# Graco Magnum X5



## John_3525 (11 mo ago)

I wonder if anyone can help me. I am currently building a kitchen for someone from scratch. I built all of the cabinets out of hard maple and pre-finished UV plywood for the boxes. All of the face frames, doors and drawers are made from hard maple and maple plywood. I have sprayed everything with Versaprime pre-cat lacquer primer and sanded with 320 in preparation for paint. I used a very expensive Iwata gravity feed HVLP gun with a 1.4 tip to apply the primer. I have sprayed color on a few of the doors with the same gun and Variset pre-cat lacquer paint. I am having a problem with the paint drying so fast that it actually flashes before I even finish spraying a door. This results in dry spots. I can't seem to lay down a wet coat. I talked to a friend of mine that used to have a cabinet company and he said he used to spray with an airless sprayer. So I went and purchased a Graco Magnum X5(I know this is an entry level setup). I purchased a 209 tip to use with this sprayer and I also purchased a FF LP 208 tip. However, the FF LP tip doesn't fit in my gun. Do I need a different gun for the FF LP tip? Will the 209 tip work for spraying pre-cat lacquer? Any recommendations on pressure to use? Thanks.


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## Knobbe (Mar 14, 2021)

John_3525 said:


> I wonder if anyone can help me. I am currently building a kitchen for someone from scratch. I built all of the cabinets out of hard maple and pre-finished UV plywood for the boxes. All of the face frames, doors and drawers are made from hard maple and maple plywood. I have sprayed everything with Versaprime pre-cat lacquer primer and sanded with 320 in preparation for paint. I used a very expensive Iwata gravity feed HVLP gun with a 1.4 tip to apply the primer. I have sprayed color on a few of the doors with the same gun and Variset pre-cat lacquer paint. I am having a problem with the paint drying so fast that it actually flashes before I even finish spraying a door. This results in dry spots. I can't seem to lay down a wet coat. I talked to a friend of mine that used to have a cabinet company and he said he used to spray with an airless sprayer. So I went and purchased a Graco Magnum X5(I know this is an entry level setup). I purchased a 209 tip to use with this sprayer and I also purchased a FF LP 208 tip. However, the FF LP tip doesn't fit in my gun. Do I need a different gun for the FF LP tip? Will the 209 tip work for spraying pre-cat lacquer? Any recommendations on pressure to use? Thanks.


Purchase the correct tip guard and your fflp tip will work. Many here have warned about spraying flammable products through the home owner type machines


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## John_3525 (11 mo ago)

Thank you. I have searched this forum and can't seem to find anything about spraying flammable products through the home owner type machines. What are the dangers? What makes a home owner type machine more dangerous?


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

the packings are not rated for hot solvents. in addition the packings open up the electrical internals and use a open brushed motor. Imagine the latex paint below in my (former) x17 but instead it is flammable lacquer. Also I have another x17 that just decided to catch fire randomly. Use at your own risk!


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Is there an appropriate retarder available for the material you are using? I always add lacquer retarder when spraying NC lacquer with the HVLP. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## John_3525 (11 mo ago)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> the packings are not rated for hot solvents. in addition the packings open up the electrical internals and use a open brushed motor. Imagine the latex paint below in my (former) x17 but instead it is flammable lacquer. Also I have another x17 that just decided to catch fire randomly. Use at your own risk!


 I have a dedicated spray booth that exhausts the fumes and can put the sprayer outside of the spray booth so this shouldn't be an issue for me but I could see how this would be a problem.


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## John_3525 (11 mo ago)

slinger58 said:


> Is there an appropriate retarder available for the material you are using? I always add lacquer retarder when spraying NC lacquer with the HVLP.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have some retarder on the way from my paint rep. I am going to try it. I like the idea of an airless sprayer just because I have so much material to spray. Filling the HVLP gun numerous times becomes tedious.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

There's about a 100 threads open on this crappy sprayer. If your in the business, then you may consider getting the proper equipment..Are you a cabinet maker? I'm curious as to why you would build these doors out of Maple only to paint them..


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## John_3525 (11 mo ago)

finishesbykevyn said:


> There's about a 100 threads open on this crappy sprayer. If your in the business, then you may consider getting the proper equipment..Are you a cabinet maker? I'm curious as to why you would build these doors out of Maple only to paint them..


I'm actually a hobbyist woodworker and took on this kitchen job for a friend. The kitchen island is stained maple and the rest of the cabinets were to be as well but my friend decided she wanted them painted after they were already built. If it is that crappy of a sprayer, I will consider returning it and investing in a better sprayer. Looks like I need to read up on these 100 threads talking about what a crappy sprayer it is and why.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

John_3525 said:


> I have a dedicated spray booth that exhausts the fumes and can put the sprayer outside of the spray booth so this shouldn't be an issue for me but I could see how this would be a problem.


If the packings blow out, as happened to me, it will spray solvent lacquer all over the internal motor windings and electrical contacts...


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## John_3525 (11 mo ago)

I've decided to return the X5. I'm now looking at a FinishPro HVLP 9.5.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

John_3525 said:


> I've decided to return the X5. I'm now looking at a FinishPro HVLP 9.5.


Check out the apollo 7700


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## Quan (Jan 18, 2017)

John_3525 said:


> I wonder if anyone can help me. I am currently building a kitchen for someone from scratch. I built all of the cabinets out of hard maple and pre-finished UV plywood for the boxes. All of the face frames, doors and drawers are made from hard maple and maple plywood. I have sprayed everything with Versaprime pre-cat lacquer primer and sanded with 320 in preparation for paint. I used a very expensive Iwata gravity feed HVLP gun with a 1.4 tip to apply the primer. I have sprayed color on a few of the doors with the same gun and Variset pre-cat lacquer paint. I am having a problem with the paint drying so fast that it actually flashes before I even finish spraying a door. This results in dry spots. I can't seem to lay down a wet coat. I talked to a friend of mine that used to have a cabinet company and he said he used to spray with an airless sprayer. So I went and purchased a Graco Magnum X5(I know this is an entry level setup). I purchased a 209 tip to use with this sprayer and I also purchased a FF LP 208 tip. However, the FF LP tip doesn't fit in my gun. Do I need a different gun for the FF LP tip? Will the 209 tip work for spraying pre-cat lacquer? Any recommendations on pressure to use? Thanks.


you need a different airless! The magnum is only for latex.


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