Spraying

[Welderpaul]

We currently spray our stuff using a compressor and a normal (1 litre?) spray gun. These days just spraying primer.
It becomes quite time consuming stopping every 10 mins or so to fill the pot.
Seen spray sets that have a pick-up pipe that drops into a 25l tin of paint, then a couple of hoses to a gun. Quite a bit speedier, plus you don't have the weight of the paint in the pot to deal with.
Do these spray sets still require the paint to be thinned? Seen lads just open a new tin, stick the pick-up in and get going?
Does it take much to clean them? Are they cleaned out with gun wash like a normal spray gun?
Any good makes to look out for?

We try to get the steel sprayed in one coat. Fine line between getting enough paint on and it starting to run. Ideally want to spray it on a little thicker.

 

[Hitch]

Airless sprayers dont need the paint thinning, 10 times quicker than a pot aswell.
Seem to need cleaning out properly, or you get problems next time you try and use it.
Great for big area of structural stuff, where a1 finish isnt required, just a proper coat of paint.

 

[Welderpaul]

That's what i've seen then. Airless: how does that work?

 

[Hitch]

You can get electric, or air ones...and think possibly petrol ones also.

Whichever type, they pressurise the paint inside a cylinder, pretty high pressue too. Blow a hole in you finger if you put it in the way...so it says anyway, not done it! About 3000psi, through a very tiny hole.

 

[Welderpaul]

Great stuff. Ta.

 

[Hitch]

They are quite dear things to buy mind!

If you go down that route, keep spare seals,filters and tips in stock. Its horrible when you get some 2pack paint in it and it decided to have a moment and play up. And you cant get it to spary quite right.

Ours is an old Graco one, not been very well looked after, and usually only used for twin packs.

 

[Welderpaul]

Just been looking at Graco ones - they seem to be the favoured professional set. I recently sold a job lot of Graco spares that were amongst some auction stuff we got. Typical.

Spose its like everything, always keep spares handy

 

[pedrobedro]

There are air powered pressure pot systems as well, the gun is different to a suction feed though so you can't just put a pipe on instead of the cup.

 

[eil]

If you have the JGA you can convert that to use a pressure pot system from 2 ltrs up wards, its the cap and nozzle you change.

 

[bigbadbugga]

Have you seen these ones?

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cpp12-pressurised-paint-container/path/spray-guns-spraying-equipment-air-brushes