HVLP Spray Guns

[SpeedThrills]

I want to do the color on the jambs, trunk, engine compartment, and the epoxy primering of the entire car (as I prep it).
The body color will have to be sprayed by someone with a booth. I have no way of doing that at home.
Do I need an expensive gun?
I see lots of inexpensive ones with a quick search on Amazon.
A zillion years ago, I did the jambs, etc. on a 71 Road Runner with a cheap Sears high pressure gun. It came out nice.
Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...fix=hvlp+spray+gun,aps,150&crid=23TACADWA3NQ8

 

[TrailBeast]

I want to do the color on the jambs, trunk, engine compartment, and the epoxy primering of the entire car (as I prep it).
The body color will have to be sprayed by someone with a booth. I have no way of doing that at home.
Do I need an expensive gun?
I see lots of inexpensive ones with a quick search on Amazon.
A zillion years ago, I did the jambs, etc. on a 71 Road Runner with a cheap Sears high pressure gun. It came out nice.
Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_14?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=hvlp+spray+gun&sprefix=hvlp+spray+gun,aps,150&crid=23TACADWA3NQ8

I have two guns from TCP Global and they work great.
For the price it looks like this would hook you up, because you need a small (detail gun) for jambs, door and maybe even the engine compartment and the bigger gun for the larger areas.
I have the small silver one and the red one that I used on my car.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N1E9Y8/?tag=joeychgo-20

 

[Kern Dog]

As "hack" as it will sound, I have done some decent work with the cheap Harbor Freight gravity feed paint guns. They are often under $20 and usually come with a 1.3 mm tip. I have to thin out primer to shoot through such a small tip but paint and clear spray fine. You mention needing a pro to paint the car: I have never used a traditional booth. The first 7 cars that I painted were in a residential 2 car garage. I put plastic up to minimize contamination, both on the ceiling and around a perimeter.
Something to consider. Good luck with the project.

 

[pishta]

buddy sprayed his in a storage unit with Hawaiian Air red aircraft paint! Came out terrible: looked like avocado skin but he spent a week color sanding it and it looked friggin awesome.. after 30 hours of block sanding......I may sand, paint and clear the nose of my SC400 in the driveway, drive it onto a tarp and wait for some dead still weather. Do I spray the clear after the paint dries or after it flashes? I did that once and the rattle can clear attacked the paint, most likely not compatible. If the nose comes out, ill do the rear deck and the top. Poor car.

 

[TrailBeast]

As "hack" as it will sound, I have done some decent work with the cheap Harbor Freight gravity feed paint guns. They are often under $20 and usually come with a 1.3 mm tip. I have to thin out primer to shoot through such a small tip but paint and clear spray fine. You mention needing a pro to paint the car: I have never used a traditional booth. The first 7 cars that I painted were in a residential 2 car garage. I put plastic up to minimize contamination, both on the ceiling and around a perimeter.
Something to consider. Good luck with the project.

Actually you are right about the paint booth and I know, because I painted my car in the back yard exactly where those first two pictures were taken and the last pic was the next day when I was reassembling the grill and bezels.
It's all in the conditions.

 

[TrailBeast]

buddy sprayed his in a storage unit with Hawaiian Air red aircraft paint! Came out terrible: looked like avocado skin but he spent a week color sanding it and it looked friggin awesome.. after 30 hours of block sanding......I may sand, paint and clear the nose of my SC400 in the driveway, drive it onto a tarp and wait for some dead still weather. Do I spray the clear after the paint dries or after it flashes? I did that once and the rattle can clear attacked the paint, most likely not compatible. If the nose comes out, ill do the rear deck and the top. Poor car.

If I remember correctly the clear should be shot after the base has some cure time.
Like the next day.
I do remember shooting base in the morning and having a car or truck in the booth with lights for hours and then shooting the clear in the late afternoon, but there was hours of heat aided cure time between.
Auto paint with hardeners are quite a bit different than spray paint, so one coat doesn't eat or wrinkle previous one's.

