Looking for a beginner air paint gun

[InsanePyro]

I've got a two doors and a fender I want to paint. I'm not looking for a million dollar results off the bat and I certainly don't expect it. I'm aware this is quite literally a art and not something you just pick up. I don't plan on doing blending or anything crazy. Paint the parts off their respective vehicles and then installing them. I know the match won't be 100%.

With that being said I kind of jumped the gun (pun intended ) and already bought this for one of the doors https://theautopaintdepot.com/automotive-paint/touch-up-paint/ford/the-auto-paint-depot-dark-shadow-blue-metallic-mj-m6188-touch-up-paint-for-ford-broncoeconolineexplorerf150heavy-duty-truckky-truckranger-all-years/ So I would prefer whatever gun to be able to shoot that. Secondly this is the air compressor I have https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-2...tical-Electric-Air-Compressor-C202H/312074157 I know its not the best but it claims it can do SOME painting. I figure this isn't something I won't be doing alot of or even alot at once so it should work? Anything else I need other then the gun? I am bowing to your greatness, GJ.

 

[Mark_17]

https://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-hvlp-gravity-feed-air-spray-gun-62300.html

Goes on sale for as low as $9.99

 

[Spareparts]

The HF guns are decent, but have to be cleaned good, real good if you intend to use them later. You need some paint strainers, the funnel looking thing that fits on the paint cup. Most of the guns comes with a plastic filter that fits in the bottom of the paint cup, it helps
Don't paint without a respirator, todays paint can mess you up real fast, have fun.

 

[InsanePyro]

The HF guns are decent, but have to be cleaned good, real good if you intend to use them later. You need some paint strainers, the funnel looking thing that fits on the paint cup. Most of the guns comes with a plastic filter that fits in the bottom of the paint cup, it helps
Don't paint without a respirator, todays paint can mess you up real fast, have fun.

Yeah I'm thinking even as a noob I can do better then a HF gun

 

[lilredex]

That HF gun is a good choice, you can do first class work with it. For smaller items I use a K-3 gun.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDMXCEP/?tag=atomicindus08-20

To clean, use lacquer thinners then a diluted ATF (mineral spirits) mixture as a final, that will keep the gun parts freed up for use next time, especially when you only use it a couple of times a year.

 

[NFT5]

That compressor is rated at 4cfm while the HF gun needs 6cfm. It will work for as long as there is a reserve in the tank, but after that the compressor is incapable of providing the air that the gun needs, unless you stop and let it refill the tank, which is undesirable. If you already have the compressor then look for a gun that uses less air than the compressor can produce. This is most likely going to be a mini/midi sized gun in RP, not HVLP, configuration. A smaller fan means more passes to get the job done but this is preferable to having to stop and wait.

 

[lilredex]

I have often stopped and waited a few seconds, using that first gun I showed, without detrimental results.

 

[Mark_17]

You don't even know if you will like painting, right?

With the HF gun, you have a very low investment cost and the ability to have a great paint job.

You could go spend a couple hundred dollars on a nice entry level gun, use it once, decide you hate painting, and lose all that money.

My advice, get the HF gun, spray a few projects, if you decide you enjoy it and your setup works, then go out and invest some money on a better gun.

 

[gorilla]

The HF paint gun will work just fine for what you want to do. I recommend that you paint a cabinet or your trash can or something with the paint your going to use so that you can learn how the gun lays down paint and how to operate it. Metallic can be somewhat troublesome to keep from banding.

 

[Wrench97]

From their web site I can't tell what type of paint that is, water base, solvent base, I'm guessing it's single stage so maybe acrylic enamel, but what thinner do they recommend and hardener or no hardener?
Older acrylic sprays better from a suction gun then a HVLP gun.

 

[Spareparts]

That compressor is rated a 4cfm@90psi, he will be painting a 35-40psi with a HVLP gun, so it should keep up with a little to spare, especially painting a door or panel, on and off the trigger or wasting a lot of paint.

