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Paint spray gun recommendation

CutterFarms

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Sep 5, 2011
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576
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Kentucky
Looking for a reasonable priced gun to spray some farm equipment with, would like to use the paint from the dealer and possibly clear coat it as well. Would like to do with one gun if possible. Have been spraying for about 25 years with titan airless titan and graco sprayers, but would like to try something else. Thanks
 
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NUTTSGT

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Northern Central Ohio
I bought a set of three ATD guns from my local NAPA store. I painted the engine compartment on the Mustang, a trailer and a few tool boxes. They worked alright, nothing fancy but I'll use them again.
 

Parrothead

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Get on YouTube and you’ll see dozens of people putting out really nice paint jobs using the $9.99 spray gun from Harbor Freight.
 
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CutterFarms

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Kentucky
I wouldn't have thought a $10 gun would have been anything but trouble. They just opened a hf about 20 miles from me may have to consider that.
 

wga

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Dec 21, 2016
Messages
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Location
Yorba Linda, Ca.
HF guns work well enough. Fluid tips for clear usually a 1.8 are not to be found for
a HF gun. Find a low cost gun that you can get different fluid tips, 1.3 - 1.4 for most
primers and top coats.
Also you will need consistent pressure and clean air - filter / pressure regulator from HF
 

CafeTools

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Nov 29, 2016
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I have the harbor freight black widow I bought with a coupon. It's nice. If I were you I would get that one worth a 1. 3 tip or find a Devilbliss on sale.
 

txvwnut

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Bedford, Texas
I have a friend of mine that builds custom bikes and does custom paint on cars as well. Uses the HF purple gun on every job. Says it easier and cheaper to just toss it and buy a new one for every job than spend the time cleaning a more expensive gun afterwards.

Me I’ve got some coin in paint guns but am quite happy with my two Astro HVLP gravity guns.
 

PWC Repair

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Arkansas
Anything will work with some practice. I can lay down show quality paint with my Husky from Home Depot. You should see the car guys faces after they look over my son's car then we tell them we PAINTED the carbon fiber on the hood AND did it with a $40 Home Depot gun lol!
 

dnschmidt

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Oct 3, 2014
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Phoenix, AZ
Astro makes really good cheap spray guns that you can buy for under $100. I recommend the EUROHE103 compliant 1.3 which is the blue RP forged gun. This gun is capable of producing excellent results.
 

sberry

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Brethren, Michigan
I bought the ATD for the small paint pot and thought I would put my better gun on it. Then figured I would try it, would be disposable. 25 years later still works very well.
 

johninct

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Dec 21, 2010
Messages
2,595
Just a thought. after a number of paint jobs, any gun must be totally disassembled and soaked in a spray gun cleaning solution to get the paint out of areas where the sun doesn't shine. Also, new packings and gaskets may be required. Maybe disposable is better.
 

dnschmidt

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johninct, I've used paint guns for years and I've never "completely" disassembled a gun and soaked it in "Naked Gun." Gravity feed guns have a very short fluid passage. Using a squirt bottle with lacquer thinner to clean the passages after removing the cup and placing the nozzle and aircap in thinner and brushing them with a toothbrush is all that I've ever done.

It all comes down to what you consider acceptable. To me an Iwata Supernova and a DeVilbiss Pro-lite produce finishes I consider acceptable. Apparently, to somebody the $10 HF purple gun produces a finish that's acceptable to them. If that which you can obtain from a rattle can is acceptable the HF gun will do that well. I'm trying to produce finishes that are superior to OEM off the gun and you're not going to do that with the HF gun. With the Astro gun I recommended you actually can if you know how to paint.
 
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CutterFarms

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Sep 5, 2011
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576
Location
Kentucky
I have 4 hay haulers like this and a few other outdoor items I would like to protect and keep looking decent. I'm not painting tractors or big ticket items just maintaining them. I have 80 gallon compressor and filter/water separator. But I do want something to make them look new again. If I am going to pay over 100.00 for a gun dont think it would be a hf gun.
 

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CutterFarms

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I have seen some equipment at sales that were somewhat faded and it looked like they just sprayed clear over them and it was a fairly decent result. Is anyone familiar with doing something like this? I believe I watched a episode of some guys building cars with random parts half rusted sand several colors of old paint showing and they just clear coated it also. Which all in all looked decent.
 

