# Tips on painting 6 panel hollow core doors



## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

I've replaced some interior doors with economical 6 panel preprimed masonite doors. I want to paint them white and plan to use a semi-gloss latex paint. I'm not a painter and simply loath the process. My previous attempts at painting smooth surface interior doors were epic failures as I'd end up with brush marks and roller marks. 

Since the new doors are paneled and have a wood texture I was planning on using a brush. (I have a 3" wooster) Is this the right call? Also, what tips do you have for getting a consistant finish without brush marks? I plan to paint them flat on saw horses. Should I paint the panels first and then the styles and rails? Is there a way I can keep the paint wetter longer so that it's easier to keep a wet edge? Since this is water based paint can I just add a bit of water to my paint? I'm a slow painter and I believe part of my problem is I can't keep up with the paint drying.

Tips?


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## moopey (Sep 14, 2010)

I've done this using Benjamin Moore white trim paint, 2" Purdey paint brush and small rollers. The rollers I use are about 4" long and about 1" in diameter and 3/8" nap. 

I usually paint them standing up. I start by painting a light coat on the inside of the recessed panel edge using the brush making sure to use light brush strokes to avoid brush marks in the finish product. Make sure no paint builds up in the corners. Once satisfied with the recessed areas I then use the roller to paint the inside raised panels and then roll along edges.

You may have to go over some areas where rolling directions overlap to even out any roller marks. Repeat for at least 2 coats or until your desired coverage is reached.

Never use water in an attempt to extend its working time. Water should only be used to thin a latex paint that has thickened due to age or maybe the paint lid was left off. 

Instead use a product called Floetrol. It should be available at any paint store.


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

I would use a 1/4 inch nap 4inch mini roller and 3inch brush. Start with your panels first, then your rails, then styles. When painting the rails and styles work in the same direction as the grain. Stop painting when you get to a joint. I rarely ever thin anything there really isn't a need to and brush marks can usually be prevented with a quality brush, quality paint, and using the right technique. If you are using a water base paint then flotrol is your best bet for thinning.


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## moopey (Sep 14, 2010)

housepaintingny said:


> I would use a 1/4 inch nap 4inch mini roller and 3inch brush. Start with your panels first, then your rails, then styles. When painting the rails and styles work in the same direction as the grain. Stop painting when you get to a joint. I rarely ever thin anything there really isn't a need to and brush marks can usually be prevented with a quality brush, quality paint, and using the right technique. If you are using a water base paint then flotrol is your best bet for thinning.


my mistake, 1/4"nap is best to use. friggin fractions always messing me up. haha.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

speedster1 said:


> I've replaced some interior doors with economical 6 panel preprimed masonite doors. I want to paint them white and plan to use a semi-gloss latex paint. I'm not a painter and simply loath the process. My previous attempts at painting smooth surface interior doors were epic failures as I'd end up with brush marks and roller marks.
> 
> Since the new doors are paneled and have a wood texture I was planning on using a brush. (I have a 3" wooster) Is this the right call? Also, what tips do you have for getting a consistant finish without brush marks? I plan to paint them flat on saw horses. Should I paint the panels first and then the styles and rails? Is there a way I can keep the paint wetter longer so that it's easier to keep a wet edge? Since this is water based paint can I just add a bit of water to my paint? I'm a slow painter and I believe part of my problem is I can't keep up with the paint drying.
> 
> Tips?


Looks like you have the suggestions for the tools. To help maintain a wet edge, I would suggest a paint conditioner such as Floetrol. Essentially an additive for spray painting to help it flow better through the sprayer, a side benefit is it tends to retard drying time. Won't affect the sheen until you get to around 20% or so but for brushing/rolling, you shouldn't get anywhere near that. 
Personally, the best way I have found to avoid brush marks is not to use one. I would spray the things. Preferably HVLP but airless would work also. 
JMHO


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

if the doors are grained it's easy, brush on a quality paint and enjoy. if they are smooth doors and you want a perfect finish you have to shoot them with an airless. no amount of $50/gal paint, purdy brushes or thinning agents will duplicate what an airless will. if you do go airless classic 99 would be a good paint. i would avoid pro classic or any of the $50-60 gallon paints, they are thick and contain leveling agents not needed when you spray. basically you would spend twice as much and get no real benefit. in the summer i sometimes use valspar in an airless. their paint is thin but with decent pigment. it's horrible to try and roll on but the thin nature isn't bad in an airless. it does perform better in heat. cold weather makes it extremely easy to run. besides classic 99 is a better all around paint.


