So this is humbling...I was always one of those you'll pry my solvent base gun from my cold dead hand guys. But I'm afraid the dead is coming faster than I want if I keep using the solvent. I have seemed to reach my lifetime quota after 20 years of doing this and over this last year the solvent has really been effecting me. I can't put off a switch any longer.

I have two suppliers that are easy access to WB product. One sells Chemcraft and one MLC. I also have a SW that an account can be opened with. Because we are in a cold climate I can't really go beyond this 3 hour delivery window to get product in a WB solution. Eventually I'd like to get the tint set up to tint our own pigment so that we can stock up in the fall with product and not have anything shipped in the winter.

Last time I tried WB was around 2006 and the stress nearly killed me trying to get a comparable finish and then trying to ship it without it interacting with plastic wrap or cardboard. I know things have come a long way.

So what are you favorite stain, clears and pigmented finishes in WB? Ideally I'd like to stick with my conventional airless guns but it's literally life and death so I'm not going to cling too tight. The second consideration is I'd like to be able to plastic wrap after 72 hours without issues. I'm all ears and looking for a complete system if possible. If you'd tried more than one I'm as happy to hear cons as I am pros as I try to weigh everything out. Thank you-

Saw your post surprised no answers
Back in the late 90's worked with Polyester using Ziol as thinner and cleaning the gun . My health dropped what I noticed was colds and flu, when the building was closed up in September, seemed to get a cold once a week.
When I went on my own in 2000 used water-based clear no paint at that time now use 2k and Conversion from time to time.
Water paint is a learning curve it does sag vertical and takes longer to dry so be careful about stacking.
I talk to Campbell rep they seem to be the most serious huge line of water base hope you get no long-term health issues

Last thing I use to buy my hardware from this company that made laminated countertops large company 20,000 sq ft. I use to go upstairs to the office about 7 people worked there did it stink YOU COULD SMELL THE CHEMICAL there was a girl in the office pregnant all wonder if the baby was okay

I have tried a number of waterbase finishes over the years but my favorite overall is Sayerlack which is now a SW product line. We use both clears and pigment topcoats. I have not tried their stains, but we don't do a lot of stain work, mostly natural clears or pigment. Sprays and flows well, not prone to sagging, easy clean up, and wears well. 90% of our work is kitchens.

Quick update with a thanks to those who tried to help. Took a week off-scheduled family vacation. Came back and started shooting WB products. Feeling so much better. Occasionally I have to break out the solvent to do a punchlist item and I feel it….

Products wise, I wanted to check out Sayerlack, Kemaqua+, MLC’s but my Chemcraft rep took return of all my solvent materials, set me up with some samples and a mixing machine, scale, etc and that type of loyalty and service I try to reward. I’m trying to stay away from the 2k products so I have shot aqualux on two jobs so far and it’s worked almost as well as a CV. Little bit longer flip time. But lays down beautifully. I haven’t gone into extensive durability tests but one week later certainly feels very hard and stands up to a fingernail scratch test with flying colors. Very happy with the product so far. Start shooting our first pigmented job this week with their aquaset and will report back on that product and the aquaprime which seems to be the reps highest rated product.

First thing I will say is Water base products are hard on your health as well if you don’t wear the proper PPE, look after yourself.

As for your question, a lot of the 2k water based products can be also used as a single component product.

I quit spraying solvents a few years ago, I switched to water base as I changed locations and didn’t want the fire/explosion hazards of solvent base.

I have used Sayerlak which is a really good precat. I started using Envirolak which is a beautiful product, it can be a 2k or single component, I have also shot ICA which is a great product, also 1 or 2 k and I have shot Renner which can be a 1 or 2K . When I first started with water base I shot some ML Campbell as I shot a lot of Solvent based Krystal. I found that the ML Campbell didn’t have the durability so looked for something better.

I guess an important thing is also price point, so some things like durability are not as important. Some of the 2k is easily north of the $100 gallon range.

Anyways all the best.

I’ve switched to waterbase permanently after moving to a small shop, leaving a large shared facility with a huge booth on someone else’s lease.

I learned I could trust WB after a trial by fire experience.
In 2019 I got a contract for a a hotel project where they had 1900 pieces of furniture that they wanted done in a dark grain glaze over grey background to modernize the dated cherry look, and to “match” a particular Wilsonart Plam they were using in the hotel. All done on site.

After some bit of research I chose Milesi waterbase HSC6033. The supplier pigmented to a BenMo sample grey which we shot over prepped existing. Then we did the unthinkable by graining over that with a dark oil-modified stain, then cleared it with unpigmented WB Milesi. Often with less than 12 hours dry time! Then we reapplied the glaze that we’d cut 50% with true mineral spirits as a 2nd glaze, gave it a few hours dry time, and shot the waterbase Milesi clear over THAT as a final coat. Thankfully the marriage worked and I haven’t heard of any finish issues. It was an initial risk to mix oil and water in such mass production, but I couldn’t do any of the faux graining with any waterbase stain, as it didn’t respond to the brushwork for a quality final appearance.
I think we went through 3 dozen 25L pails. The job took 7 months.

All this to say, that I do everything with Milesi HSC6033. Dining tables bedroom sets, everything. I do use waterbase stains as simple reduced glazes now instead of oil stains, because the degree of toning required is much less than trying to paint fake grain over a grey background.
My titan airless is a bit caveman for a lot of fine WB finishes, so I use the 4 stage turbine HVLP to keep the material atomized better for a lighter application, especially over mahogany, to avoid orange peel.
My supplier is breaking up with Milesi for middle man issues and is telling me Renner, also from Italy, is a fine substitute. But I’ve tracked down another supplier because I’m certain Milesi will do anything I ask it to.
Hope my long story helps.

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