Paint Gun Recommendations

[OldCarGuy]

My favorite spray gun is a DeVilbiss FinishLine FLG HVLP they cost just under $200.00 and have several tip sizes. That’s a High Volume Low Pressure with the paint container on top. It uses low air line pressure and sprays more paint. Getting far less over spray. You’ll need to take more care as runs are easier for being inexperience.

First off make sure the enamel is NOT water base! Use oil base only. Practice with mixing a thinner I use Xylene and start off with 25% thinner to paint ratio. I suggest that you mix an automotive hardner at the recommended ratio adding at last moment in a mixing cup. Then pour into the guns cup. The hardener will give the paint far more durability. You’d be amazed. Also filter the mix when pouring into gun.

Test the ratios to see what works best. Along with the gun’s pressure and pattern settings. Keep things constant. spray patterns and distance from nozzle to work.

Keep the area clean make a make shift area using plastic curtains. Wear a good respirator with a full face mask and painter body suite and gloves. Even when you’re mixing. This stuff is very harmful to your health.

I’m lucky enough to have a full size paint booth at home that makes for better end results.

With a little trial and errors you’ll be surprised at your results. Good luck and keep us posted how you make out.

 

[tailstock4]

The paint gun that I would recommend for painting machine tools is a 3M Accuspray. It is an HVLP – high volume, low pressure. This gun was recommended to me by a couple of friends that restore cars and tractors. There are also a couple of local body shops that use them.

The spray gun is all plastic and comes with different tips for different viscosity and material. The paint cup has a liner and filter that are disposable. The nozzles are easy to clean and can be reused a few times – then you just pitch them. This makes for an easy, quick clean up. It also makes it easy for color changes. It is very easy to use especially if you’re new to painting.

Painting machine tools is all about disassembly and prep. A plan for what to paint and when to paint it is necessary. I wrote a post on how I paint machine tools. Here are links to those posts.

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-12c-restoration-pictures.402002/post-3935165

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-12c-restoration-pictures.402002/post-3935167

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-12c-restoration-pictures.402002/post-3935168


And here are a few pictures of things I’ve painted with the spray gun.

 

[MikeInOr]

This no-name one worked well for me. I chose it because it comes with a variety nozzles.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C72GFK66/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[woodchucker]

The paint gun that I would recommend for painting machine tools is a 3M Accuspray. It is an HVLP – high volume, low pressure. This gun was recommended to me by a couple of friends that restore cars and tractors. There are also a couple of local body shops that use them.

The spray gun is all plastic and comes with different tips for different viscosity and material. The paint cup has a liner and filter that are disposable. The nozzles are easy to clean and can be reused a few times – then you just pitch them. This makes for an easy, quick clean up. It also makes it easy for color changes. It is very easy to use especially if you’re new to painting.

Painting machine tools is all about disassembly and prep. A plan for what to paint and when to paint it is necessary. I wrote a post on how I paint machine tools. Here are links to those posts.

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-12c-restoration-pictures.402002/post-3935165

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-12c-restoration-pictures.402002/post-3935167

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-12c-restoration-pictures.402002/post-3935168


And here are a few pictures of things I’ve painted with the spray gun.
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beautiful machines. nicely done.

 

[SLK001]

This no-name one worked well for me. I chose it because it comes with a variety nozzles.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C72GFK66/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

That's a nice looking gun. I like the extra tips and nozzles. I wonder if it is like the HF model where is says that it is a HVLP gun, but then requires ~70 psi to operate.

One tip that I'll offer, is to completely dismantle the entire gun and clean/lube all the parts. My HF gun had "run on" spray from the trigger sticking. A good cleaning and some silicone lube fix its operation.

 

[woodchucker]

That's a nice looking gun. I like the extra tips and nozzles. I wonder if it is like the HF model where is says that it is a HVLP gun, but then requires ~70 psi to operate.

One tip that I'll offer, is to completely dismantle the entire gun and clean/lube all the parts. My HF gun had "run on" spray from the trigger sticking. A good cleaning and some silicone lube fix its operation.

