Home Improvement Today?

I got a Greco Magnum X5 when we started our remodel, as doors were also an item on our list. I have a lot of older-school spraying experience using cup sprayers for enamel on metal, or like lacquer on wood, so thought I'd be all good with the airless sprayers.. still took a bit of relearning. Also ended up with the smaller variable speed hand-held sprayer as well for smaller projects. It became hard to justify using the X5 when the time it takes to setup and clean that unit where many times longer than spraying. The clean up on the handheld is still long.. but the paint loss isn't as bad.

If you were able to turn the whole garage into a paint booth and shoot 5 or more doors at once, then a larger sprayer would be justified. If you don't have the space, stick to the smaller ones.

Also airless doesn't mean no overspray. It will still get all over, so plan accordingly. Unless you're also planning an extraction system for the temp booth, plan on getting a good respirator.

 

TIPS. Yes, tips. Carry a roller with you as you spray, and when you get a drip roll that sucker out.

 

Agreed. I have a x5 also. It chews through paint.

Cleanup isn't bad but tedious.

 

We have this odd space in our bedroom that collects dust and is difficult to keep clean. We want to use it for storage, but when we were remodeling the bedroom didn't have time, so I framed it and covered it up (using the pine paneling we took off the walls).

Now is the time to tackle this but am unsure how to proceed. Essentially I want to make the covers (doors) swing out or up on hinges. The paneling is quite thin, so may not be suitable for attaching hinges. Using thicker wood is possible. What would you do -

• how and where to attach hinges?
• swing up or swing horizontal?
• flush mount or overlay the doors?

I'd need to keep it fairly simple (I'm not a carpenter by trade).

Thanks for any thoughts, opinions and help.

 

Maybe a strut and overlay hinge

$25 15" Gas Struts 22.5lb/100N Gas Prop Spring Shock with L Mounts for Light Duty Cabinet Door Lid Tool Toy Storage Box Truck Cap Topper Camper Window Lift Supports (Support Weight 17-25lbs)

https://www.amazon.com/Cabinet-Stor...lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM
Overlay hinge

$21 2 Pack Face Frame Full Overlay 175 Degree Lazy Susan Hinge, Clip ON Plate, Chibery Soft Close Multi-Pivot Concealed Hardware for Corner Kitchen Cabinet, Cupboard Folded, Folden Door, Closets

https://www.amazon.com/Chibery-Mult..._csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm

 

Another Graco X5 user here. Titan Impact 440 is a really nice professional sprayer, but overkill for the average diyer.

Mask everything with plastic. (3M Handmasker) Green frog tape is my preference.

The Graco instructions are pretty easy.

1. Pick a tip size 4" or 6" and make sure whatever material (paint/stain) you're working with is compatible. You don't want too small of a tip with thick paint.

2. Adjust your pressure so you're getting the paint spray pattern on the center and not the sides. Too much pressure just wastes material with overspray. Cardboard or masking paper work great for test patterns.

https://www.graco.com/us/en/homeowner/how-to-buy/tipselector.html

Rinse/flush out the sprayer asap in-between coats and when finished. Some use a wet rag and bucket of water to keep the sprayer in to buy some time, but I prefer to rinse and flush.

Sherwin Williams Duration or Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel would be my choice for doors and trim. Satin or Semi Gloss imo.

 

I vote for the struts and hidden hinges on the top.

 

I worked a summer for a house painter. We painted track homes, so one after another. Once we started, the gun spent all its down time in a bucket of soapy water. Never did we clean out the sprayer or gun. If we changed color we just started spraying, the new color was always multiple coats so no problem. Even with weeks of down time never a problem with the gun plugging. Same thing with brushes and rollers put them in a plastic bag wrap them up tight and get right back to it the next day. Clean everything when the jobs done.

 

I painted professionally for years and have many hours of experience with airless sprayers. I personally own a Titan 440i that I purchased years ago for exterior work but it lays down a nice coat on doors a trim also with the right tip. It’s a nice unit. Prep work is critical and the most time consuming part of the job. I generally use thin painters plastic to bag everything and canvas drops on the ground but have also made makeshift booths out of blue tarps when the need arose. Just be aware that paint on plastic or tarps flakes off easily and can get blown out by the pressure of the gun. If you aren’t mindful it will screw up your finish work. If garage is not insulated…the temp of the garage is not the only concern. You will need to factor in the dew point/humidity and the core temp of your doors. If room is cold and doors are cold the paint is going to take forever to dry and may slough off if too much humidity. If room is warm and doors are cold the same will happen if you put too heavy of a coat. If not in a hurry take time to warm the garage along with the doors. Stand doors up. Two doors in a v, hinge side to hinge side. Tack a paint stick to the top of the doors on the narrow end…and a yard stick on the wide end. This will allow you to paint all surfaces without having to touch the doors between coats. Trim can be painted flat strung out across sawhorses. You will want to work in multiple layers… light even coats. Letting it dry in between coats. If you choose to sand between coats… be patient and let it dry. Use a fine finish sand paper and vacuum and tack cloth after. Practice on a sheet of cardboard or paneling if you haven’t used an airless before or at least until you get the feel of throwing paint. It is in the wrist action where sags or fatties can occur as well as the starting and stopping of the paint. It’s a pain in the butt when those happen especially on doors and trim. Respirator is a must. I would also tape the door going into the house to keep fumes from traveling. Word to the wise…Don’t chase shadows! Paint will often dry unevenly. It’s best to let it dry adequately before applying another touch up coat!

 

Hi DIY-ers. I need to dig 3-4 holes for fence posts here in Tampa, because, fences make better neighbors right? So my question is, how to dig these holes? Rent a big powerful hole digger, or buy a manual post digger? What do ya recommend?

 

Isn't Tampa mostly sand
a manual PHD should be sufficient

 

I copy. Thanks.

 

PhD? I have a doctorate in ditch digging!!

 

Me too!! And PHD is new to me!!

 

Depending what part of Tampa you live most soil is made up of rocks of different sizes in many aeras of Hillsbourgh. Closer and South Tampa and East of Brandon which can be limestone over bedrock and Southern Hillsborough County can be tough with bedrock and rock probe the areas your digging.

 

Depends if you think you will use the digger again. If only one job then rent it.

Might be mostly sand so prob easy to dig by hand

 

Yeah, im thinking to dig by hand. Maybe buy a used hole digging tool.

 

Gas auger makes the job go faster, but handling one can be a handful, literally. And most are loud and heavy. My arms burned for days.

 

If you have rocky soil, hire a dude

 

probably over kill but pretty slick, towable and can rent in my area of the country from homie depot