Priced at over a thousand dollars, the Fuji Q4 HVLP spray systems may seem prohibitively expensive for most as there are other Fuji sprayers on the market for less.
That said, the price is a reflection of the quality and performance, pure and simple. The Fuji Platinum series of HVLP systems represent Fuji’s best sprayers and they do produce some of the best HVLP spray guns on the market. Good for not just the heavy-duty painting projects, but ideal for fine finishing as well, making the Platinum series ideal for spray painting cabinets, etc.
It will certainly be worth saving up to have this Fuji Q4 platinum upgrade in your painting arsenal as the Fuji Q4 HVLP system offers features that don’t just significantly improve the process for all painting projects, they also drastically expand the motor life of the system as a whole.
They make the experience of painting better with thoughtful design and durable long-lasting materials.
Unlike it’s smaller brother seen in our Fuji Semi-Pro 2 review, the Fuji platinum series is a top of the range sprayer and any painter with a medium to a large level of work and a whole lot of high-end detailing should be craving this machine. It’s a ton of power in a small blue box.
The Basic Specs of the Fuji Q4
The Fuji HVLP is powered by a 4-stage turbine motor and with the 4 fans (stages) it can produce a pressure rating from 6.5 up to 9.5 PSI. It is housed in a durable metal turbine case that comes equipped with the unique Fuji heat dissipation chamber, to ensure operating temperatures are kept to the minimum and the Fuji noise reduction technology. It features a gun holder and a handle for the convenience of movement.
The system is supplied with a T-75G model gravity cup gun with a 1.3mm tip the gravity cup capacity is 1000cc (1 quart). The spray gun is a Non-bleed HVLP turbine spray gun and the patented side-mounted fan pattern control lets the user adjust between standard spray patterns of horizontal, vertical, and round, in increments of every possible size. Making Fuji turbine gun ideal as a paint sprayer for furniture.
It is supplied with a 25-foot Hi-Flex hose that is rugged and flexible and includes the air control valve for ease of use, the cleaning kit with the wrench and cleaning brush required for spray gun cleaning, and a user manual. Not forgetting the 2-year warranty for parts and labor that Fuji gives on their product.
The whole system weighs in at around 36 pounds and the unit is easy to clean and maintain over time. All in all, a machine designed for beginners and professionals alike. It is simple, powerful, durable, and comes with fantastic integrated technology.
What We Loved
The 4 stage motor and fan system within the rugged metal turbine case are the most exciting part of the Fuji Q4 Platinum and a fantastic upgrade from other Fuji HVLP systems.
The more fans (stages) within a system, the more pressure, and with the Q Platinum spray paint guns the powerful 4 stage turbine motor can get up to 9.5 PSI and thus handle most materials without the need for significant thinning to get even coatings.
Furthermore, the 4-stage motor spins slower than the smaller models meaning it is less likely to fall victim to the usual wear and tear, and to improve the lifespan even further exclusive to Fuji is the heat dissipation chamber that reduces the operating temperature and stops excess heat from building up in all the Fui Platinum turbine series.
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Whenever an HVLP spray system is running, it naturally produces heat that can eventually cause the system to weaken and break down but with the exclusive Fuji dissipation chamber to stop excess heat, there is less chance of this happening.
Designed to channel heat to the back of the turbine and into a heat dissipation chamber and once there the heat is expelled through 60 holes along an optimum surface area. Without any added noise or steps, the system is left running significantly cooler thus extending the lifespan of the Q4 and the other Q platinum models, (Fuji Q3 and Q5).
The “Q” in the Fuji Q series stands for quiet and rightfully so, because of its patented noise reduction technology, Fuji has drastically reduced the noise made by their sprayer systems by approx 50%. The Q Platinum series all have turbine filters that help avoid sucking in any paint particles.
The airflow within and around the Platinum turbine is controlled and directed by the computer-designed airflow Configurations system. This disrupts, and all but eliminates, what is known as the “direct sound path” that is commonly found in lower-priced HVLP turbines. Therefore making this a candidate for Best HVLP turbine system.
At just 15 feet away the machine only emits 63 dba which is around the same volume as the average conversation, it is so quiet that the hiss of the gun tends to be louder.
