[pwyu1969]

Hi all, I'm new to airless sprayers (though I have experience painting cars with HVLP and murals with an airbrush). I just bought a Graco TW170 for two jobs. One is an exterior job involving painting a gazebo with 4x4 posts, and another in interior painting door/window moulding and floor trim. Exterior job is using BM latex paint and interior job using SW PC. Recommended tip sizes on cans are .15 and .17 respectively. However, I have a graco 211 tip (to get a 4 inch spray). I know using too thick of paint can blow out a tip. Can I thin down the the BM and SW paints to shoot through a .011 tip? If so, by how much? Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[avenge]

Sure, I think generally you shouldn't exceed 1 pint per gal. But you're probably fine not even thinning it depending on the product. Just don't make it water thin. That's just my opinion.

 

[Jmayspaint]

I've almost never had, or heard of, a good reason to thin for an airless. That's kinda the whole point of an airless, they shoot straight paint.

Most newer latex paints don't recommend thinning at all, or say its unnecessary.

 

[pwyu1969]

I've almost never had, or heard of, a good reason to thin for an airless. That's kinda the whole point of an airless, they shoot straight paint.

Most newer latex paints don't recommend thinning at all, or say its unnecessary.

Thanks for the reply. So is it ok then to shoot a paint that is rated for a larger opening, .015-.017, thru a tip that is only .011? I had heard from a graco rep that using too thick of paint thru a smaller tip can blow the tip out. I was wondering what those that paint trim/casing with a 210-212 sized tip do to their paint if the tip is out of spec with what is recommended on the paint cans.

 

[Driftweed]

I do it all the time. Blow a tip?? Yeah eventually it will, but by that time you'll have made so much that $25 for a new tip is laughable.

Pull the trigger, if it comes out, go with it it. If not, well...

 

[m1911]

it's not recommended to thin latex, it also affects the sheen

 

[avenge]

I've almost never had, or heard of, a good reason to thin for an airless. That's kinda the whole point of an airless, they shoot straight paint.

Most newer latex paints don't recommend thinning at all, or say its unnecessary.

Back in the day we thinned all latex paints for spraying. You're right today's latex paints I don't thin, unless I run into some tar that I can't even brush. It also depends on the line of paint he's using, if it's a lower line I wouldn't as much as spit in it.

 

[jstor04]

I never thin latex for spraying. Like Driftweed said, if it comes out go for it. If not, get a bigger orifice.

 

[Caslon]

Thanks for the reply. So is it ok then to shoot a paint that is rated for a larger opening, .015-.017, thru a tip that is only .011? I had heard from a graco rep that using too thick of paint thru a smaller tip can blow the tip out. I was wondering what those that paint trim/casing with a 210-212 sized tip do to their paint if the tip is out of spec with what is recommended on the paint cans.

Graco what?

 

[BlueRidgeGreen]

I have never thinned latex through an airless.

And.......most importantly....

thinning latex too much, in my experience, can seriously phuck with the sheen, and worse than that, can cause the paint to take FOREVER to cure properly. Your work may be tacky for a month or two.

 

[CrpntrFrk]

I have before but as others have mentioned it changes the dynamics of the paint.

I thinned some paint years ago and it would not stay on the wall for nothing. Went to the can and it specifically said NOT to thin the paint. Well sh!t!! From then on I have been selective on when I feel it is necessary to thin.

 

[avenge]

All you have to do is look at the specs. If it can be thinned it will usually say 1 pint per gallon. You have to you common sense if it's already a thin low grade paint don't thin. If you go over the recommended amount that's when you'll start losing sheen.

Some paints won't atomize correctly unless they are thinned. Most paints today don't have much solids in the base to begin with so thinning is usually unnecessary unless you're not getting the finish you desire.

You're most likely to have thin when brushing not spraying.

 

[CrpntrFrk]

You're most likely to have thin when brushing not spraying.

I thin a little when back rolling stucco. It helps get it in all the nooks and crannies. :thumbsup:

 

[smalpierre]

My uncle wasted about $400 of my pro classic last year thinning it to spray. He said it was running, so he thinned it ... then it STILL ran - so he thinned it more until it was basically water. Of course the bozo thinned ALL of it.

Just spray it straight unless it's not atomizing.

 

[avenge]

My uncle wasted about $400 of my pro classic last year thinning it to spray. He said it was running, so he thinned it ... then it STILL ran - so he thinned it more until it was basically water. Of course the bozo thinned ALL of it.

Just spray it straight unless it's not atomizing.

I used Proclassic Semi for years on all my trim. When I first used it brushing I turned around and found it running down the crevices on the casing. It's somewhat like working with oil.

You have to mist coat it for spraying. I quit using Proclassic when I found it peeling over itself.

 

[ToolNut]

My first sprayer was a cheap x9 graco for the orange store, and even with it I never had to thin. You really need to be careful thinning these new paints. Thinning makes some of them do crazy things.

 

[smalpierre]

I used Proclassic Semi for years on all my trim. When I first used it brushing I turned around and found it running down the crevices on the casing. It's somewhat like working with oil.

You have to mist coat it for spraying. I quit using Proclassic when I found it peeling over itself.

I brush it all the time, no problems. I don't spray interiors, so idk how it sprays - but I told that dumb mfker not to spray it. It's not that much to brush - base and case in a 1500sf single story house, 5 interior doors. No crown. How hard is that??? I wouldn't even let him touch the next one. He was GONE at that point.

Sucks to be him, I had a few more ready to go right behind it. He wasted the paint for ALL of them.

It took him 6 WEEKS to paint that interior, and it was vacant - oh, and popcorn ceilings, so that wasn't getting painted.

Peeling over itself???

I've had problems on one job where everything was primed with xim. It wanted to rope up, and was kind of a *****. Other than that, no problems.

Yeah, it is a bit like brushing oil. In some ways I like the oil better.

 

[smalpierre]

Yeah, here's that idiot:

 

[avenge]

I brush it all the time, no problems. I don't spray interiors, so idk how it sprays - but I told that dumb mfker not to spray it. It's not that much to brush - base and case in a 1500sf single story house, 5 interior doors. No crown. How hard is that??? I wouldn't even let him touch the next one. He was GONE at that point.

Sucks to be him, I had a few more ready to go right behind it. He wasted the paint for ALL of them.

It took him 6 WEEKS to paint that interior, and it was vacant - oh, and popcorn ceilings, so that wasn't getting painted.

Peeling over itself???

I've had problems on one job where everything was primed with xim. It wanted to rope up, and was kind of a *****. Other than that, no problems.

Yeah, it is a bit like brushing oil. In some ways I like the oil better.

It can run due to it's self leveling, they tried to make it as close to oil base as possible. Ya I used it exclusively both Alkyd and water base for residential interior trim. Used water based semi on my home and recoated and it didn't stick. Asked SW about it they asked if I sanded it. Since when do I have to sand semi gloss and the specs don't mention anything about sanding.

I prefer using oil base for brushing any day over water base.

 

[smalpierre]

It can run due to it's self leveling, they tried to make it as close to oil base as possible. Ya I used it exclusively both Alkyd and water base for residential interior trim. Used water based semi on my home and recoated and it didn't stick. Asked SW about it they asked if I sanded it. Since when do I have to sand semi gloss and the specs don't mention anything about sanding.

I prefer using oil base for brushing any day over water base.

I like the oil base paint better as far as the final product - but I don't like frying brain cells huffing paint thinner all day. Pro Classic water base is the next best thing I've found.

I've always sanded semi gloss before putting new paint on it. I think deglosser is supposed to work too, but I just scuff sand.