilbiss but manufactured the same way they always have been) Also, the harbour freight guns have come recomended, as well as the 3M Versa-Spray gun Resinhead uses. I would check them both out of your compressor has the muscle.
I ended up picking up an R500 LVLP spray gun kit by Asturo. It comes with a 1.3,1.5,and 1.7mm kit. This way i can spray other thicker or thinner materials through my gun as well as clear coats and paint. it cost me 125$ and im very satisfied with how it came to me. It includes a regulator and a few small brushes for cleaning as well.
Before you can spray anything, you need to have a clean and regulated air supply to your gun. Clean air ensures a clean finish, and the regulator not only allows your spray gun to operate at its intended psi, but you as the user can dial in spray patterns and atomization. A good regulator can be had for not too expensive, maybe 50$ at the max. I purchased mine through a tool store near my home. Cost me about 30$. Air filters are much more complex. Anything under the sun is possible here. Ive seen guys make their own out of condensers from AC units, heated ones from 3M, multi-stage units, you can go crazy with this. In the autobody shops i have seen or visited, they have everything mounted on the wall outside the booth. In most cases it was a two stage unit, with two long tubes attached to the bottom with a regulator built in. I specifically asked what do you think i could get away with for a filter system in a local autobody shop, and they told me a smaller single unit will work with my compressor just fine for what I am doing. However it will not work as well as a professional filter or dryer unit. The one i have is a Homedepot bought filter. Not the best but it does its job. The real problem arises after you add a long hose of some sort. Water condenses in the hose and there is no filter in the hose to stop this from entering your gun and thus your work, so what i was recommended to try out was an inline water filter attached to the bottom of my gun. After a little searching i found one, albeit a little expensive, but i believe worth it, model priced at around 45$. It’s always bolted onto the bottom of my gun and after just some playing around with spraying water and some thinned latex paint, it was getting a good amount of water in it. I’m very happy with it.
As for hoses and fittings for all this, I have a small portable unit. So having installed permanent airlines is out of the question. However, if you are looking into permanent airlines, look for PEX waterpiping. Its rated for 200 or so psi and can be had for cheap at Lowes, Home Depot. Lots of people pipe their shop using this. Fittings and hoses is really all up to you how you want to mount it all up. My filter and regulator are both located on my compressor with 3/8” NPT fittings, with a quick disconnect on the end. For the PEX crowd, check this video out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lod9Y2z2uWU
Ill add the pictures of my setup on the bottom in case anybody is interested.
I hope this helps anybody looking into this process. As always add onto this post edit this post as you will. Id like to leave it open as a resource for somebody looking to jump into this as I did.
Angus-
Great review hippo
Will the 2-part automotive finish adhere to small shiny spots on the hotcoat, or will it not stick like resin? Sanding my hotcoat now, and just have some random small shinies(less than 1’8" here and there). I’m trying to clean them up before I have the board sprayed, but was just curious. Thanks.
Yep thx hippo. Good stuff.
Make sure they are sanded and not shiney…then it will stick.
Why did you have shiney spots? contamination?
Hope peope dont mind me asking a question on this thread.
Does this stuff hide the weave sand through on the laps like profinish does?
I have picked up a smallish compressor and I’m all over this idea now. Now off to make a newhot wire frame and hopefully cut out a blanks and glue in a stringer.
Sk8man,
yes it will fill the weave as long as it is not a dry weave and it is sanded to 220-320, I like to think of it as a very thin gloss coat. The surface needs to be just about perfect…meaning you can not have any bumps or fish eyes etc, it will not fill up that stuff. So have the surface flat and ready, the 2 pack will make everything shiny and new…
More…dry weave meaning: tons of air pins or open voids…It will not fill this. It will fill a weave that is flooded properly but has been exposed by sanding.
But if you are laminating & hot coating properly you shouldnt have any air pins etc.
I have heard a lot of horror stories regarding the toxic nasties in the 2k laquer, is there a less hazardous alternative that offers similar levels of protection?
I was just checking out System Three Paints, They have a new 2 part acrylic marine finish that is water based. Clean up should be pretty easy. On thier web page they offer 4oz samples. I’m getting a couple of colores to tri out. Much of the auto industry has moved to water based paint as it eliminates alot of VOCs. That saves the auto industry a ton of money on airfilter systems and worker compensation
Just in case you happen to read this resin head your pin lines are killer great work on everything.
This was interesting and informative even in a re-read. And I too dig the pin lines. Nice work. There is one thing that confuses the heck out of my meathead. What is that cryptic symbol mentioned dozens of times in the thread mean? Can someone please explain what the devil is a three em? Whoozits? Whatzits? 3M??? Is it new math?
Minnesota mining and mineral
Mark, the last M was for Manufacturing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3M
I think Tblank is just giving us the whoozits-whatfors.
Be on the look out for new tapes by Indasa.
Okay so…Where in the devil do you surf in Minnesota? I heard it was land of many lakes but sheesh.
Gichigami sank the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Never been, but I believe Thunder Bay is an area in Ontario just north of the MN border – always wondered why the indians called the place “Thunder.”
Canada?? Canadians don’t surf. Hah! Relax…just yankin’ ankles.
