# Spraying BM Advanced with HVLP



## johnl (Feb 11, 2017)

I have a Wagner Conversion Sprayer which is a HVLP using a air compressor as air source. I believe the needle is a number 2. I have set 45psi at compressor and 15-20psi at the gun. I am attempting to spray Benjamin Moore Advanced satin paint.
I am getting orange peel finish no matter what I do. I have sprayed straight and have sprayed thinned and with Floetrol. No matter what I do I get the orange peel. 
Has anybody had any experience with this setup or have any advice?


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

I set my compressor at 20 psi, gun at 10-13 psi. I also add a tiny bit of floetrol to help.


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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

Do you have a mill gauge? Spray on a test piece and use the mill gauge to how thick you applied it. It's likely that you're applying it too thick or the surface underneath wasn't sanded smooth. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## johnl (Feb 11, 2017)

As far as the pressure settings go I was going by the instructions that came with gun. I will try your pressure settings. Do you know what needle you were using in the gun? Mine came with the 2.0. 
Also what settings did you use for the paint supply and the spray pattern?


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## ThreeSistersPainting (Jan 7, 2017)

Sounds like a pressure issue. I've read other posts with conversion guns up around 40 psi for latex.


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## johnl (Feb 11, 2017)

Are you saying to set 40 psi at the gun? My instruction say not to go above 20psi.


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## johnl (Feb 11, 2017)

To CD Painting,
I tried the pressure settings you suggested (20psi at compressor, 10-13psi at gun) and did get less paint coming out of the gun but it is still getting the orange peel effect. I don't think it is atomizing enough. I don't know what to do next. Any suggestions?


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## irdevzubu (Feb 12, 2017)

we use compliant reducer by chemcraft for lacquer to help even out the layers to ensure even drying and self leveling. we also use it in our sealer and clearcoat finishes. and penetrol i think its called for latex. comes in a white and orange can to help against roller lines, but it has helped with orange peel. just some advice you might look up and try.


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## Jerr (Feb 15, 2017)

Advanced can be hard to work with. But once you nail it you'll love it.


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## alexh (Nov 3, 2017)

Johnl, Did you resolve you orange peel issues? What did you do?

Thank you.
Alex.


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## Lazerlnes (Sep 9, 2017)

I'm going to have to agree in that advance performs best with airless using a ff tip.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

alexh said:


> Johnl, Did you resolve you orange peel issues? What did you do?
> 
> Thank you.
> Alex.


Thread is nine months old... just saying.


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## alexh (Nov 3, 2017)

RH said:


> Thread is nine months old... just saying.


So he had a lot of time to resolve the issue.  Just want to know...


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## zoomermp (Jun 8, 2017)

Lazerlnes said:


> I'm going to have to agree in that advance performs best with airless using a ff tip.


You are correct.


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## alexh (Nov 3, 2017)

Eventually, I have figured out how to setup Wagner HVLP Conversion Gun to produce nice spray pattern using Benjamin Moor Advance paint. The issue was that neither manual nor the instructions sheet from the store don’t tell you how to set the pressure on the gun. The instructions sheet was misleading by suggesting to set the air compressor pressure to 45 psi. The pressure on the gun should be set with trigger depressed half way. That’s very important because you may set the pressure on the gun to 20 psi and air compressor to 40 psi and when you depress the trigger the pressure drops to 10 psi. That’s too low and paint is sprayed in random size droplets leading to all kinds of issues (orange pattern, bubbles, etc). Here is what has to be done: set your air compressor to 40 psi, connect the gun, depress the trigger half way to let only air to blow and turn the knob on air pressure regulator on the gun to set it to 15-18 psi. I my case I had to turn it all the way up and only could reach about 10 psi. If that’s the case, increase the pressure on air compressor from 40 psi up until you can read 15-18 psi on the gun with a trigger depressed half way. In my case I ended up with 80 psi on air compressor. That’s it. Once I did that it made the night and day difference. Turn the air cap in front of the gun all the way in and fluid flow knob on the back should be turned in almost all the way in too. Set the desired fluid flow. The gun should produce nice spray of micro droplets. I hope this information could be helpful to other people trying to use that HVLP gun.


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## gregplus (Jun 11, 2013)

*hi*

I think HVLP standard is up to 10PSI.. ???


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