Test driving the Fuji Mini Mite 4X HVLP System

For anyone considering advancing their finishing skills into sprayed-on finishes, you need to look at HVLP. HVLP (High Volume/Low Pressure) finishing is ideally suited to the small shop, and with the turbine models such as this Fuji, you don’t even need a compressor.

How it’s different: The HVLP turbine gun uses a large volume of air at low pressure….the advantage of this setup over a traditional high pressure gun is how efficient the material transfer is. Where an old-style spray gun produced a huge amount of overspray, generally only transferring about 40-50% of your finish material to your project, an HVLP system has a material transfer rate of around twice that. This means less overspray, less mess, and far less wasted material.

This new no-compressor high quality spray equipment, combined with the recent appearance of water-based lacquers means that professional quality spray finishing is possible for the home workshop. To really put the Fuji through it’s paces, I sprayed a variety of materials onto a sheet of plywood. I was looking for smoothness of application, pattern uniformity and general atomization of the finishes. (Atomization is what allows a smooth, evenly sprayed finish, and is where the good machines really stand out) From lacquer to latex, the 4 stage compressor in the Mini-Max 4 sprayed them all without a hiccup. In fact, the finish attained with this unit was at least as good as any of the high-dollar spray equipment I have ever used….without the need for a compressor, regulator, separator and dryer.

Tips for a knockout finish using HVLP:

1. Thin your finish! There is a “viscosity cup” included with the units. This cup allows you to measure the thickness of the finish you are spraying, and tells you when the material is at an optimum consistency and/or which needle to use.

2. Gun position: The optimum distance between the gun and the work surface is right around 8”.

3. Technique: While proper technique comes mostly from practice, there are a few “hard and fast” rules for getting a good finish. :

A: Always hold the gun perpendicular (straight on) to the work piece, using a sweeping side-to-side motion. By holding the gun straight on to the piece, you ensure even coverage where a fan-shaped approach (using your wrist to steer the gun) results in runs and sags in the middle, and insufficient coverage at the edges.

B: Squeeze the trigger before you get to the edge the workpiece, and let go only after you have passed the opposite edge. C:Don’t under spray: You want a wet film on the surface when you spray.

C: Adjust the speed of your passes to leave a surface that is “just wet”. If you move to quickly you will get a grainy, uneven surface.

D: Don’t over spray: Laying on too thick of a coat will result in sags or a dimpled finish known as “orange peel”. And finally

E: Overlap your edges. As you spray, have each line of spray overlap the previous one by approx. 50%. This prevents lines and ensures an even finish.

If you want to take your finish quality to the next level, while saving both time and money, look at a quality HVLP turbine setup….I’m sold on it.

From my bench to yours,

Ryan Shervill