Fuji Mini-Mite 5 for painting guitars, occasional automotive

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:05 pm
After a lot of research I am planning on buying the Mini-Mite 5 with the gravity fed T75G gun. This will be for acoustic and electric guitar finishing/painting, most often using nitrocellulose lacquer, and projects like motorcycle fairings, car hoods, bumpers, etc. and occasionally whole cars. The automotive stuff would be just personal use and for friends/family, not as a business, just stuff like my Dad's '97 F-150 and my '02 Jeep Grand Cherokee for example. I know this unit might be overkill for most of my uses, but I have read that the learning curve is fairly steep with turbine sprayers. Besides, I don't know exactly what automotive finishes I will be using, so I don't want to regret not spending just a couple more hundred bucks than the cost of the M-M4.

I also plan on buying the cap set that has 1.0, 1.5, 1.8 and 2.0, the separately sold .8 cap, and the 6' flex hose. Is there anything else I should consider picking up when I get this stuff? I have read that having a separate gun for primer would be a good idea, any recommendations? The Sprayfine gun that is about $150 gets decent reviews.

This will be an upgrade from a 120v 30 gallon compressor capable of 5.6cfm at I think 40psi and a LVLP gun, and I am tired of fighting with this setup trying to get decent results. Thanks for your help.

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:34 pm
Have you shot any turbine units yet? I'd wait on all those tips. Just get used to shooting with what comes with gun and maybe get the 2.0 for primers unless you decide to go with the Sprayfine gun. I now have a couple of those Sprayfine units one feeding as a pressure gun out of my 5 gallon pot and the other as a stain gun. Those guns will come with a 1.3 which you should up to a 1.8 if you are doing primers, high build primers, etc.
If you are shooting auto stuff I would not consider the 5 unit overkill. I am currently using a 6 stage for auto and I love it. Sprayfine gun and 6 stage unit was used for all of this....
This is the page where we start with paint....
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=27971&start=40
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:29 pm
I really appreciate the reply. I have never used a turbine unit, but I have a few junk parts like a fender, quarter panel, bumper cover, etc. to practice on, and then several small projects like electric guitar bodies, my kayak trailer, and a half fairing for my Nighthawk 750.

Thanks for the advice about the 5 stage, and not needing the full set of tips right out of the gates. I just need to read up on what might work best for nitro lacquer and make sure I'm covered for that in addition to primer and whatever paint I decide to use for vehicles. I'll definitely go read that thread you shared.

DarrelK wrote:Have you shot any turbine units yet? I'd wait on all those tips. Just get used to shooting with what comes with gun and maybe get the 2.0 for primers unless you decide to go with the Sprayfine gun. I now have a couple of those Sprayfine units one feeding as a pressure gun out of my 5 gallon pot and the other as a stain gun. Those guns will come with a 1.3 which you should up to a 1.8 if you are doing primers, high build primers, etc.
If you are shooting auto stuff I would not consider the 5 unit overkill. I am currently using a 6 stage for auto and I love it. Sprayfine gun and 6 stage unit was used for all of this....
This is the page where we start with paint....
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=27971&start=40

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:39 pm
You don't have to even give a second thought to turbine systems handling nitro lacquers. I started out with single stage turbines and their use with nitro wood and metal lacquers 40 years ago. Lacquers love the warm air environment provided by the turbines which overcomes one of nitro's biggest problems....blushing especially when you start getting into the quality higher solids stuff. Most any standard setup/tip system on a 3, 4, 5, or 6 stage system will shot the stuff beautifully. If you learn how to use control flash off solvents in place of standard thinners you can almost have a perfectly level coating with little need for a cut and buff. If turbine systems have one weak point is with the higher build primers, not so much polyurethanes but the sprayable bondo types such as Slick Sand, Feather Fill, etc. It is the heat produced here that is NOT a good thing and can cause premature "kicking" of the stuff right in your gun....
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!

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