Paint Gun

[Wishin4a416 2,191]

I have been using Spray bombs for the smaller parts on the 160 paint job but need a new gun for the bigger sheet metal.

My old craftsman has spit the bit and parts are no longer available.

Any suggestions for a reasonable priced HVLP gun?

Thanks

[js5020 111]

I had the same quandry earlier this year,, I was in the home depot one day and they had an HVLP gun kit from Husky on the clearance shelf for 52 beans had 2 guns 4 different sized paint cups and other "stuff",,, Im no painter and dont know the "fine" points but it works for me and it seems to paint just fine to me.

[rmaynard 15,425]

I have been having good success with the 20oz HVLP from Harbor Freight. With a coupon, I got 3 of them for $9.99 each. They do just as well as the Husky from Home Depot, and when they get too dirty, I just toss them and get a new one. It's cheaper than a gallon of lacquer thinner to clean them.

[zieg72 209]

Harbor Freight... well you get what you pay for...  I've seen them junk right out of the box...  What are you looking to spend.  That is my profession...

[rmaynard 15,425]

Just to be clear. I am not a professional painter, and I don't claim that the Harbor Freight guns are anywhere near as good as the professional ones, but for the back yard painter, they are not bad, and will save you a lot of money over rattle cans.

 

Everything that you see here on my latest 701, with the exception of the rims, was done with a Harbor Freight HVLP gun.

[zieg72 209]

Please, I am not dissing the Harbor Freight Guns.  I have one customer in the Rockford area that buys them by the case.  They get 6-8 months out of them using them 6-7 hours a day.  Most of them spray great.  Some not so much.  For them it is no big deal cause when they collect a case of bad ones they take it back as they are just down the street from them and since they buy so many they return them with no problem.  The closest Harbor Freight for me is around 30 miles away.  I wouldn't be pleased if I bought one to do a job and it didn't work right...

[546cowboy 301]

I have been using those HF guns for years now and never had a bad one yet.   I have painted everything from full sized farm tractors to short frame WH's and they turn out just as nice as most I've seen. I really don't think the gun is as important as the rest of the process of painting. The prep work is what makes or breaks a paint job but the paint you use makes a BIG difference.   Painting with a gun takes some practice and will always look better than spray bombs.

[pacer 3,168]

I too use HF guns - the Binks style at about $25 - and have great results with it, but cowboy makes a valid point in that a 'noobie' to a spray gun can have some disappointing results - "Orange peel" , runs, dull paint, etc. so keep that in mind.

 

But I think for the home shop one of the cheaper HVLP's or one of the 'Binks' style guns would be fine, Start your using a gun out by using one of the 'rattle can' types/brands of paints - say like Rustoleum, it'll be inexpensive and will be more forgiving than the expensive, and less forgiving, professional grades of paint. And, a quite nice finish can be the result... aside from a few small pieces done with a rattle can, this 1054 was sprayed with a HF gun, using Rustoleum 'Sunrise Red' and Ivory for the wheels.

 

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

If you do go the Harbor Freight route and there isn't a coupon for it there's a 25% off coupon on this site pretty regularly.   

 

http://slickdeals.net/f/1276399-Harbor-Freight-Coupon-Thread

[Zeek 2,286]

I have been having good success with the 20oz HVLP from Harbor Freight. With a coupon, I got 3 of them for $9.99 each. They do just as well as the Husky from Home Depot, and when they get too dirty, I just toss them and get a new one. It's cheaper than a gallon of lacquer thinner to clean them.

  I have both HF and Devilbiss.  Biggest thing I have found is keep all the orifices clean to keep the correct pattern.  Get yourself some welding tip cleaners.  They are very tiny and work great. http://www.emedco.com/wypo-tip-cleaner-kits-4w9.html?keycode=WB0074&gclid=CNyNmvfj6bgCFcOe4AodKFgARg

[Kelly 1,029]

I do body work for a living, for the last near 30 years, I don't paint at work, but have in the past, my old Divilbiss siphon feed guns, were worm out, so I bought a few cheap HF guns the purple HVLP ones with coupon about $4 each, and have used the crap out of them, do they spray like a $500 gun NO, but with a little trial and error they work just fine, I bought the warranty on one of them, no serial no. so they don't care what one I bring back, that cost $2 they even said covered if I leave paint in it, so I have a spare in the box just in case one craps out on me.

 

This was painted with one of them.

 

 

[Wishin4a416 2,191]

Thanks Guys! Been away a few Days. Im not near a HF but I am close to a HD and Lowes so I will try one of theirs I guess.

[312Hydro 474]

Thanks Guys! Been away a few Days. Im not near a HF but I am close to a HD and Lowes so I will try one of theirs I guess.

Harbor Freight is over at Robinson Town Center on Campbell Run Road.

[rwilson 128]

I have heard good and bad about them. I have one and have never taken it out of the box. I bought it and got some disposable cups as well. I will try it one of these days. There is a video on youtube about how to make them perform as good as a professional gun. kinda long and drawn out but give it a watch.