Turbine System purchase

Pono

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After some significant deliberation I have decided to take the plunge and purchase a turbine system. I plan on spraying either Cardinal brand Nitro Lacquer or the KTM9 water based finish that LMI sells. I am looking at the Accuspray model 10g gun and the model 23 turbine system (this is a 3 stage system) and the Fuji Q4 gold turbine (a 4 stage system) and the Fuji gun that is also a gravity feed gun. The prices of the two systems are similar so I wanted to see if anyone had any strong opinions on either system. From what I have read the Accuspray system is the industry standard but the Fuji is a 4 stage and the Fuji gun looks like it might be useful because the paint cannister rotates to almost any angle so that you can spray in almost any direction and still keep the cannister upright. In a previous thread recommended a #61 fluid tip for the Accuspray which is a 1.5mm tip. Anyone else using this size tip. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Attached are a couple of photos of the ukes that I have been working on with my dad. Not finished yet but I am excited to see how they look when they are finished.
 

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More stages mean more power. I had a three stage before I bought the Q4. It does what I expect it to very well. Use the smallest tip available and thin your material. Proper mix is probably at least as important as your equipment.
Good looking ukes BTW.
 
the graco 4900 is also an option. I own an Accuspray model 10 gun, (noit a turbine gun but still hvlp, great lacquer gun!) and a graco 4900 system. I would say buy whichever feels like the best quality. In many locations it may be easier to get parts for the graco system. Fuji is probably great gear, but I believe they are not as ubiquitious in the finishing world until more recently.

Many lacquers lay out better, and are friendlier with a little thinning, I use acetone to thin most often, acetoine is a non-polar solvent, meaning it does not chemically interact. Not all lacquer thinners are created equal, lacquer thinner is cheaper than acetone, I feel not as goosd in most cases, unless you are using a specific brand of lacquer thinner to match your lacquer. Automotive reducers are a whole different story though, I always use the recommended reducers, matched to the temperature I am spraying in.
 
Beautiful Instruments. Hope you don't plan on branding them with your user name. That one's already taken! LOL
 
Thanks.

Thanks. No branding under the name Pono. My dad gave ma a nice Koa cutaway Pono a couple of years ago and I needed a screen name so I picked that one. They will be branded under the name Bearfoot Ukuleles. I don't have the website up an running yet just a domain name but I will have it set up pretty soon so I will send a link when I get it up and running.
 
Chuck,

It looks like the smallest needle size that I saw for the model 10 was a 0.5mm will that be too small?

Thanks
 
yes, too small. My preferred tip is 0.42 , or thereabouts, which translates to about 1.06mm
 
the 0.5mm tip would be good for spraying dyes
 
I don't see the advantages of a turbine system over an HVLP gravity feed cup conversion gun running on shop air. For the dough, I think you'd be better off going to a pressure pot system if you want to spend money burning a hole in your pocket.

We use SATA guns (which have gotten way too expensive, but we have them...) with the 3M PPP system with disposable cup liners. It's fantastic for everything from stains to nitro to pretty viscous polyester sealers.
 
+1 on that.. with the deciding factor being on the logistics of the air compressor. If you have a decent air compressor, you do not need the turbine at all, no benefit, and the turbine hose is not as comfy as the more flexible air hose (means less liklyhood of the hose catching on something and causing a run/ holiday) You will need a decent air line filter for the air system, or at least the disposable gun filters that cost about $10.

and +1 on the pressure pot. I have about 5 of them, including 2- 2qt pots. Pressure pot means even less weight at the gun, and more control over the spray pattern. With a 2qt pot, ypou can prep all of your lacquer for an instrument, spray, come back the next day, and finish the spraying. Almost never do I complete a lacquer job in one day, I like to let the first coat/s, cure overnight, then finish the next day. The lacquer does not settle in as much if this is done.
 
