The day my paint sprayer clogged three times before lunch

Last Tuesday I was spraying a kitchen set for a client in Oak Park and my HVLP gun jammed on the third cabinet door. Turned out I hadn't thinned the lacquer enough for the humidity that day. Anyone else adjust their mix based on weather or just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_brian1mo ago

Actually lacquer thinner is for cleanup, you need retarder for humidity issues lol.

christopher5941mo ago

My 1993 F-150 restoration proves you wrong. I sprayed two full coats of single stage urethane in 85% humidity using standard lacquer thinner as my reducer and it came out glass smooth with zero blushing. The real trick is laying down a heavier first coat to trap the moisture before it can settle, then hitting it with a dry second pass within 15 minutes. Retarder just makes paint lay down slower and increases your chances of runs in my experience. I've seen guys use retarder and end up with fish eyes from the silicone additives in some brands.