School me on spray guns..

[JonnyMac]

Guys,
I've realized that recently I've been spraying quite a fair bit and cans are expensive.
So its time to think about a gun. Im not doing showcar finishes or anything just some odd projects here and there.
So should I go gravity or suction? And how about nozzle size?
I don't mind spending the right money but I want to keep it under 3 figures if possible..
What do you suggest?

 

[lilredex]

This is a very good substitute for rattle cans (post #3)....

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196602

I realize you do not have a HF or PAL there, but you should be able to still find that gun.

 

[ZRX61]

When you do get a gun, fill it with water & go spray your fence or the side of your house for a while to get used to handling it. Full of paint in front of a car is not the time to be learning how to handle the gun

 

[bodyguy16]

Hvlp is the way to go, gravity fed look up the astro guns I own a lvlp astro I purchased when I first started in the industry I still use it from time to time and it was about 70$ at the time. No need to go spend big money on a gun just get something decent and practice!. If you can do some decent work with a can you should be capable of some great work with a spraygun.

 

[SASORacing]

I bought a Devilbiss Plus DEVGFG670 for $288 several years ago when I started painting professionally, haven't looked back since. Sata and Binks are "better" but its marginal, painters talent will make up for it.


And remember, you can't spell Paint without Pain!

 

[wbbaz43]

I am new to your site. ZRX61 made a great point about practicing on a fence with water. What a concept!
I bought two SATAS from a body shop that was going belly-up in '05 for, I believe, less than $100.00. I didn't steal them from the guy, I mean, no one held a gun to his head (yes, it's intensional) The guns are are a 1.0 touch-up and a 1.3 that I use for base and clear. I bought a cheaper 1.8 to use as a primer gun; all are HVLP. e-BAY has them for sale from time to time. I guess I gravitate to the higher end tools when I can afford them. At least you can't blame on the guns if you mess up.

Good luck

WBB

 

[lilredex]

While practising with water sounds like a great idea........don't just hang up your gun when you're finished and call 'er quits. If you do, there are a bunch of steel parts in there and, it probably won't even spray the next time you go to use it.....it will be full of rust.

At the very least, you should shoot some methyl hydrate, then a bit of very light oil/Varsol mixture through it when you are finished.

I would never let anyone spray straight water with any of my guns.

(Don't ask, how I know this to be true.)

 

[mustanginky]

I bought a sharpe finex fx300 about 2 years ago from advance auto with a coupon, its been a good gun.

 

[bodyguy16]

While practising with water sounds like a great idea........don't just hang up your gun when you're finished and call 'er quits. If you do, there are a bunch of steel parts in there and, it probably won't even spray the next time you go to use it.....it will be full of rust.

At the very least, you should shoot some methyl hydrate, then a bit of very light oil/Varsol mixture through it when you are finished.

I would never let anyone spray straight water with any of my guns.

(Don't ask, how I know this to be true.)

Good point, the higher end guns are suited for water/waterbase paints so you shouldn't have any issues should you choose one.

 

[ZRX61]

I didn't realize that someone would be dumb enough not to dismantle & clean the gun of all traces of water afterwards. That's why I didn't mention it.

 

[SASORacing]

My devilbiss is all nickel plated, brass, stainless, or some other metal that wouldn't rust if I left water in it.

 

[Rickster55]

I found this video - along with part 2 of the series - to be quite helpful. The guy talks well and points out many do's and don'ts.

 

[PaulR]

BTT.

Looking for more recommendations on a cheap, decent HVLP gun to do a Jeep CJ-5 light resto project. It will be a bondo-bucket ice cream getter and not a show vehicle so not looking for a world class paint job, just something that will work. Maybe one step above the Harbor Freight junk. thanks!! Paul

 

[SASORacing]

the hf gun if you get it on sale for $10 sprays great. you wont find a better gun for a begginner.

 

[justme-]

you realise all of those metals will corrode when exposed to water, right? Nickel and stainless are much more resistant to corrosion, but if you leave the gun internals wet for a storage period don't be surprised to find them rusted.

