Paint gun for hobbiest?

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1969GTS340

1969GTS340

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
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Akron, NY
I'm interested in knowing what paint gun members here are using on their cars?

I only have a few paint jobs under my belt, but am planning to purchase a HVLP style gun to replace my old school (no-name) gun. I will be spraying metalic, clear and some basic single stage on various upcoming projects. I've read past posts that raved about Harbor deFreight guns as much as Sata, Devilbiss etc... but I'd like to hear from some DIY members who paint their own cars, but not necessarily a
professionally painter.
 
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Honestly the Harbor Freight guns now rival the DeVilbus spray guns. Ever since HVLP guns came out, you are basically buying a needle and seat and you control with your fingers. I bought my guns off Amazon- no name and they spray amazing. Primer, solid colors, rust oleum paints, clears.
Syleng1
 
If you don't have a large air compressor the lvlp guns might work good for you.
Sprayit or it's copies are among the best as well as europro i think from astro pneumatic. The lvlp
guns also reduce waiste and overspray.
 
I have painted most of my cars with a FX3000 Graco, though I am a better wet sander than a painter... put lots of clear on so you can cut and buff it out.
 
I'm experimenting with a few. My Devilbliss FLG3 was ok (there are newer models now) but I am liking my Iwata Kiwami4 especially for clear. I also have an offshore Aeropro R500 A610 but I have only used it for primer so far. Harbor Freight's Black Widow gets good reviews on the paint and body FB groups. Check out Youtube's Gunman reviews.
 
I was a body man for 20 years. Being out of the trade now 25 I found my guns in rough shape. I bought this kit. One gun is good for primers and single stage paint and clearcoat. The other is great for basecoat and clearcoat. Small one for small stuff. I agree if you change tip sizes and can help a lot but I never had to.
https://www.amazon.com/Tools-6900-9-Piece-HVLP-Spray/dp/B000M61KKG/?tag=fabo03-20
Or you could buy this one gun and change your tips accordingly.
https://www.amazon.com/Nefepho-HVLP-Spray-Gun-Kit/dp/B0C282G3S1/?tag=fabo03-20

Oh, I restored and painted both my rides with them too.

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Eastwood is where I got my hvlp at a good price.
Works nice.
 
Eastwoods products are going to be made by someone else just like Harbor Freight's products....likely offshore like everything these days. For base and clear I would spring for a low end name brand such as Devilbliss FLG5 or Iwata Kiwami4. There is good value in buying an offshore gun if you know which ones to get. As far as I know they are all copies of older name brand guns such as SATA, etc. The trick is knowing which ones are good copies. My $100 AliExpress Aeropro is fine for primer. I might try it on base/clear when I spray my valences. It came with 4 different nozzles.
 
Thanks Guys for all the feedback. I haven't narrowed my search down to anything particular yet. But from what I'm reading so far, I don't need to invest in a $400 plus gun.
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Think about getting a gun that has different tip/nozzle sizes or one where you can buy different sizes that don't cost an arm and a leg.
 
ESP47 said:
Think about getting a gun that has different tip/nozzle sizes or one where you can buy different sizes that don't cost an arm and a leg.
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Check out the Tech service sheets for the brand of primers/topcoats you will use for tip sizes like said. Tip size!! That is a big part of the pie!!! Like the key is quality of body work,,, the key is also in the small details of laying down the primer/paint, more so than the GUN!! IMHO
 
I would buy the purple $15 gun from HF and spray color / clear.
I do not like it for primer, you need a larger tip to shoot primer.
 
I have found that most professional painters are always upgrading paint guns, if you know anyone in that business you can probably buy one of their old quality paint guns for a song.
 
I used a bunch of cheap guns that sprayed ok . Then I bought an Iwata and it is so much better . Still not an expert but 3 paintjobs have come out fairly good.
 
