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Newsletter #153


A NEW FACE – A NEW NAME – MORE FEATURES

Recently I alluded to some exciting news coming from Apollo Sprayers. On October 1st our POWER and PRECISION Series Turbospray Systems debut a new face and a new sleek look. We have officially grouped our products by SERIES to make them easier to understand and help our customers make the right product choice for their individual needs.

First is the POWER SERIES. There are 3 models; The POWER-3, the POWER-4 and the POWER-5. power-5.jpg

Previously these units were known as the 835, 1035 and 1050. The number designation refers to the turbospray motor stages.

 

Second is the PRECISION SERIES. There is 1 model, the PRECISION-5. Beyond the new look this model offers our Pressure Control System (PCS™). This feature controls motor speed, voltage and amperage adjusting automatically for altitude and barometric pressure assuring precise atomizing pressure worldwide. The PRECISION-5 adds 21% more atomizing pressure above the previous model 1050VR further enhancing the ability to atomize the widest range of coatings thick to thin. precision-5.jpgThe Throttle Back Control (TCB™) permits the highest available flow pressure and increased motor longevity and our new LCD Message Center provides accurate pressure display, motor idling, temperature and an hour use meter. Great features for the every finisher. (see photo below in new product)

 

 

 

 

Third is the PRODUCTION SERIES. These systems incorporate fluid feed systems to allow volume spraying for small or larger production jobs utilizing a 2 quart or 2.5 gallon pressure pot. 

production-series.jpegAny POWER or PRECISION Series turbospray system can be expanded to a production unit or is available as a single system package.

 

 

Fourth is the ECO SERIES which was introduced in 2013 to provide economy without sacrificing performance. eco4gun1-1-.jpgNow we added some HVLP spray gun options to the ECO Series. Specifically our new 7500-GTO award winning gravity turbine spray gun, A 5530 bleeder gravity spray gun and the A 6000 economy spray gun.

 

 

 

Last is the all new TURBOPRO Series designed for the automotive, marine and aviation markets. Two models, The TURBOPRO 1000 and TURBOPRO 2000 along with the new PBC-GTO Series of spray guns provides features and benefits for these markets never before available. These systems along with all Apollo Sprayer Turbospray systems document 80% or better transfer efficiency and 38% savings on coatings when compared with compressed air systems. 

turbopro2000.jpgAdd the clean, warm dry air and you have the perfect spray system for the complex paints used in these markets. Solvent or waterborne. Here’s a link to our new TURBO Series website. 

 

Apollo continues to stay in the forefront of HVLP technology with ongoing research to provide the newest and latest technology available from the serious home finisher to sophisticated industrial applications. The great part: This is a USA Made Product. 

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It has always been Apollo Sprayers goal to provide the best possible product for all spray finishing markets. We believe that finishing is important and deserves a no compromise end result. In future issues I will be telling you more about the real HVLP story and more about what you see and most important what you don’t see when looking at buying and using this unique technology. 

 

bill boxer signature

Sr. Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Apollo Sprayers International, Inc

Product of the Month: Introducing PRECISION-5 TrueHVLP Turbospray System

21% MORE POWER, REFINED ENGINEERING AND OPTIMIZED PERFORMANCE

NEW!  The Apollo PRECISION-5 is the most advanced HVLP TurboSpray system ever. Named a Semi-Finalist in the IWF Challenger’s Award for technological and environmental innovation in 2014.

Here’s why:

PRECISION: Pressure Control System (PCSTM) controls motor speed, voltage and amperage adjusting automatically for altitude and barometric pressure assuring precise atomizing pressure worldwide
POWER: Documented 80% transfer efficiency and 38% savings on coating when compared with compressed air systems.
NEW: Throttle Back Control (TCB™) – Permits highest available flow pressure and increased motor longevity.
NEW: LCD Message Center – Accurate Pressure Display – Motor Idle – Temperature – Hour Use Meter

p-5message-center.jpg

Apollo Sprayers Model Precision-5 comes equipped with the Award Winning Atomizer 7500 and our Handi-Hold® Spray Gun Docking Station, an Apollo innovation. Store, hold or transport your spray gun in a vertical position with no risk of knocking or falling over. It’s ready to spray when you are.

Use the PRECISION-5 for the widest range of coatings, solvent or waterbase, clear or pigmented as well as specialized materials: faux paints, gelcoat, latex (emulsion) and multi-spec. 

Finishing Feature Article: How to Fail Less by Scott Burt

This time of year (summer and fall), I spend a lot of my professional time cleaning up previous finishers messes – mostly on exteriors.

If you engage in the act of finishing at any kind of level, even if just a few meaningful times a year, then you definitely understand that the proof is in the pudding when it comes to creating good finishes. When you get really good at finishing, it almost doesn’t matter whether you are spraying, rolling, brushing, or any combination thereof, the application method is just the medium – the thing standing between you and the result you are after in the finish. The goal is to be able to use whatever means at hand to get the desired result.

