Earlex HV6900 Spray Station- Review
Back in March of 2008, I had a chance to review the Earlex HV5000 Spray Station, and I recently added an update to the review to reflect my current opinion of the unit. You can check that out here: Music to my Earlex
The HV5000 is one of the best bargains out there in HVLP turbine sprayers. Despite the excellent performance of the unit, I did have my questions about motor power, longevity, and overall quality of parts. As someone who used to drag my spraying rig around to job sites, I know the beating these units have to endure. So for those of you who need a little more beef in your turbine, the HV6900 just may fit the bill.
The HV6900 features a 3-stage industrial Ametek motor (5psi), a more durable 13-ft hose (with an optional 30-ft super flex hose), front-loading filters, an improved gun design, and weighs in at under 25 lbs. The turbine itself is exactly what you would expect from a 3-stage unit. You can literally see the power of the airflow in the robustness of the spray pattern. A smooth even fan was achieved with numerous finish types and the unit completely atomized everything I threw at it. Now the one thing I didn’t test was latex paint. Honestly, I never really spray latex so its hard for me to offer an informed opinion. But when I ran some latex through the HV5000 in my previous review, the results seemed decent enough once the paint was thinned. So my assumption would be that with the more powerful 3-stage turbine, latex would be no problem at all.
The gun on the Earlex is very similar to the old model, but features a new hose connector. I am told it was re-tooled for greater longevity but I never really saw a problem with the old one. Regardless, once connected, the hose is secure and doesn’t fall out.
I have sprayed about 5 projects using this system with finishes including lacquer, water-based poly, shellac, and water-based dye. In general, I can safely say that this unit performs every bit as well as my $700 Fuji 3-stage turbine. And the HV6900 retails for $200 less at $499!
So how does it stack up to the other 3-stage turbines on the market? Well, the only unit I have extensive experience with is the Fuji, which I feel is on par with other similar units on the market. And generically-speaking, here are the things your extra money will get you:
- A more durable hose. A rubber hose will generally take a little more of a beating. The HV6900 hose is much improved over the HV5000 and appears to be made of a thicker plastic with a hard rubber coating, but its still not quite as good as a heavy-duty rubber hose. Now there is an optional 30′ super flex hose available for $129. Earlex says this upgraded hose is as strong as a standard rubber hose, with the added benefit of being lighter and more flexible. Pictured below are, from left to right, are hoses from the HV5000, the HV6900, and the Fuji Q3.
- A gun with more settings. The Earlex gun features only two controls: one for fluid and one for fan orientation. On my Fuji gun, I have an additional control for the size of the spray pattern and an air flow valve in the hose itself. I rarely touch either setting so I really don’t miss them on the Earlex.
- A little more psi. The HV6900 is rated at 5 psi, and comparable units (Fuji, Apollo, Campbell Hausfeld) are rated at 5.5 – 6.0 psi.
You’ll need to decide for yourself if the above things are worth the extra money. But if I were in the market for a new 3-stage turbine, I would buy the Earlex HV6900 and spend the extra $200 on things like new tips, cups and maybe even an extra gun.
As with all my reviews, you should always read through the comments section below. Our readers tend to add valuable insights that I either didn’t know about or didn’t think of. After all, I am NOT a professional reviewer. So to really get the full picture on a product, be sure to include these comments in your research.
45 – Music to My EARlex
High Resolution Version
This video covers my initial impressions and experience with the Earlex Spray Station 5000. To sum up, I thought the Earlex did a darn good job spraying pretty much everything I put in it, including oil-based poly, water-based finishes, lacquer, and latex paint. I would probably recommend purchasing some of the smaller tip sets though, since they will increase performance on the water-based stuff. The 5000 does lack some of the spray controls typically found in higher-priced 3 and 4-stage units, but sometimes those extra features are just unnecessary. I found the simplicity of the unit to be refreshing. In fact, there were a few occasions where I needed to spray and I found myself gravitating to the Earlex primarily because of its simplicity. Now the unit has only been in my possession for about a month so I can’t comment on its longevity. But from what I’ve seen so far, I think the Earlex represents what many of you are looking for: a low-cost way of getting into the spraying game, without scarifying the quality of your finish.
I would also like to thank Charles Neil for his help “behind the scenes” on this video. You can see his video on 2-stage turbines on Youtube.
***UPDATE (10/5/09)*** Its been well over a year since I first used the Earlex and I am still very happy with the unit. I have sprayed everything from water-based to lacquer and many variations of stains and dyes and the performance has been excellent. I did have a problem with the gun at one point, when the small nut that holds the lid to the gun actually cracked. One phone call resulted in an immediate replacement and I was back in business in no time. My concerns about the longevity of the unit were based on the housing being primarily plastic, and the hose being a little stiffer and “cheaper” than I was used to. As a result, I diligently wrap the hose up after every use and I am careful not to step on it. Taking these precautions, I have had absolutely no problems with the hose. This unit is still a highly-recommended purchase.
Wood Talk Online – 32
Topics:
Marc’s new finishing room, The Earlex Spray Station, self-cleaning blast gates, “lazy people food”, taking photos of your work, accepting credit cards, and dyed through tenons.
Relevant links: Steve Kaeser Lights
If you want to leave us a voicemail: 623-242-2450
Wood Talk Online – Episode 29
Marc and Matt discuss: Marc being a judge at a woodworking show, analyzing other people’s work and how it affects your own work, Matt trying lacquer for the first time, the Earlex HVLP System, blade guards and splitters,
Relevant links:
Arizona Association of Fine Woodworkers
Charles Neil
Earlex HVLP Sprayer
Plumbing a Shop for Air
Our voicemail line: 623-242-2450
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