What's a good paint gun?

[bull]

I'm thinking about buying a gravity-feed paint gun to shoot my engine compartment and door jams with a single-stage enamel. So I need a good gun recommendation and some advice on filtering water out of the air line. I have a Harbor Freight filter right now for stuff like impacts guns but I'm thinking I'll need something of higher quality for paint. Are those small in-line filters any good?

[69fourspd]

I like my devilbiss finishline gun.  It does a good job especially for arount $100.  Definately get an inline water filter.  I also open up the compressor to get as much water out before spraying. 

[BlueSS454]

I like my devilbiss finishline gun.  It does a good job especially for arount $100.  Definately get an inline water filter.  I also open up the compressor to get as much water out before spraying. 

I agree 100%.  I have a DeVillbiss Finsihline gun also and it's the best one for the price I have used yet.  I've shot 2 cars with it already and getting ready to shoot the Cuda on Monday.

[RogerDodger]

I have been happy with my Devilbiss Finishline as well. I have 2 filters, one at the compressor and one on the gun. I still got water coming through the gun toward the end of the paint job. I think you get what you pay for. I didn't pay alot for either one. Definetly drain the tank before you start and during if you can.

[hemi-hampton]

Seems like everybody uses a Sata Jet nowadays? LEON.

[tan top]

devibliss guns are good ,  but i prefer sata , been using the  sata jet nr 95 for the last 11 years & the new  nr 2000  can't fault them . if it were me i would only buy a cheap gun  to paint  engine bay ,door jams  you need at least a couple of good water traps plus a small filter right before the gauge / regulator on the bottom of the gun

[Drop Top]

I have two Satas an Iwata and a Sharp touch up gun. On sata is a primer only gun. Then I use the other Sata for my color gun. My Iwata is my clear gun. The Iwata is by far a much better gun. I was at a swap meet the a few weeks ago and picked up a brand new still in the box Snap-on gun. ($100) I think they are made by Sharp. I used it yesterday to paint a Spoiler and a lower side piece from a Ford Lighting. It worked very well for me. I used it for both color and clear. I haven't used it enough to tell how much I really like it. I used a Devilbiss once at a siminare for House of Kolor. Thats all Kosmosky will use. But They pay him to use and puss them. It was OK but I'll stick with my Iwata or Sata.

The first gravity feed gun I ever used was when I worked at Cushenbery's Shop. It was a Harbor Freight Gun. We used it for primer. I bought one and used it for a few years for everything, Primers, Color and Clear. Worked out well. But once I used the better guns I never used the H/F guns again. I keep one around for when someone wants to barrow a gun. I give them that one. Its the one I sugjest to use for people that have never used a gun before. That way you don't have alot in it and if painting is not their thing they havent lost a hole lot. I know a guy that paints big rigs. Its all he uses. When it messes up he just tosses it and gets a new one. The trucks look fine for what he charges. Then theres this little shop down the road they do alot of farm trucks. They do the same thing. There paint jobs dont look too bad for what they charge. Alot has to do with the abilaty of the painter. But when I started using The Satas my work improved. Then when I started using the Iwata for clear. It wasn't as much work when it came to color sanding. The better guns help make a good painter better.

As far as filters go I use a water trap 50 ft after the compressor before going anywhere. Then for my painting I use a two stage filter made by Sata. I have a water trap before it goes into that and I use a moisture filter at the end of the gun. It changes color when it gets dirty. I drain my compressor every Friday and let it sit overnight or the week end witch ever happens first.

[Drop Top]

Long story short. Any HVLP Gravity Feed gun made by a major company should do a good job for a person just starting out. Then once you start doing alot of painting you can move on to deferant guns. You can pay alot for a gun. But enless you know how to paint, it wont do you much good. The Harbor Freight guns are very good guns. The more expensive guns are better. But only in the right hands.

[hemi-hampton]

These cheaper guns or Primer guns usually have a bigger tip like around 1.8-2.0 which is good for thick primer but wont lay down the paint super smooth but more orange peely. A 1.2 tip is more what you want but just my opinion. Seems like Binks used to be the #1 gun in the old days like back in the 80's. LEON

[RogerDodger]

 Long story short. Any HVLP Gravity Feed gun made by a major company should do a good job for a person just starting out. Then once you start doing alot of painting you can move on to deferant guns. You can pay alot for a gun. But enless you know how to paint, it wont do you much good. The Harbor Freight guns are very good guns. The more expensive guns are better. But only in the right hands.

[Silver R/T]

Good painter can spray with any gun, although I prefer to stay away from HF crap. We use a few of them at work and they're too heavy, made cheap and are just ...cheap. We've got Graco guns too, much better quality and also use Sharpes which are also good guns for the price and spray well

[tan top]

Good painter can spray with any gun,

   
               

[is_it_EVER_done?]