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

Thanks for the tips. Unfortunately I do not have a sprayer. I don't know much about them but I've seen some that cost $300. I can't justify something like that considering painting is not my profession. Are there any reasonably priced sprayers that do a good job? I have an air compressor. Can I use one of those sprayers that are used to paint cars? Something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Tool-Force--C...YASM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1288263409&sr=8-4 . Can those sprayers shoot semi-gloass latex if it's thinned with a paint conditioner?


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

speedster1 said:


> Thanks for the tips. Unfortunately I do not have a sprayer. I don't know much about them but I've seen some that cost $300. I can't justify something like that considering painting is not my profession. Are there any reasonably priced sprayers that do a good job? I have an air compressor. Can I use one of those sprayers that are used to paint cars? Something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Tool-Force--C...YASM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1288263409&sr=8-4 . Can those sprayers shoot semi-gloass latex if it's thinned with a paint conditioner?


Hi Speed - Short answer to all your questions would be yes although you would need to practice a bit. Spraying is very easy but, like every thing else takes a bit of learning. I've never used a sprayer like the one you linked to but the price is good and the reviews appear to be terrific. Downside is, once you start spray painting, you never want to pick up a brush again.


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

jschaben said:


> Hi Speed - Short answer to all your questions would be yes although you would need to practice a bit. Spraying is very easy but, like every thing else takes a bit of learning. I've never used a sprayer like the one you linked to but the price is good and the reviews appear to be terrific. Downside is, once you start spray painting, you never want to pick up a brush again.


Thanks. I believe at that price it couldn't hurt to try it. I'll do a bit more research into some HVLP type of spray guns that are in that price range. Coming from someone who hates to paint if this makes it easier and more barable then I'm all for it. That unit cost about the same as a couple of quality paint brushes and rollers. So it can't hurt.

It's amazon's #1 selling HVLP sprayer and I didn't read a single negative review on it. Any better options for under $50 out there?


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

speedster1 said:


> Thanks. I believe at that price it couldn't hurt to try it. I'll do a bit more research into some HVLP type of spray guns that are in that price range. Coming from someone who hates to paint if this makes it easier and more barable then I'm all for it. That unit cost about the same as a couple of quality paint brushes and rollers. So it can't hurt.
> 
> It's amazon's #1 selling HVLP sprayer and I didn't read a single negative review on it. Any better options for under $50 out there?


You would be better off with a airless sprayer with a 311 fine finish tip for doors. With an HVLP especially a smaller one you have to thin latex paint way to much. Latex shouldn't really be thinned more than 10%. You would need at least a 3-4 stage turbine hvlp to eliminate a lot of thinning. Even using an airless sprayer I never thin paint. You can paint your doors with a mini roller and brush and still have them looking good. I've even painted 100s of smooth wood and metal doors with a mini roller and brush over the years and have had them come out looking smooth using a 1/4 inch mohair mini roller


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

housepaintingny said:


> You would be better off with a airless sprayer with a 311 fine finish tip for doors. With an HVLP especially a smaller one you have to thin latex paint way to much. Latex shouldn't really be thinned more than 10%. You would need at least a 3-4 stage turbine hvlp to eliminate a lot of thinning. Even using an airless sprayer I never thin paint. You can paint your doors with a mini roller and brush and still have them looking good. I've even painted 100s of smooth wood and metal doors with a mini roller and brush over the years and have had them come out looking smooth using a 1/4 inch mohair mini roller


Is there a airless sprayer you can recommend that doesn't cost a fortune. Remember, I'm not a contractor and do not plan to paint commercially so if it's super-expensive I'm not interested.

I'm sure you probably have painted hundreds of doors with brushes and rollers and made them look good but you are a paint professional. I've painted probably 4 doors in my lifetime and that's not enough to perfect a craft. None of them turned out very well in all honesty. The most recent doors I painted I used a 4 inch foam cabinet roller and at first I thought the paint was going on nicely but after it dried I could see the stripes I created when I bounce light off the door. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of painting hundreds of doors to perfect a craft. I've had better luck with brushes but spraying intrigues me.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

speedster1 said:


> Is there a airless sprayer you can recommend that doesn't cost a fortune. Remember, I'm not a contractor and do not plan to paint commercially so if it's super-expensive I'm not interested.
> 
> I'm sure you probably have painted hundreds of doors with brushes and rollers and made them look good but you are a paint professional. I've painted probably 4 doors in my lifetime and that's not enough to perfect a craft. None of them turned out very well in all honesty. The most recent doors I painted I used a 4 inch foam cabinet roller and at first I thought the paint was going on nicely but after it dried I could see the stripes I created when I bounce light off the door. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of painting hundreds of doors to perfect a craft. I've had better luck with brushes but spraying intrigues me.