Renaissance men in literature were revered for being “skilled in all ways of contending,” and the romantic in me holds the art of finishing to that same standard.

I am lucky to be able to work on all types of interior and exterior finishes and see how they fail, and more importantly, figure out how to fix them. Working on exterior surfaces in the summer gives me the “bulldozer” perspective on finishing. Exterior finishes have to hold up to the elements, which is no small feat. While interior finishes are more Porsche than bulldozer. The sequencing READ MORE

Finishing Tip by Bob Flexner: Use Wood Conditioner to Reduce Blotching in Softwoods

Products sold as wood conditioner are washcoats usually made from varnish, though I have seen at least one that is an oil/varnish blend. A washcoat is a finish thinned to five-to-ten percent solids with the appropriate thinner. (Finishes are generally supplied with 20-to-30 percent solids.) In industry, the finish used is usually lacquer thinned with lacquer thinner.

Wood conditioners can be fairly effective on softwoods like the pine shown in the accompanying picture. They aren’t as effective on hardwoods such as cherry.

The purpose of the thinned-finish conditioner is to partially seal the wood, which means to partially stop up the pores so the stain, which can cause a blotchy appearance, can’t penetrate as deeply in those areas that will get darker.

To use a wood conditioner effectively, it’s important to understand that the directions supplied by almost all brands won’t produce good results. These directions say to apply the stain within two hours, which is before a varnish or oil/varnish blend has time to dry. So the stain mixes with the uncured wood conditioner and still blotches.

To use a wood conditioner effectively you have to give it time to completely dry so the stain can’t penetrate. With lacquer this is 30 minutes or so. But with varnish and oil/varnish blend this is overnight, or at least 6 to 8 hours.wood-conditioner-on-left.jpg

To significantly reduce blotching, apply the wood conditioner wet to the surface of the wood and let it completely dry. Then apply the stain and wipe off the excess. But notice from the example that with less stain penetration, the resulting color is also lighter.

I have no idea why manufacturers give directions that don’t work. The only explanation I can think of is that they believe you want to totally complete a project on a Saturday afternoon, and waiting overnight for the wood conditioner to dry won’t accomplish this.

Finishing Tip by Bob Flexner: Lacquer Over Glaze

As long as you are using a spray gun for application and lacquer for your finish, you don’t have to let an oil-based glaze dry overnight before applying the finish. You can do it fairly quickly, without problems.

The trick is to mist some thinned lacquer onto the glaze after the thinner in the glaze has evaporated (the glaze dulls) but before the oil or varnish binder begins oxidizing and becomes tacky. Unless the glaze is thick, in which case this trick might not work, the lacquer incorporates the uncured glaze and bonds to the coat underneath.

After the mist coat has dried, which is within 10 minutes or so, continue with your finish coats.

This same trick should also work with oil-based stains that have been wiped off. Give the thinner enough time to evaporate (or the lacquer may come out of solution and turn white), then mist on the thinned lacquer and let it dry. It would be a good idea to experiment on scrap wood first to be sure you have the timing right.

 

Finishing Tip by Bob Flexner: Understanding Furniture Care Products

Making a decision which furniture care product to use or recommend can seem impossibly confusing if you listen to advertising or read labels. But if you separate the products into four categories for what they do, they are understandable, and you can make an intelligent choice.furniture-care-products.jpg

The four categories are clear, emulsion (milky white), silicone and wax. A few examples of each are shown, left to right, in the accompanying picture.

Clear polishes are usually packaged in clear plastic containers and are based on petroleum distillates such as mineral spirits or, sometimes, citrus oils. They clean grease and remove wax, but they don’t clean water-soluble dirt such as dried soft-drink spills or sticky fingerprints.

Choose a clear polish if you only want an inexpensive, pleasant-smelling liquid to aid in dust removal.

Emulsion polishes are usually packaged in aerosol sprays and are an emulsion of water and petroleum distillate, which gives them a milky-white coloring when first applied. Their advantage over clear polishes is that they clean both grease and water-soluble dirt.

Choose an emulsion polish if you want a polish that cleans better in addition to aiding in dusting.

Silicone polishes have a small amount of silicone added to a petroleum-distillate (clear) or emulsion (milky-white) carrier. They are usually packaged in aerosol sprays, but Orange Glo and Pledge Orange Oil are exceptions in clear plastic containers. You can identify silicone polishes by the telltale marking they leave when you drag your finger over a surface, even after several days.

Choose a silicone polish if you want long lasting shine and scratch resistance along with a dusting, and sometimes cleaning, aid.

Wax is the most permanent furniture-care product and also the most difficult to apply because of the extra effort required to remove the excess. On deteriorated finishes, wax has the advantage of not highlighting cracking and crazing as liquid polishes do.

Choose a wax polish if you want fairly permanent shine and scratch resistance on old, deteriorated finishes, or on newer finishes without using a silicone polish.