Kobalt Airless Sprayer

[air8]

Did a quick search but didn't find much here.

Looking for user feedback on this sprayer from Lowes. I have a few projects ahead such as two bedrooms, stairway, full basement, and in the future the garage. In the next year we will be building a small patio and re-building our wood framed expanded metal fence. So I don't need a killer kick-*** sprayer. But don't want a one and done sprayer either. This one seems to fit my needs well.

Just wanted to hear from people who have used this sprayer...or know of someone who has used one.

Thanx guys and gals
Chris

 

[WilltheEngineer]

Air8, I did my house with a harbor freight 5/8 HP sprayer, RACX tips, and 20" extension, then back-rolled. The kobalt is probably made at the same factory.

It sounds like most of your work will be inside with small tips, so you should be fine. 517 & above, you need bigger than a 1/2 HP.

Make sure you run the storage liquid through it before you store it, not doing that, will cause the one n done.....

Good luck...

 

[air8]

Good to hear. What is storage liquid?

 

[air8]

Well the sprayer works good. It seems to spray too much paint actually. I have not used paint sprayers much, but this sprayer is hard to keep up with. What I mean is I have to move very, very quickly to keep from creating runs. I tried turning down the pressure but I ended up with the lines at top and bottom indicating too low of a pressure.

This one comes with two tips marked 517 and 513. The 517 is suggested for latex paints and the smaller 513 is for thinner materials such as stains. I did not try the smaller 513 because of time constraints. Needed our upstairs area all painted by tomorrow. So the painting is all finished.

I did learn to back roll when using a sprayer. That helps a ton with the finished look. LoL.

Cleanup is really nice and simple. However, the factory assembled the parts super tight and I had difficulty breaking the gun down to rinse it out the first time. I thought I was gonna break parts. I did almost jab myself in the eye when trying to remove the handle to rinse the internal filter. I should have put the gun in my vice to take it down. But after disassembly the first time it came apart no proplem each time after that.

Overal I am happy with the purchase and look forward to future projects now.

 

[beamrider]

"storage liquid" = Pump Armor.

A 517 is generally what I use on ceilings, otherwise I only use something that large outside (warehouses, etc). I don't use a sprayer to paint interior walls, unless the ceiling is to be painted in the same color/base as the walls, as it's faster for me to use a roller.

For a wood fence, for example, I usually use a 313-315. Staining a deck, I use the smallest tip I can, often a 312 fine finish tip. Bigger the tip, more paint you use, and the faster you have to be, otherwise you get runs, and then rain showers...

One thing I do, when I'm cleaning a sprayer up. Once you have got it clean, pressurize the system as high as it will go with water, turn the power off, and snap open the prime valve. Sometimes you'll still see **** in that water, even after you've thought it was clean. Rinse, repeat.

3 simple things to remember: Clean system, Pump Armor, Piston Lube.