 
Hi Speed - Personally, I think the gun you are looking at will do the job just fine. From the reviews, you can turn the pressure to help out. Also, it is a gravity feed gun so it doesn't need to suck the paint up to the tip. You may need to thin the paint a bit more but one of the nice things about HVLP is it puts out a spray about like a rattle can does. Simply put on several light coats. I like doing a "wet" recoat with HVLP. That is, I will recoat within a few minutes. Gives the paint a little time to set and then hit it again. Provides a superior coat, helps avoid runs and really stretches the paint. Contractors wont like the method as it takes a little longer but is a pretty good method for a non-pro to get a good finish. Just spray all ten doors with one coat and go back right away for the second or third if necessary. Shouldn't be to bad nor take to long spraying pre-primed doors white.
The only concern I would have is whether your compressor would be up to the task. Try to find out what the air consumption requirements are for the gun you are looking at and check you compressor specs. Don't forget you are only running about 30-40 psi max. 
I don't think you are going to find a airless in your budget that will throw the paint you are looking at. I also question using a .011 fine finish tip with it. 
Good Luck and keep us posted


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

Doing more research this evening about HVLP sprayers I'm concerned about weather my compressor is powerful enough. It's a 12 gallon 1.2hp craftsman and puts out 3.7 SCFM at 40psi. THe recommendation was a 2-3 HP compressor.


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

oh wow, just checked back. okay, an autobody hvlp like the link above won't shoot latex unless you cut it 50% with water and it's a thin paint {like valspar} to start with. what you want is a turbine hvlp or an airless. one of the wagner cheapies or a ryobi will work. look at this

http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Produc...BP60/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1288319778&sr=8-8

$59 shipped, this will actually shoot latex and does not require your compressor. make sure you clean this gun well when you're done, if you don't it will die

believe me, i have tried shooting latex out of an autobody gun, it has to be thinned a LOT


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

racebum said:


> oh wow, just checked back. okay, an autobody hvlp like the link above won't shoot latex unless you cut it 50% with water and it's a thin paint {like valspar} to start with. what you want is a turbine hvlp or an airless. one of the wagner cheapies or a ryobi will work. look at this
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Produc...BP60/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1288319778&sr=8-8
> 
> ...


 
That dog won't hunt for sure. Here's the technical description from Amazon:
*Technical Details*


HVLP control sprayer for spraying thin materials such as deck stain, wood sealers, and more
Maximum control, low overspray; 3 pattern shapes; variable flow control; 4 psi at 40 cfm
Light plastic housing and reservoir
Includes sprayer and 1-1/2-quart sprayer cup
1-year warranty


*Product Description*

*From the Manufacturer*

This Wagner power paint sprayer uses HVLP air technology to spray thin materials with maximum control and lower overspray than traditional sprayers. Pattern shapes can be changed from vertical or horizontal fan patterns for larger surfaces to round patterns for more detail work. Material size and flow rate are adjustable at the trigger. Sprayable materials include deck stains, clear wood sealers, waterproofers and enamels. Great for deck railings, yard play sets, kids toys, and yard furniture. 

*Product Description*

Control Spray, HVLP Paint Sprayer, High Volume Low Pressure Paint Sprayer For Spraying Thin Bodied Coatings, Sprays In 3 Patterns Horizontal Fan, Vertical Fan Or Round Fan, Variable Trigger Flow Control With Patterns From 1-10", Built In Air Turbine & Sprayer, Cup Holds 1-1/2 QT, Lock-N-Go Technology For Fast Color Changes & Easy Cleaning. 

The gun he's looking at will shoot it just fine with the 2.0 tip.


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

it's not fine, i've tried it, won't go. i have a sharpe hvlp that i've shot cars with. i have 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 tips. none will shoot latex. with the 2.0 you can do it if you thin nearly 50% but it just splatters and won't move material if you spray out of the can. i've actually personally tried this. the small airless guns like i posted won't shoot thick exterior paint but can move latex a LOT easier than any of the air guns. think about it, 2.0 is a primer tip. automotive primer is a LOT thinner than latex 

the really bad ass handheld is from graco, you can get one for $200 and it will spray everything from stain to exterior paint


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

The reviews I was reading on the gun I posted I believe people were saying they used it to shoot latex. Maybe I misread.

Oh well, maybe I need to just paint them with a brush or roller. I'm not speading $200+ on an airgun.


