Spraying Chocolate: Equipment, Materials, and Techniques

[Jim D.]

2 hours ago, GRiker said:

Doesn't the Fuji have is own turbine system that replaces a compressor?   When I looked at the size compressors being recommended to get enough compression for the Fuji, then compared it to the turbine system that comes with the Q4, I thought that space and noise considerations could be one reason to lean towards the Fuji system. 

 

Could one attached the Grex gun to the Q4 turbine? 

 

The Fuji works only with the turbine that is part of the package, whereas the Grex (like all airbrushes) requires a compressor. 

[Chocolot]

Fuji is a total system. I've not known anyone to cross it with an airbrush. I love the fuji, but it is not for fine work.

[GRiker]

10 hours ago, GRiker said:

but I would definitely get a compressor with capacity to service a spray gun.

So what you're saying here is that had you a larger capacity compressor that you may have just gotten a spray gun to use with that larger compressor.  Instead of the Fuji system.  Is the Fuji considered a spray gun or an air brush? 

[Chocolot]

4 hours ago, GRiker said:

So what you're saying here is that had you a larger capacity compressor that you may have just gotten a spray gun to use with that larger compressor.  Instead of the Fuji system.  Is the Fuji considered a spray gun or an air brush? 

Fuji is a spray gun with a turbine. You can use a spray gun with a compressor but it doesn’t act the same. You can also use a small spray gun with a compressor. Then you can get into hvlp guns or hplv guns. It us a rabbit hole. 

[Jim D.]

12 hours ago, GRiker said:

So what you're saying here is that had you a larger capacity compressor that you may have just gotten a spray gun to use with that larger compressor.  Instead of the Fuji system.  Is the Fuji considered a spray gun or an air brush? 

 

I have a California Air Tools 4620 compressor with an air capacity of 4.6 gallons that I use with my Grex Tritium;  4.6 gal. is sufficient for the Grex.  I also bought a very inexpensive spray gun, which I no longer use.  It operated with the same compressor, but not well; the compressor was running nearly constantly to keep up with the air requirements of the spray gun, and experts say that it is not good for a compressor's longevity to run that much.  Many chocolatiers use spray guns (not the Fuji) with great success.  I rarely use the Grex now except when I want to do a gradient.  For Valentine's this year I did a red/pink gradient on a heart mold (photo below), and, for the red areas, the Grex operated perfectly (I had to use the heat gun only occasionally).  I got out the Fuji to finish off with the pink because I used it to cover the entire cavity.  In the past, however, the Grex has driven me crazy with almost-constant clogging up.  In addition, I have never managed to get the Grex to do a decent splatter (I must add the caveat that @pastrygirl has had great success with her Grex and splatter, although Grex tech support says that their airbrush doesn't do splatter).

 

And now, those famous words:  "If I had it to do over..."  Especially if I were using the Grex frequently, I would purchase a compressor with a larger air capacity (there are posts in this thread about other California Air Tools models that people recommend).  And, with a larger compressor, I would probably do more experimenting with a non-Fuji spray gun, such as a SATA or Iwata or Grex.

 

But since I became more familiar with the Fuji, I use it almost exclusively for spraying molds.  Yes, it uses more cocoa butter (@Chocolot found a way to save the overspray), and yes, it's a larger and heavier piece of equipment, but it is really fast and requires much less use of a heat gun.  I bought the metal cup that most chocolatiers use, but I see that Kalle Jungstedt and some others use the very large plastic cup.  And, last point, the Fuji does a very nice splatter just by adjusting the air supply.

 

[pastrygirl]

3 hours ago, Jim D. said:

In addition, I have never managed to get the Grex to do a decent splatter (I must add the caveat that @pastrygirl has had great success with her Grex and splatter, although Grex tech support says that their airbrush doesn't do splatter).

 

Yeah, I splatter ALL THE TIME.  I splattered yesterday, might splatter again today.  All I do is turn down the psi on the compressor 🤷‍♀️

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, pastrygirl said:

All I do is turn down the psi on the compressor 🤷‍♀️

 

I didn't realize that was where you regulated it.  I'll have to give that a try.

[GRiker]

Thanks for your insight!  I think I understand the different equipment used now.  Kind of like learning a new language! 

 

@Chocolot in this thread a couple times @Jim D. mentioned you've figured out a way to save your overspray, would you mind sharing it?

 

Having read through this entire forum I know JimD has been using the Cake Safe cocoa butter spray booth with a respirator.  Some have tried home made booths with limited success. @pastrygirl and @Chocolot seems like you are doing quite a bit of spraying, what are your most successful ways to contain the cocoa butter that doesn't go on your molds?

 

 

[pastrygirl]

I have a commercial kitchen with an exhaust hood, but I'm also using a 0.7mm grex with 2 gal/1hp compressor and spraying each cavity individually rather than blasting the whole mold in a few passes.  

 

I have a Sagola mini spray gun (0.9 mm?) and a larger compressor that I got last year but it seems like overkill for tiny bonbons so I haven't made the switch.

[Chocolot]

I use a cardboard box turned on its side under a kitchen exhaust hood. Not ideal but it works. I scrape the excess ccb with a spatula and remelt for the next time. Sometimes it is a lot snd other times not so much. 

[RWood]

1 hour ago, GRiker said:

Thanks for your insight!  I think I understand the different equipment used now.  Kind of like learning a new language! 

 

@Chocolot in this thread a couple times @Jim D. mentioned you've figured out a way to save your overspray, would you mind sharing it?

 

Having read through this entire forum I know JimD has been using the Cake Safe cocoa butter spray booth with a respirator.  Some have tried home made booths with limited success. @pastrygirl and @Chocolot seems like you are doing quite a bit of spraying, what are your most successful ways to contain the cocoa butter that doesn't go on your molds?

 

 

I'm not willing to invest in the Cake Safe spray booth yet, as I'm just more a hobbyist now. I bought this cheap contraption off of AliExpress. You assemble and wrap plastic wrap around it. It actually does help contain the overspray, but I still wear a mask and turn on the fan and crack a window. I like it better than the cardboard box because it let's light in. I left a small opening to hold the mold and airbrush, so less blowback in my face. Works for now and the few times a year I use it. 

[GRiker]

2 hours ago, Chocolot said:

I scrape the excess ccb with a spatula

Are you saying that you just scrape the sides and edges of the mold? And that's the cocoa butter you save?

 

 

[GRiker]

@RWood  I can see that having the light allowed in is a distinct advantage! Thanks for sharing that idea.