Even with filters I was getting contamination from my compressed air system, either from water or oil. All of that stopped when I switched to the HVLP. I could've probably tweaked the system to make it work for me but the idea of a small compact system like the Fuji Q4 was hard for me to resist. I still use the compressed air sprayer if I need to do a sunburst or shoot some colored lacquer on a neck because you can't beat it for fine atomization. Being on solar power, one of the big considerations for me was in eliminating the air compressor which is the biggest energy hog I have in the shop.
Mind you, it's awfully humid in Hawaii. Although I have a dehumidifier in my spray booth, my spraying equipment is located in the "dirty room".
 
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The lacquer does not settle in as much if this is done.

If your prep work is done properly you can squirt as many coats of lacquer on as you like, there's nothing for the lacquer to settle in to. Before I shoot my first coat of lacquer, the surface is as smooth as glass, requiring fewer coats and less waiting time. Of course, you spend a lot more time in preparing the surface beforehand.
 
For some serious nitro spraying, you can go to a hot lacquer system. Heating the lacquer thins it for spraying, and you can cut the number of coats by close to 50% as you're spraying a much higher concentration of solids. But this is really a production spraying trick.

BTW, with the pressure pot systems, you don't need to clean the gun every time you finish up.
 
Contamination has really never been an issue for me. I use gun filters as backup, but, really, in addition to a finish specific line conditioner (mine is made by Sharpe) a great first line of defense against moisture in the lines is a vertical, oversize standpipe right off of the compressor, with a 1/4 turn dran valve beneath the point where the compressor feed enters the line. I have never seen moisture beyond the first drain. The slowing down of the air entering the larger diameter of METAL pipe (to aid in condensation of airborne moisture) catches almost everything. Then, every line is meatl, and sloped with drains. For a less intensive system, not shop plumbed air, just the line conditioner works well. Of course, either dedicated hoses need to be used, or the hoses for the finishing need to always be fronted by the line conditioner.

Oh yeah, I forgot about lacquer over epoxy, that is a new one to me. Lacquer over wood shrinks, lacquer over epoxy holds the shape of the epoxy, with good prep, like glass, perfectly flat.
 
Thanks for the reply. The compressor that we have does not have enough CFM's so we would need to get a different holding tank or a new compressor and an inline filter. It just seemed like the turbine system would be a better way to go. I will go back and look at the compressor options and pressure pot options with the compressor set up as well. Have not looked at the SATA guns yet. I will definitely take a look at the 3M PPP system. I remember that you mentioned that last post that I put up about the Earlex system that I decided not to purchase.
 
If you have air, and do not have a buffing jack, air will run mini polishers that are really cool, and would work quite well for polishing uke finishes. As well, air just is all around good. Unless you live off the grid...
 
Chuck, I can easily see why the turbine is right for you with your power situation. We went the big compressor route, and we use air powered random orbital sanders. We use a large dessicant air drier after a really good moisture trap/filter, and it's great.
 
Chuck, I can easily see why the turbine is right for you with your power situation. We went the big compressor route, and we use air powered random orbital sanders. We use a large dessicant air drier after a really good moisture trap/filter, and it's great.

Yep, I'd go that route too if I lived in the real world. I envy my builder friends who have air powered sanders and rotary tools. I even have to watch it with my dust extractor and therefore my shop is dustier than it should be. I'd love to have a down draft table. Maybe it's time to move.
(Then again, I don't envy their $300 to $400 a month power bills......)
 
I bought a Festool electric 5" sander 5 years ago, loved it for a little over a year, then bought a Hutchins pneumatic sander. The Festool has not been used since. Bought another Hutchins 6" DA. And the mini polishers for sanding detail work. Pneumatic tools rule. The Festool dust extractor works with the DAs, and a downdraft table catches the rest. No more sanding with a respirator, and lots less dust in the shop.
 
I bought a Festool electric 5" sander 5 years ago, loved it for a little over a year, then bought a Hutchins pneumatic sander. The Festool has not been used since. Bought another Hutchins 6" DA. And the mini polishers for sanding detail work. Pneumatic tools rule. The Festool dust extractor works with the DAs, and a downdraft table catches the rest. No more sanding with a respirator, and lots less dust in the shop.

Oh you guys will all your fancy electrical power! You're just bragging now. Next you'll be telling me you got running water right up next to the house!
 
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