How to Compare Budget HVLP Turbine Systems

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 5:40 pm
I will be painting a ’67 Mustang convertible. I’m not sure on specifics yet but I think I will be spraying epoxy primer/sealer, 2K urethane, base and clear. Color will be Ford’s Nightmist Blue Poly which contains a very fine metallic.

I was pretty set on Sprayfine. Probably the 4-stage A401. Now I see that TP Tools has their Showtime 99 with 3 guns on sale for $849.

How do I compare these systems?
Is there much to consider beyond how many stages, CFM and PSI?


Sprayfine A401 $560

Produces 101 CFM (cubic feet per minute) air flow
Max pressure 8.5 psi
4-stage, bypass tangential discharge turbine motor (motor cooling air is kept separate from spraying air)
Includes all metal all chrome bleeder gun w/1 qt cup (no plastic parts)
1.3mm projector set installed (other size pro sets available for $30.00 apiece)
Includes 1-qt remote cup/gun assembly


Sprayfine A301 $460
Produces 134 CFM (cubic feet per minute) air flow
Max pressure 6.5 psi
3-stage, bypass tangential discharge turbine motor (motor cooling air is kept separate from spraying air)
Includes all metal all chrome bleeder gun w/1 qt cup and remote cup/gun assembly
1.3mm projector set installed (other size pro sets available for $30.00 apiece)


Showtime 99 Finisher with 3 guns $849
3-stage
60 cfm - 5.7" XH-duty 3-stage turbine with permanently lubricated bearings
60 CFM
7.5 PSI

Comes with 3 guns
ProLine 20-oz Gravity-Fed HVLP Finish Gun 1.0 mm gun sprays stains, enamels, lacquers, urethanes, basecoats, clears, and waterborne materials
TP Tools® ProLine 1-Qt HVLP Primer Gun with 1.8 mm nozzle set
TP Tools® ProLine HVLP Touchup Gun with 1.0 mm nozzle set sprays most automotive colors and clears


Just looking at how many stages, CFM, PSI the Sprayfine options are clearly a better deal. Even the A501 would be cheaper than the TP Tools Package. But I imagine that there is more to consider. Surely gun design plays a major role. Turbine materials and design are another. Are the ratings even comparable?

What catches my eye is that it seems that TP Tools Showtime is targeted specifically at Automotive paint jobs. It’s also made in the USA.

So how do I compare these systems?
Am I overthinking this?

Thank you in advance for any feedback.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 7:29 pm
So like......stop.....take a deep breath and yes, no more thinking for now. For decent automotive work you got to have at least 4 stage, 5 is better, and I currently have switched all my turbines to the 6 stage units which allows you to shoot competitively with most normal HVLP, LVLP, and even RP guns. Ever thought about building your own 6 stage system? It's what I have been recommending for quite some time. The 6 stage turbine that is quite literally a clean sheet of paper design for spraying is this one.....https://www.alliedelec.com/product/amet ... lsrc=aw.ds Now keep in mind these things come in as shipment so right now Allied is like 20 weeks out. I snagged one off of them a month ago when they were in stock. You can also find them here... https://www.ebay.com/itm/163890392944?h ... SwDL5dlgro If you combo that motor up with this simple box design... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8BtjcgxbEA&t=46s and then add one of Phil's guns at Sprayfine..... https://www.turbineproducts.com/sprayfi ... 600ml-cup/ You too can have a very snazzy state of the art turbine system. And yeah, if you don't want to do all that I would consider Sprayfine currently the best place to shop for turbines..... Oh, and I almost forgot, that American made thing. It's like this... most of the worlds vaccuum motors (that is what a turbine is...using it's output instead of draw side) are designed right up north of me in Kent, Ohio. They are almost all made in Mexico and shipped worldwide. The turbine "systems" can quite literally be made just about anywhere....
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 7:37 pm
Oh, and they are also on Amazon....
https://www.amazon.com/Ametek-Stage-Tan ... C53&sr=8-2
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 8:21 pm
Thanks for the info DarrelK. I had heard of people building their own but didn't look into it as I really don't need any more projects. But watching the video you provided it looks pretty straight forward. And Thanks for the links. The Allied site shows 3 in stock. If I can get it at the price I might just do build my own.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 10:27 pm
Trust me.... these things are very simple in design. I never even built the box from scratch. I always just took a tape measure and looked at tool boxes that I thought would work. I can build an operating turbine in about 2 hours now. Put a hose and gun with it and you are done. In my opinion the single biggest game changer in the turbines is that unit I recommended. It even has a two speed provision with it's wiring.....
Last edited by DarrelK on Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: spelling
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:00 pm
Would it be beneficial to wire it for 2 speeds?

I did notice that the higher end models had some adjustments. But not the ones within my budget so I didn't pay much attention to that?

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:36 pm
You can indeed do that however with having sprayed with, built, and selling these units I think the best approach is still to control the air at the gun. I tend to be of the Keep It Simple Stupid regime so for $5 you just can't beat installing this just after your gun handle..... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Melnor-Meta ... /203136689 You are back pressuring the turbine somewhat but these new design motors do have a back pressure port built right into the discharge outlet. Another option is to just wire it to full out high speed and install a rheostat controller as your switch.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2022 3:36 pm
I just ordered the turbine from Allied. And I have the Sprayfine gravity gun in the cart. The gun comes with a 1.3mm tip. I'd like to order whatever other tips I need at the same time.

Can I get away with just an additional 2.0 tip for primers?

I haven't decided which exact products yet. But I'm looking at spraying either TAMCO high build epoxy or Evercoat featherfill, then the base and clear. Color is Nightmist Blue (PPG or Tamco) which has a very fine metallic.

I really appreciate the help. If there was a Like button, I'd smash it.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2022 4:50 pm
You are well on you way to some great shooting.... Okay, yep, the 2.0 is fine and if for any reason you cannot get that even the 1.5 will shoot the Tamco high build epoxy. Now if you do go Slicksand, Featherfill, they would be better with that 2.0. Personally, I'm never going back to the polyesters again. They just exhibit too much shrinking after the shoot for my taste. You give that epoxy a good couple days of hardening, curing and it just does not move. My Grandson is out pounding the crap out of his Jeep as we speak with only that epoxy on it. Okay, so I don't know if anyone has talked to you about this... Does that color of basecoat require a particular color of primer under it? A lot of these newer basecoats have some "translucent" properties so the bottom "ground" or primer coat can influence the final color. White or gray primers push to the lighter color values while black pushes to more subdued darker shades.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2022 5:14 pm
I haven't talked to anyone about it just yet but I was thinking 3 coats of color over black primer would be more forgiving. I'd prefer lighter (gray), but I'm going to go with which ever is safer for a first go.
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