paint gun done gone , need a new one.

[afterburn 549]

delete

[Bill Douglas]

I'm no expert as the results show...

But I'm happy with my Devilbiss GTi Pro with 1.3 and Devilbiss (something else) with 1.8 for primer. I find the 1.8 a bit hard to get a smooth spray, but it doesn't matter as I sand it anyway.

[Zeke]

New guns are fantastic but material specific. The best way to select a gun is to know what brand and what type of base coat/cc you're going to use. AFA primer, it doesn't matter, but I wouldn't use a junk gun for sealer. Then again, sealer comes out of a gun like gangbusters when the needle, fluid cap and air cap are all within spec. And you don't want that gun for other painting IMO.

Old siphon guns hang on my rack and I use one occasionally. I can't believe how much paint is wasted with all that atomization that doesn't lay down.

Believe it or not, I used a HF gravity feed for this single stage acrylic, the best paint ever. Just the hood and bumper. The rest is factory.

[asphaltgambler]

Now THAT looks like a project my brother.....

[asphaltgambler]

Devibiss has entry level guns - its what I have. Good value for the price.

[Zeke]

When they go on sale I buy a couple at unbelievable $9.99. The older ones were much better than what you get today. The threads on the air cap are nasty. But how can one resist a 10 dollar gun?

If you have a number drill bit set you can chase the holes in the cap and fluid nozzle and then take a few sizes larger and very gently de-burr the holes. They work better with a little "blueprinting."

As with any gun, mixing the paint to the right Zahn cup viscosity and do a test pattern, you can overcome some pattern issues if you know what the pattern looks like.

For that job I'd definitely use a HF gun. They do sell a more expensive gun but I've not needed one. The Carrera was done in 2010.

[dad911]

I agree with Zeke.

I use this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-HVLP-Gravity-Feed-Air-Spray-Gun-62300.html

[Bill Douglas]

I once painted a VW beetle with one of those electric spay guns. I had the viscosity cup (Din 4) and measured the paint out perfectly. Ha, I painted it on the footpath with a powercord run down from the house. The paint looked perfect LOL

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I'll go old school and say, for most my projects, a smaller gun like this is right on the money. I use these for nitrocellulose on guitars. I need to go try a top feed, but usually, I get these so cheap, I don't even really worry if they don't get cleaned 100%. As disposables, they work well- and I am thinking HF, but I don't see them listed there any more. This one is more than I'd want to pay, but wouldn't shake too much of a stick at the price.

edit- I recently painted a bicycle frame, and get the concept of the wasted atomization though LOL

edit #2- looking at the prices of the HF gravity feed guns, I don't see how you can go wrong with any of these.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Campbell-Hausfeld-Spray-Gun-Detail-with-8-oz-Canister-DH550000AV/300775601?mtc=Shopping-B-F_D25H-G-D25H-25_28_COMPRESSORS_AND_AIR_TOOL-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Compressors_PLA&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_D25H-G-D25H-25_28_COMPRESSORS_AND_AIR_TOOL-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Compressors_PLA-71700000052227371-58700005026398229-&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjoH0BRD6ARIsAEWO9Du1KhmwsZKYXHKkUKkb wQYwrQ1bBCzcLnCav3y5oiU1G7QyG2zHhNoaAkRpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Bill Douglas]

While on the subject of car paint; it's pretty much essential to get a desiccant air filter.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

HF ? Really?
Cause i am doing acrylic enamel on this..snowmobile.

I know you are a smidgen old school but maybe consider single stage urethane with hardener.

Now, if you can lay acrylic down without being a "pig" like I was (as a kid), it's fine.

It's not too forgiving with runs or sags. I mean, you can still wet sand in September if you paint now.

I have purchased the Kobalt gravity guns from Lowe's. No problem. In fact, pretty impressive on the cheap.

Have a DeVilbiss Tekna HVLP as my core color gun. It's sweet to spray at 30 psi without my shop mates b***hing about overspray. It still stinks but nothing but the fender changes color.

[MBAtarga]

I've got a buddy in the "metal coating" business. He's not painting show cars - but this is his trade for the past 25+ years. He buys HF guns. Doesn't waste the money on high end guns like DeVilbiss, etc.

[asphaltgambler]

Afterburn - you should look past automotive paints for this, into industrial paints. Depending on what level you want can give exceptional shine, durability and adhesion .............far past automotive stuff. Google that.

[drcoastline]

A few years back I bough the 3M PPG accuspray. Reasonably priced, lays down nice coats. Easy clean up. I don't have anything bad to say about it. It's a sealed unit so can even be sprayed upside down.

[Tim Hancock]

I have accumulated a bunch of guns (Devilbiss siphons, Binks gravity, Croix etc) over the years..... I have painted airplanes, cars, motorcycles etc.... I have to admit, my favorite gun is a gravity feed harbor freight special I bought many many years ago. I typically have used auto or industrial urethanes such as Dupont Imron, Nason Fulthane and PPG Durathane. All of these have been sprayed through my cheap azz HF gun. Typically I end up with it cranked up to about 55psi though.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Is epoxy primer the best way to go?

I'm no expert but always use it.

I seldom buy high end. Just a decent quality for the cars I paint.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Is epoxy primer the best way to go?

Seems to be.

It's weird stuff, so you need to follow the manufactures instructions. they will be something like first coat, then a second coat within a certain window of time, then a compatible primer (a sandable primer like a high build primer 2K). The epoxy needs to chemically bind with the previous coat.

[widebody911]

I second this - I've been using it for a year or so and I really like it.

Originally Posted by drcoastline

A few years back I bough the 3M PPG accuspray. Reasonably priced, lays down nice coats. Easy clean up. I don't have anything bad to say about it. It's a sealed unit so can even be sprayed upside down.

[Bill Douglas]

Has anyone used the new water based car paints?

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

NO, I find them going against every known piece of knowledge in my body!
Water and metal?

RUST! - is all I can think of.

LOL, my thoughts too. I don't even use them on the outside of the house