Fuji Spray 2203G Semi-PRO 2 - Gravity HVLP Spray System

The Fuji Semi-PRO2 does exactly what I want it to do, so I gave it 5 stars. It sprays on full or lite coats of sealer or finish with near perfect atomization. Most of my work consists of refinishing dressers, small tables, etc. in my garage. I am currently using Target Coatings sealer and EM6000 waterborne lacquer. None of my work has been with oils or other solvent-borne finishes. Before buying the Fuji I used a high-pressure gun driven by my compressor. None of my finishes could duplicate the performance of the Fuji Semi-PRO2 hvlp. If you are not spraying large rooms full of cabinets or other high volume projects, the Semi-PRO could be right for you. It is perfect for garage projects and other things you may be doing. I considered buying the Fuji Mini Mite3, but the Semi-PRO2 price was just too attractive. The two-stage vs three or 4 stage turbine question isn't an issue. My gun is the gravity cup model because it just seemed right for me. The turbine noise is loud, but acceptable. It sounds like a shop vac. No big deal. With the 25' hose and 6' whip hose I don't need ear protection. Some observations: 1. The optional 6' whip hose is worth a lot more than you pay for it. Try to include that in your purchase. It gets you into tight places and is supple. 2. I have not needed to thin any of my material. Waterborne finishes flow out very well full strength with the Semi-PRO. 3. Cleaning the Model M gun is easy and extremely important to your finish and your enjoyment. Never let the gun go overnight w/o cleaning. 4. I always clean with distilled water ($1.19 per gallon at my local drug store.) 5. If you buy the gravity cup gun, be certain that you clean the gasket with water and a small plastic bristle brush or the cap will stick to the cup. 6. Completely disassemble and clean the gun every night. 7. Make sure that your gravity cup cap (if you have one) is on tight before spraying. 8. Read your manual cover to cover and then read it again. 9. Purchase a 2'x4'x1/8" sheet of veneer for practice ($5.99 at Home Depot.) 10. Practice, practice, practice. Most of us buying the Semi-Pro2 are beginners. We will make mistakes. Use your practice board for gun settings. 11. When you use your practice board, try adding a little color to your mix so you can see the pattern and coverage. 12. If you are not getting good atomization on your practice board, keep trying new spray patterns and flow settings. 13. Resist the temptation to thin your material. Keep working with your settings. You don't have anything else to do anyway. 14. The Semi-PRO2 will not let you down if you treat it like any other high-quality tool. 15. Connect with the online woodworking sites. Join some forums. You will find a wealth of information on those sites. 16. The Fuji Semi-PRO2 has a very powerful motor - 11.2 amps. Give some thought about the outlet you will connect it to. 17. Choose an outlet that has a 20A breaker if possible. You don't want the breaker to pop in the middle of your work. 18. If you do have to use an extension cord, make it a short one (12'-15'.) Minimum 12 ga. wire. I am very happy with my Fuji Semi-PRO 2 and may never outgrow it. My 4th project with the Fuji is in my garage now - a mahogany sofa-table. Looking forward to it. Larry King

