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Spraying: clogging and lighting.

591 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Mike2coat
I have two somewhat separate questions about spraying interior trim.
I don't normally do new construction, but a while back I did a house where I sprayed all the trim for the first time. I've got another one coming up and wanted to make it a more convenient experience.

I was using (and will likely use again) A cheap Graco airless (borrowed from the homebuilder). Spraying ProClassic through a 310fflp. It kept clogging. Not enough to cause a serious problem, but enough to be an annoying PITA. Do I need finer mesh filters and/or strainers than is normally recommended for waterbased paints? Or does it have something to do with the sprayer itself being a cheap big box store model?

The second inconvenience was the poor ability to see the difference between the wet second coat and the dry first coat. Do I need a much stronger lighting system (was using a couple old 500 watt halogen worklights), shine them at a different angle (tried that, didn't seem to work), or just get used to a "blind" technique of remembering exactly where I've made passes?
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You can use a 314 ff tip or a 313 regular tip. I have not adapted to fflp tips and have not seen much of a reason. An intake filter, a Manifold filter if the sprayer has one, and a gun filter. I don't use the intake filter that much but should. Also you can strain the paint but the material data sheets for paint would say use an minimum of a .13 tip, lots of people use .10 or.12 tips but is not needed and more of a pain.

You can add Floetrol to the pant, it is a conditioner and sprays nicer and helps flatten or level out the finish and can help reduce clogging in my opinion.
When spraying walls I spray and back roll. I will use landmarks so to speak where I stop, like outlet cutouts or hit the floor with a sideways blast of paint, or whatever is available.

As far as lights go invest in a few led lights. Hallogen lights suck a lot of power, run hot to the point of being a fire hazard and the bulbs get damaged and or burn out easily.

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