Paint Gun Recommendations

Braeden P

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I am getting ready to paint my Hardinge TR-59 and need a good paint gun. I’ve got a good compressor 12cfm at 90 psi. It’s got a water and oil separator on the compressor, I am adding a second filter (water+oil+debris) on it. I want the paint to be almost perfect, should look like a brand new car. I will be using a sherwin williams enamel paint. Just need a good paint gun to get the job done right. My cheapo old craftsman gets too much orange peel no matter what settings I use.
 
I've had good results with SW paint using my $12 HF spray gun (it's purple). The nozzle is perfect for SW paints. Unfortunately, larger orifice nozzles are not offered for these guns, so heavy enamel has to be thinned.
 
simple answer. The HF guns 9.99 and 29.99 have worked well for me. Better than my old binks guns. I like the gravity feed, consistent delivery, no spitting when you are out. I always hated that last spit.

If you have money, the SATA guns are nice.
I use conversion HVLP, but I also have a turbine. I don't like the atomization from the turbine. the droplets are too big. An HVLP conversion like HF can do some good work. Like everything preparation is everything. I have the old 9.99 guns, and the new. They have different caps (air caps) the newer ones are like the 29.99 gun. I like the old 9.99 mostly. Although the new air caps can put out a finer spray if you over pressurize it. It acts like the old guns where atomization is supreme. But you have to play with flow a lot more because it's more sensitive to being in the zone. The old style has a wider zone, and works a little better thick or thin. So the old style air cap is my go to for primers which are usually thicker.

These days most of the gravity feed guns will do the job. The old guns were expensive to get a good gun, the process today does not require it. The expensive HF guns are not worth it. I would buy a SATA which I can get parts for, and different needles and air caps. But trust me, you don't need them to get a really good finish.It's prep, and patience. My son hasn't learned to move the gun at a steady straight pattern yet. He's fast and arcs. It won't lay a good coat.


Learning fan size, and making sure you flip the air cap is totally important.
 
I've had good results with SW paint using my $12 HF spray gun (it's purple). The nozzle is perfect for SW paints. Unfortunately, larger orifice nozzles are not offered for these guns, so heavy enamel has to be thinned.
You always thin using a gun. I have never shot straight anything. Even water base I thin with either water or flotrol.
lacquers ... lacquer thinner.
oil based, with MS, or naptha (too combustible), xylene..
epoxy with proper thinner, usually acetone
edit: OLD IMRON well, just check in to the hospital... you need an airpack for that... I have a scott airpack with forced air, carbon filtration, an emerson pump... apparently just looked them up, and they are no longer the kidney/liver destroying paint they used to be. .
 
Orange peel is the result of too much pressure, wrong thinner to paint ratio, too large of fluid tip, miss adjustment of gun, and maybe even operator error. Choose the solvent/thinner to match the temperature. In my business we had a commercial paint booth with an assortment of spray guns from several manufacturers. Mostly Binks & Devilbiss (Same company!) . The most used were pressure fed HVLP Binks. Minimal overspray. Keep the booth air drawing the overspray away from the already coated area. Don't spray like you are dusting the area. Keep a constant wet line and don't go back over any area already sprayed. For small parts needing one off color we had a Mac Tools HVLP gravity fed gun that was given to me by Mac. It's small size is an advantage on complex shapes. Model SG1300-14 1207. They are cheap. I've kept it for my hobby use. It works fine but is no match for the production guns. Those cost many hundreds of $.

What ever you do, keep it clean! Don't let anyone else near it. Never use any metal objects to clean passages, they will scratch the openings and distort the pattern. It's way more about the operator than the gun. A coalescing filter & desiccant drier is a good idea for paint air. Are you going to clear coat? Remember the time/temperature sensitive recoat time!

As you can see, likely getting way too expensive for hobby use. But if you want it to look like a new car..... Surface prep is a must. If you put too many layers of primer surfacer on it will form a weaker, more easily chipped paint job. Get a tube of glazing putty to avoid trying to fill scratches and minor blemishes with layers of surfacer. Practice on scrap before the real thing.

Alternative: take it to a body shop! Yes, I know not acceptable for a hobbyist.
 
Orange peel is the result of too much pressure, wrong thinner to paint ratio, too large of fluid tip, miss adjustment of gun, and maybe even operator error. Choose the solvent/thinner to match the temperature. In my business we had a commercial paint booth with an assortment of spray guns from several manufacturers. Mostly Binks & Devilbiss (Same company!) . The most used were pressure fed HVLP Binks. Minimal overspray. Keep the booth air drawing the overspray away from the already coated area. Don't spray like you are dusting the area. Keep a constant wet line and don't go back over any area already sprayed. For small parts needing one off color we had a Mac Tools HVLP gravity fed gun that was given to me by Mac. It's small size is an advantage on complex shapes. Model SG1300-14 1207. They are cheap. I've kept it for my hobby use. It works fine but is no match for the production guns. Those cost many hundreds of $.

What ever you do, keep it clean! Don't let anyone else near it. Never use any metal objects to clean passages, they will scratch the openings and distort the pattern. It's way more about the operator than the gun. A coalescing filter & desiccant drier is a good idea for paint air. Are you going to clear coat? Remember the time/temperature sensitive recoat time!

As you can see, likely getting way too expensive for hobby use. But if you want it to look like a new car..... Surface prep is a must. If you put too many layers of primer surfacer on it will form a weaker, more easily chipped paint job. Get a tube of glazing putty to avoid trying to fill scratches and minor blemishes with layers of surfacer. Practice on scrap before the real thing.

Alternative: take it to a body shop! Yes, I know not acceptable for a hobbyist.
No clear coat. I have the whole thing smooth with bondo, I just need it looking great once, then I can use it and mess up the paint.
 
I don't think you need an expensive spray gun. Just some practice. Use the recommended fluid tip. Do some trials with different solvent ratios. Learn what the best thickness looks like by trials. Some members have recommended Harbor Frt guns. Dirt cheap and seem to work OK. Most any gun will work, you just need to learn their quirks. Expensive guns offer durability. The only things the gun may need is the correct fluid nozzle. Catalyzed finishes can offer a bit more durability but introduce another layer of complexity. Practice is key!
 
I am a lousy painter.

However, the HF detail gun works great.

Gravity feed, we use a medical syringe, the old glass type to load it.

It makes for clean fill as no pouring from the can, and it is easy to control the mix.

Pour the thinner for the paint in a small container, I use a canister for developing film as it has a slip on lid that is air tight.

Another container with additional thinner.

Process is simple, determine your mix ratio and determine how many CC of paint and thinner in each syringe load is needed.

Draw in the paint first, then dip into the thinner and draw that amount.

I leave a bit of air space so I can put finger on the tip and shake it to mix, then squirter into the bowl.

Repeat until 3/4 full, put lid on, hold on and keep finger over vent hole and shake it.

Place the tip pof syringe in second container of thinner and pump it in ad out to clean it and leave it resting there until needed again.

This gun can do either a large spray pattern with thinner mix, it may run it not carefull.

If mixed thick it has little overspray and a small pattern, takes longer, the coat is thicker and less likely to run.

It takes practice!

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
I will say, I find painting machines much easier with a good quality brush.
I don't need to mask off everything. I just have a bunch of paper towels, qtips and mineral spirits.
I use the 8oz storehouse bottles from hf.. I can't find them on hf right now.
I hope they didn't discontinue them.
 
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