Customer Reviews

Wagner Power Products 0417005 HVLP Control Sprayer

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I've never owned or used a paint sprayer before, but I wanted to try one for repainting our kitchen cabinet faces, doors and drawer fronts as part of an extensive renovation. This model was recommended to me for small-scale jobs where accurate control is important. Long story short - it works great for that purpose.

The sprayer is easy to set up for use - just a few simple parts that go together with no problems. The feed tube in the material cup can be angled in any direction, which allows you to tilt the sprayer as necessary to work on horizontal or vertical surfaces.

If you've ever used aerosol can spray paint, you can get comfortable using this sprayer in just a few minutes. It has two controls: one to adjust the spray pattern (I used the horizontal pattern exclusively) and one to adjust the volume of paint going through (about mid-point worked well for me). The spray pattern is very precise, allowing you to achieve almost brush-like control with minimal overspray. I disassembled my doors and drawer fronts and worked on them horizontally. The only limitation I encountered is that the whole assembly is kind of large, which limits how close you can get to horizontal material. I had a tendency to bump the paint cup against the work quite a few times before I got used to it. Vertical surfaces present no problem.

Clean-up is also very easy, at least with water-based paint. The clean-up instructions are described in detail in the manual, and it took me less than 20 minutes to get everything spotless and ready for the next job.

Now a couple of important points: First, the sprayer does indeed work with water-based latex enamel. The key is to thin the paint. Wagner sells a product for this purpose called 'Paint Easy'. I got a 32-ounce bottle, which is enough to thin about two gallons of paint, for a few dollars. The viscosity measuring tool included with the sprayer wasn't much help for me, but I just played it by ear and thinned the paint until it obviously flowed much easier. Second, it might take anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds after you press the trigger for the paint to actually start flowing out of the nozzle. Not knowing this the first time around, I almost gave up when I saw no paint coming out, thinking the sprayer didn't work. Be patient and allow plenty of time for the flow to start. If nothing happens after 30 seconds or so, you'll probably need to thin the paint some more. And whenever you let go of the trigger, the paint retreats back into the cup, so you'll have to allow for this start-up time after any significant pause in your work.

Now that I know how to work with this sprayer, I'm very happy with it.

What a waste of time! I saw Wagner's infomercial and the sprayer looked like just what I wanted. I have a screen porch, some eaves and some furniture to paint. I purchased the sprayer and got ready to start painting and guess what. You can't use latex paint with this sprayer. I called their 800 service number and was told by a service tech that it wasn't powerful enought. I don't use oil based paint only latex. The infomercial never said it wouldn't spray latex and the box doesn't say anything either. In the instructions it mention latex when talking about clean-up...even though you can't use it. I feel Wagner has been less than truthful in their ads. The certainly wasted a full day of my time.

I thinned and thinned my oil base primer until it would finally spray and using it on some bare wood new eaves, I could have put ten coats on to get good coverage...worse yet, the oil base paint was next to impossible to clean out of it without a big tank of Mineral Spirits or something. There is no possibility that I was able to clean it well enough to use any other color than the white I started out with. I bought an extra front end for it, too! Might as well have thrown the money away...no wonder you see so many Wagner sprayers in Second Hand stores!

Avoid this product unless you want to use it for stain.

I recently purchased this item with primarily one purpose in mind: I wanted to stain lattice panels under a deck with a latex stain. The thinning chart in the documentation specified usage with only 6 types of finishes. Instructions were not furnished for latex paints and stains. As one reviewer pointed out, they do specify later that warm, soapy water should be used to clean latex materials. And since water based materials are thinner than oil based, I decided to take a chance and use the stain as delivered. I was pleasantly surprised with the results. The spray was even and predictable and there was no spattering, even as the stain was running out. It definitely made the job easier for me....painting lattice panels with a brush or roller can be a monster! Since the spray pattern was only about 1 inch or so, I wouldn't dream of using this machine to cover a deck or other large object. And this product isn't advertised for this purpose. I do agree with Wagner that it would be good for deck railings. For the job I required with the material I used, I found it to be quite suitable. But I must admit I haven't tried to use oil based enamel with it, however. If I ever choose to do so, I would hope it would work ok if I used the viscosity test as specified. I generally use water-based materials anyway. Cleanup was no fun (it never is). But I found it to be quite manageable. I simply removed the parts specified and soaked them in a warm, soapy water solution as directed. Have you tried to clean a roller and a paint brush lately? If you want to read real horror stories, read reviews of other power paint sprayers (including Wagner) on the Internet. They are almost impossible to clean, require frequent maintenance and are very noisy and heavy. They also are much more expensive. Noise was not a problem with this unit and it weighed slightly more than 3 pounds.

In conclusion, I found this unit to be quite adequate if it is used for purposes for which it was designed. It was not designed as a heavy duty unit and should not be used as such. Bye the way, you might want to Google search for the best price.

I had a Wagner spray gun before that was complete crap - always clogging, breaking down, etc, and it was a real leap of faith to give this thing a try.

I am shocked and awed, however, with my HVLP sprayer. It has been one of the most pleasant surprises I've ever had with a tool. I read through the reviews here and was expecting to have some problems, but have had absolutely none.