 

[InsanePyro]

From their web site I can't tell what type of paint that is, water base, solvent base, I'm guessing it's single stage so maybe acrylic enamel, but what thinner do they recommend and hardener or no hardener?
Older acrylic sprays better from a suction gun then a HVLP gun.

They say it "Comes already reduced 1:.08 and ready to spray." dunno if the ratio clues you in at all.

That compressor is rated a 4cfm@90psi, he will be painting a 35-40psi with a HVLP gun, so it should keep up with a little to spare, especially painting a door or panel, on and off the trigger or wasting a lot of paint.

The fender I'll be painting is for my old man's '10 Camry, so thats pretty small. The door however is for my Bronco which will be a bit bigger.

The HF paint gun will work just fine for what you want to do. I recommend that you paint a cabinet or your trash can or something with the paint your going to use so that you can learn how the gun lays down paint and how to operate it. Metallic can be somewhat troublesome to keep from banding.

I plan on drop clothing my garage. Both paints are blue metallics so any tips are more then welcome

 

[lolaetype]

Yeah I'm thinking even as a noob I can do better then a HF gun

I've got two. I figured it was disposable. I've used one and clean it after use. Works fine. The second one hasn't been out of the box. I've never seen a review that says it's a poor gun.

 

[MatBirch]

I've exclusively used the HF gun for years. It is a quality gun and can be cared for like any other gun, and it will last a long time. I think most complaints come from people who don't clean the gun FIRST. They are shipped with some nasty slimy greasy **** in them. Clean it out right, and you can expect excellent results.

 

[InsanePyro]

I've got two. I figured it was disposable. I've used one and clean it after use. Works fine. The second one hasn't been out of the box. I've never seen a review that says it's a poor gun.

I guess what sticks with me is where he said, sure he was able to get those results but he's a pro...if I can spend a bit more and make it a bit easier on myself I'm willing to do it. I particularly didn't like the crummy trigger

 

[Wrench97]

Is your garage attached or separate from the house?

Make sure you get a good respirator with the correct filters for the paint.

Better quality guns can be harder to use as they come with different size nozzles for the type of paint you are spraying have more adjustment to them.

Clean, oil free, dry air is the biggest thing you need.

And plenty of ventilation.

Use the same color primer as the factory did, metallic paint don't cover like solid colors so the primer shade makes a difference in the final paint match.

 

[pepi]

You do not need to take a piant gun apart to clean it. A good healthy flush with thinner will do the job. Keep a white paper towel on hand, run the thinner thru. Thinner looks clear shoot the paper towel that will tell you.

Open and close the paint/fluid control as you spray, only close until you see nothing spraying out, that tells you it is closed



Could remove the cap and clean it, no need to go deeper. More folks FK up spray guns pulling every piece out cleaning them.


Filling the paint cup and spraying thinner thru the guy you are cleaning all the places the paint was, think about it.



Make a mistake painting, no worry sand and go over it. Smooth things out, what was not removed becomes a base/primer for the repaint.
Good luck painting is fun it's the prep that is the PIA. 10% of the time spent, laying down the paint, 90% is prep

 

[InsanePyro]

Is your garage attached or separate from the house?

Make sure you get a good respirator with the correct filters for the paint.

Better quality guns can be harder to use as they come with different size nozzles for the type of paint you are spraying have more adjustment to them.

Clean, oil free, dry air is the biggest thing you need.

And plenty of ventilation.

Use the same color primer as the factory did, metallic paint don't cover like solid colors so the primer shade makes a difference in the final paint match.

Yes its separate set "far" from the house. No worries there. Other then myself I don't need to protect anything from fumes. Respirator is on the list. My compressor already has a regulator on it, so I'm assuming I don't need to put another one at the gun. What about keep the air clean, oil free and dry? What can I do to maximize this?

You do not need to take a piant gun apart to clean it. A good healthy flush with thinner will do the job. Keep a white paper towel on hand, run the thinner thru. Thinner looks clear shoot the paper towel that will tell you.

