Why the Apollo Precision-6 HVLP Sprayer is a Game-Changer for Cabinets, Furniture & Fences

[Applause] All right. Today I'm here with John. We're in Apollo in Vista, California. And um I'm kind of excited to talk about we've got something new from Apollo and it would be the Precision 6 HVLP sprayers. I've got experience. I've been using the Apollo Precision 5 for a lot of years. Absolutely love it. Uh my favorite HVLP comes along with the Atomizer 7700 gun, but now you guys have come out with something new. And John, could you just um kind of go over what the big deal is about the Precision 6 and why somebody might want it? >> The big deal um I think is really in the paint contracting business is the the thick heavy paints that we normally spray are really difficult to spray with turbine systems. Typically, they have to be reduced in many cases over reduced in order to get them to spray. So, a lot of guys end up going back to their airless systems because they just can't get the system the paints to flow through a turbine system. Well, what we found now is with the six-stage motor, because it actually has about 12% more power than the five stage than the outgoing fivestage, right? >> Uh it actually will able enable painters to be able to spray almost the same paints that you could with an airless system straight from the can, but you can now do it with an HVLP. So, we've even sprayed products like Rener 765, which is a real heavy primer, uh, the white, and we've sprayed that straight from the can and had it flow out beautifully. So, what it enables painters to do now is to be able to use an HVLP system, uh, to spray paints that typically could only be sprayed with airless. >> Right. So, you went from a fivestage turbine to a six-stage turbine, correct? Is what it comes down to. Is there anything different um or why don't you just talk about some of the unique features of the Precision 6? And you know there's some things on it that I absolutely love like the digital readout on it. I mean you can control the pressure with um a knob on it. You know what are some of the uniquenesses uniquenesses about you know this sprayer. >> So yeah it's I think the first thing that a lot of people notice is the LCD screen on the outside of the machine right and and that serves as two purposes. The main purpose obviously is to tell you exactly how much air pressure we have, which these systems, we've never known how much air pressure we have because you just flip it on the switch and you assume you have all the right amount of pressure, but you really don't know. And so you either sprayed with it and if it didn't come out right, well, you thinned it down a little bit and that's the way you went. But a lot of the coatings that people spray don't necessarily need to have all the power from a six-stage turbine. So reducing that abound of pressure to uh make it more uh applicable to the type of the thickness of the coating that you're spraying is really an advant uh an advantageous way to reduce the amount of overspray and make yourself way more efficient. So with this system we can actually control the air pressure to an accuracy of 1/10enth of a PSI which is unheard of in the industry. Even from compressed air you can't control a compressor that that accurate. So we can control the pressure to 5.2 2 PSI or something of that nature. And by doing that, we can get exactly the right amount of air pressure for any given coating and get the perfect atomization without having wasted paint. Right. >> Right. We can we can easily spray uh coatings with too much pressure and we'll still get a nice atomization, but you won't get the efficiency. And that's what the precision system is all about. It's about efficiency and making sure that what you're spraying is sprayed at just the right amount of pressure but not too much so that you're saving those coatings and putting that money in your pocket rather than blowing it around the customer's house. >> Isn't there another thing that's unique with the precision precision system that when you um stop spraying release the trigger on the gun that um the motor stops running or and but internally it continues to cool itself with a fan. Isn't there something like that with it? >> Correct. That's our patented power pause feature. And what the power pause does is it actually slows down the motor to a so what do we call a cool down or a tickover mode so that it's still drawing the cool air into the motor to cool it down but it's not stagnating the air so that it radiates that hot heat inside the the steel case. And so by keeping that air moving through the motor, we can actually not only keep it running much cooler when you're not using it, but also keep that temperature down so that when we are using it, we keep a more moderate temperature which increases the pressure and the performance from the system. >> And I noticed like uh you have filters on the front and back and they kind of look like automobile filters. You know, what is the importance of these filters and um and the fact that they are kind of similar to an automobile filter? So having proper filtration on these systems is really really important. Uh a lot of manufacturers will put nice filtration on the air that's going out to your spray gun but then they neglect to put proper filtration on the air that's the intake for the for the motor cooling. >> So that's the reason we have our what we call quadriclean filtering systems because we start with a foam filter which is made to just filter out your larger particulate like your dust and dirt and you know things like that that might be floating around on the floor or in the air. But then you really need a finer element here which is like your automotive filter. And that's why we use these P pl pleated automotive filters on both sides of the case because the air going into cooling the motor is equally as important to be clean as the air going out to your spray gun. >> You don't want all the overspray being sucked in through the filter and and coating the the armature of the motor. Things like that is going to take away from the life of the motor and cause it to not perform properly. >> So filtration is really important. And I noticed like you you have fins and and I assume these are allowing air to go in and out of um you know the system itself. And I noticed there's a lot more of those fins than on this unit than other units I've used from other manufacturers. You know why is there more and what's the importance of that? >> So it's not because we think cooling louvers