Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

1. Has anyone tried spraying EMC with a disposable Prevail sprayer? http://store.preval.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjw ... oC_-Xw_wcB

I've got a small tight area under the console that can't be brushed or rolled very well.

2. I only have brushing reducer, no spray reducer. Any reason why I couldn't use that? I only need an ounce. It's a small area and not very visible.

It should work Larry. My son and I did the same thing on his boat with Alexseal paint, very similar paint. If all you have is brushing actvator you will need to reduce by more than 10%. Or I can send you a little spray activator.

Thanks for the offer. I've got brushing activator and brushing reducer. Will give it a try, off the boat, and see how it goes.

I think it would work, just thin it more. The EMC guys use a plain cup sprayer (the kind you would use for gelcoat) and they get pretty outstanding results.

Just as a follow up, the little Prevail sprayer did a beautiful job even using the brushing activator and brushing reducer. I thinned it just a little more than I would for rolling and the results were outstanding

I've had good results ( on a small scale) rolling with spray activator and no reducer. I like that paint!

With solvent based paint systems, I think there is a greater likelihood of compatibility with using such a sprayer, because of the propellant used in the spray head. With paint systems that are formulated to not require such solvents during application, such as System Three water based LPU (or others), using those sprayers can be more problematic. System Three doesn't like solvents during application and cure, and there are some chemicals in the propellant that may contaminate and weaken the final paint film. That being said, I use them with System Three LPU, on small work areas, cautiously, and so far the paint has held up... but... I had to thin it ridiculously to get it to come out the nozzle, which then required VERY light coats (to avoid running), and many of them (to get coverage). Why not use the big gear and gun to spray it instead? Because the areas or parts were small, and it can be a lot of work to clean up a spray gun properly after each use.

So, it is nice to know that these little sprayers work with EMC, and with System Three (when done very carefully), but I suspect that the parent manufacturing companies of these paint systems (and others) are not going to guarantee suitability of these sprayers, because they have no control over any future choices of propellant for them. Whereas a plain compressed air spraying system with a moisture and oil filter, is going to have a very predictable propellant formulation... filtered air.

I am not a professional chemist, and offer these views as personal opinion, based on limited experience. I have personally accepted the risk and responsibility for the paint film on my own boat, by using these sprayers in various areas. I did call System Three first to see if they could tell me quickly if it would work, or if the propellant chemicals on the label would do anything bad (like blow up). They declined a detailed response or warranty, but only said, *Try it on scrap if you want to, at your own risk.* I've got a feeling that other paint system companies will take the same position. I wish the world did not need disclaimers like that, but here we are, and it is what it is, until it is made better.