I'm deep into the body work stage on my current project, and was thinking of getting a new paint gun. I've used HF guns up to this point with decent results. I would like to upgrade to a better gun, but I dont have a clue which system to buy. What sy
Devilbiss finish line is my gun of choice, $250. But if you're only gonna paint one car, I'd just clean the gun you have and use it to spray color
I have to say the $15 hvlp gun does a pretty good job. I suppose I could look it up, is that a hvlp? Do any of the older paint pot type guns have a purpose? I found a older sanborn at a yard sale, $2 or something ... was cleaned well after last use. Are they any good or are the hvlp guns better? I honestly have not tried it yet, when painting a whole care the extra paint capacity would be useful.
I have painted professionally for 25 years.Tested most brands,the ones that worked best for me are Anest Iwata.Painted everything from excavator to limousine with the same gun,just changed the needle and nozzle.
I've got three cars that will need paint,but they will be spaced out over the next 2 years.... hopefully. I thought that now would be the best time for am upgrade.
Binks model 18 i've used over 40 years and still using. the hvlp guns work ten times better but the I'm too old to change! Remember you get what you pay for, and with the cost of paint you don't want waste.
Asking about paint guns is like asking about someones favorite beer. You ask 50 painters and you will get 35 different answers. The 3 major players are Iwata, Devilbiss and Sata. All make great products but all are slightly different. You really can't go wrong quality wise with any of them. After that it's all about personal preferences.
Check out the Gunman on YouTube he explains paint guns well, differences in types, gravity vs hvlp. He also does a lot of demonstrations you can watch. I personally use non hvlp Iwata,s.
I've used and love sata but can't justify the cost for a car a year painting so I picked up a 150.00 napa blue sharps hvlp. Used it for 10 yrs now with no complaints. My step dad was an ex body man and watched him paint stuff with cheap HF guns and just blow me away with how nice he could lay paint. He told me tools are about 10 to 15 percent and the other 85 to 90 percent is just experience, he proved that to me...
A painter for a contractor that did work for us showed me a good "paint pot" trick. He put a plastic bag in the paint pot before he put the paint in. When done all he had to do was lift the bag out and the pot was clean. Kinda like what people do with putting a bag over a pan when rolling paint on a wall........but I never thought about it for spraying.
I have a devilbiss GTI670. Best tool purchase I’ve made. They come with 3 tips. Good for base, single stage and clear. I’ve even shot epoxy with the 1.5... 1.8 is available for thicker stuff. Slightly newer version is the GFG670 compliant gun. The group is HVLP. About a hundred more than the Finishline. But worth it IMO that all said my harbor freight guns get a lot of use for primer and equipment paints
I actually know a lot of pro painters that have been buying the new HF black widow paint gun and really liking it. they run about 150, sometimes less with coupon. i keep o
It's like they say, a great paint job is all about the prep. I use a cheap HF gun for the primer coats and a Devillbis HVLP for color/clear coats. If your prep work is quality the finish will be great with most any gun you use. The HVLP gun will reduce paint waste alot and paint isn't cheap these days. If you haven't used a HVLP gun before I would practice on a test panel. Takes alittle practice to get your flow just right.
Also, how the gun performs depends on how you look after it. I don't lend mine to anyone so I'm the only one responsible for how it's cleaned and used. I clean it after I finish the job and put a smear of Vasolene (petroleum jelly) on the needle and hang the gun up in the cupboard. If you sit it on the shelf you can bet your balls you will knock it over and damage an irreplaceable part. Iwata would be my choice. Can't help with prices as I've had mine for 40 years and still using them.
Paint is 99% operator/preparation/and following a process. The tools used don’t make a painter however a quality tool helps make the job easier. I have used the HF cheapo, CH from Walmart, the cheap paint store combo kits, to the expensive Sata, Iwata...... there is a difference but the person squeezing the trigger makes the biggest difference. The best “low cost” gun I have used is this cost in the $130-$160 range. I like these better than the finish line guns. The spray pattern is much better in my opinion. the material being sprayed is important. Tip size need to match the material. also don’t use your paint gun as a primer gun. A cheap 1.5 or largerfor thinner primer. 1.7/8 for heavier primers 2.0+ for poly or primer fillers. 1.2-1.5 is the normal range for clears and single stages. Depends on how fast ya want to move and material viscosity 1.3-1.4 is normal for base coats.(some use 1.2 on thinner bases) The ole Binks #7 is still a favorite of guys here. You guys can have em. We did a side by side comparison at school, the #7 waisted about as much paint as it sprayed on the parts. So if you like wasting money and lots of unneeded overspray, and mottled metallics, then the siphon gun is the best choice. A 1.4 usually fits well with most base/clears and single stages. There are guns available that have multiple tip sizes.
Yeah they are HVLP, gravity feed guns. I have 5 of them that I use, depending on the product I'm spraying. I do have 2 old siphon guns, a devilbiss and a binks. But what K13 said holds true, every painter has their own preference. I am comfortable with mine, and if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it
Back in the early sixties, during the summer months, I would work for my best freinds step-dad in his body shop. That's where I learned to paint, all he used were Binks syphon guns so I always figured if they were good enough for him ( he was a picky s.o.b.) they were good enough for me. Now, in my later years, since I don't paint that much anymore, I still use my syphon guns. I have never painted with a gravity feed gun although I have a few of them, I guess it just comes down to what you are used to! But like what others have said, if you don't take care of them, they won't work worth a shit and it doesn't matter what you paid for them!! My 2 cents...
I'm not a professional painter but what I love about a gravity feed is that you have little waste and clean up. Sometimes I pour only two tablespoons full of paint into the gun to shoot a small job, they are great except painting a chassis when you are on the ground on your back.
About 15 years ago I bought an Iwata LPH400 and never looked back. It lays out metallic or clear just great. Don't even think of an old Bings #7 or the like. They put more paint in the air than on the car. And with the price of paint today it pays to get most of the paint you buy on what you are painting.
About 2 years ago I bought this Devilbiss and I have really been happy with it. https://www.eastwood.com/devilbiss-3-gun-kit.html
I have had good luck with this series. I mainly use them for sealer and primer, but they do lay down decent finishes. https://tcpglobal.com/products/tcp-g6600-14_2 I have a SATA 2000 that has served me well. I just bought the Iwata LPH400 and I like it a lot. It has a different pattern, but it lays down nice.
I grew up on a Binks model 7, and moved up to a SATA NR 95 in the mid 90s. Bought the Iwata LPH400 a couple years ago. Not cheap, but when all your prep and expensive materials are on the line, I think it warrants a few extra bucks being invested. The Iwata atomizes the paint unlike any gun I’ve used prior. This is a plus if you’re spraying metallics. It’s taken a bit to get used to the wider pattern, so I’m not sure you’d want to buy one and start shooting an entire car with it until you’ve practiced on some smaller panels first.
Not just a gun, air supply is vital to success especially if you get an hvlp gun. You have to have a big enough compressor and air lines to get the needed volume of air.
I'm NO pro by any stretch, but I use a Harbor Freight purple (used to be green) HVLP gun for primer and a DeVilbiss GTI I bought about 8-9 years ago for top coat. Works good with urethane's and was about $240 back then.
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