Can someone recommend a decent paintgun?

[5mall5nail5]

Hey all - I clipped a curb doing a u-turn in my fiances street. I've done this turn 1000x but, stars aligned and I caught the bumper lip on the curb a bit, cracking the bumper. I am considering repairing the bumper via plastic weld and epoxy. Either way, whether I repair or replace, I need to paint the bumper. I painted the bumper on my other car with great success using automotive paint in a can (mixed to match) and a two-part epoxy clear in a can (very cool but expensive).

I am thinking I want a basic gun so that I can save some money on buying the 2-part clear in a can:

http://www.eastwood.com/spray-max-2k-high-gloss-clearcoat-aerosol.html

That stuff is very cool - try it sometime if you need. But, I think it'd be cheaper to pick up a quart of PPG epoxy clear and some paint mixed to match and just spray. Color doesn't need to be perfect on the bumper of this car because it doesn't **** up against any body panels to do a comparison, so "real close" looks real good in my experience. But, I may want to sand the hood and fenders at some point and respray those as the previous owner when to town using touch up paint... ick.

So, can anyone recommend a decent air gun? I would like to be able to pay down decent paint on something as wide as a hood, but as detailed as a bumper. I have air w/ drier and all, so that's not an issue

Thanks guys!

 

[Kevin54]

If you are not going to be painting on a constant basis but just going to paint occasionally, spend a little money and pick up a DeVilbiss Finishline gun. It will come with a couple of different tips. Save that gun for painting, then pick up a cheaper gun at some place like TSC, or even a Harbor Fright purple gun for spraying your primers.

 

[Zeke]

I usually agree with Kevin, but if you take good care and clean your gun religiously, you can prime with the DeVilbis. You can also paint pretty well with the HF gun. You just have to look the thing over for burrs in the orifices to get it to perform at max, meaning a good pattern.

 

[RCRGarage]

You can prime and paint with decent results with a HF gun... but one job is about it for the gun.
Personally, I have a couple of HF guns that I rotate in and out of the lineup (they're in when new, after a session or two, they get pitched). Also have a Sata jet 3000b, and 4000b. If you're going to be spraying clear, get a nice (expensive) gun. The high end gun will help with a flatter finish and consistent spray pattern for metallics, candies and pearls, less overspray which means less wasted material and less colorsanding and buffing later. I'm sure the Finishline pro is a decent gun, but unfortunately, there is no replacement for a badass gun. If you have the money, I recommend getting one. You don't want to know what I paid for the 4000b!

 

[5mall5nail5]

I've used a central pneumatic gun before when I painted my engine bay and it turned out fine. I just want to make sure I use the right gun/tip combo for a base and clear. I will check out the devilbliss stuff and see if its in reason.

 

[lilredex]

Think you may be looking at too much gun. Get one of these.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167897

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2568173#post2568173

 

[5mall5nail5]

Think you may be looking at too much gun. Get one of these.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167897

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2568173#post2568173

Thanks - my worry is that I am going to be eventually painting a BMW sedan hood - I want to make sure I have the right spray and volume for a decent job. That, and, we don't have princess auto or anything here in the states. I am sure HF has sometime similar, but I just want to make sure I buy something that's up to the task.

 

[lilredex]

Have a look in HF and look for that "K-3" on the handle, and compare the specs. Both HF and PAL shop at the same places.

I've posted that gun before, and I'm sure a lot of people look and think....B.S. thinking it is one of those unmanageable touch-up guns.

This one....

http://www.harborfreight.com/touch-up-air-spray-gun-66871.html

My suggestion, is a decent gun and will handle anything from that green project I showed to a hood or door.

I use mine with unregulated air (80-85#) and it does just fine.

It is my gun of first choice for smaller jobs. It is a real work horse for $12.

 

[5mall5nail5]

Have a look in HF and look for that "K-3" on the handle, and compare the specs. Both HF and PAL shop at the same places.

I've posted that gun before, and I'm sure a lot of people look and think....B.S. thinking it is one of those unmanageable touch-up guns.

This one....

http://www.harborfreight.com/touch-up-air-spray-gun-66871.html

My suggestion, is a decent gun and will handle anything from that green project I showed to a hood or door.

I use mine with unregulated air (80-85#) and it does just fine.

It is my gun of first choice for smaller jobs. It is a real work horse for $12.

That looks decent but I think for consistent coverage I am going to want an HVLP gun. I used something like this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/professional-automotive-hvlp-spray-gun-kit-94572.html

I might give it a try again, honestly. It worked well in the past.

 

[jf781]

One thing i would recommend looking into is making the input of the filter lower then the output of the pump. Any water that will run back to the pump will make it no longer enjoy life.

 

[Kevin54]

I usually agree with Kevin, but if you take good care and clean your gun religiously, you can prime with the DeVilbis. You can also paint pretty well with the HF gun. You just have to look the thing over for burrs in the orifices to get it to perform at max, meaning a good pattern.

Don't take me wrong. I've primed with my DeVilbis quite a few times. But you really want to make sure it's cleaned very well before shooting paint with it. I have a gun cleaning kit, so when I get done priming, I sit and take my time to get it clean. I just like to have two guns so I don't have to change tips between the priming and painting. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with owning one gun.

For painting smaller items, my purple HF is my go to gun and I've shot base/clear with it quite a few times. I've painted my JD tractor in Base / Clear. On my '93 Chevy truck, the mirrors, inner fenders and some of the other items were sprayed with the Purple gun. But even with the purple gun, you have to make sure it is clean after each and every use.

I had an older Devilbis siphon gun that I had for years and felt very comfortable with it whether shooting primer or shooting paint. I always kept it immaculate after spraying. I loaned it to my dad one day as he wanted to spray the fender on his Cadillac. Once he was done, he forgot to clean it out. The paint gelled in the gun. As much as I tried, I could not get the gun to spray right after that.

And for ones that may not know, you want to keep some lacquer thinner around to clean the gun, or at least that's what I always use. If an individual goes to a regular automotive paint store to purchase it, the last that I knew, a gallon was something like $12. But if you buy a 5 gallon can of it, I paid $28. So it's cheaper to buy a five gallon can than a gallon can.

 

[retrobuilder]

Good value and great spray-

Sharpe Finex fx series. Small panel spray 9" or less the fx1000 and for larger patten the fx 2000/3000. Just make sure you use matching tip for gun to primer around 1.4-1.8 and clear using smaller 1.0-1.4 tips.

Devilbiss Finish series is good as well.
I suppose you have big air compressor. The cheeeper guns **** a lot of air vs better finishing guns.

The early non HVLP Binks 2001 guns can be had on Ebay at low prices as well.

Put economy on primer gun and more $$ on finishing guns. HVLP helps keep overspray and orange peel down. Just uses a bit more air- (depending on maker)

Need an air line filter to keep water out of air delivery.

FYI- a great epoxy/polyurethane supplier is Southern Polyurethanes in GA and has extensive informative web site forum SPI.. paint is 90% prep and 10% spraying. Skip aerosol primers for auto top coats.