Spraying Finish Outdoors in Cold Weather

[Jerry Gille]

I am wanting to spray a bow this weekend since I'll have an extra day to work on it - Monday is a holiday for me.  Does anyone have experience in spraying (I'm using T-bird) in cold temps?  I'm looking at a high of 25 degrees or so on Saturday with highs Sunday and Monday possibly in the single digits.  My plan would be to keep the bow in my house and take it out to my shop to hit it with spray.  Then bring it back in the house to dry.

Is there anything with this plan that might be a problem based on experience you may have had?

Thanks.

[macbow]

Be interesting to if anyone has tried it.
I have used just spray poly like that. Bow was warm. Sprayed oncoat in the cold, hung in warm room and finished some areas.
Worked out ok.
More concern with T bird.

[nashoba]

I always spray outside I do the same thing keep the bow warm until I'm ready. The other thing I do is I keep the compressor in the heated area of our walk out basement and run a long air line out the door don't know if it helps but I haven't had any problem so far.

[passion for knowledge]

I'd spray a test piece before going at the bow.

Some finishes can go cloudy in cold conditions.

Be a shame to mess up a bow you've got a lot of hours invested in.

Patience is a virtue, or so I've been told.

[jess stuart]

Spraying a test piece is a good idea.

[Jerry Gille]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

[ty_in_ND]

Spray testing is a good idea.  If anything, you might risk bumping, smudging, or getting dust on the bow as you transfer it back into the house after spraying it.

[Roy from Pa]

Might not hurt to contact a thunderbird rep and ask them.

[Robertfishes]

I have never used tbird finish..Could you heat the shop up to 70-75 degrees, turn exaust fan on  turn off heater, spray bow, turn heater back on? I am in Florida so I'm not a cold weather expert..but that's what I do when it's below 65 here. I have a small potable ceramic heater in my spray room and an insulated shop. I know it would be hard heating the cold air coming in

[Jerry Gille]

The "shop" is a 30 X 40 uninsulated machine shed so heating it up first is not an option.  I will lay some on a test piece of scrap glass first and see how that goes.  I'm a little worried about condensation on the finish when I go from extremely cold back to the warm house too, but it is not going to be out in the cold very long at all.  Of course I didn't think about the very cold air in my compressor so I might try to get one of my compressors in my garage which is attached to the house.  That'll warm it up 30 or 40 degrees probably.  Good call on testing it on a scrap piece first so that's what I'll do.

Regarding "bumping, smudging or getting dust" on the bow while moving it - with me, that's not a "might."  It's a guarantee!  

Thanks again guys.

[passion for knowledge]

Putting your compressor in a warmer place could do more harm than good. When compressed air exits the spray gun its pressure drops and so does its temperature. Any moisture in the warmer air is going to condense out and mix with the finish.
Also, the size of the droplets of finish is so small that they will cool down really fast.

[Bow man]

This is new for us. Nashoba say's he has done it. And the plan should work. I would not worry about the temp of the Air Compressor Have everything ready to go before you take the bow and the TBird mix out. Then get it back in quick when done. Spraying a test piece first would be a good idea.  Let us know how this goes

[Crooked Stic]

It will work but it will be a long time drying.

[nashoba]

David you bring up valid point about condensation I for got to mention that I have a in line dryer  on the compressor and that we heat with a pellet stove which causes our basement to be very dry.

[Jerry Gille]

Temps were in the single digits outside when I sprayed over the weekend.  I didn't have any problems.  I kept the finish, gun and bow in the house until last second then ran to the shed and sprayed.  I then brought the bow back into the house immediately to dry in my basement.  The finish covered and laid down like normal.  No problems other than cold fingers while cleaning the gun each time afterwards!

Thanks again for all the suggestions everyone!

[Roy from Pa]

That's amazing,  I'm glad it worked out for you.

[Bow man]

Originally posted by Jerry Gille:
Temps were in the single digits outside when I sprayed over the weekend.  I didn't have any problems.  I kept the finish, gun and bow in the house until last second then ran to the shed and sprayed.  I then brought the bow back into the house immediately to dry in my basement.  The finish covered and laid down like normal.  No problems other than cold fingers while cleaning the gun each time afterwards!

Thanks again for all the suggestions everyone!

Awesome can't wait to see the finished bow!!!