I'm using Behr latex enamel (it's drying as I write), thinned to a little under 60 seconds using the Wagner paint conditioner and tested with the dinky little cup that comes with the gun. I thinned it to that level thinking I'd try it and keep thinning until it worked. Nope! It worked great the first try, no waiting (someone else said it took about 30 seconds for the stuff to come out of the gun, but that wasn't my experience at all), a smooth coat, and hardly any overspray.

Learn to play with the flow control often. If it's a tight line, I usually turn it down the the first major line (it's divided into four large lines and several smaller ones in-between) and then turn it up to the second or third for larger surfaces. The spray-pattern nozzle works great and I find myself turning it a lot to get the right angle on things. One of the big differences between this and my last Wagner sprayer is that I can turn the nozzle without getting my hand covered in paint - no drips!

I highly recommend this product (no, I don't work for Wagner, or know anyone who does) and hope your experience with it is as good as mine has been.

I am about 3/4 complete staining (latex stain) 225 feet of 4'high picket fence (clear cedar).

1) I am thinning to about 45 seconds with the measure tool.

2) Definately put the nozzle in soapy water if you stop for long (somebody else mentioned)

3) Definately keep the threads on the cup and where the cup seats CLEAN. (somebody also mentioned). Notice the flat spots where the cup is threaded. I think that's the vent.

4) Instructions say, if paint is not flowing out the nozzle, tighten the cup. I think that's backwards. The paint cup gets negative pressure. If you want to increase the paint flow, unscrew the cup, maybe 5 degrees (If you loosen to much, of course paint can leak out)

5)Instructions say rinse the gun out with solvent for 2 seconds. That must be some kind of ecology-politically correct thing to say. I'm using latex. I blow the gun out for a minute with hot soapy water after use.

The biggest disadvantage to the gun is that it only holds 1.5 quart (hey what do you want for $50)

I would give it 5 stars except that the instruction manual is little light on practical tips. Tool is good, just has a short learning curve (mentioned by others)

I think the Wagner HVLP Control Sprayer is getting a bum rap so I have to put in my 2 cents worth. The unit does a good job but has it's limitations as a previous reviewer said. It's simple and easy to use if you take the trouble to learn how to work with it. The directions could be more helpful in that regard. It will work with latex it you experiment with thinning and use an additive; (I used about 15 seconds with the viscosity cup included). It sprays slower than my other Wagner gun, but is more precise. The HVLP feature really works, it's very controllable and I had little or no overspray, not sure why someone else did. I would reach for this gun if I just had to do a small job like staining a garden cart, or some soffits, it's easy to set up and go. It only has about 5 wetted parts so clean up is pretty easy. Latex clots quickly so I learned to blow water through the gun and throw it in a bucket of water when I filled the container. I also learned that the slits in the tank gasket are important and must be cleaned to help the flow. Cleaning thinning and straining are the names of the game. After a little practice and a steep learning curve, I really like the gun.

My wife and I decided to stain our 1-year old pressure treated fence over a recent weekend with perfect weather. We had been told we could use a garden type pump-up sprayer to apply the stain, and then follow up with a brush to even it out. Imagine my dismay when I filled my brand-new garden sprayer with semi-transparent stain, pumped it up, and sprayed onto the fence... big splotches of stain! No amount of adjusting could get the stain to come out in a fine mist like I had been told to expect. And since I had tested the sprayer with water first, I knew that it was not the sprayer that was faulty. The stain was just too viscous to be atomized.

So my wife headed out to our nearest Home Depot to buy a power stain/paint sprayer. She opted for the Wagner Control Spray. After having used it for the better part of 2 days, here is my review.

PROS

Very fine spray can be achieved, almost like an adustable can of spray paint. Because of this, you can really get the stain into nooks and crannies or behind posts, etc.

Overspray was minimal, but there was some. My neighbor has a brand new concrete driveway that is literally 12 inches from my fence, and even though I was spraying the inside of the fence the stain never went through the gaps between the boards and landed on his driveway (which would have been disastrous). There are no droplets emitted by this device, just a cloud of whatever product you're using.

Assembly was quite easy, as there are only about 4 parts involved (but read the manual before you begin!)

Using the sprayer is fairly easy, but does require some experimenting to get the hang of the proper technique. Start out on a piece of scrap wood or an inconspicuous place.

Refilling was a snap and only had to be done every 30-45 minutes because of the very fine spray emitted. You can really get a lot of mileage with the product you're applying, but in the case of fence stain that's not always a good thing (because you want a nice heavy coating of stain in order to penetrate the wood).

Clean-up was incredibly easy -- I literally just rinsed everything under hot running tap water, and then went over it all with a soapy sponge and gave it a final rinse. It took all of maybe 5 minutes. It should be noted that I was using a water-washable stain (even though it was oil-based). Using this device with oil-based paint or a stain requiring solvent to clean it up would require more effort and time.

The parts of the fence I actually finished look great -- no signs of brush marks, drips, or overlaps.

