Painting - Need paint sprayer

I love to paint furniture but have been doing it all by hand. I want to buy a paint sprayer that will give me a smooth finish but doesn't take up a huge amount of space. Any suggestions? I would be using latex paint.

Welcome to the forums!

If you were to spray solvent based coatings, an HVLP or a cup gun [needs compressor] would be a good choice. The only sprayer that sprays latex paints well is an airless but they tend to put out quite a bit of paint and may be too hard to control for a small furniture job.

You might ask, at a paint store, if they have a HVLP that will spray latex. I've heard some sales reps say that some of the HVLPs can spray latex paint but I can't wrap my mind around a low pressure unit being able to spray latex without drasically thinning it.

Spraytech makes a HVLP, the CS9900 will spray latex. this has a five stage turbine. I have customers who spray latex enamels with it with about 2-5% reduction to help it not dry spray.

I forgot to tell you a price. The CS9900 sells for about $1200-$1500.

When doing a quick job away from an air source I have had good luck with the Wagner line of sprayers.
These things will work for years provided you clean them meticulously after use.

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http://www.wagnerspraytech.com/portal/pics/spraytech/products/powerPainters/5.4_Flow_Rate.jpg (http://www.wagnerspraytech.com/portal/5_4_wideshot_spray,295917,747.html)
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That type of sprayer is an airless and airless sprays latex well but the problem lies in having enough control to do a nice job. Even the small units put out enough volume to make it difficult to do a professional job on furniture - too close and you'll probably get runs, too far and overspray is a big problem. I guess a lot depends on how particular the op is.

Iam very new to this forum, and may be a bit biased, but I know that my Sherwin Williams will rent a sprayer. It is a small airless sprayer, and the same type I use on a daily basis. For latex, this should work well, but they make you buy a "tip for it...ask for either a fine finsh tip, or the smallest we use for baseboards, spindles, railing etc is a "311" tip that gives you a "6" fan of paint at 10-12 inches away from the spray gun and the .11 is one of the least amout of paint volume. If you do rent one, have them give you a demo first and before you start, practice on a piece of scrap to get the hang of it, and remember that temperature will affect the drying times...semi-gloss enamel will take longer in cold to dry so if it is too heavy and cold, there may be runs in the paint.