# How Many Use Airless for Finish



## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

I am trying to figure out if anybody really uses an airless sprayer for finishing their projects or kitchens?

I have an airless old Titan 440 e or XC can't tell, which I have used to paint a couple of houses, a garage and 2 roofs. It paints well but it takes like a quart to prime the unit and hose. Which seems fine if your going to spray 3 or 5 gallons. But if you are going to spray a few doors or a piece of furniture it seems like to much trouble to use an airless. Am I wrong in my thinking? 

I have been using wipe on poly for some of my kitchen doors and I have been wondering if there is an easier way. Is there a setup for my airless which makes it easier to use for fine finish?


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I've never thought of mine as a fine finish tool and it seems to use a lot of paint. Maybe I should try it sometime. For small projects like burl clocks I use a Binks air brush. It works really well and takes very little solvent to clean it. For projects a little larger I use a touch up gun. It was a cheap one but seems to work fairly well and has similar attributes to the airbrush. I also have a PC gun in full size that does a very good job for what I paid for but I rarely have projects large enough to use it on.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Well, airless, and has always worked well for me, fine detail or not. Age old technology, and still works great.


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## CharlesWebster (Nov 24, 2015)

My experience with airless sprayers is that they take so much paint to prime, and then waste so much paint and solvent on cleanup that unless you are going to spray gallons of paint (I used one to paint the interior of my 20' X 30' shop in less than an hour) it's not worth the effort. BTW, it took most of 2 hours to clean up after spraying 6 gallons of paint on the walls and ceiling of my shop.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

CharlesWebster said:


> (I used one to paint the interior of my 20' X 30' shop in less than an hour) it's not worth the effort. BTW, it took most of 2 hours to clean up after spraying 6 gallons of paint on the walls and ceiling of my shop.


I was going to go with a sprayer on the inside of my shop, but opted for paint roller instead. 
And was very happy I did so. Cleanup: Paint pan - line with plastic, toss the plastic. Paint roller - toss the roller brush. Next step - put the lid on the paint can. Viola, cleanup completed.


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## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

JOAT said:


> Well, airless, and has always worked well for me, fine detail or not. Age old technology, and still works great.


What rig do you have and how do you use it? What finishes do you spray?

Do you start with a gallon of finish and just waste a quart? A quart is only maybe $7 so the cost is not that high. It takes me almost a gallon of paint thinner to clean my sprayer so add that in also. I think the total cost only comes to just under $20. I guess in the big picture that is not such a great cost. It is just hard for me to waste that much finish but maybe I need to rethink it.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I pretty much stick to wipe on poly, mostly undiluted, but fresh. Knowing me, I'd put off cleaning up the gear and wind up having to replace nozzels every week or two. I use spray on lacquer occasionally, but from a can. The airbrush idea appeals to me, but the price is a little daunting compared to wipe on.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

coxhaus said:


> What rig do you have and how do you use it? What finishes do you spray?
> 
> Do you start with a gallon of finish and just waste a quart? A quart is only maybe $7 so the cost is not that high. It takes me almost a gallon of paint thinner to clean my sprayer so add that in also. I think the total cost only comes to just under $20. I guess in the big picture that is not such a great cost. It is just hard for me to waste that much finish but maybe I need to rethink it.


Can of paint, paint brush, then caveman style. Only spray bug repellent.

My only waste is what I drip on my pants and shoes. I use acrylic paint, so the thinner is water. I get it out of my tap, so doesn't cost much. My finish coating is Titebond II, low cost, thinner again water. As far as paint, latex is now as good, maybe better, than oil paint, and water cleanup. Yeah, might want to rethink it.


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