I’ve had little experience in finishing and the experience wasn’t too impressive maybe because I never had enough time to learn about the different finishes and their interaction.

Now that I have more time for woodwork and am interested in working on a number of projects in the house (cupboards, tables etc.) as well other smaller /artistic pieces, I would like to purchase some equipment to make the finishing faster , more enjoyable and of a higher quality.

After looking around on the web, I thought a LVLP/HVLP compressor setup and spraying water based would give me as little mess as possible in the garage, a compressor (which I don’t have) and possibility of the infrequent finishing of anything I end up welding.

I have listed a couple of spray guns below. Could someone comment on
- whether any of the guns are OK/ overkill (I listed the gravity feed/can't say whether that's the best option),
- what nozzle size I should go for if I was getting one gun (nozzle replacement price = cca 30% of nozzle+gun). I have no experience whether changing nozzles/cleaning one gun makes sense.
- would two guns be more appropriate (eg one good one and one cheaper one I could use for finishing welded items) / which nozzles ?
- what compressor size should I go for – not sure how to work it out? (I understand pressure* volume = constant , so 100l at 10psi (compressor pressure) looks like 400l at 2,5psi(at gun) but not sure what compressor capacity should be – I’m not going to be hurrying to do any work, but I don’t want to get an undersized compressor.

Optima 900 LVLP
Nozzle sizes 0,8 - 3,0 mm Recommended pressure 2,4 – 3,0 bar
Using nozzle 1,5mm
Round jet: 2,5 bar ( 35 PSI =8cbm/h) = 111,0 l / min
Flat jet: 2,5 bar ( 35 PSI = 17cbm/h ) = = 237,0 l / min

Optima 650i ,
nozzles sizes:0,5 - 3,0 mm
Air consumption nozzle size of 1,4 mm.
Round jet:
2,0 bar (28 PSI) =5,7 cbm /h = 96,0 l / min 2,5 bar(35 PSI) =6,7 cbm /h=113,0 l / min
Flat jet:
2,0 bar (28 PSI) =11,5 cbm/h=193,0 l/min 2,5 bar (35 PSI) =13,6 cbm/h = 228,0 l / min

SATAjet 3000 HVLP, SATAminijet® 4 HVLP SATAjet® K3™HVLP
also Devilbiss and Binks
Some Cheaper guns:
Kestrel 2004H LVLP (cheapie) needle 1-2,5mm
K-887M (prowin tools Taiwan) needle 1-2,5mm