FujiSpray Mini-Mite3 Quick Demo

[Mike Guilbault]

In another thread someone asked about spraying canvas. I had a couple of pieces to spray this evening so made a couple of quick videos showing the FujiSpray Mini-Mite3 HVLP system in action.  In the first one, I'm spraying Timeless onto a large 36x54" gallery wrap. The video is in vertical format because in horizontal, I just wasn't getting enough of a view. Sorry... I know vertical videos are frowned upon.  The second is a quick final spray on a 10x25" canvas. IN both cases I'm using Timeless. The larger canvas is Epson Exhibition Canvas Matte, and the dog portraits are on Lyve.

http://youtu.be/QUaQlQQd6uU

http://youtu.be/tXYbpXTGWB4

When I have more time and someone to help with the video, I'll do a more detailed and thorough video, but wanted to get this up asap for the poster that was interested.

[bill t.]

Awesome Mike!  When Steven Spielberg calls don't take the first offer.

[Phil Indeblanc]

I think that was me talking about different spray heads, and I thank you so much for the video Mike! Looks pretty straight forward...I'm sure it has some things to get adjusted to perfect.
Btw, Although I could't see that landscape image well, but just from the tonal contrast and shaping, it looked super nice, specially in that size.
(Your avatar looks like its gonna take someone out for a can of a$$ wooping, and it was refreshing to hear a nice soft spoke voice). I honestly can't justify $400-600 now,
so I'll hold off getting one, or a less performing model. You said to buy it once and buy this one, as its the right one.
So I will use Premier until I sell enough to justify the investment. Thanks again for the videos. I hope to see more....In Landscape mode... to see the rest of the sprayer... and setup :-)

[bill t.]

So what dilution with that gun?  Straight out of the pail?  Gloss, satin, or matte, or a mix?  How long between coats?  How do you ventilate the space?

I bet the perfs on the pegboard help you make straight swipes.

[Paul2660]

Mike I assume you are shooting Timeless straight from the container?  No dilution?

Do you get a good coating the first time or do you need to make more than one coating?  



Thanks
Paul

[Sunshine7]

Am looking to buy a Fuji hvlp the next few days - what size air cap setup do you use? Know there have been a couple of threads about this in the past, with some people suggesting 1.5mm to 1.8mm for the Timeless coating. The mini mite 3 and 4 come with a 1.3mm air cap setup I think, the Gxpc (with the gravity cup on the side) with a 1.4mm air cap setup.

I'll be using it for Breathing Colors Lyve canvas with matte Timeless coating. Any further thoughts on this?

[Ken Doo]

Recommendation from BC is in the 1.3mm range for the needle/air cap.

Fuji also has a new sprayer out:  the Fuji semi-pro hvlp sprayer ---quite a bit less than the Mini Mite 3.

[Sunshine7]

Great thanks - good to know. Yes, did see the Fuji semi-pro hvlp sprayer and it is much cheaper. In your opinion/experience, would this be a similar quality finish as the mini mite 4? For Lyve and timeless I mean.

[Mike Guilbault]

Bill... I often get mistaken for Spielberg, especially when I'm wearing a ball-cap! , but lately I'm getting Walter White/Heisenberg from Breaking Bad! lol - but as I tell everyone... I had that look long before Breaking Bad ever came out!!

I can't take credit for that image I'm afraid, it's by a good friend of mine who went to Iceland back in October. Awesome work!

I'm using Satin Timeless, no dilution, and the standard 1.3 air cap that came with it. By adjusting the feed and air flow (on the hose before it hits the gun), I'm getting a very nice, even spray.  I can usually get away with 30-45 minutes between coats with no problem, depending on how heavy I lay down the coat.  The first coat is very quick and thin, and then I get a little heavier with subsequent coats.  I'm finding 4 coats to be just about ideal.

The pegboard works great!  I built a frame for the pegboard our of 2x2s, but cut the pegboard sheets in 1/4s and then mounted them with screws.  This way I can just replace a 1/4 panel if needed without having to replace an entire sheet. I have a sheet of plastic stapled to the back so any spray that goes through is trapped.  But this allows me to put up any size of canvas I need.  I tried a bar with clamps on it, but it was too restricting for the different sizes I do. Just before the large print you see in the video, I sprayed a gallery wrap that was going to be 12 x 72".  I use large paper clamps on pegboard hooks to place them where I need them.  The entire board is 8' x 8', mounted to the wall at a slight angle... maybe 12 degrees or so.

The only ventilation, I'm afraid, is a window behind me and at this time of year, it's not open very often (I'm in Ontario Canada...  -30C with the wind-chill today!) but I of course use a mask and goggles. The room is closed in with plastic so everything stays pretty well contained. I don't really spray a lot... may 3 or 4 each month on average. If I start to spray more than that, I'll do something about the ventilation.

[Mike Guilbault]

I think the main difference is the noise level between the Semi-Pro and Mini-Mite, with the MM being quieter. Other than that, I don't know if there's any difference in output quality.

[Ken Doo]

Fuji Semi-Pro hvlp is a 2 stage turbine, like the Wagner units.

Fuji mini mite 3 is a 3stage turbine and more power; Fuji 4 is 4 stage and more power yet.

If you opt for the "Gold" series is where the noise dampening features come in.

The feature sets you need depends on what you want to do. My guess is the lower model is fine if all you're doing is spraying canvas. If you might use the hvlp gun for more than canvas, you might want/need a more powerful turbine.  I have no doubts that the Semi-Pro is more powerful than the Wagner units.  I think the most difficult thing to do is dialing in your desired settings and spray pattern. The Wagner units don't have the same amount of control that the all the Fuji units do.

ken

[Sunshine7]

Great, thanks all, this was a very timely post!

[Some Guy]

All guns, paints, conditions are different.  Doubtful if there is a one setting that satisfies all.  Some days, mine acts like a whole different setup even though everything was the same as prior.

I use a Sata Mini jet which is similar.  I also use a micro-pressure regulator at the handle and a moisture trap (Important to keep condensation bubbles out. I'm surprised at the amount of water that comes out of the compressor tank, like a cup!) that also acts as a muffler to minimize pulses if the compressor kicks on mid-spray.  My preference for prints is Premier Arts Print Shield (lacquer) which is as thin as water.  With that thinness in mind, I spray water and later alcohol (drier) for the fan pattern onto tissue or newspaper hanging vertical to see both the oblong fan pattern and if it is too much, runny, or spitting/spattering.  Then I run some acetone through the gun prior to putting in the Print Shield and spraying (Also use it for cleaning as some thinners seem to gum the gun up and not clean out as easily as acetone.  Dirty gun will give you fits if it gets gummy.

Sata has some training videos, although auto trade, which might give you an idea:  https://www.sata.com/index.php?id=satatv&no_cache=1&L=1

I think the tendency is to spray too heavy rather than too thin.  That also leads to a fogging in thicker portions that may not go away.  Building up too many coats diffuses the image too and takes the canvas look down a lot.  Some canvas papers really show a minimum texture and spraying can make them appear like a matte print and lose the canvas look.  Premier's canvas has a deeper weave and minimizes the look change over say a Canson with a thinner weave.

SG

[Sunshine7]

Thanks SG - that helps, will try with the newspaper, great idea. Moved my previous reply on this thread re spray paint pattern settings for the Fuji mini mite 3 to a new thread in order not to confuse this thread. See http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=97509.0