are cool, >> right? >> Um but they actually are there functionally, right? So on the back side of the machine or the side of the machine here we have 14 louvers. On the side we have 12. So, a total of 26 cooling louvers. So, it's important as that hot air or that cool air comes in, cools that motor that it's pushed outside the box as quickly as possible. Other systems out there either stagnate the air by shutting off the motor or they don't shut it off at all, in which case the the heat just keeps building inside the machine when it's not being used. So, with the power paws, we not only pull down the the the um the RPM of the motor and run it to uh keep the motor cool, but then by having all these cooling louvers on here, we build up positive pressure in the box, which now pushes out that hot air out of the box. And by having 26 cooling louvers, it gets that hot air out of the box as fast as possible. And everything with these machines is keeping that heat down. Right. >> Right. The cooler we keep these motors, the more efficient they are and the better, the longer lasting they are. Right. So keeping them running properly and cool is super important. >> In my understanding also keeping the machine cool, keeping it running cool is also important to the application of the coating, you know, being applied, you know, correctly and not having issues with that also, right? >> Absolutely. The longer you spray with these systems, typically the hotter they get. And so what Apollo has done is really worked with the manufacturers of the motors to make sure that we are building the proper cooling into the motors so that as they ramp up the heat, they actually stabilize and so it doesn't matter how long you use the system because the the heat is actually stabilized. And so the consistency of your performance beyond that is going to stay the same. Whereas other systems are out there because they don't have the same design and they're not getting the heat out of the inside of the box as fast, they end up exasperating the heat. So the longer you spray, the more heat you generate. >> And as you and with these systems, if you generate more heat, you actually start losing your air pressure quite considerably, right? So you can imagine if I'm spraying for a couple of hours and I've got all these cabinet doors, I've got to spray the first 15, 20 minutes of them, they probably look like glass and they lay out beautifully. Then after time, you know, maybe every 15, 20 minutes, as that machine is heating up even more, your performance is going downhill because your pressure is dropping and the air coming out of the gun is getting hotter and hotter, which is now having an adverse effect on your on your finishing as well. >> And you know, another I was, you know, you got this unit sitting here in front of us. We're right here in your factory. I got the tour of the factory. You know, I was watching you guys assemble these things. They're built right here in your factory in Vista. And uh I was watching them being test electronically and every single unit gets hooked up to a computer system and gets calibrated. Um can you explain a little bit of that process of what's going on? >> It's no good if you have a digital output that doesn't represent what your actual uh air pressure is. Right. So we have a gauge that we've set up uh on the output of the machine itself so that we can calibrate and make sure that what you see in the screen is actually what you're going to get on the on the exit hose. So we do we go through a calibration process and then we also have certain parameters uh that the motors must meet specifications for in order to be put into a machine and sent to a customer. >> Uh every now and again we'll find a motor that doesn't meet those specifications. So we'll actually put that on one side and send it back to the manufacturer even though the motor may run just fine but it doesn't give us the proper pressures and what we're expecting out of the motors. >> So every single unit that goes out of this factory is tested and meets all the standards and tolerances. >> Yeah. We have a series of checklists that we have to go through and then we have as you said our computer system that we hook up to it because these machines now are getting very sort of technology built. Uh so u we need to be able to have computer now to be able to you know it's just like diagnosing your car anymore. Not like the old days where it was a carburetor and the fuel filter and a few things and you could figure it out. Now you have to hook a laptop up to figure it out. So this getting that way with these, I think the technology in these systems is building up to where it's actually making it a lot better for the user. And that's really what we're trying to do, right? We're not trying to put technology behind the machine just for the sake of putting technology into it. >> We put technology into the machine that's going to benefit the user and it's going to be a and usually in the way of keeping the motors running longer and giving you a better experience when you're using it. >> And another thing I want to talk about is you have the 7700 atomizer gun. This is what comes standard with the Precision 6. I know this is won some awards. I mean, when you just look at it, touch it, feel it, it feels like high quality. It's an absolutely amazing gun. Can you talk to um you the audience about a little bit of the uniqueness about this gun? Some of the key features about it. >> It's starts with the machining process, right? Uh and how you machine the parts. Um, a lot of these parts that we make for our spray gun are are made by people that make parts for Boeing and McDonald Douglas. They're aerospace uh people, right? >> And so they're used to working with real tight tolerances on parts and things like that. And that's the way you get a quality gun. I could make this gun for half of what I do >> if I just loosened up some of the tolerances, threw a few O-rings in there, and made it, you know, uh, with less control over the machining process, >> right? But it all starts if you want a performance. It's like buying a Ferrari, right? What's the difference between that and a Ford is the machining and the and the and the engineering that goes into that quality of a car. And so the driving experience that you get out of a Ferrari is way different than a Ford, right? And it's kind of the same thing when we machine the parts and everything fits together perfectly. We don't need this to make up for things with O-rings. We don't need to seal things with