Spray Gun

Painting as often as we do, as soon as Daniel decided to buy an air compressor, I decided to buy a gravity fed spray gun. I'm so glad to have it! Painting goes much faster than with a brush. After looking at a few different models, including a Campbell Hausfeld one, we got ours at Harbor Freight (pictured right).
 
Leaning how to use the spray gun took a little time and patience. The hardest part was figuring out what pressure to use and how much to thin the paint, because the directions were no help. I was worried about thinning the paint, because paint stores always say not to. However, we really have to because without thinning the paint goes on with a bumpy, orange peel texture. So, we usually use 75% paint and 25% water for latex paint. Mineral spirits for oil paint. I have painted a lot of cardboard learning how to use this spray gun! We have tried spraying varnish too, but being such a thin consistency it drips easily, that I prefer to brush that on.

The first item we painted was a cradle for the baby, found on craigslist for $30. When Daniel took it out of the car, I wanted to resell it right away. All I noticed were the scratches, dents and ugly bedding. After that first coat of primer and Daniel's brilliant engineering that fixed the hinges so it rocks with even the gentlest push, I am glad we kept it. Since then, we have painted the kitchen cabinets, a nightstand, a book shelf, and most recently, the changing table. I've got a changing table post with pictures in the works! That's what got me thinking about the spray gun in the first place. I really enjoy painting stuff and love the no brush strokes look a paint gun (or spray paint) offers.

I have never tried painting with a brush using thinned paint. Maybe that would help eliminate brush stokes, if I couldn't paint outside. I'm going to have to try that sometime!