[cabinetman]

3. I have only used Minwax stain out of the three you have listed. There was a guy here once that
was a second generation finisher that pointed out that Minwax stain was bad to fade over time.
At the time I was using Minwax and liked it. Rather than dismissing what he said I got to looking
around at things I had built 10 to 15 years ago and noticed he was absolutely right. The furniture
and cabinets I had build were substantially lighter than it was when I built it. He recommended
Sherwin Williams stains so I have using them ever since.

Making a drastic and immediate change in finishing materials based on one persons opinion (and it doesn't matter who), and how a finish that old appears, is foolish, IMO. There are many factors that can account for a different appearance, other than a product that's claimed to be substandard.

There is likely many users of the product on this forum that get good results, not to be dissuaded by a one time opinion. I would go through some serious evaluations of what I was using, and how I was using it, before making a decision like that.

Of course it's possible to develop "favorites" in what we use. Instead of bashing a product, I would suggest trying it out for oneself.

5. The 1.4mm nozzle would work alright for wood finishes. Personally I don't like a HVLP sprayer and
almost wish I hadn't bought one. They come in handy when you use some high dollar automotive
finishes where you are trying to use every drop. A conventional gun will take a couple of ounces
in the cup to make it work. I find a conventional sprayer much more convenient for wood
finishes. You don't have to carry around a special stand to put the gun up. You can just unplug
it and set it on the table.

You might not be familiar with spray guns. Not all HVLP guns are gravity type guns. As an example, this gun is an HVLP, and is in conventional form. You can unplug it and walk away.

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