Painting with a wagner sprayer

[trooper1822]

So my boat restoration is coming along nicely. I completely gutted the inside as most of the floor was rotted out. Boat is a 1981 sea ray 190. Got the floor all put back together and finally got started working on the hull. After prepping the hull for the past few days I got to the point of starting the paint job. As I am doing this on a strict budget I decided to go with rustoleum paint. I watched many videos of the roll and tip method of painting but decided I would try a different route. I picked up a Wagner HVLP painter for 40 bucks. I have used them before for painting fences but never for a boat. After unpacking and reading up on the directions I loaded it up with rustoleum white primer. I thinned it down using the supplied cup to 40 seconds and also added japan drier. Once mixed I shot a few test sprays on a old piece of glass and got the flow down. Spraying the primer was a breeze. I did manage to get a few run spots but that was completely my fault. I sprayed 2 coats of primer with sanding in between. I am going to let it cure for a few days and then hit it back up this weekend. On to the fun part, the paint Only thing I do not like about the painter is it has a tenancy to shoot globs on the initial pull of the trigger if it has sat for a few min. The trigger is a two part trigger. When you first pull the trigger it starts the fans and will only blow air. Depress the trigger more and it starts the spray. So I learned that after it has been sitting to spray away from your painting surface for about 2-3 sec to clear any globs out then continue with your painting. So if you do not want to try the roll and tip method or do not like the results, this is a easy way to go.

 

[HiltonFerg]

Re: Painting with a wagner sprayer

Glad to hear it's working. Post up some pictures!

Did you replace the stringers? What route did you go for foam?

 

[trooper1822]

Re: Painting with a wagner sprayer

yup had to replace the stringers also. Removing the foam was a PITA. It was totally waterlogged. I used these videos to help me along the way YouTube I ended up using a 2 part foam mix just like in the vids. It is not that hard to do. Pictures will come hopefully tomorrow in not by the weekend.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Painting with a wagner sprayer

It's been a long project, however you'll have a fantastic boat with classic styling upon finishing the project. That age SeaRay's were great, great boats.

The HVLP sprayers are really the thing, but they take different techniques vs. regular compressors. You made a good purchase.

I think you've got to spray HVLP guns closer to the surface. And when you start spraying, you've got to keep on spraying until you're out of paint. On boats, many painters just roll the hulls with short nap paint rollers.

 

[trooper1822]

Re: Painting with a wagner sprayer

Well finished up with the Wagner today. It made painting this boat way more easy. The hardest part was getting the spray technique down. A few things that I learned, 1. Make sure you really clean and wipe out the paint cup when switching paint. I wiped out the cup when I transitioned to red but did not get all the white out. When I started to spray the red I was getting dried clumps of white coming out of the sprayer. Had to dump that cup of red and re-clean. Cleaned using gas worked like a charm. Another thing I do not like is the pickup tube in the sprayer has a bent end. It is designed this way so if your spraying at a angle the tube will still pickup paint. The downside of this is if the tube is facing the back of the sprayer cup and you are aiming down, all the paint shifts forward. This means you have to take the cup off and adjust the pickup tube. Other than that this thing is a breeze to work with. I wish I could have gotten the boat off the trailer so I could paint it a different color but for now I sprayed it with a rust inhibitor paint. Once I get her in the water Ill tackle the trailer. Still have more work to do but the paint is pretty much over. Next weekend I will start installing the carpet and all the trimming and such. Maybe will even get the seats installed again, if the weather holds. Any suggestions for installing the carpet?