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Anyone shot/shooting KTM-SV through a Fuji xpc system?

I wish I was. Does that count?

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sweat the small stuff.

I have done 3 instruments so far with the Fuji. No problems to speak of. There has been some comment on the turbine heating the air and causing the spray to dry before it hits the surface. But it hasn't happened to me. It has a lot less overspray than my HVLP gun on the compressor. I like it and am close to finishing two more. With my limited experience I recommend it.

Hi Ron,

Are you spraying KTM-SV?

Yes I am, for the last 3 instruments. Sorry I didn't make that clear. I was previously using KTM 9 with my DeVilbis HVLP gun and compressor.

So you're saying that you are using the Fuji to spray SV and that it works well and sprays a properly atomized coat that leaves a nice smooth layer and not a hard dry pebbley surface which takes a fair bit of sanding to level? Almost as if you were spraying a solvent based finish? If that's so, I'm going tomorrow to get one...

That's how it works for me.

Didn't you just pick up an Earlex turbine unit Med....?

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Ron, how would you compare ktm 9 with SV?
I also am a ktm9 user thinking of switching to SV

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Thanks Ron!

I hemmed and hawed but decided not to in the end. I did some asking around and people were saying that they were still getting the pebbly surface going on, and I already have a system that does that quite nicely...
So, now it's time to decide....

a) Fuji-

pros- can finish in the comfort and safety of your own home

cons- you have to actually do it

b) UV System of some kind

pros- fast

cons- its polyester, horribly toxic, expensive setup, nasty nasty nasty, you have to actually do it...

c) contract out like a sane person....

pros- how much easier could it be?

cons- rankles the ego, costs money....

If your are talking about the slight orange-peel finish with KTM 9, that seems to be normal, at least according to Mike Doolin's instructions. I have found that SV flows out and levels very nicely.
I stopped using KTM 9 because Grafted Coatings stopped making it. I believe it is only available from LMI in quarts. KTM 9 is an acrylic finish and there is a very slight blue cast particularly on dark woods.
SV is clear, and the coats do not amalgamate as well as 9 and occasionally there are some witness lines, but I have not found it noticeable after the instrument is buffed.
9 is also easy to retouch with CA and apparently SV is not. Haven't had to retouch any SV yet. I am getting very meticulous in my prep. I takes me a day or so longer, but no drop fills or retouches.
Good luck in what ever you choose to do.

Thanks Ron, Good info

Oh, Regarding Grafted not making KTM 9 anymore, I was worried also so I called them. They still make it and have no plans to stop making it. They just make it per bulk order from places like LMI. But they no longer make extra and stock the extra themselves.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I hate KTM 9.

I have the skin that makes it blister where I touch it. So did several of my clients. I really liked it at first. Then they started coming back. And now I hate it. Madly.

SV I like. The only bad thing I have to say about it is watch your shelf life.
I ordered a bucket and then didn't use it for a year, and when I buffed it out it had the slight blue hue typical of waterborne which is usually not present in SV (which is why I like it).
Also, the witness lines which usually buff out did not. When held to the light it was perfectly smooth, but when you look 'in' the finish against dark woods you could see them.

Orange peel is fine, the trouble I had was with a turbine spitting out a coat that was a collection of small drops and not a smooth wet coat.