Which airless spray outfit?

Hi there, I am painting furniture and all my interior doors ( 20 off including the 5 b.i robe doors) using water based enamels and acrylics, and have read your comments that these are best managed with airless spray gun outfit, especially if I want to retain a good gloss finish.

Can anyone recommend a good airless spray outfit for this type of application, and any accessories I should get?

Is this also suited to spraying Danish oil or polyurethane or lacquer to go on stained timber bookshelves that I am making?

Hi Jill,
The first name that comes to mind of course is Wagner for probably the best airless spray painting machines. Trouble is a Wagner is not a cheap machine and can run into a few thousand dollars for the commercial type machine that I used when working. (Roof restoration and painting) You can buy "no name" machines much cheaper and for the hobbyist would probably be okay although I didn't have much success with the "no name" water blaster machine that I had. Nevertheless, if you are only wanting to use an airless spray for one job then you could hire the equipment.

You could try one of the electric spray guns that claim to spray plastic and acrylic paints but most guys I know who have used them are not overly excited about the results. One thing for sure, the cheap $39 electric gun sold in Bunnings at the moment would not be satisfactory. Maybe one of the more expensive ones may do the job you want to use it for. There is a selection of these electric guns in Bunnings but read the details of usage on the box and ask the salesman if it will do your job. If the salesman tells you it will and eventually you find that when you use the gun, it is useless, then you have a right to return the gun for a refund if it wont do what the salesman told you it would. More importantly, if it states on the box it will spray acrylics and plastic paints and it wont, then you have the right to a refund. A product must do what it says it will do in the advertising literature or on its packaging.

I am sure you will get some more advice on this matter from some of the guys who are using the smaller airless spray units and will be able to tell you if they would be suitable for what you need.

I would imagine the Wagner Airless 115 would probably suit your needs if you are doing regular small jobs. It sells for around $700-$750 depending where you buy it from.
This company has them for around $719 There is a demonstration of the 115 on the site.

Thanks John, but the Wagner 115 is way out of my price range.

But I would like to hear from anyone with experience with the smaller Wagner airless guns, say up to $200 range that you get from Bunnies.

Can you change the spray pattern with these Wagner units ie vertical, horizontal or small circular pattern for doing edges?I ahve looked at their manual, and couldn't find anything on it

What is the difference between the 180P and the 450SE unit ( bar the $150 price difference)

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has used these units for enamel and water based paints

I was just about to post the following: -
"We just had a painter do the outside of the house and when we were discussing my wood working projects, he suggested that I have a look at the Wagner W640 HVLP Finespray Kit. I haven't done so yet, but he suggested that it was easy to clean, got more paint on the project and would be easier to use. Also about $200 with the option of buying additional paint pots for $20 - $30 for quick changes between finishes. "

Then I checked the MELSPRAY weblite link in Munruben's post and found the following: -

HVLP - work best with light bodied paints, stains and enamels. Although they can spray water based paints they are not recommended for this purpose unless the paint is reasonably thin. Airless cup guns are more suited for spraying un-thinned water base paints.

There is also a guide to recommended spray units for various applications.

Airless paint sprayers.
'Airless' means that no air from a compressor is used to create the spray pattern or paint stream that is emitted from the nozzle of a spray gun. Instead purpose designed high pressure pumps are used to force the paint out of a very small spray tip.

Air Spray Guns.
As the name suggests, these paint sprayers use air from a compressor to atomize the paint and create the spray pattern.

HVLP spray guns and sprayers.
HVLP stands for 'High Volume Low Pressure'. This type of paint spray equipment uses a high volume of air delivered at a low pressure to purpose designed guns to create the spray pattern.

If you are interested in spray painting furniture or projects I would recommend that you have a look at the following links - which I found very helpful:
Airless spraying
HVLP Spraying
Wagner Australia Spraytech

Spray finishing ... another new adventure. Wagner video

Now ... where to buy?

Chris B.

Hi Jill,

Have a look here for the Wagner Interactive demo - shows changing the spray pattern on one of their units.

Re: prices: Sydney Tools have the HVLP Finesprayers (plus freight)

• Wagner W550 Fine Sprayer for $129
• Wagner W640 Fine Sprayer for $169
• Wagner W660 Fine Sprayer for $199
• Wagner W860E Fine Sprayer for $349

and the airless sprayers (plus freight)

• Wagner W140P Power Sprayer for $105
• Wagner W180P Power Sprayer for $135
• Wagner W180P Set Power Sprayer for $159
• Wagner W450SE Power Sprayer for $295

Chris B

why airless, I have used an eager beaver spray unit for years inside and out, I think they retail around the $199 and spray almost anything, CIG make them as well I think? a very good machine

Many thanks fdor this valuable information, Chris, it is terrific.
I have an Earlex HVLP starter unit from Carbatec, but I have found it not very good working with water based enamel or acrylics - you can't get a free flowing spray to lay down on the work - it comes out quite blotchy and uneven, even though I have used Floetrol and water to improve the viscosity. Perhaps the turbine pressures are inadequate, as in the more expensive models.

I have previously read munruben's comment about how he has found the best way is to use airless for waterbased paints, so hence this thread. I am about to use glossy paint finish, and I did not want to lose gloss that by diluting the paint.

My reading into the airless sprayguns is that it still needs to be diluted if the paint is too viscous :(

The Airless Spraying link you gave is excellent. Thanks for that.

I am not sure if the Wagner Power Sprayers are truly airless like the Airless 115 paint sprayer that munruben used.

I am now wondering whether I will get a better finish with one of the Power Sprayers than with my Earlex HVLP unit when using glossy water based enamel. I don't really want to rush in to this and pick the wrong unit, as they are not cheap.

Thanks again for all your help