10 Tips about Automotive Paint Spray Guns

Automotive paint spray guns get used to achieving smooth and even textures and any passionate DIY enthusiast. If you’re a beginner and want to know more about spray painting guns, you should read this article. It discusses various tips available that will make sure you spray almost any coating type from clear acrylics, latex, oil-based enamels and polyurethane through to two-pack and anti-corrosion coatings.

What number of automotive paint spray guns do you need?

Materials do change since the advent “VOC laws”, and it’s critical to select automotive spray guns based on what you will paint. Some spray tools get explicitly designed to spray clearcoats while others get used for heavy-bodied materials or primers. Most painters purchase spray guns for surfaces, basecoats and also clearcoats which are ideal if you can afford all the three. If you don’t have an interest in buying all three automotive spray guns, then get one with a 1.6 nozzle setup that sprays everything from primer to the clearcoats. 

Choosing the right nozzle setup

Which nozzle gets based on what nozzle types? For you to achieve the best result, refer to the manufacturer’s technical guide sheets for any particular automotive spraying guns. They thoroughly test the products and identify the perfect combination of their needle nozzle and generally recommend the following;

Primer surfaces and heavy-bodied primers work best with nozzle size 1.7 to 2.2

Basecoats use 1.4 to 1.6 nozzles

Clearcoats require 1.3 to 1.7 nozzles

Single-stage urethanes and sealers use 1.4 to 1.6 nozzles

Spray Paint material tips

As discussed earlier, materials determine the type of spray paint you need. The smaller tipped sized nozzles get used when applying colours on thinner materials such as enamels and stains. At the same time, the larger ones are best for thicker materials such as latex, exterior and oil-based paints.

Spray Air Errors

When you get the right automotive paint spray guns and recommended nozzles, it doesn’t mean you’ve gained optimum performance. Usually, when a new spray gun gets bought, it might lack enough air to run the product. Consumption of air in a spray gun gets measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). Spray gun air requirements range from 2 to 3 CFM for smaller touch up automotive paint spray guns to 18 CFM for the siphon or gravity feed guns.

Spray air-hose tips

It would be best if you considered the fittings and air-hose of the gun. A quarter air-hose severely hampers airflow hence need for one with high-flow couplers and joints which will efficiently allow improvement of airflow.

Cleaning a Paint Spray Gun

Painting involves thorough cleaning at the end of work, and it might seem like the worst part. Cleaning pieces of equipment get included by most manufacturers in the spray gun package, which consists of a round-barrel brush for cleaning gun passages and the cup. The fluid nozzle, air cap and needle get removed for thorough cleaning and make sure you flush the spray gun with fresh solvent unless the sprayed material was water-based.

Handling a Spray Gun

Spray guns are held perpendicularly to the surface of your car and remember to keep a proper distance. Nowadays, the HLVP technology makes work more accessible by allowing you to hold the gun six to eight inches from the surface hence maintaining control of fan and material hence no dry sprays or peels. 

Wear of spray guns

Automotive paint spray guns are like any other painting tools, and they do wear out because of the enormous air pressures. New products contain a soft, thinner coated edge around the spray fan. When it wears, the fan-size decreases, and you get to use more paint for the regular area coverage, and uneven spray patterns will occur.

Brand tips

Considering the need to purchase a paint spray gun, most people prefer buying from well- known manufacturers so that they get a quality and durable product and the significant brands considered the best include: 

  • Graco RAC X guns
  • Spray Chief guns
  • Titan spray guns
  • Wagner spray guns
  • Atomex spray guns

Who should use the spray guns?

Automotive paint spray guns need appropriate personnel to handle it responsibly; whether it’s an adult, man, woman or teenager. Training is required, and correct guidelines need to be followed from the manufacturer’s guide because spray painting involves several hazardous disposal wastes and materials.

Conclusion

After putting into consideration all the tips given, you need to get ready to purchase your automotive paint spray guns at the right shop with the right price. Hence you can talk to manufactures to explain more on the range of best products that you can purchase for the next project.