Note: I provide this review as a beginner so my point of view is different than painting pros who have been using quality guns for years. My intent is to not only provide my reaction to the Fuji Semi-PRO 2 Gravity Spray System but to provide some (very...) basic knowledge about this type of gun that took me awhile to learn. I needed a good quality HVLP sprayer for lacquer, shellac, varnish, etc. in my woodworking shop. I am an amateur in that I am not in business; however, I have been building and finishing cabinets, clocks, and assorted other items for 40 years. I had mostly ever used a hand-rubbed oil finish. Spray finish was from rattle cans or a Wagner Flexio, both of which were fine for basic work on smaller pieces, but not sufficient for the higher quality finish I now desire. High quality compressor guns need a much larger and far more expensive compressor than I could justify. That's where the Fuji Semi-Pro2 comes in. Upon opening the box, the quality of materials and workmanship impressed me. It was then that I appreciated it was made in Canada. I bought the gravity feed model (which is also pressurized, btw) because of its smaller overall size which allows easier spraying in tight quarters. However, you can easily convert this to the 1 quart pressurized bottom cup #2042. There are only four basic controls to deal with: air control valve, pattern control knob, aircap and the fluid knob. Fuji recommends you leave the air control valve fully open (which is what I did) unless you need to reduce bounceback. The pattern control knob adjusts the size of the fan-shaped spray pattern from wide down to a small circular spot. The air cap adjusts the fan pattern anywhere between full horizontal to full vertical. Finally, the fluid knob adjusts the amount of material flowing through the gun. In my short experience, all controls have a quality, positive feel to them and each provides an immediate, noticeable impact. The base unit is what provides the airflow that would normally come from a large compressor. So there's no need to worry about psi, water and oil filters, etc. While the unit is noisy, yes, it is only slightly worse than my old shopvac. And in fact it may be quieter than a large compressor running nearly constantly. With VERY little practice, using the included #3 aircap set, I was able to apply a flawless polyurethane varnish. I did not thin it at all. Since then I have also sprayed un-thinned shellac with beautiful results and with only a small change to the fluid control knob. Cleaning could not be quicker, simpler, or more effective especially compared to my old Wagner. Bottom line is this: if you aspire to the next level of woodworking finish yet cannot afford (or make room for!) a 60 gallon, 5 HP compressor, this is the HVLP spray gun system for you. It sure has impressed the heck out of me.

I had a few painting and refinishing projects I was avoiding because it would have been too tedious to brush them out, and I didn't want to stare at my brush marks for the next few years. I decided to invest in a starter level HVLP system and read lots of great reviews about the Fuji systems. I decided on the 2203G model since it was reasonably priced and could handle latex if I purchased the right air cap set (1.8mm). As my first project I chose some ornate cast aluminum outdoor furniture since I could spray outside and I could tolerate some goof-ups if things didn't go well . I followed the instructions for thinning my materials using the provided viscosity cup and installed the 1.8mm air cap set. Be advised this little unit is almost as loud as a shop vac so have some ear plugs ready! After practicing on some cardboard I got the feel for the pattern control and flow rates and went to work. Well, it wasn't work, it was a blast. The paint went on consistently and right where I wanted it to with hardly any overspray, and because it was thinned for spraying it flowed beautifully, even if I was off a bit on my strokes or application rate. The process was much more tolerant than I expected and the results were outstanding. I was done in a few hours and I know I would have spent several weekends getting that set done with brushing and mini rollers. To be fair, there a bit of setup required to use a spray system but if you plan your work appropriately it is totally worth it. I also loved the fact that I could stop at any time and not have to worry about open cans of paint or brushes drying out. Just shut it down, go have some lunch, and pick up where you left off. I am very happy with this unit and look forward to starting all those other projects I have been putting off.

This is a great HVLP sprayer if the Semi-serious DIYer. In addition to the Sprayer, I bought the whip hose, some filters & the 1.8mm air cap. My prior experience spraying latex with sprayers is a Wagner airless about 20 years old. I have memories of paint all over the place and a fog of paint...20 years ago. I'm sure this has improved. First of all before plowing ahead with the sprayer, I READ THE USERS MANUEL. I build a bath vanity and did not want brush marks on the paint. Maybe I really wanted a new toy to fool around with. It's what old retired people do? I use the Semi-Pro for spraying water base Kilz Premium primer x 2 coats & sanding between coats of primer and Benjamin Moore Advance Semi-gloss x 2 coats. After a few practices with water on the fence, I went for the primer & paint. I thinned the paint according to the User Manuel and sprayed the vanity. After the primer, some light sanding and two final coats of Advance, the surface was beautiful, professional looking. I also noticed: -The clean up was easier than cleaning brushes & painting equipment. -There is very little over spray and I used a lot less paint. -I wore a mask and didn't create a paint fog and did not get paint all-over. -The air compressor does get hot. -The air compressor is noisy...I located it as far away as possible in the cleanest air. -It takes more up-front time to mask areas to not be painted. -painting the shaker vanity was fast and easy & no longer a dreaded chore. -The Semi-Pro is well built and not cheap, but don't ever forget, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR". This is not H----- Fr----. made in PRC.

