DeTomaso Mailing List: May 99, Message #118

Thomas,
  I recommend HVLP. I have both kinds; an inexpensive ($200) turbine
system, and a DeVilbiss Finishline gravity HVLP gun. The turbine is great
around the house (especially indoors: you can spray doorjambs with almost
no masking/drop cloths etc.) but marginal for auto use (they say not to use
it, but I did anyway). The compressor/gun combo is much more versatile. The
touchup gun is a good suggestion (hvlp or regular) you can get in small
places or spray whole panels and they're only $20 - $50 for a decent one.
The virtues of HVLP are many: almost double the coverage (~85% of the paint
on the car vs <50% - saves lots of money), lower over spray (important in
your garage and less masking required, better for the environment and your
health. Only downside is slightly less smooth finish. If you are color
sanding, this is not a problem, you just sand a little more.

Get a 5 hp compressor min - the cost isn't that much more and you can use
it with real air tools. Also a good water/oil trap. If you plan (or start
doing) any serious work, any small compressor will start spitting water if
run semi continuously - the tank air just gets too hot and then carries
lots of water which condenses in the paint! The solution is some kind of
cooling: 20 to 40 ft of copper pipe, a coil in a can of water, or my
favorite - a Pantera A/C condenser with a fan (it works great!). Best place
to do this cooling is between the compressor and the tank, but that's not
always possible. Put a water trap after it. My setup went from blowing
water everywhere (at 60 to 80% rel humidity) to making air with 1/2 the
relative humidity (and NO water out).

Finally, there is a great website for learning painters
www.autobodystore.com. Len Stuart runs it. He sells some stuff, has a good
video (painting 101). The best part is the bulletin board (go to the
classroom, then discussion, then the new spray painting 101.bbs).
Everything is discussed there and no question (it seems) is too dumb.