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## STL B. (Oct 29, 2010)

Hello in the last few years I have painted all the doors in my home and hung/painted six panels at my moms. I've allways used oil based paint and have played around with brushes and lots of different roller covers till I found whiz/foam/cigar rollers they lay down a glass smooth finish. They dont hold a ton of paint so I would use a 3" roller of 1/2" nap to hog the paint on the door then work it over with the foam roller to smooth it out. I have never done this with latex but think it would work quickly and on a budget hope it helps.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

speedster1 said:


> The reviews I was reading on the gun I posted I believe people were saying they used it to shoot latex. Maybe I misread.
> 
> Oh well, maybe I need to just paint them with a brush or roller. I'm not speading $200+ on an airgun.


Hi - hmm, I read the same reviews and I remember that. 
I still think you on the right track. You do need to thin to spray latex with most any gun. I usually use a paint conditioner:
http://www.flood.com/paint-additive-solutions/products/view-product.jsp?productId=12

Just don't exceed the 8:1 or it does affect the sheen.

I haven't had to exceed that as yet but if it still doesn't spray at that you could still add water at about an ounce at a time till it does. It's not really a big deal anyway as you can just hit it with another coat in few minutes. Same as using a rattle can. Several light coats being better than 1 thick one.
Your bigger issue might be your compressor. I think it may be a bit on the light side but usable. No specs on the gun but my guess would be it sucks between 4-6 CFM. Not a big problem as you have two regulators and a 12 gallon reserve to play with. Crank the regulator up to about 90 on the tank and regulate the spray with the one on the gun. You will probably have to break every 15 minutes or so to let the compressor catch up. Again, no big deal as you can throw a lot of paint in 15 minutes. The real biggy would be if you have a tool oiler installed on your air system. That would mean your entire air system is off limits for any finishing work. 
Personally, I use a little Earlex 3500 that cost about $110 US on sale. No multiple turbines or anything. Just kind of a small shop-vac in reverse, probably around 100 CFM at 4-6 psi. After I got it, I got to wondering if I couldn't modify a cheap gun to use a shop-vac but haven't gotten around to messing with that idea yet.:whistling2:


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

if you get it thin enough you can shoot just find out of a cheap air based hvlp gun. i actually gave my front door a light coat after sanding out brush strokes this way. the gun will physically shoot the paint if it's not quite right but in order to get a really nice fog going the material needs to be about the same thickness as auto primer builder if you use the 2.0 tip 

http://www.amazon.com/Graco-258863-TrueCoat-Paint-Sprayer/dp/B0043RK2P4/ref=pd_cp_hi_0

is the ideal handheld sprayer for any of us to use when spraying small quantities of latex 

did ask a couple people about the cheap wagner guns and they said that none of them will shoot out of the can latex worth a damn either. to spray latex straight you have to get into their paint crew. worse yet a lot of the wagner products are hard to actually clean out and i've personally killed two paint crews cleaning one house even after using pump guard after the cleaning. 

so, i guess the bottom line is either pony up for the graco handheld, buy the cheap hvlp and thin your paint or really take your time applying by hand.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

racebum said:


> if you get it thin enough you can shoot just find out of a cheap air based hvlp gun. i actually gave my front door a light coat after sanding out brush strokes this way. the gun will physically shoot the paint if it's not quite right but in order to get a really nice fog going the material needs to be about the same thickness as auto primer builder if you use the 2.0 tip
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Graco-258863-TrueCoat-Paint-Sprayer/dp/B0043RK2P4/ref=pd_cp_hi_0
> 
> ...


Hmm, I kinda liked that one until I got to the price.  Doesn't look like it is carried by Amazon. It looks like the tips will interchange with the contractor guns which is a nice feature. Other than that, I don't see much special about it. 
This is the one I use in that volume range:
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-0525002-Power-Painter-Optimus/dp/B002BA5W3M/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Just about half the price of the graco. I've been using those sprayers for quite a long time now and clean up is no where near the chore it has been rumored to be. IMO, no worse than trying to clean brushes and rollers. No contest though if the brushes and rollers are to be tossed each time. If anything, my Earlex is even easier to clean. About the only negative I have about it (the Earlex) is the ~30mm supply hose which likes to pop out of the gun if not very well seated.


