Best paint gun to use?

If you are going from rattle can to real gun you might consider a turbine HVLP I have both Siphon and the Turbine but I almost always grab Turbine. Some of the pluses are you will always have clean dry air. You can plug it in anyplace you have electric and you can do very nice work. Look on TIP website some of those cars are complete restorations. It takes an awfully good filtration system to get all moisture out of air when you use a conventional compressor. Several of my friends that do high production work say they don't like the turbine because they can't lay down as much paint but I haven't found that to be a big problem. Just something to consider. But hell I pained my first car with a vacuum cleaner!

 

How the heck did you paint it with a vacuum cleaner?? That's brilliancy!! Did it come out nice?

 

This is like asking a buncha carpenters who makes the best hammer. I tried everything in a gravity/HVLP. Sata, DeVilbiss, Matco, generics. Every one I tried I hated. I couldn't get the last 2 coats to stay where I put em. Had a hard time getting acclimated to the cup angles too. Then I was given an Iwata LPH400. I was home. It was a Mercedes of a spray gun for me. Fantastic control, top notch transfer efficiency, and a wonderful spray pattern. This was after decades of syphon feed DeVilbiss MBCs and JGAs. Also after decades of lacquer and then the now gone DAU system. The new "4 to1" systems are fast build heavy coatings. I needed the best management of that thickness because old habits die hard. I still catch myself wanting to keep the cup straight up once in a while. I'll bet all the really old fucks like me have the same hiccup now and then if they don't spray every day. In the end it was the best choice for me. I've met guys who could roll paint better than try to use one. That was me with all the rest. Iwata is top notch stuff all around. $500, and worth it. Sometimes you can get a deal on em so when you're ready shop around. Get a major supplier to give you demo for week.

So what is the best hammer anyways?

 

actually old tank type vacuums came with a sprayer that you could hook to the exhaust end. Dont remember if it was a Hoover or Electrolux, but not a lot different principle than my turbine HVLP. Everything is relative but it beat bucket and brush!

 

I've heard of the vacuum cleaner paint kit. Uses the exhaust as a compressor.

Anyway, I will echo the "it's the skill, not the tool". When you are good enough to get paid for your paint jobs, then consider a quality gun. I bought a HF "Professional" paint gun a decade ago and it's still my go to gun. Gravity feed, HVLP. Really purty purple handle. I think it cost me $20. I use PPG products to squirt thru it. Beautiful finish, no orange peel.

BTW, gun setup is infinitely more important than gun brand. Use the right air pressure with at least a cartridge type water separator. Learn what knobs do what and shoot a lot of practice runs to learn the particulars of your gun. Then clean it very well every time you finish using it.

 

I've used my Devillbis Finishline gun for a lot of years, works for me. Can't say it's the best because I haven't had the oppurtunity to try more expensive guns. But for a resonbly priced gun it's pretty damn good. If you go HVLP make sure the compressor and air lines supply enough volume for the gun, makes a big difference in performance.

 

I didn't even know Iwata had a new gun out! Thats a sweet looking gun. I have the LVX-400. Its mind bogglingly better than a sata nr2000 or RP. I haven't sprayed with a 3000 yet. Does anyone know how the SuperNova compares to the 400's?

 

Better concentrate on air compressor,,, a low CFM job won't cut it,,, No matter what kind of gun you have,, By the way, I have a Sharpe Gravity Feed. the I agree with the previous posts, don't buy the best if you are a beginner.

 

Not true. My Iwata runs great on 17 psi. My small speed air compressor puts out enough air to paint anything short of a complete.

 

i sprayed with a lot of guns and the satas leave the least orange peel...ever gun leaves a little i dont care how good of a painter you are but my sata 2000rp lays clear like a mother...i just ordered the 3000hvlp and rp...i sprayed the iwata and hated it

 

Gator hit it right on....I used a devilbiss jga-502 siphon cup gun for ever, still use it for some primers, bought it used ( rebuilt ) like 35 years ago. That was the gun of choice in the day for all body and paint guys. But then I went in to factory production spraying and started using the Iwata w-88 ....that is a killer spray gun...small, light, and great atomization for metallics. They don't make it anymore so when our company bought new guns I got a bunch of the 88's and spare parts so I'm sittin fat for awhile. I have a few of the LPH-400's too but I don't like them as well' and in Ohio I don't have to use HVLP so I don't. I guess my point is I was old school Devilbiss untill I had to use the Iwata and now I have to say I think thats the way I would go if I bought a new gun. But as it was said you really don't need a great gun to do a great paint job, it's more skill' or more importantly a good understanding of how paint works and how to manipulate it that counts. The only problem with a cheap gun is the materials it's made out of, it just won't last but if the price is right you just get a new one.

 

you are on the right track thinking about less expensive for now and learning the basics first. You could take a pos gun in the hands of an expert painter and the results would be awesome...on the ther hand the top of the line gun in the hands of inexperience will more than likely be a less then decent result. I've met and watched some of the best painters in the U.S., and was quite suprised when I seen what they prefered for paint guns. Some still use the old, bottom cup non-hvlp spray guns and thier paint jobs are amazing. Practice/experience will be your best investment.

 

GEO slinger here..... Sensitive to not getting clean but when I treat her right she works real nice.

Learned on a Sharpe siphon feed, got an import hvlp detail gun that I still use.


Im not a real painter but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.


Chris