Spray Painting

[sinjams]

I have a small air compressor and I want to spray paint my projects rather that brush them so I will have no brush marks.
The compressor is a 2hp with an 8 gal tank.
I have a spray gun with a 1.5 and a 1.0 nozel.(HVLP)
My problem is that I know nothing about spray painting.
Now the question is how thin must the paint be to flow throught each of the nozzels. What would be the best air pressure to use should it be low pressure or high pressure.

Currently I am running the compressor at about 40lb and am thining the paint(water based high gloss) at about 50% but the finish is not as smooth as I would like or think it should be.

Can anyone help me or direct me to somewhere to get the information.

[LCHIEN]

I have a small air compressor and I want to spray paint my projects rather that brush them so I will have no brush marks.
The compressor is a 2hp with an 8 gal tank.
I have a spray gun with a 1.5 and a 1.0 nozel.(HVLP)
My problem is that I know nothing about spray painting.
Now the question is how thin must the paint be to flow throught each of the nozzels. What would be the best air pressure to use should it be low pressure or high pressure.

Currently I am running the compressor at about 40lb and am thining the paint(water based high gloss) at about 50% but the finish is not as smooth as I would like or think it should be.

Can anyone help me or direct me to somewhere to get the information.

I don't know much about spray painting firsthand, but I've always heard that those 2HP small tank compressors don't have enough CFM to run an HVLP sprayer. Is the compressor running all the time when you spray? And a while after you finish? That would be an indication it did not have sufficient volume and the pressure was falling off.

Who's the manufacturer and whats the model nos. of the compressor and the Spray gun?
did you look them up and see what the volume capacity and coulme requirement or suggestion and at what PSI was for both of them?

[sbd1]

I would try not thinning it so much(25%) and running it through a medium paint strainer. Use the 1.5 nozzle.

[paintandbodtman]

H-high V-volume L-low P-pressure with the size compressor you have you need to use a 3/8 hose as short as possible to minimize demand for surplus air, the gun you have uses low air pressure at the gun, usually 10 lbs max at the gun.
you need to use a filter at the gun to minimize moisture and oil contamination from useing such a short hose,all these will help but as loring pointed out you still may not get suffiecent volume of air to atomize the paint properly with the size compressor you have. All the items above are needed any how so worth the try.

Wayne

[newood2]

Do a search on the forum you'll find lots of information on HVLP spray guns.

Howie