The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Siphon or Gravity Spray Gun?

Which type of HVLP spray gun is better siphon or gravity? Or does it make a difference?

i like the old style better just because thats what iv alway used if i ever use a gravity i may change my mind the maine thing is to get a name brand and not cheape junk i learned that after botching a paint job let off the trigger and a blob came out all over the car i then got the best money could buy no more problems ever

With the price of paint now a days i ditched my siphon gun for a gravity gun. If you go with a gravity gun get the stand that holds the gun other wise it is a pain in the neck to refill the gun. Also don't buy any thing to cheap or you will be asking for problems.

Can you tell me some good brand names for guns?

I like my Devillbiss Finishline II .

I used the old style cup for years but this year went to the gravity feed and love it.
You will need the stand or someone to help fill the cup.

the guy at the paint shop told me the gravity feeds dont do the heavy metalics as good but seeing all the nice jobs on tv he may be wrong

That doesn't make sence.? Doesn't the metalic drift to the bottom which would be better if you had a gavity feed? :confused:

I love the gravity feed guns, especially because you can paint until you run completely out. Mine is also easy to clean, but you do want a way to support it when you are filling it or want to set it down. A wire hook is just fine.

Gravity fed! That is the best for high quality
paint jobs, topside of cars.

Small siphon is better for frame painting; fits
tight spots better, can be turned almost upside
down as needed.

Gravity fed works best with today's paints.
I do have a source for the best paint ever,
acrylic lacquer. Nonetheless, todays low
pressure applied water base color coats and
final clear coats, are fantastic with a gravity
fed gun. Maybe six to eight pounds pressure,
almost all paint ends up on the car rather
than you and everything else.

On metal flakes, most are so small they stay
well suspended in paint. Just paint fast and
shake a little now and then!

Acrylic lacquer, though, is the best paint
ever produced. It is alledged to have been
outlawed for environmental reasons. Not so.

Makers of new modern paints are a powerful
political lobby, just as is the steel pipe
industry. Lacquer is not allowed just as
copper and pvc pipes are not allowed in
many states. It is all money and politics.

Know what they didn't outlaw? Lacquer thinner.
That is the basis of acrylic lacquer banning.
The paint is transported by lacquer thinner
which they don't want in the air. Go to Home
Depot and you can buy all the lacquer thinner
you want, by the gallons.

Our lost of the best paint ever, acrylic lacquer
is nothing more than political lobbying and
increasing profit by competition elimination.

Merry Christmas to all!

Billyray

Godzilla:

I painted a 72 Fomula, Firebird, silver, lacquer and it was a pain in the butt. I was lucky that I didn't blow myself up with all of the overspray in the garage and the compressor kicking on and off. Perhaps it's all the overspray that has created the eco problems. Regardless, I'm sure that there is truth in what you allege. I like enamel.

I use a SATA brand (NR2000) hvlp gun.

The gravity feed gun is seen everywhere for a simple reason, it is better.

Billyray, I have to disagree with you on the lacquer issue. It has NOTHING to do with politics, it is an environmental issue PERIOD.

The fact you can still by lacquer thinner is akin to saying the better gas mileage requirements by the government are political because gas is still available

Lacquer thinner at the McHome store is being sold and used to clean paint brushes and the like, NOT thin paint. Now, if it was, even then it would only be for brush or roller painting or at the very most airless painting where very little atomization uccurs.

Spraying lacquer paint produces a HUGE amount of atomized droplets of paint full of thinner that is evaporating off into the atmosphere. For that matter, lacquer thinner is still sold at auto paint stores, IT has not been banned, only one of the uses of it.

Besides, it is NOT the best paint. Modern urethanes, polyuretanes and the like are FAR superiour in everyway. Every way except application that is. Lacquer is easier to apply (in some ways) but requires more time/work. Believe me, the paint companies were thrilled to start dropping it, the sales were dropping big time anyway.

Now, gun banning, THAT is political.

Sounds like waxing nostalgic about lacquer. While in some instances lacquer may be superior, urethanes far out-weigh it in overall quality. Lacquer can be surfaced flatter in one step, blends easily for repair, and yes, is simple to apply. Durability is out the window. It`s brittle, scratches and scuffs very easy, and does not hold up to road abrasion. Urethanes rule in durability. It takes hours of surfacing to get it mile deep, but worth it for the rest of the equation. Syphon feed guns are ok for quicky work but waste mat'l. Gravity and HVLP guns do indeed put it on the part. NOT ALL GRAVITY GUNS ARE HVLP. Be certain to check all the specs of any gun you may purchase. Devillbiss, SATA, Cobalt, all good names. Cobalt being the lesser priced in some applications. Spray guns are like a carpenter's hammer. Every painter has their best choce based on years of practicing their trade. Base your purchase on how often you plan to use it too. If your doing 1 vehicle you may not need a $500 SATA.

Sata makes the best guns period. All the custom paint shops I've seen use them.Mine is a top loader & cost $400plus..

For a inexpensive hvlp top loader Harbor freight has one for $60. I don't know the part no. but it's purple.

Siphon guns are the only way to go altho, I still use my 26 yr. old Binks model 7 for epoxy primer.