harbor freight spray guns
- Thread starter jwmikecz
- Start date
Make sure of what you bought. They sell gravity feed feed guns and hvlp. They look the same but operate totally different. HVLP= high volume low pressure. I personally went with the Titan brand hvlp's and never looked back. My siphon guns are just primer guns now. Check out some auto painting forums, a lot of experts are moderators and will steer you correctly.
Nice Nova Bronc...I have one too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoL-MztpP5E
I've been using the Harbor Freight guns for years and I've never had a problem with them. My favorite is the purple gravity feed detail gun for small parts.
I like using epoxy primer on bare metal. The Kirker brand is my favorite. For building and filling I like Slicksand polyester primer surfacer by Evercoat. Thick stuff but can be reduced with acetone to get it out off the gun if you have a small tip.
For topcoats, I use Nason acrylic enamel with hardener added for most of the jobs I do. they also make a pretty good acrylic urethane.
Nice Nova Bronc...I have one too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoL-MztpP5E
I've been using the Harbor Freight guns for years and I've never had a problem with them. My favorite is the purple gravity feed detail gun for small parts.
I like using epoxy primer on bare metal. The Kirker brand is my favorite. For building and filling I like Slicksand polyester primer surfacer by Evercoat. Thick stuff but can be reduced with acetone to get it out off the gun if you have a small tip.
For topcoats, I use Nason acrylic enamel with hardener added for most of the jobs I do. they also make a pretty good acrylic urethane.
Nice Nova Bronc...I have one too!
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I have always been under the impression the HVLP painting was with the use of a machine that provided pre heated air and paint blend @ low pressure.
The guns on Harbor Freight just look like normal gravity flow guns.
I of course have only very limited experience and use the rattle can method. I have been thinking of making one of my small storage rooms into a painting room that I can control the temperature and dust. As winter is here and we all know how the cold effects the flow and paint adhesion.
Steve
The guns on Harbor Freight just look like normal gravity flow guns.
I of course have only very limited experience and use the rattle can method. I have been thinking of making one of my small storage rooms into a painting room that I can control the temperature and dust. As winter is here and we all know how the cold effects the flow and paint adhesion.
Steve
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I have always been under the impression the HVLP painting was with the use of a machine that provided pre heated air and paint blend @ low pressure.
The guns on Harbor Freight just look like normal gravity flow guns.
I of course have only very limited experience and use the rattle can method. I have been thinking of making one of my small storage rooms into a painting room that I can control the temperature and dust. As winter is here and we all know how the cold effects the flow and paint adhesion.
Steve
The guns on Harbor Freight just look like normal gravity flow guns.
I of course have only very limited experience and use the rattle can method. I have been thinking of making one of my small storage rooms into a painting room that I can control the temperature and dust. As winter is here and we all know how the cold effects the flow and paint adhesion.
Steve
I've actually used a turbine setup HVLP for varnishing...it's a small machine looks like a small amplifier with a large hose leading to the spray gun...once you get used to the setup it is a lot easier to tell how much varnish it is putting on than with a compressed air gun.......it's not so important with paint, but with varnish there is a fine line of putting on too much and putting on too little. But yeah the purple paint guns at HF are just gravity feed to be used with air compressor. The HVLP i was using belonged to the boatyard i was working in....don't really spray enough to own one myself...most of the stuff i do i can still do the old fashion way...with penetrol and a brush!!
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Project SniperSHO This was the very first thing I ever painted. Post number 56, that's me in the necessary "in the engine bay" pic.
The HF guns are a decent piece. I usually use them strickly for applying primer & the occasion engine. I like the fact that they are so cheap that when you forget to clean them or when there ready fro a rebuild you can just throw them in the trash & go get a new one.
