Paint gun recommendation

-
7

74duster

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
242
Reaction score
3
Sometime in the next few months, I will be trying my hand at body and paint work. I don't have a paint gun, and am looking for opinions on what type of gun would be good for a beginner.
As long as we're at it, how about recommendations for primer, paint, and clear as well.
Any input would be appreciated.:-D
 
If you can find a Sharpe Platinum gun they are very good and don't use a lot of air.
 
I am using an Iwata LPH-400 LVX silver cap(clear) and orange cap(metallics). You can get the kit from spraygunworld.com. One of the best guns out there. You can't go wrong with a high quality tool. It's like going from dirt track racing (HARBOR FREIGHT for primer sorry Eric) to formula 1 (SATA, IWATA). I'm a total newbie and this gun makes me look like I know what I'm doing. The clear goes down so slick it's not even funny. It is an awesome gun for a beginer. I researched quite a bit and this was one of the best. A little pricey but well worth every penny.

As far as 2K primers, epoxy primers and clearcoats, one of the best kept secrets is SPI. YearOne uses them on most of their restorations. Check them out. Best customer service ever. They ship everywhere for free. And the prices are awesome and super high quality.

http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/homepage.htm

Dave
 
I picked up some cheap one's on fee-bay. They took some getting use to going from a siphon fed gun to a gravity fed but they would be a good start to learn on.
UPS came early today. Cheap spray guns. (
multipage.gif
1 2)
 
I picked up a couple astro pneumatic guns. They were sized right for my air compressor. The big thing to remember is tuning you gun every time is important and practice. I have been reading a lot on http://www.autobody101.com/forums/ about painting cars. Might be a good place for you to start.
 
Guns really are like engine oil. It comes down to preference. I, personally, still use a 12 year old Accuspray 10 gun with a #5 cap for clear, and #7 cap for heavy metallic bases. All my primer guns (all cheapies) are set individually to run sealers, heavy urethane fillers, etc. My Pop has a Devilbis Millenium GTi (I gots to get me one of these!) But I've known guys who swear by Sharpes (I swear at 'em), Binks (love 'em), etc. It's like any other tool. It's not so much the gun, it's the guy who's pulling the trigger. Though if you're new to the ballgame and getting used to it all, Sharpes is usually the most forgiving gun out there.
 
First determine how many coins you can spend initailly.
Spend most of that on air volume and quality.
An aftercooler may be needed but a coil of air hose in a bucket of water serves the purpose. Then a good air filter. Then buy a cheap gun and practice, not only the shooting but the disassembly and cleaning. Paint lawn mowers bicycles, whatever. Like , "How do I get to Carnagy Hall ?" "Practice, practice" You can shoot primer on your car with it too.
Primer and underside of hoods and trunk lids is about all this gun will be used for eventually. Hopefully you have been saving up during this period.
The time to buy a quality gun will come. Treat this gun like a surgical tool. Keep it clean, properly stored ( hidden ) and out of the hands of kids and neighbors. I've seen some nice guns get bumped of the workbench and hit a concrete floor, or epoxy primer left to dry inside, ruined one way other another.
 
I have totally stripped the interior and would like to paint it before I start the exterior. My question is I am going with a complete new color. Should I use the same gloss as the exterior or use a satin. I know the dash is in satin and Ive read a post where someone was complaining about fingerprints on the doors and such. Also how do you treat the plastic parts? Do they have to be treated differently than the metal? I'm talking about the hard plastic below the rear window and the 2 pcs inside the windshield post. This is on my 65 Barracuda.
My son wants to paint the car hugger orange, I was going to be more conservitive but I did buy this car for him. Do any of you guys have a picture of an orange barracuda with white or black stripes you could post so he could decide if that is what he wants.
thanks
 
I bought this set last year which I use for spraying clear coat on cabinets and millwork. They both work great. I also just finished stripping and spraying my 67 D-100 P/U in primer. I used (from NAPA) Finish 1 FP415 High Build Primer and am very happy with it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94572

http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/products/show_product.cfm?product=64259

As for the final paint, after I bought 2 quarts of Go Mango and a gallon of clear and nearly died at the cost ($584.00), I decided to let a pro with a real spray booth do the final paint.

Good luck with the project.

Oh, as for spraying the primer, I just did it outside on a calm day.
 
I took a body work class a few years back and I got to try a number of differnt guns. I just have not developed the skill to tell the difference between a $100 gun and a $600 gun. Unless you have money to burn stick to something in the $100-200 range.

I wound up getting a DeVilbus Finish Line kit from Eastwoods that contained a full size gun, a couple of different size tips, a touch up gun and a set of tools to take them apart and clean them. It was on sale for $150. They have worked out very well for me.
 
DeVilbus Finish Line is my recommendation too. I have used really expensive guns and for the price I love my finish line.
 
Thanks for all the replies! It is helpful to know what works for other people.
 
AdamR said:
Great guns for the money. I have a cheap gun with a 1.8mm tip for primer but use Iwata LPH400-LVX eXtreme basecoat for base and a LPH400-LVB for clear at work.

Not cheap at around $500ea though.
http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/anest-iwata-paint-guns-c-967.aspx
Click to expand...

Hey Adam, I'm spraying metallic base today and I love this gun.

The LVB is the purple cap for very difficult metallics. The LVX extreme basecoat is the orange cap which will do most any metallic or basecoat. The LV is the silver cap for clearcoat.

I'm using the LVX and the LV. I use the silver cap for my epoxy and clear, but not regular primer. Cheapie 1.8 tip primer gun for 2K primer and polyprimer. You can't go wrong with this setup. I got the the gun with both caps 1.4 tip for $550 from http://www.spraygunworld.com/products/Iwata/LP400DreamOrange.html Plus you get a Devilbiss regulator and cleaning kit and 1 liter cup.

Awesome deal if you can spring the $$$. It's two for one when you add in the extra caps for basecoat and clear. I'm very happy and Iwata has good tech support via the web.
 
Harbor Freight model # 91011. Regularly $30, on sale right now for 18 bucks. Basic siphen gun, excellent pattern, can't beat it.
 
yep. i'm on there too. very good site. have used it a lot. nice people just like here at FABO
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top