I get away with between 30 to 50 psi. more like 40 - 45 normally.
even the old style guns(non hvlp) I would be around 30-35 psi. Sometimes up a little more but rare

 

[Winegrower]

I have to admit that I hate all forms of painting, but do it anyway. And I especially hate cleaning paint guns. Based on the high cost of paint, the importance of what I'm painting, and the dislike factors, I buy the cheapest HF gun available, use it, and trash it. Terrible, I know. But I do it anyway.

 

[OldCarGuy]

I'd like to add a follow up to my recommendation of the DeVilbiss FinishLine HVLP Spray Gun. The most important aspect of getting the perfect spray paint job is in the preparation. In fact that's 95% of the project time. Having the best tools goes a long way. However I have painted several cars when I was a teenager using my mother's Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner in reverse with their spray gun attachment using lacquer paint. They turned out okay. In line with a Earl Scheib's famous $29.95 paint job of the day. But today my preference is the Devilbiss FinishLine.

A stand is handy...

One of the things I left out was masking. You'll get a better job using a quality masking tape like the blue 3M. The paint doesn't have fuzzy edges then. In my early days I masked using old newspapers. Besides newspapers a rarity today. It wasn't impervious to paint and often times had fines holes from the printing process. I recommend the green paper meant for masking bigger areas. There's an art to masking. Using a sharp box cutting knife makes for cleaner edges. I will mask over nameplates and even plastic decals fine trimming edges...

Not many blue Craftsman roller boxes around. I painted them blue to match my shop and masked the logo plate and "USA" label in place. SAme goes for lock and aluminum handles...

I always clean the project with a detail rag with a wax and grease remover first. Then mask and repeat with the degreaser. Finger prints and oils of hands is a not good. Finally go over the the project with a tack cloth. A cheese cloth soaked with wax that will remove any dust. Rub the entire surface while folding over cloth.

Clean dry air is a must to prevent fish eyes and orange peal. My two 5 HP compressors have auto blow offs. The air passes through a coalescent filter to remove oils. Then passes through a refrigerated air dryer before being distributed underground to six garages. The Devair runs day and night year round. The BendPak only kicks in when pressure below 115 pounds when I'm sand blasting. I have clean compressed air in all my garages...

Then a final "just in case" filter dryer with pressure regulator inside my paint booth,,

Safety is always important. No need to be subject to chemicals. When I see folks on youtube painting a car with Isocyanate two part automotive paint using a dust mask I cringe! These chemical will be absorbed into your skin and eyes. I always use a full Dupont Tyvek coverall, with gloves,and a 3M full face mask with two respiratory filters..Purchased them by the case..

No job is complete without cleaning the spray gun. I always use lacquer thinner,, purchase it in five gallon cans..

Some of my machines that I painted in my paint booth.. And few of many vehicles...

 

[tailstock4]

I have to admit that I hate all forms of painting, but do it anyway. And I especially hate cleaning paint guns. Based on the high cost of paint, the importance of what I'm painting, and the dislike factors, I buy the cheapest HF gun available, use it, and trash it. Terrible, I know. But I do it anyway.

I agree. I hate cleaning paint guns, too. It takes way too much time and solvent. One of the reasons I really like the 3M Accuspray is the ease of clean up. The head can be popped off with no tools. You pour in a little solvent, shake it and repeat this a couple times. Then wipe the needle with a rag and wipe down the exterior of the gun and you’re done. The cup liner and the strainer are pitched in the trash.

The gun sprays at around 20 psi and produces a good finish with minimal adjusting.

It's hard enough painting machine tools with their intricate parts and pieces. The last thing I want to do is to fight the spray gun.

 

[OldCarGuy]

I have to admit that I hate all forms of painting, but do it anyway. And I especially hate cleaning paint guns. Based on the high cost of paint, the importance of what I'm painting, and the dislike factors, I buy the cheapest HF gun available, use it, and trash it. Terrible, I know. But I do it anyway.

Somehow I can't imagine the irony of paying $500.00 gallon or more for automotive paint and shooting it with a $25.00 spray gun.. Maybe that's just me... But then again the price of spray gun cleaner may be more than the Harbor Freight gun soon... May have to rethink this...