HVLP machines seem to have been the choice of so many spray tanning businesses over the recent years and they are just getting better all the time.
Tantrick started selling the TC3 in the UK in 2004 and at the time they were the latest and most effective machines in the industry. The MiniMist followed shortly afterwards and was then our next offering aimed to the mobile user and being lightweight it really did a great job.
There have been a number of HVLP machines found on offer including the Earlex, Wagner, and even compressors being made to look like HVLP's available to do spray tanning with.
In my opinion there are for's and against's with lots of them:
ORIGINAL TC3 is large but is ideal for use in the salon if you have the room, the gun is really great quality, the hose doesn't melt and it gives a very good fine spray. Expensive - but good machine and gun are of a good standard. It is a true workhorse and we have only ever had one back with a fault in all the units we have supplied - this was due to a faulty switch. Ocasionally they have got very hot and this has transferred to the gun but it cools down quick enough. Very economical, the gun sprayed quite dry.
There are copies of the TC3 on the market which are basically cheap turbine units housed in a TC3 box or similar - they run the real risk of burning out as they need a lot of air to function well. The turbine inside needs to be of a high quality to be encapsulated in such a box and it needs to be fitted with adequate cooling fans and filters.
MiniMist / T100 / Truespray - this was ideal for mobile tanning, not the best for salon use, the reliabilty was hit and miss - there have been batches of very good ones and then batches of machines with probelms and we had lots of returns and problems in the latter stages with motors giving up, hoses burning though if put on the wrong end, guns breaking etc and they were not so reliable as we would have liked. It was fairly economical, but it was a cheaper machine.
The Earlex - many people had this machine and it used lots of solution, great for solution providers lol!! Very inexpensive machine, used by many as a starting machine whilst dipping the toe into the industry - lots appear on ebay under the fence spraying section as well as the spray tanning area!
The Wagner - more of an industrial looking machine, also sold in Argos as a paint sprayer.
There is a white plastic HVLP which has been sold by a number of companies which reminds me of a little "pig or an egg". Very effective but it does seem overpriced for what it is. Somewhere about £500 seems to be the average price for this unit. It has a plastic gun and lightweight hose.
Compressors - some have airbrushes, others are kitted up with spray guns. This is where I started back 6 years ago! They create more overspray, using more solution and take more time to apply. They are quieter than the HVLP machines though. You should have annual safety inspections of all compressors by a competent person but not necessary for HVLP's (PAT testing is required for all portable electric machines though). These are quite heavy and have leads, moisture traps, pressure vales - more complex than the HVLP. Good to also use for other treatments - airbrush nails, make up etc but you generally have to change the airbrush and needles depending on what you are doing.
MiniMist PRO - uses HVLP technology combined with thoughtful and careful design it's much better looking and not as bulky as the TC3. It has variable power control making it lots quieter. We have married this up with an amazing spray gun which is lighter, more comfortable and it stays cool - even when the machine has been running ALL day and gives a much softer and gentler spray - clients notice it by the lack of freezing cold air!!! This machine is very robust and can go mobile (as it is always in and out of my car right now lol!) or can work in a salon, like the TC3, it is a true workhorse. It is more expensive than the original MiniMist but less than the TC3 and has had a very warm welcome by many people who are now ready to upgrade their initial machines.
Check that your machine is CE approved, what warranty is supplied with the machine and what happens if something goes wrong?
There are probably many other systems on the market, we too would love to hear your views on the machines you have.
Mandy