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

for 128 that's not a bad buy provided it can spray exterior paints and doesn't easily freeze like the paint crew. that and of course if it atomizes well, something their cheap guns don't do so well from what a local painted mentioned. my biggest gripe with the wagner paint crew is that really sticky exterior paint seems to jam them up. even if you clean them with water, then paint thinner, then pump guard i've had two fail on one project. both the same way. you let them sit overnight, fire it up again and the pump just keeps running and you get splatter nozzle. the biggest perk to the 2x priced graco is user service parts. if one fails sherwin williams not only sells that gun for the same as the online price, they carry all the parts. graco is proud of that little handheld and it's shown in the price. from what i gathered the standard 199 model only has half the piston size of the 250 model.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

racebum said:


> for 128 that's not a bad buy provided it can spray exterior paints and doesn't easily freeze like the paint crew. that and of course if it atomizes well, something their cheap guns don't do so well from what a local painted mentioned. my biggest gripe with the wagner paint crew is that really sticky exterior paint seems to jam them up. even if you clean them with water, then paint thinner, then pump guard i've had two fail on one project. both the same way. you let them sit overnight, fire it up again and the pump just keeps running and you get splatter nozzle. the biggest perk to the 2x priced graco is user service parts. if one fails sherwin williams not only sells that gun for the same as the online price, they carry all the parts. graco is proud of that little handheld and it's shown in the price. from what i gathered the standard 199 model only has half the piston size of the 250 model.


 
Hi - probably shows that I'm a pretty strong Wagner fan but that Paint crew is possibly the biggest POS I've ever seen as far as painting products go. Seems like they tried to please everyone and make a machine to appeal to the occasional DIY'er as well as to the very low side of the pro market but failed miserably at both.
You're absolutely right that the key to airless sprayers is to clean them thoroughly and immediately after use. I clean them out by the book and then get out the air compressor and siphon gun and blow solvent through every part I can get off the sucker. Then I use plain shop air and blow the solvent out. That includes every inch of the 50ft hose I use with the Spraytech. After a few times through it you get a routine going and it seldoms takes me more than about 20 minutes to clean up and store 'em now. I also always use Floetrol instead of water for thinning. Adds a dollar or so to the per gallon cost of the job but, IMO, is well worth the expense. What I have found is just thinning with water, you don't get the surfactants you get with a conditioner and you have a liquid that is thin as all get out but wont pump because the molecules are still sticking together. By the time you get enough water in there, the solids are so dispersed it's difficult to get coverage.
Just an FYI, never try cleaning latex with paint thinner. Until it's cured, the paint thinner and latex based paint just morph into some sort of goo that doesn't want to go away no matter what you use. Dishwashing liquid and water is the best solvent I've found for latex paint.


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

hmm, wonder if that's what killed my paint crews. the paint thinner / latex combo


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

jschaben said:


> Hi - hmm, I read the same reviews and I remember that.
> I still think you on the right track. You do need to thin to spray latex with most any gun. I usually use a paint conditioner:
> http://www.flood.com/paint-additive-solutions/products/view-product.jsp?productId=12
> 
> ...


I looked up the Earlex 3500 and if I could get it for around $100 I'd probbaly consider it. Since I wouldn't have to worry about an air compressor. I watched some videos of it in action on youtube. Amazon does sell two other Earlex models that are cheaper but I'm not 100% sure about their performance. They sell the 300 model for $139 and the 500 model for $60 but there are no reviews. http://www.amazon.com/Earlex-HV500-...XG/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1288531689&sr=8-14 THe 500 is Probably way underpowered.


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

I was just in the process of ordering a few things on Amazon and I threw caution to the wind and ordered the HVLP spraygun from amazon that was $33. I will try it with my air compressor and if it's not powerful enough I'll borrow my buddys when I plan to spray. I haven't seen anything in that price range that had reviews even remotely as good as those. If it turns out that it doesn't shoot latex all that well I'm sure I could at least use it to shoot oil based stains and sealers. But I'll try to do a review when I receive the unit and let you all know how it works.

For $33 it won't destroy me if it's not the best thing since sliced bread. IT's about the same cost as a couple of new Purdy brushes.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

Hi Speed - I think ya done good taking a pass on that HV500 - much better units out there for very little more money. I picked up my 3500 off an e-special from Woodcraft for $120. 
Be interested to hear how you make out with the one you ordered. I think your compressor is close enough to do the job, just keep an eye on it and give it a chance to catch up once in awhile. 
Good Luck on your project.


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

the compressor should be fine, you just may have to wait here and there for build up. if you thin it a bit and it just splatters or doesn't shoot. don't fret, keep thinning until it shoots. you may need a couple coats but it can give a decent finish. just from my own experience you wind up thinning quite a bit


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## kt82 (Jan 28, 2009)

$29.97 WAS $29.97 
Rust-Oleum Stops Rust 12 oz. Gloss Antique White Spray Paint (6-Pack) 
If you want a pro finish Buy the spray paint and the bigger trigger and you will never spend an hour trying to avoid brush lines brush again or worrying 
if the cheap Wagner is going to "spit" on your finish
I know it is an old post ,but


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