Bretny

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For farm equipment or anything your painting for protection purpose get the $10 HF gun. If for nothing else to teach your self how to use a HVLP gun.

I have a little bit better neiko hvlp gun but never use it because i like the $10 hf guns better. I always keep a new one on the shelf. Right now i have a top coat, prumer and one gun for spraying used motor oil.

Im also just spraying for protection purposes but i have also sprayed some furniture.
 

Parrothead

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Apr 27, 2014
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Earth
I have 4 hay haulers like this and a few other outdoor items I would like to protect and keep looking decent. I'm not painting tractors or big ticket items just maintaining them. I have 80 gallon compressor and filter/water separator. But I do want something to make them look new again. If I am going to pay over 100.00 for a gun dont think it would be a hf gun.

For what you’re doing...

Harbor Freight spray gun $9.99
https://www.harborfreight.com/20-fl-oz-hvlp-gravity-feed-air-spray-gun-62300.html

Rustoleum John Deere Green 2 gallons $84
https://www.homedepot.com/p/204774435

Mineral Spirits


You can get a darn good paint job doing nothing but this. Take it as far as you’d like.
 

johninct

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Dec 21, 2010
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johninct, I've used paint guns for years and I've never "completely" disassembled a gun and soaked it in "Naked Gun." Gravity feed guns have a very short fluid passage. Using a squirt bottle with lacquer thinner to clean the passages after removing the cup and placing the nozzle and aircap in thinner and brushing them with a toothbrush is all that I've ever done.

It all comes down to what you consider acceptable. To me an Iwata Supernova and a DeVilbiss Pro-lite produce finishes I consider acceptable. Apparently, to somebody the $10 HF purple gun produces a finish that's acceptable to them. If that which you can obtain from a rattle can is acceptable the HF gun will do that well. I'm trying to produce finishes that are superior to OEM off the gun and you're not going to do that with the HF gun. With the Astro gun I recommended you actually can if you know how to paint.

When I use to hang out at a body shop, they always had a few guns soaking. Even cleaning out a gun and then putting it in a gun cleaner is not enough.
The gun isn't the only consideration to a good paint finish. The painter is a consideration. Different brands of paint flow out differently. Blocking and buffing makes a good paint job.
 

bdk1976

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Feb 19, 2007
Messages
285
Devilbiss GPi. 1.4 tip for paint and 1.8 for primer. HF's best gun is not even close to being this good and you can by service parts for it.

https://www.spraygunsdirect.co.uk/i...se-gravity-spraygun.html#sthash.uFJmyEAL.dpbs

Or just don't worry about service parts (actually you can get a whole set of service parts for $9.99 from any harbor freight...lol) and throw the damn thing away when you are done. At $10 it's virtually disposable and WORKS.

The guy is painting farm equipment for christ's sake and is stepping up from an airless - he will be more than fine (and likely impressed). I've painted a car with the HF gun and that I would put up against most "$10k" paint jobs from any shop around here...seriously.

If he was painting ridler contenders it's one thing. For farm equipment, or even daily drivers, muscle cars, etc. the HF gun is very tough (impossible?) to beat for a DIY from a price/performance ratio.
 
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CutterFarms

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Kentucky
Thanks for the video, that turned out nice for no more than they had in it. I would be very happy with that result in my.hay haulers and hay wagon running gears. If you lease any additional land around here the owners want everything pulling in looking shiny and new or they will find someone else who has equipment that is. Funny how they are more concerned on appearance of your equipment than the shape you leave there land in.
 

Parrothead

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Thanks for the video, that turned out nice for no more than they had in it. I would be very happy with that result in my.hay haulers and hay wagon running gears. If you lease any additional land around here the owners want everything pulling in looking shiny and new or they will find someone else who has equipment that is. Funny how they are more concerned on appearance of your equipment than the shape you leave there land in.

Happy to help! There’s a follow up video of the paint after 2 years. The biggest thing, especially for farm equipment, is to not overthink it. Also, that farm and implement paint is darn tough. Better than regular Rustoleum and that’s not bad either.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

*my father-in-law has a farm and leases his land.
 