I bought the Semi-Pro2 with the M series gravity cup. I added the whip hose and the .08 and 2.0 tips for the different finishes I routinely use. I have used the system almost daily for two weeks. Overall, I am very satisfied with the system, its easy set-up, standard cleaning (spray guns are never quick to clean, and I am meticulous with my tools), consistently getting high quality results. I have used HVLP sprayers with air compressors for many years and wanted to try the turbine systems. After reading dozens of reviews, I chose the Fuji system for several key reasons, including reviewers' opinions about the quality of the turbine, versatility, interchangeable components, accessory options, all at a more-than-competitive price. I bought the Semi-Pro2 because I did not want to get the top line Q-series without ever having used a turbine system. Depending on longevity of this system, I may upgrade to the Q-series in the future. As with any HVLP sprayer, there is a significant learning curve requiring practice and developing technique. If you get lap lines, drips, orange peel, more paint on your walls than your project, etc., go online, watch instructional videos, read articles, practice with different finishes - all these problems can be addressed with settings (assuming your equipment is sufficient for the job). Semi-Pro2 Gravity Feed Likes and Dislikes: The finished projects have been excellent. The spray nozzles are obviously well manufactured because the finish is flawless. I noticed a few very minor things that made the difference between a 4- and 5-star rating: - The gravity feed cup is small. My compressor HVLP system has a larger cup which means I do not stop to refill as often. Fuji offers the larger bottom feed cup which would resolve that issue. I have never used a bottom feed cup, and I like the idea of gravity feeding the gun instead of a diaphragm component, so I chose that option. Obviously the larger bottom feed cup would address this point, but a larger gravity feed cup would be my first choice. - The screw-on cap for the gravity cup is not great. It does not seal properly even with a new gasket. It appears this could be resolved with a different (better) thread pattern for the "screw" which would tighten the seal more gradually and therefore efficiently. My old gravity cup does not leak at the cap, so Fuji could do the same. (Very small leaks, but leaks.) - Fuji recommends not taking apart the feed line from the cup and gun, because it is factory sealed. I prefer to remove the line so I can be sure it is fully cleaned without any residue which could be problematic on the next project. - The nozzle cap has worked perfectly and shows no signs of flaws. However, it appears as if it is a plastic cap coated with chrome skin. To date, it has been perfect, but it feels like it could break or crack easily if dropped. I know, don't drop it, but a heftier feel would give me more confidence is its longevity. - The air control valve is a 90 degree ball valve. Convenient and easy. I prefer my old HVLP air control valve which allows for a better fine tuning control. It is important to note that I purchased the system with the M-series gun which is a more basic model. Fuji's higher end systems (Q-series turbines) include the T-series guns, which may be a superior product to the one I have. If you are still reading this, you have too much time on your hands. However, I highly recommend the Fuji system, especially for a user who has never used a turbine system. I will end this by saying that I contacted Fuji before purchasing the Semi-Pro2 and they were very responsive to my questions, encouraging additional follow-up or technical assistance if needed (which to date I have not).

