HPLV spray gun, what to buy?

[Ken Bartz]

I would like to buy a HVLP spray gun but I don't know what to buy. I don't want to spend big bucks for a professional gun. I'm thinking $200 or less as in the Eastwood catalog. Do you have any spray gun recommendations? What does it mean for nozzles of 1.2, 1.4 and 1.8 mm? How about a HVLP spray gun lesson? Thank you.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Ken Bartz
misspelling

[Young Ed]

Ken we've been having good results for not knowing what we are doing with a HVLP from harbor frieght. Replaced the plastic cup with an aluminum one.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I recommend the Finex 300 series made by sharp..these are excellent guns and run approx 110.00 about any paint jobber should have these..if not they are available on e-bay..I have a primer gun, top coat gun and the door jamb gun all in HVLP..these are fantasitc to operate, super easy to clean and will last for lyears on end with proper care...o be sure to get th input regulaotr to go with the gun as the HVLP will require up to 100 PSI at the inlet regualted at the input to 29 PSI for a guaranteed 10PSI at the tip..this is the key to the operation of the HVLP....

[Joe Flanagan]

Ken,

Visit www.autobodystore.com. It's a good source of information for people who are trying to learn about paint and body work. They also sell tools, etc. They list a range of low-end guns that might be good for what you're doing. I bought an Astro brand gun from them and have been very happy with it.

The nozzle sizes are for what you are spraying. The larger tips are for primers and primer-surfacers. Colors and clears use the smaller tips. I have been told that 1.5 is a good universal tip, which I have found to be true. Check with Dezeldoc because he has a lot of experience with this.

[Young Ed]

Tim will you elaborate on that input regulator you speak of?

[Plymouthy Adams]

the inlet of the gun should have a small line regulator attached..this is the only method you have to properly set the HVLP gun..it is illegal to bust 10 PSI nozzle pressure...PLUS this low pressure/high volume is why you get great atomization without the bounce and overspray from a conventional gun....all TRUE HVLP guns will have a max inlet pressure..that which the gun can take safely..this is the supply air..the gun intself has a two stage trigger..first stage is air only..this is what will clear the gun and provides for atomization when you go to the second stage, pain mixing..at the first sate the operating pressure is set by the regulator..this is the pressure needed to compensate for the pressure dop in the gun and allows the 10 PSI tip pressure..the handle of the gun should have these ratings embossed on the gun..without that data you are in the dark and have no true indicator that the gun is putting out the 10PSI that is why cheap imitation knock off guns are not the best idea...

Edited January 18, 2010 by Tim Adams

[Joe Flanagan]

They sell these regulators at paint jobbers. I got a cheapo one from Harbor Freight and it went bust on me almost immediately. Got a good one and it's worked well so far. They attach at the handle of the gun.

[Dodgeb4ya]

HVLP guns really should have the correct size hose-3/8" and non restrictive HVLP couplings too.

[alan32433]

One of your first considerations should be your air supply. If you are going to be painting whole vehicles and using your gun for primers and top coats, you need a "production" type gun. A production gun will take quite a bit more air than your typical "hobby" type gun and you need to make sure your compressor fits the bill. A production gun sprays paint at the high rate required to do whole paint jobs. If you try to use a gun with 7 CFM to paint a whole car, it takes too long to get the whole vehicle covered. By the time you do, your flash times have been exceeded. A gun like that is more adapt for panel painting.

I own a Devilbiss GTI-620 and it's my favorite gun. It takes around 16 CFM to get 10 psi at the cap. I have a commercial 7.5 HP compressor to run it. I previously owned a 5 HP compressor and it ran continuously and couldn't keep up. I think the GTI-620 is around $300 now. I also have a Finex 3000 and 1000 touch up gun.

HVLP technique. You will have to spray closer to the panel with HVLP, something around 7" and the margin of error is less than a conventional gun. There are so many variables, but your rate of gun movement should be around 1 foot per second. If you got all the variables right, you'll be spraying right on the ragged edge of a run (without runs). When you get that right, you will have good gloss. The different nozzle sizes are required for different type paints and manufactures. I use 1.3 for House of Kolor clears, 1.5 for base coats and some primers, and 2.2 for high build primers.