During my career as a painter, I always used SATA guns exclusively, having multiple guns for different jobs/materials. My guns were always HVLP's, with the exception of the RP(reduced pressure) model I bought because the clear at the new shop I started at didnt like full HVLP; couldnt figure out why I couldnt get the clear to lay down properly, until the paint rep filled me in. That RP laid down any clear better than an HVLP.
Long story short, you can paint with anything... cheap, expensive, and anything in between, what you choose depends on your budget and the finished quality of work you want. Would I trust a 50 dollar gun to shoot my Swinger? Hell no. But Id use it to spray primer or small parts that arent difficult to paint. For comparison purposes, the SataJet guns that I used for base/clear (separate gun for each) cost me on average about 800 bucks each, and well worth every penny when you are making your living spraying and need to lay down consistent quality jobs. I dont imagine you want to spend that much on a gun, but dont settle for the cheapest either, you get what you pay for in the end.
And most important, KEEP IT CLEAN!!!
 
sireland67 said:
I would buy the purple $15 gun from HF and spray color / clear.
I do not like it for primer, you need a larger tip to shoot primer.
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One of my oldest and best friend's is a body guy. Owns a small shop now that things are winding down.
I bought this one for Evercoat Slick Sand and Feather Fill. You an turn up pressure and shoot thick stuff like Bad Chad does. But if will.be rough. And materiel gers wasted. He's and idiot who spends money and has to sand it all down to flat then block since it is rougher looking than a French Quarter White. Big tip gives a smooth finish with high build. Ok got off on.a tangent sorry.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09TMZJPKY?tag=fabo03-20
Having said that, have seen my buddy shoot candy jobs with the Cheap Harbor Freight in a pinch.
I have a cheap Harbor Freight purple gun I bought as an extra.
Picture is my old well taken care of Sharppe Platnum HVLP (20 years old?) Was used a few times by the PPG paint store to shoot samples of candy for display. Was still like new. I bought extra needles and caps and kept it clean.
Keep in mind cheap guns and some good ones don't have stainless steel parts so rust is an issue.
I have used the 1.4 tip size for laqure paints. New style base/clear, and single stage. Sealers, epoxy (PPG-DP) it's an all around size. But any high build needs larger. Yes you can thin it but defect are not filled and defeats what it is intended to be used for.
Parts wear get spares and get Stainless.

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mopardude318 said:
I know I ain’t paying no 800 bucks for a paint gun. 1-150 tops. Maybe.
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Nope, and no one should unless you are a pro making your living at it. And 800 is/was Canadian dollars at the time, so in the US it would have been less. I can imagine what they cost now, Ive been out of the trade for a while :)
But I will say this, Ive never seen an amateur paint job done with a low cost gun that could rival what I (or any professional painter for that matter) could lay down with my Sata's, or any other top quality gun. And yes, I have sprayed with cheap guns also, and the difference is night and day. Thats not bragging, its just a simple fact. Another example....Ive been taught how to weld through autobody, now I could go buy a cheap flux core mig welder and do some "acceptable" welding, but would my quality match what a journeyman welder working with top quality tools could do? Not a chance, Id be blown away.
Quality is subjective, and we all have our own opinion of what is good quality and what isnt. Ive silently in my mind (not wanting to be rude of course) picked apart many an amateur paintjob that the owner thought was great. That candy paint job that cousin Ted did in his garage with a HF gun after watching youtube videos looks good to the untrained eye, until someone starts pointing out the mottling, tiger striping, solvent popping etc, then its a whole other story. Hell, even my Swinger was prepped/painted by an amateur, everyone says it looks fantastic, but I know otherwise, and thats why shes gonna get a new paint job, the right way, with the right tools and material :)
This may get me some harsh comments, but it wasnt meant to try to scare away anyone from painting their own vehicle, or to criticize anyone who does, I applaud everyone(myself included) who learns and does things on their own, Im just trying to point out that top quality is achieved by using top quality materials and tools.
barbee6043 said:
I don't have one, but I bet a paint booth can go a LONG way!!
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This times 100! I once sprayed a car in a buddies garage, once, at his request. NEVER again will I do that...haha
 
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mopardude318 said:
I know I ain’t paying no 800 bucks for a paint gun. 1-150 tops. Maybe.
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I don't know of a quality gun for 1-150.
But I did buy a Anest Iwata LPH-400 with cup it was around 600, and its a real nice gun. I just use it for overall jobs.

For the average hobbyist, I still recommend the old harbor freight purple gun, it works.
I did buy one of their black widow guns with the bigger 1.7 tip, just to shoot primer, but have not used it yet.
 
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