Spray painting pine

What is the finish coat first???

But, in general, yes, a washcoat can/will help, but specifics can depend on what you're applying.

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Primer?

I've done this with water based products and the finish is great. I used an automotive sprayer and the amount of overspray (read mess) is incredible. But the finished product is amazingly smooth.

Muralo paint was recommended by a BM dealer and probably can't be beat.

Primer for the first coat and one that is suited for the paint. The smoother the sanded surface including the ends, the less the wood will soak up the primer or paint.

An Alkyd Oil based paint will give a much harder finish than a latex paint .

I'll see what happens....I need this to not be very labor intensive.

I just put a dab of fresh wood filler on the "ends" and did a brief sanding with some 400 grit.

Then put on an oil based sanding sealer with a foam brush which soaks up quick.

I'll see what happens tomorow morning with my spray -- either straight from the can or my hvlp if I have to.

BIN works great on raw pine.

It's shellac with a white pigment.

would help in painting yellow pine.

I've sometimes had pine tar resin ooze through a finish on yellow pine. Since then, I've used KILZ sealer on yellow pine and on knots of other softwood species to keep the resin from seeping out.

Some old timers just used shellac to seal knots.

That's why BIN rules!

It's shellac, with a white pigment. It dries fast, sprays GREAT, and sands far better than Kilz.

If your wood was cut with a proper saw blade and/or sanded properly there should be no need nor any way you can use wood filler on end grain. The wood itself should be smooth not some filler stuck to it. Do it right the first time and it will work properly.

Without knowing what look the OP is after, he certainly may need a sealer on end grain.

Even if I finish pine end grain with a sharp low angle block plane, raw, unsealed end grain will definitely telegraph through paint.