CONS

Does not put out very much product. Even cranked up to "high" I could only get a 2"-3" wide coverage area using the "fan" spray pattern setting. Plus you have to hold it fairly close to your target (4-6 inches) and move it fairly slowly to get decent coverage. Good luck staining 2,000 square feet of fence like that! I spent probably 10 hours over 2 days using this device, and I only finished about 1/3 of the fence (maybe 700 square feet). That's 70 square feet an hour, or about 1-1/2 fence panels measuring 8'x6'.

A bit noisy, like a combination drill/hairdryer sound. The neighbors probably hated me all weekend.

The device may only weigh 3.3 lbs., but that's empty. It probably weighs closer to 5 lbs. with a full container. It sure begins to feel heavier as time goes by. My arm was quite sore the next morning, and I had to adjust my technique accordingly on the 2nd day. I recommend switching hands frequently, or supporting it's weight by using 2 hands: one hand holding the device as designed, and the other underneath the container to take the weight off.

The air filter quickly became discolored the same color as the stain I was using, which illustrates how fine the stain was being sprayed. It's literally like a mist, similar to an airbrush.

Because it emits a very fine mist, wind can play havoc with your use of this device.

Does not work with thick-bodied materials (like paint).

SUMMARY

This is a fine device, but woefully underpowered to tackle a large job like a fence, deck, or house. I probably will not finish the rest of our fence using this device, although I would definitely use it for smaller jobs, such as staining/painting a piece of furniture, or difficult items like wicker or lattice-work. In fact, I have a wine rack that needs staining, and I'll be using the Wagner Control Spray for that job.

Be aware that this device does not offer airbrush-like precision, although it does give much more control than a can of spray paint.

I've tried 2 different garden-type pump sprayers, this Wagner sprayer, and another Wagner sprayer to stain our fence. If I had to do it all over again, there are only 2 options I would consider:

#1 - Rent an air compressor and a professional-quality paint gun with a stain tip. Then you'd get the work done in a matter of hours, not days. But you'd also have to deal with the noise, issues of overspray and/or bounceback, and the logistics of dealing with an air compressor and all it entails.

#2 - Roll the stain on, and have someone follow along behind with a brush to spread it evenly and work it into the wood grain.

If you use this device, be sure you wear a face mask to protect yourself from inhalation of the mist and vapors. Good luck!

The reviewers fall into two groups: those that could get this to work and those that never could and returned it. You will notice a difference in the personalities of the people in these groups. Who are you most like?

I brought this home, read the manual and found that while it mentioned cleanup of latex paint, it didn't mention preparing to paint with it. I called the company and they said this painter is not recommended for latex: too thick. I read the reviews that got it to work, decided I was like those folks and followed their recommendations. Here I repeat some of these and add a few of my own.

I used a mix of 3 parts paint to 1 part water, which is easily done on the calibrated paint container. Others used a slightly more dilute mixture, and latex paints may vary by manufacturer, but this worked for me. The first 15 seconds of spraying should not be on your project as it may "spit" a little. From then on smooth sailing. Need to stop for lunch, or want to come back to it tomorrow? I recommend just setting the sprayer down. Don't touch it. Most especially don't clean the tip. A little cone will form and dry, isolating the rest of the paint and keeping it liquid. When you're ready to start again, just use your thumbnail to flick off the little cone and spay. You may need to repeat this once or twice in the first 30 seconds, then everything is back to normal.

I used this sprayer to paint some trellis and a wicker chair. I got very good results. You wouldn't want to paint your house with this, or a long length of fence. For that you need a higher volume painter, but for small to moderate jobs, this sprayer provides excellent control. It has three settings, that allow you to select a horizontal band of paint, a vertical band of paint or a circular pattern. You get a lot of control without a lot of over painting. The paint goes where you point.

Clean it once at the end of the job, but really get serious about it. Don't leave any flecks of paint to get clogged in the nozzle. With four parts (3 associated with the nozzle and the uptake tube) this is really very easy. Be careful not to damage the nozzle tip, but get all the paint out. Overnight soaking can help. As can, putting dish-washing soap on the treads without washing it off. The threads tend to attract paint and the soap makes them easy to clean.

So are you more like me, or the guy who whines loudly and takes it back for refund?

I build and restore wooden boats for a living and usually roll and brush my oil based marine enamels. I bought this gun when I needed to paint the interior of a plank on frame daysailer of good size. Most of the interior of the boat would be hidden by seats and floorboards (sole) so I wasn't too concerned with the final finish quality, I just wanted to get the paint onto the convoluted interior surface. I was pleasantly surprised by the control of the gun and quality of the finish. It went on in a fraction of the time and nary a run or drip. Here are a couple of tips to get the most out of this gun:
1. Thin the material as much as you can to get close to the viscosity recommended in the manual.
2. If you keep the trigger down lightly it will continue to pressurize the cup but not spray until you press down all the way. This will eliminate paint running back into the cup.
3. The paint flashes off quicker due (I think) to the dry heat created by the blower, so thin with a brushing type thinner (extender) rather than a fast curing spraying thinner. This will allow the paint to flow out better.
4. Keep the gun moving parallel to the surface and around 8 inches away.