Has Anyone Used The Preval Spray Gun Yet? Results?
Decorating By projectqueen Updated 21 Oct 2006 , 1:34pm by playingwithsugar
There have been several threads on here about the preval sprayer and people were running around buying them up at Home Depot, Ace, ebay, etc.
Well, I was one of those people and now I have one and don't know what to do with it 
I'm pretty new to cake decorating so don't have airbrush or anything like that.
If anyone has used this little item successfully, will you please post how you used it and what the results were? I don't know if I can just fill it with water and gel color and spray fondant or buttercream....seems like it would make a mushy mess.
Thanks for any input...
I was wondering the exact same thing the other day.
Bumpity Bump!!!
I have an airbrush, but was planning on picking one of these up. It looks like it may have a larger coverage capacity. I found out that one of the contestents on the decorating challenges uses the Preval for their spraying, but they had a large piece to cover. So I really can't help you yet, other then to tell you to give it a try.
I bet it is Mike seeing how he and Duff are such good friends.
I am going to Home Depot today and picking up a sprayer and a foam roller. 
Rachel
from what I understand they're great if you're wanting to cover the whole cake in one color or wanting to use luster dust on the whole thing but you don't have control over the broadness of the spray like you would with an airbrush.....so basically you're not gonna write happy birthday on a cake with it like you could with an airbrush!
I would hazard a guess that you would use alcohol in it. Water would melt the pieces the other would dry fast.
Dilute the luster dust in vodka, everclear or lemon extract.... I am dying for one of those!! I love sparkly anything. 
So, has anyone actually used it?
I get the idea, but did you see the size of the jar?
How much alcohol and how much luster dust would you have to use? I understand you don't have to fill it all the way to the top, but I'm just trying to understand the proportion of liquid and color.
Could you use gel colors or only luster dust?
If someone has actually used this item, please respond. Thanks.
I still don't understand why we would want one of these over an airbrush. I don't have an airbrush myself, but can't you cover an entire cake with one the same you can with a preval sprayer?? Why go out and spend another $5.00?
I may be misunderstanding but I think this is for the people who can't afford an airbrush and are thinking, 'Why go out and spend $150 on an airbrush and compresser when I can spend $5 and get a similar result.'
I would love, love , love a good airbrush system but they are far out of my price range right now and even if they were within the range, how often would I use it? If it was a rarely then I would probably rather use the Preval....but I am broke and have limited kitchen space so I really weigh every purchase...... 
I thought you had to use luster dust w/ alcohol or powdered food color but not gel since it has water. But it doesn't have that much.
I have the powdered food coloring set and I wonder sometimes what the heck I am supposed to use it for? Or can we use airbrush colors because those are premade and pretty cheap but I am all about using what you have rather then having to go buy more stuff......
I have this item that you are speaking of!! I use it a lot for large surface area.
I painted my cake for OSSAS with it for those of you have seen it. You can use it with Luster dust and airbrush paint. Even gel mixed with Alcohol. You will not get fine detail but it is great because of the large jar. I did learn something is to slide the straw down until it touches the bottom of the bottle. Otherwise it will leave a puddle that cannot get sucked up! Overalll I really like it. I also have a Airbrush too but if I am painting a entire cake one color I do not have to keep reloading the drop cup on my airbrush. Drawback is that it comes with one bottle unless you by two sets complete with bottle
MaryAnn
I Even gel mixed with Alcohol.
What kind of alcohol?
How much gel and how much alcohol?
Thanks!
I use everclear and the amount depends on the look you want. You don't want it to be thick or it will look blothcy. Air brush paint that is edble is cheap-About $3.00 a bottle. I would use this before gel colors because they stain so much. All color stains but gel is so concentrated. Also take it outside to spray-otherwise it will be all ove your kitchen! There is no exact measurement to follow. Test it on paper towel before you spay on anything!