Personally for any type of quality job I usually grab my Digital Sata Jet to get the job done. But at around $500 a pop, I don't forget to clean those puppy's...
ut:
Theres a big difference at the way a high dollar gun lay's the material down vs a cheaper piece. If you could magnify the pant coming out of the gun you would understand what I'm taking about. The paint particals look like little tiny BB's & even though the needle size has alot to do with that, the biggest factor is how the gun atomizes the paint & how even the fan is once the gun is adjusted properly.
But you can deffinitely get some decent work out of a HF paint gun. Matter of fact they work really good for spraying single stage paints because they lay down alot of material. So if you ever get around to spraying, make sure to give the material some time to set up before you spray the next coat. Most mistakes people make when attempting to paint is they think they have to cover the part 100% on the first coat. Big mistake!!! Lightly coat the part(s) & let that set up, then you'll have a great surface for the paint to hold on to.
Personally for any type of quality job I usually grab my Digital Sata Jet to get the job done. But at around $500 a pop, I don't forget to clean those puppy's...
ut:Theres a big difference at the way a high dollar gun lay's the material down vs a cheaper piece. If you could magnify the pant coming out of the gun you would understand what I'm taking about. The paint particals look like little tiny BB's & even though the needle size has alot to do with that, the biggest factor is how the gun atomizes the paint & how even the fan is once the gun is adjusted properly.
But you can deffinitely get some decent work out of a HF paint gun. Matter of fact they work really good for spraying single stage paints because they lay down alot of material. So if you ever get around to spraying, make sure to give the material some time to set up before you spray the next coat. Most mistakes people make when attempting to paint is they think they have to cover the part 100% on the first coat. Big mistake!!! Lightly coat the part(s) & let that set up, then you'll have a great surface for the paint to hold on to.
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I have never had any trouble SINCE I started paying close attention to the spec sheet on the paint. The one they give you when you have the paint mixed. If a guy reads and half ass follows the directions, regarding reducer and temperature and mix ratios and time between coats, all will be well. I use a HF 12 buck touch up gun to shoot serious stuff that's not too large, such as motorcycle fenders and tanks and frames. Sure, the fan is uneven and the air adjustment is crude and it only holds 6 ounces of fluid, but it's been a long time since I had to do any color sanding to get a good flat job. Of course, I'm talking small items like mini bikes because I'm not going to try to paint a car. That is why God, in his infinite wisdom, made body shops. I have a couple of quart guns [an old Binks and an old DeVilbus] but don't see a need to use them for this hobby. If you want to become a really good painter buy professional equipment. If your hobby is mini bikes buy a touch up gun and find a auto paint dealer you can talk too. I have attached a picture of my "spray booth" that I put in the basement. Just plastic sheet and a good light. Cut open plastic trash bags were used to cover the celing. For some things I add more lights on the wall. Sure, my son bitches when he comes home and the house smells like a Tiajuana body shop. The heater picks up the solvent smell and evenly distributes it throughout the house. The dog doesn't like it ether. The advantage is that I can get the booth and the parts to be painted to the correct temperature even in the winter and with a little water on the floor crap in the paint has not been a problem. Paint booth cost: less than 5 bucks. This one has been in occational use for 5 years.
Powder Coating
As my Tote Gote project progresses GTO mentioned he had his powder coated. That is out of my budget. However I noticed Harbor Freight has a powder coat setup for $69.00. I know results with Harbor freight tools can be sometimes... well, less than expected (years ago had their 2 ton jack fail at about 1 ton).
The problem is baking. Would it be possible to bake a powder coat job by moving a heat lamp or space heater around? What temp do powder coat ovens cure?
Just musing....
As my Tote Gote project progresses GTO mentioned he had his powder coated. That is out of my budget. However I noticed Harbor Freight has a powder coat setup for $69.00. I know results with Harbor freight tools can be sometimes... well, less than expected (years ago had their 2 ton jack fail at about 1 ton).
The problem is baking. Would it be possible to bake a powder coat job by moving a heat lamp or space heater around? What temp do powder coat ovens cure?
Just musing....