with other parts. So it keeps it a little bit simpler. And then when everything fits together perfectly, it act it just works. Right. Right. >> Right. And that really come down to so the machining of the air cap and the machining of the the body and the insides of all the parts in the spray gun is key to having the performance in that at uh at that Ferrari level. >> Yeah. I mean, I'd definitely say that looks like the Ferrari of all guns out there. Um or even the Lamborghini. It absolutely looks amazing and it actually works just as good as it looks. So there you have it. That's the the Precision 6. It's now available. It's brand new. It's available now. >> So, it just come out in what, 2023? Are we? >> Yeah, we just introduced it at the woodworking show last year in 2023. >> Yeah, that's awesome. So, if you um are in the market for a six-stage turbine, you know, this is a great option. What does it sell for? >> Uh retailing right now for $26.99. And that comes with uh our plus package, which is extra a couple extra needles and nozzles, the atomizer spray gun, your choice of cup assembly, 32 ft of hose, and and a couple of other accessories that we put with it. So, it's a it's a full package. All you need is the paint to put in the gun. >> And I believe you guys Apollo, another thing you guys are family-owned and operated company, right? >> Correct. Yep. We're in uh second going on third generation. >> Awesome. So yeah, my father founded the company back in the late '7s here in California and u I've been running the company now for 26 years this year. >> Awesome. There you have it. The Paul Apollo Precision 6. [Music] So, I'm here with John Derek from Apollo. John, we've got the Apollo Precision 6 here. I have one of these US units. It's absolutely amazing. You've got four new features with the Apollo Precision 6. You've got the black gun, which is absolutely amazing. You have a new green hose. You have a new compressor and it is a six-stage turbine. So, we've got um the pump, John. So, tell me a little bit about the new pump. >> So, the as you know, Chris, we brought out the Precision 6 now uh 2 years ago actually here at the AWFS show and it's been a great machine, but we've also now also made some improvements to it. As you pointed out, four new features that we've got. The newest one uh which is right up for the fi finalist uh at the visionary award here at the show is our black edition 7700 gun which has some new features on it including our fan control ring and a few easier maintenance features that we've built into the inside. So always looking to improve our spray guns. Uh then we've got the new uh green hose that's attached to that. A lot of you guys have been uh asking for something that's a lot more lightweight and a lot more flexible. um especially those guys that are spraying the heavy uh body uh 2K polyurethanes and this hose fits that bill. It's super lightweight, super flexible, really high uh durable. >> Yeah. So, I noticed so I started using this lime green hose. Definitely is a lot softer. I love this thing. It's a great upgrade to the Precision 6. So, that's pretty cool. Yep. >> So, we've got a new compressor >> and then we've also got a a more beefier compressor that we put onto the system now uh so that it can fill the tank faster. So, it actually puts out almost double the CFM of the older style compressor that we had on here. So, another huge feature upgrade for the uh 4500 system when you get it with the uh precision 6. And then last but not least, we have the uh upgraded six-stage motor. Uh, and as many of you guys know, Apollo is known for building uh, the very best quality performing systems. And so, we're using that same six-stage motor that a lot of our competitors use. But by building it into our design case with our cooling louvers and our quadriclean filtering system, you're getting a much higher spraying pressure because you're running the motor at a much, much cooler temperature. >> You know, for somebody that has a five-stage turbine, this is a six-stage turbine. in about a minute. Can you tell me why I would want a a six-stage turbine versus a five-stage turbine? >> Just uh the atomization really. If you're out there and you're spraying cabinets, you're spraying furniture with a lot of this heavier body solid high solids products nowadays, you really need the six-stage motor. The six-stage motor, even though it's on paper only about 12% more powerful than a fivestage, that 12% makes a huge difference. It's like that last little bit. Um, you know, HVLP's always struggled to uh compete up with the uh compete and keep up with airless products. And now with the six-stage system, we can do that with a lot of these high-end woodworking finishes. >> Yeah. I noticed like with some of the primers that I used to use from say like Rener, I had to thin those primers. Now I don't have to thin those primers like grain filling primers. Absolutely amazing. I love my six-stage turbine. So there it is. Apollo's new uh six-stage turbine uh precision six sprayer with four new features on it. Absolutely love it. [Music] So, check it out. Here is the Apollo new black edition 77 atomizer gun. Absolutely amazing. Check it out. They got four new features on their gun. One of them I absolutely love. They got markings now on the fan indicator ring now. So when you turn it, you know exactly where you're at. That's pretty dang cool. They've got now a distributor plate now with a single hole that you can't get on backwards. Absolutely love it. And of course the matte black finish, a scratch resistant finish that's matte black. Looks absolutely amazing. And one other thing, they've got an oversized bushing inside the trigger now. So the bushing itself is a lot larger. It's going to last longer and it's not going to come out. Four new features of the 7700 atomizer gun from Apollo. You got to check it out. Best gun you'll ever use. So, what does the Apollo 7700 atomizer gun have in common with BS Bees? Well, I got a pro tip for you. You know, when it's really frustrating picking the paint off of your tip right here that's dried on there. When you've gone off and done something, you got off the lunch, come back and you're trying to get it to spray and it's clogged. Guess what? You can just take some chapstick or BS bees. Take it, rub your finger on it, rub your finger on the tip, get some of that chapstick, some of that lip balm on the tip. Paint won't dry on your tip now. So now you won't have that frustration when you pull your gun, nothing coming out. Pro tip. So Apollo has…