Outside the Box Design/Tech Solutions

DESIGN/ TECH SOLUTIONS

PUMP UP YOUR SPATTER TECHNIQUE The Garden Sprayer 2.0

by Matthew Stratton

As a theatre artisan, I have found that spattering adds depth, texture and color-changing opportunities to scenic elements. When I need to lay down paint droplets on larger surfaces, I often use a garden sprayer to add quick texture, soften scenic edges or add depth over large areas.

However, this tried-and-true method – which involves pressurizing the tank, depressing a lever and adjusting the spray nozzle to the desired droplet size – has its challenges. Chief among them is the need to stop often to pressurize the tank. The tank’s pressure is a factor in determining the droplet size. To avoid getting paint on the work surface or accidentally spraying the set, the equipment must be moved off the work surface to pressurize the tank, which must be done repeatedly, utilizing the built-in pump system. The frequent bending down to pressurize the tank can also be exhausting for your back.

I often pondered how to improve the use of the garden sprayer, particularly ways to minimize stopping to add pressure to the tank. However, each potential solution required specialized parts, such as CO2 tank adaptors, regulators and highpressure tanks or cartridges, and the cost quickly added up.

Finally, I used my guilty pleasure of Amazon searching, combined with my need to tinker, and came up with a solution that costs less than $60 for most shops (assuming you already have the sprayer and the proper drill bits). This solution reduces the potential for accidental spraying while pressurizing the tank and is easy enough to manufacture that you can have multiple sprayers ready for quick use.

Powering paint instead of a bicycle

My solution? Using a rechargeable bicycle tire pump to pressurize the tank for the garden sprayer. To use this method, you will need to purchase any items in the “Materials” box that you don’t have in stock and follow the step-by-step instructions.

Step 1: Remove the pump handle, determine the best location for the valve stem, and mark it. This mark needs to be above the max fill line on the sprayer. Be sure to avoid the extreme curve, the seam of the molded tank and the pressure relief valve areas of the tank.

Step 2: Use the drill bit gauge to find the needed hole size for the valve stem. Select roughly four bits to step up the hole size or mark the final width on the step bit. Carefully drill the hole.

Step 3: Fish a wire through the hole and feed it out of the pump handle hole. Next, tightly wrap the wire around the valve stem and pull the valve back through the tank and into the drilled hole. Support the valve from inside the tank, remove the wire, add the washer and nut, and snug the valve to the tank using the adjustable wrench.

Step 4: Moving forward, be sure to follow the safety guidelines outlined in the garden sprayer manual and use the proper personal protective equipment. Determine the maximum pressure of the tank by pumping the handle. After reaching max pressure, check for leaks and use the tire pressure gauge to measure the tank’s pressure. Write the max pressure on the tank and make sure never to exceed that pressure.

Step 5: Review the directions for the rechargeable pump, and be sure to charge it fully. After adding water to the tank, adjust

A bike pump-powered garden sprayer was used to create the spattering effect in this April 2022 production of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at the University of Alabama.

The pump sprayer in action.

Step 1: Locate the best place for the valve stem. Step 2: Drill the hole for the stem. Step 3: Insert and secure the valve. Step 4: Pressurize the tank with the hand pump and record maximum pressure. Step 5: Attach the rechargeable pump to the valve and set to the recorded pressure.

the pump to a setting below the tank’s maximum pressure. Attach the pump to the valve stem and turn it on. After the tank is pressurized, spray the water into your sink and observe how it reacts as the pressure reduces. As the flow rate decreases, start the pump again. You can continue spraying while the pump pressurizes the tank.

After assembly, you will need to secure the pump to the tank. I found that Command Strips interlocking fasteners worked well for this.

Warning: Please note that the air line from the pump to the valve gets extremely warm due to the compressed air moving through the line. Be sure to avoid touching or handling the air line during use.

The pump in action

I asked scenic designer and artist Madison Grant, a graduate student at the University of Alabama, to test and share her experience using the garden sprayer with the rechargeable bicycle pump. The following is her response:

“Integrating the improved pressurized garden sprayer into my workflow was pretty seamless. There is a bit of a learning curve while integrating the pump into your workflow. I found it fluidly happened while prepping colors, but when using it, you need to establish the muscle memory of reaching down to turn the pump on without taking your eyes off what you’re painting. When preparing multiple colors, I could pour and mix while the pump was pressurizing the first sprayer. I began spraying the first color while pressurizing the next color, and the second color was ready for use before I finished spraying the first. It felt like having a second set of hands.

“When using a traditional pump, there is a portion of time dedicated to simply pumping each sprayer. Although the effort may be minimal, you can be in two places at once by using the pump. First, when using the pump while spraying, you avoid stopping mid-spray to repressurize the tank. Doing so helps prevent inconsistencies in the application and allows for a softer fade throughout the paint texture. In addition, the improved pump allowed for a consistent paint application to the surface, which the sprayer alone lacks. Avoiding the pause to maintain pressure by hand pumping, you can complete the entire project keeping a consistent opacity on the surface during the application.”

NOTE: A special thanks to the University of Alabama’s Collaborative Arts Research Initiative (CARI), for funding the proof of concept, allowing me to hire talent to demonstrate the improved pump solution.

Bottom line

If spattering is an aesthetic component of your scenic artistry, this solution is an inexpensive upgrade that can improve your workflow and give you the ability to keep your pressure more consistent while painting. As Madison stated, you can also pressurize the tank while preparing or using the sprayer, allowing you to produce a continuous workflow and a more consistent spray. n

Materials

One-gallon garden sprayer $9.95 (Home Depot) Schrader stem valve 9.95 (Amazon, 4-pack) Pressure gauge 4.48 (Home Depot) Step drill bit 17.99 (Harbor Freight) Rechargeable bike pump 38.99

Total: $81.36

Matthew Stratton (he/him) is the technical director and an assistant professor at the University of Alabama. He also has worked for Vanderbilt University, Glimmerglass Opera and McLeod Summer Playhouse.

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