Spray Gun Recommendation

[Todd Mylet]

I am looking for a new spray gun.  I currently have 4 or 5 Campbell Haufeld touch up guns (8oz. cup) and one full size CH gun.  I would like to get a nicer gun in hopes of getting finer atomization that will lay down a smoother coat of finish.  I mainly spray nitro and would use this gun exclusively for clear nitro top coats.  Any recommendations?

[Glen H]

I've had several and have had the best luck (for the price) with the Sharpe Finex line of HVLP guns.  The model I am currently using is the FX1000, which comes with a small stainless cup.  Holds enough for 1 coat of nitro on an acoustic.  Street price is around $100.  It would be nice to have the SATA pro stuff, but I can't afford it and frankly, don't really feel I need it for simply spraying nitro.  I would advise (I know this from experience) staying away from some of the really cheap Chinese/Taiwanese knock-off guns. You'll see these hanging in the auto parts and auto paint stores.  They may look nice, but their internal passages are not machined/finished well enough.  You'll have to clean them constantly.

[Russell Vance]

Hi Tod,

If you are only doing a few guitars a year disregard this advice.

We have recently upgraded our primary Nitro finishing gun to Iwata Supernova WS400 Clear Coat (LS400 is the compliant HVLP model if you are in the States).   Sata are the equivalent guns to that brand.   We previously used (still do for basecoats and pigmented lacquer) Star New Century 4000 Pro guns which are semi-pro and an excellent gun.  However, the Iwata guns are at another level.  

The primary advantage to these guns are their fine atomisation and tightly controlled even fan pattern at 2 bar giving a very fine finish for scrub and buff or satin/mat direct and also a significant saving in lacquer.   

The ability of the gun to lay down a skinny smooth clear coat of nitro is important to me as it saves a lot of time and effort and abrasives and gives a uniform and superior finish, coat to coat, and for final clears.  They have full stainless fluid runs so they are good for acid cat and water based finishes if one needs to use these finishes.

The decision to invest in this finish gun was taken after working out the costs and savings in time and materials (breaks even at around a dozen guitars) and the extended life of the gun,  but the ultimate and very real advantage is the ease of getting a consistent finish with minimal orange peel and maximum lacquer transfer.   Recommended.

Rusty.

[Émile Gervais]

graco finex hvlp gravity works great ... arround 300$

[Peter Poyser]

Quote: "Any recommendations?"

 

Hi Todd! I am most used to DeVilbiss JGA Guns and their forerunners which can be configured to work in a wide variety of different ways. But dependent upon your requirements, this brand will have a product to suit the job however large or small. Because I have used JGA's extensively, I find I can use them where others might normally prefer to use a far smaller gun, but you will probably find the smaller guns better for you.

 

http://www.devilbiss.com/Products/SprayGuns/ManualSprayGuns.aspx

http://www.autorefinishdevilbiss.com/division/devilbiss/gravityfeed...

 

Make sure you get the right Aircap for the material you use. Here is an Material/Aircap Guide.

http://www.autorefinishdevilbiss.com/spraygunsetup.aspx

 

The other make I have used quite a bit is Binks or older Binks Bullows Spray Guns.

http://www.binks.com/Products/SprayGuns/ManualSprayGuns.aspx

 

It' s also worth mentioning I have some good but reasonable Larger Spray Guns of the type that can  be easily picked up that work incredibly well.  If I may say so, proper, thorough preparation, correct adjustment and set up, routine maintenance and cleaning, will make all the difference to actual performance of these products. That is the key.

Thus, a reasonably priced, well set up, superbly maintained Spray Gun might well give as good a result as an Industrial Spray Gun, that has lacked the full care it rightly deserves. All things being equal of course, the professional equipment is best. A friend of mine wrote this. Proper Preparation Promotes Perfect Paint Performance.

Whatever you get, these resources below may be of assistance. In particular, the "Trigger Happy" trouble shooting chart.

http://www.devilbiss.com/Resources/FAQs/SprayGunFAQs.aspx

http://www.elliottequipment.com/ask/Spray_Gun_Fan_Pattern_Troublesh...

 

 

 

Best Regards.

 

P