 

[Kern Dog]

The PPG, Omni and Shopline Base & Clear products require the clear to be sprayed over the base coat within 20 minutes to a couple of hours depending on air temperature. I have never waited overnight to spray clear!

 

[Abodybomber]

If I remember correctly the clear should be shot after the base has some cure time.
Like the next day.
I do remember shooting base in the morning and having a car or truck in the booth with lights for hours and then shooting the clear in the late afternoon, but there was hours of heat aided cure time between.
Auto paint with hardeners are quite a bit different than spray paint, so one coat doesn't eat or wrinkle previous one's.

The base/clear relies on certain specifications (based on,controlled paint booth conditions) as per Product data sheet. There usually is a window of time ,to spray clear over the base. (For instance Napa Tec Base recommendations :Base should be cleared within 24 hours...) I have cheated that,within a shop.,To be honest, it's about the prep and patience, and covering the elements. BACK TO THE O.P. :
TCP Global ,works just fine..slightly better than Harbor Freight. I used H.F. 92126 for my jambs , lays down small sweet ,and easy . (Keep it clean,it's almost an airbrush ) Speedthrills...If you do a H.V.L.P....Treat it ,as you would learning to spray an,old school siphon gun .Find something useless,spray away. And learn . What's your air supply?

 

[SpeedThrills]

You mention needing a pro to paint the car: I have never used a traditional booth. The first 7 cars that I painted were in a residential 2 car garage. I put plastic up to minimize contamination, both on the ceiling and around a perimeter.
Something to consider. Good luck with the project.

I just don't have the space. I thought about hanging plastic, setting up a fan, etc. But I have a 2 car garage and another car in it that I won't leave outside and have no where else to keep it. Plus, I have stuff hanging from the ceiling and stuffed in every nook and cranny. I'd love to spray it myself, but I'm going to have to settle for doing the jambs, etc.

 

[SpeedThrills]

Speedthrills...If you do a H.V.L.P....Treat it ,as you would learning to spray an,old school siphon gun .Find something useless,spray away. And learn . What's your air supply?

I def plan on practice.
Air Supply? You mean like: air supply (I couldn't resist!) Actually, I have a 6.5 HP, 60 gallon compressor. I'll need a drier/filter, too. I've never sprayed at home before.

 

[SpeedThrills]

TrailBeast, you Dart looks great! I think I'll go with what you suggested for guns. I was hoping I didn't need anything too expensive. Maybe the expensive stuff is for everyday use?
I'm far from it being ready to paint. I just started the bodywork, and I can only do a little at a time. I'm stubborn though, and I will finish it!! It's been in my garage since 2008. "Good things take time."

Thanks for all of your replies. It's great knowing that all of that experience is here!

 

[RustyRatRod]

As "hack" as it will sound, I have done some decent work with the cheap Harbor Freight gravity feed paint guns. They are often under $20 and usually come with a 1.3 mm tip. I have to thin out primer to shoot through such a small tip but paint and clear spray fine. You mention needing a pro to paint the car: I have never used a traditional booth. The first 7 cars that I painted were in a residential 2 car garage. I put plastic up to minimize contamination, both on the ceiling and around a perimeter.
Something to consider. Good luck with the project.

Hack or not, I was gonna say the same thing. There's one that they sell that actually does a good job. It's a pretty nice little gun.

 

[RustyRatRod]

This is the one. It works very well.

20 oz. HVLP Gravity Feed Air Spray Gun with Regulator

 

[340doc]

I've also had great results with the Harbor Freight guns.

 

[barbee6043]

I have had good success with the TCP Global and Summit HVLP guns. I am not a pro. BUT I have friend that is an after work pro, with many years experience, he swears he gets great results from the HF cheap guns!!!!!
Use a deadly.correct respirator and cover your body and eyes, these paints can be deadly. yes it it absorbed thru your eyes.

many good threads on here about how to paint and do bodywork. You results will be only as good as your prep. Me, I rather pant outside if I have no access to a real booth!!!! Still have good respirator!!!