I included an example of my recent paint work, a rear fender I think. The picture is right after painting without any buffing.

[dirty dan]

That room that you're in is entirely too neat & clean. Don't let it happen again.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I painted two cars immediately after getting my Finex 300 HVLP gun..first the blue car then the black one..have done only two others since then..the kids Honda and my 54 Savoy

[knighthawk]

I'm no expert, but I'd go a long with Tim.....A good middle priced gun, hvlp, but don't get the siphon type with the paint can under the gun ! It takes about 50 pounds to get the paint up . sometimes a little extra air pressure really helps, and yes the larger air lines and larger connectors help. you can get airline fittings that have larger than 1/4 '' diameter.

[alan32433]

That room that you're in is entirely too neat & clean. Don't let it happen again.

Dirty Dan, you are right, that room is clean. It's my paint booth. What you can't see just outside the door is the rest of my workshop and it's usually a huge mess.

[alan32433]

I'm no expert, but I'd go a long with Tim.....A good middle priced gun, hvlp, but don't get the siphon type with the paint can under the gun ! It takes about 50 pounds to get the paint up . sometimes a little extra air pressure really helps, and yes the larger air lines and larger connectors help. you can get airline fittings that have larger than 1/4 '' diameter.

There are quite a few "professional" rated guns, Iwata and Sata premium guns run about $600. Others like Devilbiss Finishline and Sharpe have lines that go for around $100. So if you are considering "professional" guns, middle price is around $300 or so. Going below $100 will get you into the knock-off clone brands like Harbor Freight and a multitude of others.

All the professional gun manufacturers have technical spec's for each of the major paint manufacturers. The spec sheet will give you specific parameters (nozzle sizes, pressures etc) for using their gun to spray a specific companys paint (Dupont, PPG etc). If you pick a gun that is listed on those spec sheets, you will more than likely have a really good gun. You won't find the same information for any of the clone guns because no specific testing has been done, plus the quality control for those type guns isn't tight enough to make that type of performance assessment.

I agree the gravity feed cup is the way to go. I especially like the DeKups system. No wasted material, no mess and hardly no clean-up afterwords. Really easy to load and mix paint right in the cup.

[alan32433]

I'm no expert, but I'd go a long with Tim.....A good middle priced gun, hvlp, but don't get the siphon type with the paint can under the gun ! It takes about 50 pounds to get the paint up . sometimes a little extra air pressure really helps, and yes the larger air lines and larger connectors help. you can get airline fittings that have larger than 1/4 '' diameter.

There are quite a few "professional" rated guns, Iwata and Sata premium guns run about $600. Others like Devilbiss Finishline and Sharpe have lines that go for around $100. So if you are considering "professional" guns, middle price is around $300 or so. Going below $100 will get you into the knock-off clone brands like Harbor Freight and a multitude of others.

All the professional gun manufacturers have technical spec's for each of the major paint manufacturers. The spec sheet will give you specific parameters (nozzle sizes, pressures etc) for using their gun to spray a specific companys paint (Dupont, PPG etc). If you pick a gun that is listed on those spec sheets, you will more than likely have a really good gun. You won't find the same information for any of the clone guns because no specific testing has been done, plus the quality control for those type guns isn't tight enough to make that type of performance assessment.

I agree the gravity feed cup is the way to go. I especially like the DeKups system. No wasted material, no mess and hardly no clean-up afterwords. Really easy to load and mix paint right in the cup.

[PatrickG]

I bought this DeVilbiss primer/topcoat 2 gun kit.

$130 for two guns, a few nozzles, regulator, cleaing stuff, etc.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DVR-802343/

I've only sprayed used the primer gun, and for panel-at-a-time type jobs, but I was pretty satisfied.

As has been said before, make sure you have a decent filter/dryer after the compressor, and pay attention to the CFM needs of whatever gun you buy, compared the output of your compressor if you plan on doing entire cars at once.

