Painting gun question

[Argeo]

I recently got one of those low pressure, high volume (maybe other way around) spray guns. I noticed when I was doing the primer last week, that using the same air pressure as my old gun (40PSI) the thing shot like a rocket. The instructions on the can said 40psi. Do I need to lower the PSI's coming off the compressor with new gun?

No instructions came with gun. My grandfather bought it a year or two ago and didn't like it. He gave it to me. He dropped $200 on it so I am assuming it is an ok one but what do I know.

Thanks,

David

[RickM]

You're right, HVLP.

I tell ya, I'd be more comfortable with a gun I was used to when painting a car. You'll effectively be learning with the new gun.

[Rot 911]

Two things, first you need a regulator at the gun, not just on the compressor. Second, look at the handle of the gun, most of them have stamped the proper inlet pressure.

[Argeo]

Hi Rick,

I did do the primer with it and I thought it worked great. I find the big improvement is just the location of the paint container. I will be painting the underside of my hood and some other hidden areas first so I think I should be ok.

The old gun is ok but occasionally it will leak and I find painting horizontal tough with it for some reason.

Do you know if I use the same pressure of the compressor?

Thanks,

David

[Argeo]

Hi Kurt, it does have a few adjusting knobs on it. I'll see what I can find on the gun. So the air coming off the compressor may be the same and just be adjusted through the gun.

Thanks,

David

[flipper]

The pressure coming from the compressor will stay the same, but one of the dials (Ithink the bottom one) will turn the pressure down. You should have a guage with a dial on it, but I would start about 30lbs and see what it looks like from there. The hvlps are supposed to put more product on the car with less waste in the air so they run off of less air hence High Volume, Low Pressure HVLP. Once You get used to it, you wont go back. I would use the old gun for primer, and the new gun for paint. Sometimes primers tend to wear the tips and needles in the guns out faster. Hope this helps

[Argeo]

Thanks Flipper,

Definitely help. Thanks.

[ken_xman]

most hvlp guns are 25-30 psi. You need a regulator at the gun. The pressure drops over distance. You might need 80 psi at the compressor, to have a good 25psi gun.

[Argeo]

Sorry Ken, do you mean the length of the hose?

I have some instructions I got off Pelican about setting the gun using piece of tape. The way I read it was to spray the tape for a millisecond, look to see how it sprayed, if it feathers out from the middle turn until the feathering disappears. Does that sound correct. I read it a few weeks ago so Imay need to brush up.

David

[flipper]

The adjustment you are talking about is the fan adjustment. I think it would be your top dial on the gun. What you want to accomplish is an even "fan" with the paint. If it is heavy in the middle adjust accordingly, if there is no paint in the middle adjust the other way. Play with it on some flat sheets of something so you can see the pattern effectively.

[dtw]

Assuming you've got a long length of hose(s), a couple of driers, etc, you are dropping pressure between the comp and the gun. Also, the regulators on the compressors themselves may not be 100% accurate. My routing goes as follows: Comp, Reg (80psi), big drier, hose, another drier, inline reg (this is the one I adjust), gun.

[dean]

Try googling the gun maker for instructions. I think you want 5 to 10 lbs at the tip.

[widebody911]

In addition, the different viscosities of your paint and primer will make the gun behave differently.