Customer Reviews
professional results 
2007-09-04
I use this sprayer for applying varnishes to furniture. Before, I was making my furniture and either hand-varnishing it or taking it to a professional to spray it with their expensive rig. Hand varnishing is time-consuming, particularly when you are doing a chair with a lot of slats or some other job with a lot of fine detail.
So, for less than $100, this thing does everything that I was paying the professional for. Those chairs that would take me hours now only take 5-10 minutes. I've used it for tabletops too.
Expect a little learning curve. It helps to practice on something that you might screw up and have to re-do at first. You have to get a feel for the right volume setting; best to start out on the low side and turn it up slowly. Getting an even coat takes some practice, though it's never a total loss, just might have to do a re-coat. What I have learned using this tool: 1)Don't try to put on a thick coat. Go for two thin coats; this avoids runs. 2) Use a mask. 3) Thin your varnish appropriately. If it's not well-thinned, it can create a real mess. 4) Spray an area completely before moving on. Be cautious about coming back to "touch up", particularly if the varnish has already set. 5) Keep your equipment COMPLETELY clean. It's not hard to clean, but if you leave a little varnish in it, you may end up with a lump splattering out on your next job, or a clogged nozzle. 6) When cleaning, do NOT leave the parts to soak in paint thinner. Some of the plastic parts will swell over time, and won't fit properly if you do this (which I found out the hard way). Ten minutes soaking won't ruin anything but a few days will have an effect. 7) Work in a well-lit area. This essential to getting an even coat.
You also need to put in some thought as to where you are going to use this. My pro varnisher has his own ventilated varnishing room. Remember, this thing is putting out a mist. You can't just whip out a piece in your living room and spray it. You need to work in an area where you won't mind a little mist sticking around, like your garage perhaps. And you don't need bugs flying onto your wet varnish either. Therefore, you don't want to use it out on your front lawn, unless you can screen in an area away from the bugs and wind. I use a Coleman Geodome enclosure on my driveway, and hang a mosquito net around the openings. Works for me.
One other important thing: use it ONLY with varnishes that have specific instructions for sprayers. My first experience was using this with a fast-drying floor varnish that was meant to be applied with a brush or mop. The end result was that as it blew out of this sprayer, it got mixed with the air and dried before it could level, creating a mess for me to sand off. I've had exceptional success using this sprayer on two-part epoxy varnishes which are meant to be sprayed on.
Those caveats in mind, this little baby is capable of very professional results, much better than brushing. It's a real time-saver too. Hey, you are going to have a learning curve with ANY fine varnish sprayer, but in my opinion, it's worth it in the long run.
Sprayer 2007-06-14
Takes a while to clean properly but the time tha it saves on a project is well worth it