[alan32433]

I bought this DeVilbiss primer/topcoat 2 gun kit.

$130 for two guns, a few nozzles, regulator, cleaing stuff, etc.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DVR-802343/

I've only sprayed used the primer gun, and for panel-at-a-time type jobs, but I was pretty satisfied.

As has been said before, make sure you have a decent filter/dryer after the compressor, and pay attention to the CFM needs of whatever gun you buy, compared the output of your compressor if you plan on doing entire cars at once.

Patrick, your guns appear to be Devillbiss "StartingLine" series. They are Devillbiss entry level guns at about 13 CFM. That's a superb choice for people looking for something much better than the clones. I'm sure they will work good for you, especially for panel painting and smaller jobs. Good choice. You might want to pick up a 2.2 nozzle for your primer gun if you ever intend to use high build primers. The larger nozzle will lay down snoother and you won't have to sand nearly as much.

[Ken Bartz]

I though you guys should know that I appreciate all of the comments about this topic. Since I am on a steep learning curve all input is welcome. I did purchase the StartingLine kit from Auto Body Supply today. It is comforting to read one report that that is a "good choice".

[dparksie]

I just wanted to say thanks to all myself. I have been following this thread to learn myself. I will not be ready for the painting until the spring but now I know what to get. Another toy to try to figure out. Hopefully wihtout too many screw ups.

Thanks

[PatrickG]

Patrick, your guns appear to be Devillbiss "StartingLine" series.

Those are the ones... and thanks for the tip on the nozzle, as some high build primer is definitely in the future for another project I'm working on.

[dezeldoc]

Try these guys pretty good prices and fast shipping.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/

http://stores.ebay.com/TCPGlobal-AutoBodyDepot?_rdc=1

[mackster]

im keeping an eye on this thread. I have always wanted to learn anything about painting but was too afraid to ask...

[Joe Flanagan]

I painted for the first time this summer. As a novice, I learned a few things the pros never think about (they have too much experience to even get into these situations). If you're painting a car in pieces, don't try to do too much at once. You may want to shoot all four fenders, the hood and the trunk in one go. Resist the temptation. I found that since I was still learning how my gun performed and was still getting acquainted with the materials, I would have done better to keep it small and manageable. Get yourself spread too thin or get your work area too crowded and you start making mistakes (ie, bumping into freshly painted work, dragging the hose across it, hurrying, etc.). You may have a better space to work in than I do. That makes a lot of difference. Don't skimp on light. There were many times when I really wished I could see better how the paint was laying down on the surface. I highly recommend visiting www.autobodystore.com for basic information on painting, prep, etc.

[knighthawk]

I bought a paint gun at a Carquest open house, had a nice lookin gun for about $100, tried it at home, was no good at all ! But I was able to return it for store credit. I've only painted few cars over the last 15 years or so , but , on one car I was having alot of problems, the guy I consulted with said , " you can pour the paint on with a bucket, it just means you have more work to do to get it good ".... another thought : some days you can paint, some days you can not !

[alan32433]

I bought a paint gun at a Carquest open house, had a nice lookin gun for about $100, tried it at home, was no good at all ! But I was able to return it for store credit. I've only painted few cars over the last 15 years or so , but , on one car I was having alot of problems, the guy I consulted with said , " you can pour the paint on with a bucket, it just means you have more work to do to get it good ".... another thought : some days you can paint, some days you can not !

There is some truth to the bucket theory. Of course the best way is to get the paint to flow out as level as possible, on a nearly perfect substrate (prep work). Then you have very little if any wet sanding to do. Some people don't like the wet look, but that's what I like.

You found out like me and a lot of other people, the gun really does make a difference. As a novice, the gun is not AS important because all the other mistakes (technique and prep) end up being the bigger problem. As you get some experience, and get your hands on a premium gun, you'll say "wow"!

One good argument for buying a premium gun to begin with is that you remove the "lousy gun" variable from your paint jobs, and you gain experience using the same good gun rather than going through 2 or 3 cheap ones. Paint is really expensive. A couple of repaints and you paid for a premium gun.