Other great features of the Q Platinum systems include the exceptional pattern control knob that allows for total control over the size and shape of the fan pattern and it is far more nuanced than the mid-range models which is what makes it great for fine finishing. So whether you are painting walls or furniture you will get the size for the finish you want.
The gun is professional-grade and is a non-bleed spray gun that both stops the build-up of paint in the air cap while also preventing any leaked airflow that can stir up dust and ruin your freshly painted surface. It is supplied with a 1.3mm high-quality spray tip and a sleek, ergonomic design.
The 25 foot of Hi-Flex hose is flexible and rugged, and with the quick connect coupling and air control valve there is no struggling to connect and disconnect, this also helps to reduce overspray as well as bounce-back that can ruin careful detailing work.
What We Didn’t Like
While the included 25-foot hose is certainly tough, it is not quite as flexible as one might hope. It comes out of the box with a whole lot of rigidity that can take time to wear down.
While the Fuji Q4 system comes with a gravity gun, the system is designed to be compatible with a bottom-fed gun which you can get separately. While often easier to maneuver than the bottom-fed option, there is some that report having had sealing issues with the gravity cup.
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The price is an honest assessment of value. The system is superb at spraying with a variety of materials from latex and lacquers without the need for a lot of thinning and with patented side-mounted fan pattern control it is simple to adjust. There is a viscosity cup supplied so always do a spray test before starting on your project and use this if you feel your materials require thinning.
Fuji Q4 Review Conclusion
Despite some minor issues with sealing and a slightly tough hose, nothing but the price tag should make you hesitate in buying this sprayer. The Fuji HVLP Q4 pro was built to handle everything from medium to heavy-duty painting projects and can tackle the toughest of detail-work, like cabinets.
It is built to last with high-quality materials and technology designed to increase longevity and decrease problems with noise and heat. Moreover, should you have any problems, they can be dealt with by contacting their dedicated customer service line which has been positively reviewed several times over, and don’t forget it does have a 2 year warranty on both parts and labor.
If you can afford the initial investment, the Q4 Fuji HVLP spray gun will become the best paint sprayer you have ever used. It will upgrade your equipment significantly and will add serious versatility, control, and quality to all your finishes.
A quick round-up of what you get, the quietest turbine motor in a rugged case, a professional-grade non-bleed spray gun, 25foot of Hi-Flex hose, a viscosity cup, a detailed user manual, a spray gun cleaning kit containing cleaning brush and wrench along with the warranty and support offered by Fuji.
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope our review of the Fuji Q4 Gold Platinum turbine series and that we have answered any questions that you might have had. But, below we will answer a few of the questions that we get asked the most to try and help you further. Happy painting.
Do you have to thin paint for a HVLP sprayer?
You should always do a test spray to find out if you need to thin your paint for an HVLP sprayer, they can spray a lot of different materials that will not require thinning. But some of the higher quality latex paints are considerably thicker and may require some thinning.
Is HVLP better than airless?
When answering the question of whether an HVLP is better than an airless spray gun it will depend on what painting projects you are looking to do.
An HVLP spray gun will give you a finer finish and far less overspray than an airless paint sprayer, making them ideal for smaller jobs and detailed work. Whereas, if you are looking to spray the exterior of your house then an airless spray gun would be best.
What are HVLP paint sprayers?
HVLP paint sprayers are High Volume Low Pressure spray guns. They use a high volume of air with a low pressure giving a finer finish with less overspray. Because of the lower pressure required the air cap can be larger, which has the bonus of not having to thin the paint and having less bounce back than an airless paint sprayer.
We hope this article on the Fuji HVLP spray gun reviews all that you could want to know about it.
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1 comment
Charles,
Your comment – “despite some minor issues with sealing and a tough hose, nothing but the price tag should make you hesitate to buy this sprayer”- is true is you are spraying material that is standing vertically. But when you are finishing something like a table top where you can drip material onto your surface, the problem becomes serious very quickly. I have a Mimi-Mite system which, when working well, produces factory grade results. But, I can’t overstate the dripping issue on horizontally oriented surfaces. These are expensive units and Fuji has not been responsive on this issue.
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