The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Paint Guns

I want to get a good quality, general purpose paint gun. What are the pluses and minuses of the following styles:

1. Syphon feed
2. Gravety feed

Also I have a large upright air compressor. Tank is 60+ gallon size. I am not at home but is has a 2 cylindar compressor and a 6+ hp 220 volt electric motor.. Can I run a HVLP paint gun with this compressor and tank?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Bob

Bob,

I Can't comment on the spray guns, but that is one hefty air compressor. You would have absolutely no problem supplying any spray gun on the market...they don't use lots of air.

Stuart

The gravity (HVLP) is a better gun. Less over spray, uses less paint, and with the 3M PPS system, you can paint upside down.

Try painting the rocker panel of a car with a syphon feed gun and you'll see why it good to be able to paint upside down.

Frank

Frank: How can a gravity feed gun paint upside down? Don't you have to keep the bottom of the paint supply tank above the outlet nozzle?

Is there a difference between gravity feed and an HVLP system?

There are two products out there that I know of that allow you to use a gravity feed gun at any angle. One is the Devilbiss DeKups system, http://www.autorefinishdevilbiss.com/products.php?pg=149 and the other is the 3M PPS system, http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Marine/Home/Solutions/PPS/

Both use a disposable cup liner that collapses as you paint, allowing you to paint at any angle. ( Kind of like those baby bottles. )

As for the question of which is better, gravity or siphon? There are a million painters with a million opinions. I think it may be more a matter of preference than performance for some. I have both and use them for different situations.

For flat and vertical work on large pieces, I like my suction guns because they have a larger cup and I dont have to fill them as often. The downside is, because they have bigger cups, they weigh more full and can make my arm tired quicker.

For smaller jobs or ones with a lot of overhead spraying, I use the gravity guns more often. My gravity guns are not HVLP, so I can't speak to the overspray issues that those types of guns lessen.

The Autobodystore.com forum has a wealth of information about guns. In short, for a REALLY good all-around base/clear gun, the consensus is the Devilbiss GF670G for around $300. (The pros like to have a separate gun for base and clear.) If money's an issue, the Devilbiss finish line for around $100 is a nice setup because you get a full size gun as well as a touch-up gun, which really comes in handy.

For primer, just get a cheapie from Harbor Freight paying attention to the tip size and whatever the tech info for the paint you're going to use.

I've used both the 3m and Devilbiss disposable cup system and like the Devilbiss if for no other reason the cost. 3m=MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.

I agree with the above opinions as to both types being useful in different situations.
I've painted for going on 40 years now and have noticed that the end result, cheap or high dollar gun, has more to do with whos got a hold of that gun.
Grab a gun that feels good to you or its going to like trying park a Mack truck in a Walmart parking lot.
Dan

I have been been using spray guns most of my life. I am using a Develbis syphon type gun. The main reason I us the syphon type spray gun is because I am use to that type of gun. I often consider buying a HVLP spray gun but the budjet won't allow it. Being that you at this time do not own a spray gun at any time I would strongly sugest buying a HVLP spray gun. Buy a good gun and take good car of it and it should last you a life time. Once you get use to that gun it will save you $$$$ in overspray paint and will give you great performance.