As has been pointed out, the gun is far less important than experience. A premium paint gun is total waste in my hands. not that it is works worse than a HF gun, it just doesn't work any better. Beleve me, I have tried a few, and I'm a terrible perfectionist.

I'm certain that with a great deal of experience that a premium gun is far superior, but if your just learning, The HF gun will be more than adequate till you can actually understand it's shortcomings if any.

I have seen stunning paint from cheap guns, but I have never seen stunning paint from a novice no matter how good the gun, paint, or other materials (me included).

[68chargerboy]

in my opinion the new sata jet 3000 is the best gun.  i just bought it to paint a few cars and i would not trade it for anything, the super big fan makes painting so much easier especially with metallics like dark jade metallic green.

                   Zach

[bull]

I was in Napa today and they had a US-made paint gun, but I can't remember the brand name. Ok, I just realized this is a worthless post.

[TylerCharger69]

Yes.....a good painter can paint with any gun...true that.  But....as far as a quality product is concerned with little maintenance as possible...My first choice would be a Devilbiss....then my second choice would be a Binks.  As long as they are cleaned thoroughly after each use they last forever.   I have learned  (everybody probably already knows this)   that cleaning the gun with straight lacquer thinner  causes the "O" rings  to weaken and wear out faster.  We use reducer to clean them out....a lot less rubber replacement anyway.   I would use a cheap cup gun for primering though, and not the higher cost ones.    Just my 

[69bananabeast]

got a couple of Sata's my pop bought years ago when he was stationed in Germany.  Got a  1.9  and the other I believe is a 1,3 9  (2000?)  . Sometime in the future I will be needing a Clear Gun . 

Drop Top,    what tip would recommend?

[MichaelRW]

My shop paints about 1300 cars per year. We have found the Sata 2000 w/ a 1.4 tip to be the best gun for base coats and the DeVillbiss Plus w/ a 1.2 tip the best gun for clear coats and single stages. I use DuPont Chromabase for BC and Nason for SS.

It really comes down to painter preference.

[Silver R/T]

in my opinion the new sata jet 3000 is the best gun. i just bought it to paint a few cars and i would not trade it for anything, the super big fan makes painting so much easier especially with metallics like dark jade metallic green.

Zach

its my favorite too

[70charger_boy]

I use a cheap atd spray gun and a titan vaper and get amazing results.  I bought a 3 gun set up for 99 bucks. 

[jordyjim]

hey i use a devilbiss jga which suits me,but i also use £30($60) eagle with a 1.8 fluid tip i use mettallics 2packs,base and clears and i get paid for using it, if your gun is set up right you will get the finish you want, like they say experience helps,mind you the eagle is ok ,but i have come across some rubbish...jim

[Silver R/T]

what size are you guy's air line

[tan top]

for  hvlp stuff  it has to be  3/8 " / 10mm  , nothing smaller .

[Silver R/T]

alright, then Im all set up. Got 2 rolls of 3/8x50ft hose from HF. Some guys were trying to tell me to go with 3/4, I didn't think so. Maybe when I'll be washing my car lol

[RogerDodger]

I use 3/8 hose for everything both in my garage and on construction sites. Never had a problem.

[Silver R/T]

apparently this guy on another forum says that with 3/8 you run into "friction losses"
We use 3/8 at work just fine and I haven't had any problems personally.

[Charger-Bodie]

the guys telling you 3/5 probley are talking about hard lines as in from the copressor allong the ceiling to a drop then a coupler and hook the hose to it..................3/8 is good for the hose thou dond hook both of youre 50 ft hoses together and the cfm and pressure will drop per foot

[tan top]

the guys telling you 3/5 probley are talking about hard lines as in from the copressor allong the ceiling to a drop then a coupler and hook the hose to it..................3/8 is good for the hose thou dond hook both of youre 50 ft hoses together and the cfm and pressure will drop per foot

  yep   sounds like it 

[Arigmaster]

I guess I'm old school... I still have my 2 Bink's #7's and 1 Bink's #32.  I have always used the #7's for primer and color and the # 32 was for clear coat only. Neither one is gravity feed. I use 3/8" air lines and have a double filter. One dual off the compressor and a small single on the gun. It's a bit more awkward but it's better than having a gob of water shoot out in your clear coat. can't control mother nature though.... I did mine without a booth.

I agree that a "good painter" can use any gun but I don't think I'm a good painter anymore... It's one of those things where if you don't do it all the time you lose some of the "touch" and you have to work a little harder.

[jordyjim]

10mm line is just right..3/4..? ok for jackhammers i suppose, i wud,nt like to drag that around everyday! i have 1 water trap at my compresser which i drain, before i spray anything and i get no problems, sometimes got to drain the regulater i have no inline filter, wu dn,t hurt to have one though,by the way..master..once a painter always a painter dont put yourself down, we all take a break from time to time...jim

[tan top]

,by the way..master..once a painter always a painter dont put yourself down, we all take a break from time to time...jim

                     once a painter all ways a painter