Over the last two years, I wrote something of a book below, so I'll summarize up top. For spraying latex, this setup requires considerable thinning. You can get very nice results and I don't really mind the thinning, but spraying thin paint is pretty miserable, particularly on any vertical surface. For spraying lots of latex, I'd upgrade to the Mini-Mite 3 or 4 to spray with less thinning. For spraying clear finishes, particularly those designed to be sprayed (I've used a couple of products by Target Coatings), this little machine is spectacular and wholeheartedly recommended. Original Review: I am a weekend woodworker with lots of projects that involve painting (mostly with latex) and applying various clear finishes. I've been casually eyeing assorted HVLP systems for several years now and seriously considering for a few months. Because I wanted to be able to spray latex, it seemed like the Mini-Mite 4 was the right choice, but I just couldn't justify the $800 price for the amount of spraying I plan to do. The semi-pro 2 was at about the price I was willing to pay, but I was concerned that the two-stage turbine would be insufficient and that there were no reviews (hence this review). The prospect of rolling/brushing a big painting project finally forced the issue and I crossed my fingers and ordered the semi-pro 2 with the gravity cup. I now have a couple of hours of spraying under my belt (that's a lifetime total, it's worth noting that I'm new at this) and I couldn't be happier with my decision. In the last few days, I sprayed a couple of big bookshelves with latex primer and paint (Sherman Williams multi purpose latex primer and All-Surface Latex Enamel) and the whole system works better than I dared to hope. I was a little worried the "M" gun would be somehow low-end or lack features, but it's really, really nice. Again, I'm new at this and have little to compare to, but I'm not sure what else I could ask it to do. The spray pattern is adjustable from a wide fan to a tiny spot and you can rotate the pattern anywhere you like. Since I was spraying between shelves, I had the gun tipped over pretty far and it never hiccuped. The gravity cup holds 400 cc's, which isn't a whole lot. So far, that's been about one coat on a bookshelf. If you plan to paint big stuff, the 1 qt cup is probably better. As for the turbine, it's a little blue box. A noisy little blue box, but most of my tools are noisy, so I wear hearing protection and it's just fine. A quick update, I measure 92 db a few feet away, which is really very loud indeed. I measured a small, noisy shop vac at about the same distance and got 86 db, which is roughly 4X quieter. Still not a problem for me, but perhaps worth noting. I regularly use this in my basement with a baby sleeping on the second floor and she doesn't seem to mind. My concerns regarding the two-stage-ness of the turbine seem to be unfounded so far. Fuji includes and excellent instruction manual (also available in PDF in the FAQ section of their website) that recommends thinning paint and checking with the included viscosity cup. The manual also recommends a #4 (1.5 mm) tip for latex. I sprayed primer with the included 1.3 mm and paint with the 1.5 mm tip and while the 1.5 mm tip definitely sprayed faster, I think I could have managed with the 1.3 mm tip. I followed the thinning instructions with both the primer and the paint, thinned with roughly 20% to 25% water, added some Floetrol, and sprayed a nearly perfect painted finish. I would recommend practicing a fair amount on scrap wood, cardboard boxes, etc. Cleaning up after spraying is very easy and takes me maybe 10 minutes. One thing I'm confused about is how a four-stage turbine could possibly be better. Maybe you could spray faster or not thin, but this really isn't all that taxing for the way I plan to spray. I'm really looking forward to spraying some clear finishes next. Update: 11/17/2013 I've now been spraying latex for a couple of weeks and I have produced results ranging from truly disastrous to nearly perfect and pretty much everything in between. For my best results so far, I spray a relatively thick, heavy coat of primer (I've tried up to about 50 seconds in the viscosity cup with great results) with the 1.5 mm tip. This does produce some texture, but I end up sanding the first coat of primer anyway. I found that thin coats of watery primer never actually cover spots, fill grain, block tannins, etc. I generally follow with a second relatively thick coat of primer. Then, I switch to the 1.3 mm tip, thin my paint to about 25 seconds in the viscosity cup, and spray very light coats of paint. Much of what I read suggests that the thinner your paint is the better it works, but I found that if the paint is too thin, it's almost impossible to get any coverage and not get runs (the source of my most disastrous results). I experimented with heavier coats of paint and got a bumpy surface (not as bad as runs, but pretty ugly). Two or three thin coats seem to give good results for me so far. The resulting surface isn't glassy smooth, but is very lightly textured. Far better than I've ever done with a brush or roller and good enough for me. Still looking forward to trying clear finishes when this project is over. This is still clearly a 5 star purchase for me. So far, the included 1.3 mm tip would have been fine for latex. I now think I see the benefit of the more powerful turbines if they allow you to spray less-thinned paint. Thinning isn't really a hassle, but spraying watery paint kind of is. Still, for half the price, I'm happy to thin some paint. Update 2/21/2015 I finally got around to spraying some clear finishes. This summer, I sprayed some Zar Ultra Max waterborne oil-modified poly, which worked reasonably well. I sprayed a picture frame, I think, and it came out looking nice, but with a few small, pimple-like dots. I was able to sand these out, spray again lightly, and get a passable finish. The pimples may have been dust or dirt, as I was spraying outside. Zar doesn't appear to really market Ultra Max for HVLP spraying, so I recently ordered Target Coating's EM8000cv pre-catalyzed waterborne conversion varnish (targetcoatings.com), which is actually intended to be sprayed and includes specific instructions for HVLP (1.3mm to 1.5mm needle). I just sprayed a small cherry shelf with this stuff and my 1.3mm needle and it seems wonderful. I sprayed the first coat on a little thick by accident, sanded it lightly, and just applied a very thin second coat and the finish is absolutely flawless. It also dries to the touch in minutes, which should minimize dust and dirt. If your plan is to spray clear finishes, I can't imagine why you would look for any sprayer fancier than this one. Clear finishes are nice and thin and spray easily and beautifully. I also wholeheartedly recommend ordering some finish that's meant to be sprayed, since things get really easy (no thinning, etc). Finally, google conversion varnishes. Apparently, they dry too fast to be brushed, which is why home stores don't stock them, but they're tougher than polyurethanes and easy to spray. Newer waterborne conversion varnishes are (allegedly) just as tough and have startlingly little odor. Look at both Target Coatings and General Finishes. They both offer bewildering assortments of water based lacquers, waterborne oil-modified polyurethanes, waterborne conversion varnishes, etc, all specifically intended for spraying. If Amazon would give me six stars, that's how many I would give this sprayer. I'm amazed in retrospect that this sprayer is as inexpensive as it is. Update 12/20/2015 I recently sprayed a large bookshelf project with the Target EM8000cv pre-catalyzed waterborne conversion varnish and I am really, really happy, both with the Fuji and the Target varnish. For about the first time, when I look at the finish I can't really find anything to complain about.