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CutterFarms

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Does anyone have any experience in spraying some lightly faded equipment with a clear coat? I know it doesnt look new but I have seen some equipment at sales where it looked to be sprayed with clear and it gave faded/partially rusted equipment a glossy sheen and didn't look bad and seems like it would preserve equipment from getting any worse. I would be interested in doing that to equipment that still looks reasonable good that was dads and grandpas preserving it the way I got it from them instead of trying to repaint it and new decals I think it will take away from the patina that was created from them using it. Would it take a specific type of clear? Would it need hardner added? All equipment is barn kept except for when it is being used.
 

WittHay

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Surrey, BC Canada
Pictures from a few years ago. Before and after on a JD brush mower and a Case IH baler. Painted with the old suction type Devibiss MBC-510 and JGA-510 . Another guy painted and I was the gun cleaner, Found the MBC witch the removable head was easier to clean. I have never put the whole gun in the gun wash . Just cleaned the passages.

These were just quality made in USA guns bought from the local parts store. They worked with the thick coatings that we used on commercial trailers

i would have to do some research to figure out what gun I would buy currently, but I never liked buying the cheapest but dont need a Sata gun either. Farm equipment paint is cheap and on a lot of equipment there is not much tin work (sheet metal).
 

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RV8guy

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Fort Worth, Texas
Pictures from a few years ago. Before and after on a JD brush mower and a Case IH baler. Painted with the old suction type Devibiss MBC-510 and JGA-510 . Another guy painted and I was the gun cleaner, Found the MBC witch the removable head was easier to clean. I have never put the whole gun in the gun wash . Just cleaned the passages.

These were just quality made in USA guns bought from the local parts store. They worked with the thick coatings that we used on commercial trailers

i would have to do some research to figure out what gun I would buy currently, but I never liked buying the cheapest but dont need a Sata gun either. Farm equipment paint is cheap and on a lot of equipment there is not much tin work (sheet metal).

Those are both good old guns. I've made a lot of money with both. Still have them in a box somewhere.
 

sberry

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Everyone wants to do a good job but there is a lot to be said for blasting some color on the flats too. I had a cutter, was looking spotty and ended up with a quart left of mixxed paint on another job. I hurried, hot washed the big flats off on it and blew the quart out, at then was looking fort a pint more ha but it looked so good that I never did go back for an overall. If paint saves it from wear then its a consideration but if its color I do shoot flats and dont bother with every crack and corner that cant be seen.
If its a question of service and lifespan then the job gets more critical as does the choice of paint. The farm store stuff is cheap, it goes a long ways, its safer to spray, it lasts a long time in stock. I like to use factory colors for most of it, I stock some common paint from the bargain barn in common colors. John Deere gets JD green, fire engine red is ok for red tractors, Ford blue and some of the gray. Equipment, white, red black with some yellow, get mineral spirits, get some lacquer thinner. Box of scotchbrite, DA sander, some 90 and 150 to start. Pre grind bird **** and splatter even from old work and buy a masking machine, 2 widths of paper.
No one notices perfection but poor tape and overspray stands right out.
 
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clubairth

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Dec 24, 2014
Messages
263
I have a number of guns from an expensive Sata 2000 to the HF purple gun.
From what you told us I would get the HF gun and shoot Rustoleum Enamel paint.

Different tools for different purposes. Yes the SATA is a pro level paint gun and I would NEVER use the HF one to paint a car.

BUT at $10 it's a surprisingly good gun over all!!
.
.
.
 

sberry

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If you want patina then leave it alone and keep it dry in the barn. If you want a little appearance and not eye catching nasty then paint it. I changes a little style and some of our stuff was out front more. Its really old but its harder to tell, I finally had it and gang painted a few things.
 

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TailGunner3000

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New Jersey
Does anyone have any experience in spraying some lightly faded equipment with a clear coat? I know it doesnt look new but I have seen some equipment at sales where it looked to be sprayed with clear and it gave faded/partially rusted equipment a glossy sheen and didn't look bad and seems like it would preserve equipment from getting any worse. I would be interested in doing that to equipment that still looks reasonable good that was dads and grandpas preserving it the way I got it from them instead of trying to repaint it and new decals I think it will take away from the patina that was created from them using it. Would it take a specific type of clear? Would it need hardner added? All equipment is barn kept except for when it is being used.
I have sprayed smaller pieces of equipment, machines and cabinets with clearcoat. I've used some straight from the can. Others required various combinations of reducers and activators/hardeners. Best advice I can give is to make sure your surface is clean, dry, and properly scuffed to accept the product.
 
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