I have used the Devilbiss Finishline gun for several years and have had great results with. It's my favorite gun. I have also used the cheap Ebay guns too. I have a $19.00 gun that I got off ebay and I use it frequently also.
When it comes to spray clear coat, and getting a good finish is really about air pressure, fluid mixture and viscosity of the paint. Orange peel is brought on by too low of air pressure, too much fluid and the clear being too thick and using the wrong activator.
You need about 20 lbs of pressure at the head on the gun. The air pressure better atomizes the paint. You also need to reduce your fluid flow so that with the trigger held open for 1 full second, the paint does not run. If it run, reduce your fluid control. Viscosity, I reduce the clear by 25% after activator is added. Each additional coat is reduced another 25% so that the last coat of clear is 75% reducer and 25% clear. Finally, activator, a fast activator does not allow the clear to flow out before it starts to gel. Use a slower activator and slower reducer than you would normally use. If the temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees, use the slow (high temperature)activator. If the temperature is between 50 and 70 degrees, use the medium activator and reducer. This allows the clear to flow out better with a lot less orange peel. All more time between coats to flash.
I usually wait 30 minutes between coats. I will touch an out of sight area with my finger tip. If it's not tacky (dry) I will re tack the surface and then spray the next coat. I use a tack rag between every coat of paint I put on the car. You will be surprised how much dirt you will remove from the freshly painted surface.
Frank Cox
Cox Custom Cars & Restorations
Rio Vista, Texas
http://www.myspace.com/495542216