Used my Fuji Semi-Pro 2 Gravity HVLP System for the first time this past weekend. I sprayed General Finishes Sanding Sealer and Water Based (should really be called Water-Borne) Conversion Varnish with it on a large Kitchen Island top. The results were perfect. Took all of 5 minutes to get everything setup, dialed in, and started spraying. I am really impressed how easy this system is to use. Cleanup was a breeze, especially since I was spraying Water-Based. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is due to the tube that runs up to the gravity cup does get a little material in it at times and you need to take it off the gun completely and clean it out. One end of it is made for a quick release, I think they should go ahead and do that to both ends. That is really the only thing I can pick at with this system and that is just me trying to find something that could be changed if they wanted. Otherwise this thing is pretty awesome. Noise level is better than my compressor setup as well so that is an added bonus for me since my garage is my shop. I didn't order anything extra yet with this setup. I used the 1.3 needle and the hose that came with it for this project. Some reviews said the gravity cup was to small for them. I guess if you were spraying a room or something I could see that being an issue and they might want to go for the bottom feed cup instead. Originally I thought about ordering the adapter so i could change the gun setup to either cup if I wanted, but after using it I'm good with how much material it holds. I'd purchase this again in a heart beat.

We're in the process of refinishing all the cabinets in the kitchen in addition to ongoing woodworking projects. Traditionally I've always applied stain and topcoat with a brush, but I have a lot of doors to do which convinced me to purchase this. I've sprayed poly on several doors and a 3D relief carving as a first run with this sprayer. All I can say is, wish I had bought this years ago. Seems to be great for fine finishes and definitely cuts the time down,

Excelente compra, una maquina con un sistema sencillo de entender y muy facil de limpiar.

