What equipment to buy for finishing work?

[wixy]

I want to finish my home built speakers with a stain and varnish.

Can anyone recommend some equipment for doing this professionally? I am guessing a paint brush wouldn't suffice.

I have up to around $500 to spend.

This is one thing I am thinking off for $400: http://www.wagnerspraytech.com.au/portal/color_w_850_en_au,,59414.html

Thanks!

[Master Splinter]

Probably the best starting point for you (if you are new to it all) is something that doesn't require a lot of equipment or a dust free environment.

Try Minwax Wipe on polyurethane (available in Bunnies) - it has quite a few fans in these forums. (search them and you'll find some examples)

Otherwise you'll be up for the sprayer, thinners, varnish, respirator....and you still might not get the finish you are after as it can take a while to get the knack of spraypainting.

[Wood Worm]

If you're thinking of spending $400 on a spray outfit, go for a proper compressor and spraygun. The compressor if so useful for many other uses besides painting. I use it with an airgun for cleaning or drying washed parts and a nailgun for general construction. It also allows me to pump up the tyres on the cars and wheelbarrow. Once you have one you don't know how you survived without one.

[jeffhigh]

I just picked up a Wagner W650 yesterday from bunnings.
Clearance item, marked down from about $200 to $149.50
Got to the checkout, scanned at $100.50.
Obviously I don't know how it performs yet.
I just didnt want the bulk of a compressor.
Jeff

[astrid]

Unless you are thinking of doing a lot of spray work in the future you dont need any equiptment at all.
just some fine steel wool, stain and danish oil or poplyeurathane and some rags.
If youve got 500 bucks to spend finishing a couple of speakers, throw it my way and i'll do it for you!:U

Astrid

[Big Bird]

Bummed you got to this thread before I did Astrid, as I was just thinking what you wrote before I read it?

But yes...unless you have forseeable uses for all this equipment in the future, don't go to the trouble.

Maybe rent the equipment to do your job?

Maybe buy yourself a decent gun and rent the compressor so that you don't have to worry if the last bunny that used the gun cleaned it properly. (I was laying down the clear topcoat on a black car when the gun spat out all this orange gunk...even after running cleaner through the gun at the start of the day)

Otherwise, bring me your $500 and speaker boxes and I am sure I could bargain Astrid down to $300.

GAME ON!!!

[astrid]

we dont know how big these boxes are!
Rule one. overquote by as much as you can get away with:U

you can have the job BB

Astrid
ps, i can get to your piano after 11/1 i think

Astrid

[Big Bird]

Sure, I'm going to paint it, but feel free to come down and have a look.

Cheers
HARRY

[amanda223]

Well it needs a hell lot equipments ,firstly try to built up an environment like dust free environment, then buy the perfect furniture ,so that your home will look good...

[wixy]

Thanks people for the advice.

Astrid, Big Bird, so you guys do finishing work for people?

This seems tempting and would save me a lot of time and effort!

If either of you or anyone in Melbourne would be interested in applying a professional stain and varnish to a turntable plinth I have, please send me a pm. The plinth is made of laminated marine ply sheets and is basically a rectangular block measuring around 50cm x 40xm x 10cm.

Cheers.

[Big Bird]

I don't do finishing work for other people...what makes you think that

[astrid]

your reference to taking the 500 and passing the job to me.
and my reply

astrid:U