Spraying glazes

[Kathy Ransom]

Does anyone have some advice for spraying glazes?  I use a small airbrush to spray underglazes and of course, have great luck with them going on smoothly.  I don't want to use my really good airbrush for my glazes though because I understand it is very hard on them due to the particle size, and of course I don't want to screen the glazes too finely because the particles give me the effects I'm looking for.  I'm using a larger automotive spray gun I bought at Canadian Tire but it constantly plugs on me and sometimes won't even start spraying.  I did brush my glazes on but really want a much smoother effect and I use a lot of different glazes in a small studio so don't have the space for more than a couple of them in big pails.

NOTE: Replies are posted from oldest to newest, so the most recent posts will be at the bottom of the last page.

[Catherine Rehbein]

Hi Rodney, I also love my critter spray gun. I have switched out the metal straw feeding the gun and replaced it with a plastic straw. I cut the straw on an angle so that more glaze can be funneled in. I use the straw from the lotion dispensers I've ordered. Thank goodness my husband has remote air lines throughout his workspace and mine . The compressor is in another area so I don't have to hear it running. Although my spray booth makes up for it. Happy Spraying!

[Rodney Allen Roe]

Catherine,

Thanks for the tip on the tip of the straw.  I will be working with a compressor in the space.  I have hearing protection but it doesn't filter everything out.

[George Lewter]

What compressor to buy? When spraying glazes with any hvlp spray gun you can get by with just about any compressor designed for general home or light business use, but not an airbrush compressor. If you already have one it will likely work for spraying glaze. The considerations if you are buying a new compressor are mainly the recovery speed and the tank capacity. 4 CFM at 90 lbs of pressure is  a good minimum for recovery speed. If you get a lot lower than that, then your compressor will be running nearly continuously when you are spraying (noisy), and your tank pressure may go below what you want to have going to your gun. Above 4 CFM and your compressor will cut in and out, but will not be running continuously. For similar reasons it is better to have a larger tank on your compressor to store the high pressure air. The little pancake compressors will work, but again will have to run more often to replenish the air supply. I consider 8 gallons to be a minimum for tank size. So a piston (not a diaphram) compressor with a 2 hp motor, an 8 gallon tank, and  capable of pushing +4 cubic ft per minute at 90 psi would do the job for anyone not doing assembly line glaze spraying. You can get a compressor with these specs from Harbor Freight. (Current Sale Price is $119 US, usually $139). Click the image below to go to Harbor Freight Web page

I've had one of these for 3 years, and it works very well for me.

[Rodney Allen Roe]

Thanks for the help.  I just gave myself one for Christmas.  Now I have to cobble a spray booth together.

[cp dunbar]

Just like Rodney, my wife just bought me one for christmas.  May i ask what tubing etc i might need to help santa ?

cp

re: George Lewter's compressor posting

[George Lewter]

This is purely a matter of opinion, but from my construction years, I have liked rubber hoses. Great flexibility, and they behave very well when coiled, but are relatively heavy. Urethane and reinforced PVC are harder, less flexible, and don't coil as nicely, but are good to string out on a semi-permanent basis. They are light and polyurethane reputedly has good durability (I haven't owned any long enough to verify). I strung out a PVC hose along the ceiling to get from my compressor over to the glazing area. There I put on a 3-way manifold, and made up 6 foot rubber hoses to connect to my three guns. There is another 6 foot rubber hose split off the compressor that I use at my wash up sink. I've never even wanted to try the ultra light polypropylene self coiling hoses.

One definite recommendation, though, is to use industrial style quick disconnect couplings everywhere you put anything together.

Hoses (1/4 inch inside diameter is adequate) - http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=air+hoses

Couplings - http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=air+hose+couplings

[Cyndy Littleton]

Because of the weight of the sprayer with the glaze (especially when I am doing multiple pieces at a time), I like to use the flexeel hose. It is extremely light weight. 1/4" x 25' runs around $16.00 - $23.00.

[cp dunbar]

So now the obvious topic is "What about a Spray Booth ?"

/wink

cp

[Cyndy Littleton]

I use an old fiberglass shower that I got for about $50. Hooked up a box fan with some modifications to vent and use a hose to spray off the walls. I collect everything in a 5 gallon bucket that is set up under the "drain". It is not pretty, but it works. This is an example which is much "prettier than mine".

[Rodney Allen Roe]

Thanks for the picture.  Did you cut a hole to mount the box fan in in the back...or maybe on top?  I sort of live in the middle of nowhere.  Where did you go to look for a used shower stall?  I'll have to check with some people who do remodeling.  This is a lot of help.

[Rodney Allen Roe]

cp dunbar said:

So now the obvious topic is "What about a Spray Booth ?"

/wink

I hadn't thought of a 3 way and multiple hoses hooked to different sprayers.  Maybe after I get all set up and  get a little practice spraying I'll get more "critters".

cp

George Lewter said:

This is purely a matter of opinion, but from my construction years, I have liked rubber hoses. Great flexibility, and they behave very well when coiled, but are relatively heavy. Urethane and reinforced PVC are harder, less flexible, and don't coil as nicely, but are good to string out on a semi-permanent basis. They are light and polyurethane reputedly has good durability (I haven't owned any long enough to verify). I strung out a PVC hose along the ceiling to get from my compressor over to the glazing area. There I put on a 3-way manifold, and made up 6 foot rubber hoses to connect to my three guns. There is another 6 foot rubber hose split off the compressor that I use at my wash up sink. I've never even wanted to try the ultra light polypropylene self coiling hoses.

One definite recommendation, though, is to use industrial style quick disconnect couplings everywhere you put anything together.

Hoses (1/4 inch inside diameter is adequate) - http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=air+hoses

Couplings - http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=air+hose+couplings

[Lawrence Weathers]

here is another cheap easy spray booth made from a couple of 4 x 8 extruder polypropylene sheets, 2x2s, some quality duct tape an old house heating system squirrel cage blower and hunk of open cell foam as a filter. If your studio space is small, unscrewing one wingnut in the inside of the roof will limit fold up into a 4 x 8 x 4" thick module. I've also put in a link beside the picture so you can download some pictures of the construction details.

Spray Booth