Make a mistake painting, no worry sand and go over it. Smooth things out, what was not removed becomes a base/primer for the repaint.
Good luck painting is fun it's the prep that is the PIA. 10% of the time spent, laying down the paint, 90% is prep

Good to know about cleaning. And I hear that on prep, same goes for welding

 

[Slednut]

The site below has a few guys that are always willing to help a guy out.

https://www.autobody101.com/forums/

 

[InsanePyro]

The site below has a few guys that are always willing to help a guy out.

https://www.autobody101.com/forums/

I'll join up and kick around, thanks!

 

[WoodsTruck]

Expect to wait on proper filters for a respirator. I ordered some last year and due to COVID hysteria anything that was mask related was sold out.

 

[brianh]

Don't dismiss the HF guns they work pretty well.

 

[C91x]

I've got a relatively cheap DeVilbiss gun and it was better than the HF gun for me. Seems i was able to find the sweet spot when spraying the clear to reduce orange peel vs the HF gun. I also have 35 dollar Neiko gun for primer that seems pretty nice.

I've painted 6 vehicles so I am no pro but that is my experience.

 

[InsanePyro]

I've got a relatively cheap DeVilbiss gun and it was better than the HF gun for me. Seems i was able to find the sweet spot when spraying the clear to reduce orange peel vs the HF gun. I also have 35 dollar Neiko gun for primer that seems pretty nice.

I've painted 6 vehicles so I am no pro but that is my experience.

Mind sharing exactly which one?

 

[oldmachinenut]

I would not settle for anything less than this, it is an investment.

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/product/anest-iwata-supernova-ws400-evo/automotive-paint-guns

 

[InsanePyro]

I would not settle for anything less than this, it is an investment.

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/product/anest-iwata-supernova-ws400-evo/automotive-paint-guns

Yeah thats far more then i want to spend.

 

[TTMotorsports]

I have the harbor freight gravity feed gun and painted 4 vehicles now with it AND 1 CB750 motorcycle along with misc other smaller jobs not car related as well with it. Works great and as good as your prep work allows

 

[DIY_Guy79]

Yeah I'm thinking even as a noob I can do better then a HF gun

The HF purple guns are pretty dang good for the money. And I'm not sure why someone would be under the impression that a more expensive gun would need to be cleaned any less than a HF gun lol.. But no.. ANY paint sprayer needs to be thoroughly cleaned after each use. Paint solidifies, and clogs up anything its left in. Doesnt matter what name is on it or where it was made.

Anyways back to the purple gun, buddy of mine bought one of these specificaly to clear coat his boat restoration project. Thing looked great when he was done and he hadnt even wet sanded or buffed it yet. Looked like it laid perfectly smooth and even. Wasnt gritty from mist like over spray, or anything like that to indicate any fault in the operation of the gun. He was very impressed with it as well.

As far as what else, you should need or know.. You need line driers on both ends of the hose. Dont want that condensation mixed in with your paint. Make sure the pressure is set to whatever is recommended. As far as making it look good, most of it comes down to prep, then to products used, then to finish. The actual spraying part isnt that big of a deal. Just make sure your putting on even coats, thin enough that it doesnt run, but thick enough that you can call it a coat. Put enough coats that you can put wet sand & buff. This is where the magic happens. Wet sanding & buffing will remove most any blemishes you caused while spraying. And give you that nice gloss you're hoping to see.

Also, environment is important. Unless you have a dedicated booth, you're going to have dust falling on it, bugs, and god knows what else. Its pretty much inevitable unless you have a dedicated booth with a really good filtration system. The best you can do at home is just try to minimize this the best you can. Tape up cracks around your doors, wet the floor to hold dust/dirt down(not so wet that you can splash it up on what you're painting, just run a mop over it), If you have 2 windows, set up a ventilation/filtration system. Put some filters in one window for it to pull air in, put a fan in the other window to **** air out. Fumes and and spray linger in the air and even wearing a mask when that stuff starts getting thick, it gets to be a challenge.

Oh and should go without saying, but you need a respirator. A legit actual respirator with proper filtration and that properly seals on your face. Paint fumes & the mist that lingers in the air are nothing to play with.