 

[ZRX61]

BTT.

Looking for more recommendations on a cheap, decent HVLP gun to do a Jeep CJ-5 light resto project. It will be a bondo-bucket ice cream getter and not a show vehicle so not looking for a world class paint job, just something that will work. Maybe one step above the Harbor Freight junk. thanks!! Paul

I've seen sets under the Vapor name, I think they may be relabeled Horrible Fright guns. Devilbis has a bargain line called Finishline, seem to work just fine.

These look like Sata clones:

http://www.sears.com/titan-tools-4-...00980710000&kispla=00980710000P&mktRedirect=y

 

[allinon72]

Where do you guys get small quantities of automotive paint?

 

[larryq]

Where do you guys get small quantities of automotive paint?

Take a look at Summit Racing. They sell 2 stage and single stage by the quart. Even low VOC varieties for us California folk who can't buy watercolors without Sacramento saying no.

 

[sberry]

I have used a couple pos Sears guns back in the day but new cheap clones are really good. The operator is 90% here, the gun is better than the guy using it. I would certainly risk 10 0r 20$ from HF here to get started, no way would I go thru the pain for a diy guy to spend big on a pro level gun.
Find a cheap paint lie with common thinner and s shot of gloss hardener for equipment and a house brand generic as cheap as I could for simple auto.
I am in ag, I keep JD Green, fire engine red, safety yellow, black, white and some shale gray so I can blend or 2 tone equipment gray. I have a little enamel on hand and use Imron Industrial for expensive overalls for equipment that lives outside and needs long life.

Ideally is to rig up a little fan and tarp, window/door scheme that converts easy. Many versions of this from small to large once you get the principle.
We eventually tuned the fan sizing to save some heat but this thing really works good and is out of the way when not needed.
I have painted in common garages and often with crude heat systems but in my place can turn the heating and stoves up full blast and paint. If I was painting full time again would add an infared as the industrial paints are really slow to set in cool weather and you got to vent them for while if working in the same building, would have some kind of auto fan etc.
In the summer it was no big deal except for a bug, could open all the doors after a job.

http://finishingacademy.com/training/aero/aero_mod3/aero_mod3_intro.html

 

[colin39]

Practice on a 208ltr drum/barrel teaches you shaping, keeping the same distance away and your wrist angle, and muscle memory. Dad showed me this when I was 11 its led me well and every thing ive painted has come out good .

 

[sberry]

Practice on a 208ltr drum/barrel teaches you shaping, keeping the same distance away and your wrist angle, and muscle memory. Dad showed me this when I was 11 its led me well and every thing ive painted has come out good .

Good point, same for pressure washing.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I've got the purple HF Gun. Its just like a pencil or a pen. Even a 150.00 pen wont make you have better handwriting.

That being said, I would add, IMHO more importantly then the gun are the chemicals/paints you use. Stay away from "Off The Shelf" junk. I used to use OEM paints from CaseIH, JD, etc... was never impressed with my work until I swiched to Dupont and now PPG paints. Same Gun, Same Guy, COMPLETELY Different results that LAST. Getting setup is what will cost more, once you got the basic chemicals its really not much more then the junk paints.

 

[stonesfan68]

Harbor Freight has two versions of the purple gun. Which gun is the right one to buy, or are they pretty much interchangeable?

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I like the DeVilbiss Starting Line series guns for an decent economical set - 3 gun set for like 150 bucks will do primer, paint and touch up. I had used an old school siphon gun for about 15 years before we got pushed into HVLP and I was concerned about the switch, but I just followed the directions / set pressure accordingly and all went fine.

I have no troubles with different supplies - they can give me no-name economy paint or top brands and I have pretty much the same results. Paint work is 60% prep, 30% technique, and 10% materials, IMO. It does, however take practice to adapt to the different materials, so I'd recommend a one-time painter get simple easy stuff. Talk to a real paint supplier and get what they recommend.