Update July 2023: I’m still so happy with this thing. I’ve used it easily 150 times to spray all kinds of stuff. Every time I use it I’m so impressed. Update Jan 2022: I've now had this about 3 months and have used it heavily, probably 50 times to spray various primers, latex paints and polyurethanes - all water based. I have to say it works beautifully. I am even more happy with it than when I first purchased it. I am getting a perfect finish every time. Why I didn't buy this sooner I don't know. My only complaint that has developed is the gravity cup prevents it from fitting in a gun holder or standing up. This makes it a pain to fill up. To solve that problem, I purchased the 3M PPS 2.0 system and added it to the gun. I think if I was to do it again, I would buy the bottom feed cup instead of the gravity cup, but now that I have the 3M system it's a moot point. Just keep in mind it requires 3 hands to fill the gravity cup. Fuji does have a little holder that screws to the turbine but that isn't practical at all as the turbine is far away and on the floor. If you buy this gun, I highly recommend adding the 3M PPS system. Original review: After spending the last few years brushing/rolling finishes and messing around with several of the cheap compressor driven HVLP guns and never getting a good finish, I finally bought one of these. I am somewhere between a DIY’er and a pro. Not new to this but I also don’t spray every day. I spent a ton of time researching and couldn’t decide between a turbine HVLP and the airless. I want to spray latex paint, polyurethane and lacquer and I came to the conclusion the HVLP was more versatile, especially after hearing about all the pump issues people seem to have with the airless units. Several websites mentioned that you needed a 4-5 stage turbine to spray latex and that perhaps this unit wasn’t the right one but I’ve now sprayed both latex (BM Aura) and polyurethane through it. I did have to buy the 1.8mm tip and thin the latex 10% (ish) but it sprayed perfectly. Fuji says 20-30% but I had no issues at 10%. I also can’t believe how nice the water based poly went on with the supplied 1.3mm tip. I am so impressed with this thing. I think the pressurized cup is a game changer for latex paint. It is pretty loud but is on par with a shop vacuum. Definitely not a deal breaker by any means. My only complaint is that the gun doesn’t fit in a traditional HVLP stand since it has the side cup. I hope Fuji comes out with a stand for the M series gravity gun. It would make filling a little easier. Overall I am very happy with my purchase. It sprays latex paint and polyurethane perfectly. The unit is clearly of high quality and I’m happy to deal with a Canadian company. I would highly recommend this unit.

I purchased this to spray kitchen cabinet doors. It works very well and I’m very happy with this purchase! Things I wish I had known before buying/using the Semi Pro 2. 1. Tip for beginners: don’t start spraying using an oil based paint. It’s a mess and more work to clean out of your gun. Start with latex or a water based topcoat so that you can get used to spraying. 2. Thin your paint to the right viscosity! Fuji Spray sends a Ford viscosity cup and chart that tells you the runout time for thinning what you’re spraying. If you don’t properly thin it, you won’t get good results! 3. If you plan to spray latex, order the 1.8 mm needle and air cap set (size #5) I spray primers and waterborne alkyd enamel on the cabinets with the 1.8 mm and topcoats with the 1.3 mm that is included with the sprayer. 4. Don’t fill the gravity cup more than 3/4 full or it will leak out of the top of the cup and also run down the pressure tube and check valves and get into the 90* elbow and plug up your gun. I made this mistake and then the gun splattered and gave an uneven finish. It also made it a mess to clean it. 5. The air hose they supply is heavy! Fuji sells a whip hose for $60 but based on another review, I went to Canadian Tire and bought a leader garden hose for $7 and attached it to the end of the fuji air hose. The fittings work perfectly and I’ve had no problems using this alternative. 6. Buy yourself a wireless outlet remote control. The on/off switch is on the turbine and you do not want to be walking all the way to your turbine and back when working on a project! 7. Mask, safety glasses, and earplugs! This turbine is loud! 8. Get some pipe cleaners and a scrub brush. The brush they send doesn’t get in quite all the little spaces on the gun and a bigger brush is nice to clean up the gun body. 9. Fuji tech support is amazing! Very helpful for any problems you might run into. 10. This sprayer is for furniture, cabinets, and other smaller projects. Personally, I would never buy this to spray walls. It would take forever. Great spray gun! Makes redoing kitchen cabinets much easier than brushing them by hand which is what I used to do..

Muy buena opción para no tener que usar un compresor. La turbina siempre está encendida lo que lo hace un poco ruidoso, pero no te afectan las variaciones normales de un compresor. La pistola tiene buena calidad, sólo le hace falta un soporte para la pistola, lo venden por separado.

Muy fácil de manejar y excelente calidad en los materiales, con resultados increíbles al momento de pintar