So, it is a can of air that attaches to a jar. The only convenience I see is that it has no hose to deal with, which enables you to maneuver a little better than other bottom-feed airbrushes. The most inconvenience I see is that the cans are not very big, so unless they are filled to capacity with liquid propellant, they will run out quickly.
I have a small bottom-feed airbrush that I got at AC Moore a few months ago, for $13 with the 50% off coupon. It uses a compressed propellant canister, which I also bought with a 50% off coupon. I put the canister into my apron pocket, and get the same flexibility, with a longer lasting spray than I would get from that small can of Preval. The canister also has an adjustable pressure nozzle on it, which I did not read as available at the Preval website.
Theresa
I painted a five tier cake with one can. I used six jars of luster and also airbrush paint.I did about five or six coats. Keep in mind I did this for a long time! As stated this is a large surface area covering. I use propel for my airbrush as well but also found that to freeze up my line a ruin the O ring my model. I have had to replace this twice at the cost of $16.00 each valve.
It was super conveniet to travel with and I love it! It is $5.00 and worth the Money!
moydear77- Thanks for the info. I bought a Preval spray gun but haven't used it yet. I wasn't sure if you could use the gel with some alcohol or if I needed . Now at least I know. I ordered some to try and I know I will be getting some luster dust for my b-day. Can't wait to try those out.
You are very welcome. As far as the gel I find the color not to be as consistant as airbrush paint. Let dry between coats so it does not run all over!
Okay, so here is why I have been wanting an airbrush. My daughter's school colors are black and white. It is very difficult to make black fondant and purchasing it is expensive.
so do you cut out fondant pieces for details, balls, strips and circle and then airbrush these pieces, let them dry and then put them on white fondant cake? Drying time?
Can I spray an entire cake black with airbrush and then apply white fondant pieces? Would the preval work better?
I also would like to know other uses for an air brush. Shading, luster dust application.
Moydear --
Thanks for the information on the Preval. I am amazed that you got that much done with one canister.
Theresa
Okay, so here is why I have been wanting an airbrush. My daughter's school colors are black and white. It is very difficult to make black fondant and purchasing it is expensive.
so do you cut out fondant pieces for details, balls, strips and circle and then airbrush these pieces, let them dry and then put them on white fondant cake? Drying time?
Can I spray an entire cake black with airbrush and then apply white fondant pieces? Would the preval work better?
I also would like to know other uses for an air brush. Shading, luster dust application.
It all depends on what you want to do. Also the humidity can play a huge factor in this. If the cake is black I color the fondant grey and airbrush it all black. If it is humid it might not dry very fast and you can have bleeding. I did a whimsical cake on my website with balck and white. It did take half a jar of black to get it very black but that is what I would do as opposed to trying to aurbrish them.
www.cakesbymaryann.com
MaryAnn
I still don't understand why we would want one of these over an airbrush. I don't have an airbrush myself, but can't you cover an entire cake with one the same you can with a preval sprayer?? Why go out and spend another $5.00?
I may be misunderstanding but I think this is for the people who can't afford an airbrush and are thinking, 'Why go out and spend $150 on an airbrush and compresser when I can spend $5 and get a similar result.'
I would love, love , love a good airbrush system but they are far out of my price range right now and even if they were within the range, how often would I use it? If it was a rarely then I would probably rather use the Preval....but I am broke and have limited kitchen space so I really weigh every purchase......
I was thinking the same thing, but I know Duff and Mike from Mike's Amazing Cakes both have an airbrush, and both also use this. Just wondered what the difference was and why someone would want both.
After reading the testimonies of others on this thread, I believe it is safe to conclude the following:
The Preval sprayer is affordable and portable.
It also seems to be recommended for large surface area work, not detailed work that would need the pen nozzle of a standard baker's airbrush.
For now I have no need of it, but I would consider it if I were asked to demo a certain technique or cake design that would call for this type of work.
Does anyone know if you can purchase extra jars for it?
Theresa
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