 

[SpeedThrills]

Safety is of the utmost!

I have slowed a lot in my 58 years. I plan on taking whatever prep time it takes.

 

[plumkrazee70]

I have the two set silver HF guns. I've only shot primer and Rustoleum gloss black enamel through em, but they work good. Gotta be sure and clean them before you use them the first time and after each use.

I also have a $60 Eastwood Concours, that I shot single stage TCP plum crazy through, works good also.

 

[John Cailey]

I just don't have the space. I thought about hanging plastic, setting up a fan, etc. But I have a 2 car garage and another car in it that I won't leave outside and have no where else to keep it. Plus, I have stuff hanging from the ceiling and stuffed in every nook and cranny. I'd love to spray it myself, but I'm going to have to settle for doing the jambs, etc.

Did mine in a 2 car garage. Check out TP Tools. Bought a cheap HVLP DeVilbiss ( "starting line") 2 gun set ( Primer and paint). Hung plastic and fan out the partially closed garage door. Not a lot of over spray with HVLP guns. See pics of garage after painting. I shot a single stage no metallic "Kirker" paint. Might not be show quality, but you can do it and save a ton of $.

 

[Tooljunkie]

We painted a few in my buddy’s garage. Poly up and go to it.
Used devilbiss copy and it sprayed nice.
I have a portable garage 12x24 i plan on setting up to paint in.

First and foremost, protect yourself from the toxins.

 

[intergalactica]

Do I need an expensive gun?
I see lots of inexpensive ones with a quick search on Amazon.
A zillion years ago, I did the jambs, etc. on a 71 Road Runner with a cheap Sears high pressure gun. It came out nice.
Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_14?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=hvlp+spray+gun&sprefix=hvlp+spray+gun,aps,150&crid=23TACADWA3NQ8

You may want to look into using an Iwata LPH50 spray gun. They use only 1.8 cfm (at 13 psi) with the 1.00mm nozzle yielding a 3.9 inch pattern width or 2.1 cfm (at 14 psi) with a the 1.2mm nozzle yielding a 5.5 inch pattern width. It’s the world’s most efficient spray gun. Its a low volume/low pressure (LVLP) spray gun and it produces just about no overspray whatsoever. The spray gun uses one of 4 paint cups ranging from 130mL (4.4 oz) to 400mL (13.5 oz). Best of all... it incorporates a gravity-fed, side cup design that’ll give you an unobstructed view of whatever it is you’re painting.

 

[barbee6043]

You may want to look into using an Iwata LPH50 spray gun. They use only 1.8 cfm (at 13 psi) with the 1.00mm nozzle yielding a 3.9 inch pattern width or 2.1 cfm (at 14 psi) with a the 1.2mm nozzle yielding a 5.5 inch pattern width. It’s the world’s most efficient spray gun. Its a low volume/low pressure (LVLP) spray gun and it produces just about no overspray whatsoever. The spray gun uses one of 4 paint cups ranging from 130mL (4.4 oz) to 400mL (13.5 oz). Best of all... it incorporates a gravity-fed, side cup design that’ll give you an unobstructed view of whatever it is you’re painting.

I have moved to Texas and I will not be running 220 all the way to my shed therefore NO large compressor. I have never used a LVLP system. But I plan to get a compressor to run off 110. I am basically doing all my prep work by hand on my 71 Duster. I have painted dozen or so over the years , later using HVLP guns.

I wonder if this LVLP system will not work fine. This car will be B5 blue, which has fair amt of metallic...

I admit I am into driving my cars, I want NO rust, straight as I can get it without killing myself, and I do all the work. NOT on my plate to pay for body work. So for me a driver need not be perfect, because as I drive them they get blemishes, scratches, dings. Just life.

Nice job on that orange car!