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I started doing some major touch ups on my '69 Sprite that were too big for just the brush on paint, so I got a bunch of rattlecans. They did an okay job, but I'm thinking I'd get better and more consistent results from a paint gun. I have a smallish compressor (1 gal). Is there a preferred type of paint gun? The largest area I'm looking to shoot is the trunk pan. I'm not looking to respray the entire car (yet).
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Paint Gun
- Thread starter SaxMan
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anarchy99
Jedi Warrior
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Harbor freight has touch up guns for cheap, and they do a decent job on small areas. I've used Harbor Freight guns on several paint jobs with decent results. Here very soon, I have been doing it enough to where I can finally justify in my head, buying a decent gun setup, but even then, I'll probably just go with the middle of the line Eastwood guns.
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You can actually do a pretty good job with inexpensive (let's not say cheap) guns. Probably the main difference you will find related to more expensive stuff is the size of the pattern and the volume of paint. I have seen really cheap guns that would never atomize very well though and you can't overcome that. Your small compressor is probably driven by less than 1 hp and that together with the 1 gallon will be pretty limiting. It might drive a touch up gun at least a little but such guns are suitable for only very small jobs. You will find it nearly impossible to get acceptable results on a panel say half the size of a Sprite door. That said though, if by trunk pan you mean the inside of the boot then it probably would be at least as good as rattle cans, probably better. You may have to shoot a bit then wait for the compressor to catch up though as even a touch up gun will deplete that gallon of air quickly.
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I Don't know the difference between the feeds, but, without hijacking the thread (I hope) my sense is that you don't need a lot of compressor for an HVLP gun. Others, is this true? Also, it seems like people in the UK & Europe use the spray gun "kits" - electric pump and gun together - to very good effect - more than North American.
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"A lot of air compressor is a relative term". I my experience, my DeVibliss HVLP gun taxed my 3.5hp 60 gallon compressor to the extent that I bought an HF LVLP gun. The compressor was much happier with the LVLP but I would still have to wait for it on bigger jobs (When the trigger was held for long periods of time.) In short, air spraying systems use lots of air.
That said, if you don't mind waiting, you can make do with almost any compressor especially with an LPLV (or small touch up gun). Also consider that the more the compressor runs, the more heat is produced and with it, more moisture.
I have not used the modern electric systems but they might be very good options.
Tom
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My compressor has A 25 gallon tank and is rated at 5 hp but realistically produces more like 3. I find it to be adequate for painting but probably just barely. It seems like my primer gun (large tip) might be able to get ahead of it. And an HVLP gun takes as much or more air as the older high pressure guns. On gun types, the gravity feed will have the tank above so the fluid flows in by gravity. The siphon gun will have the tank below so that the air stream sucks the fluid out. They both work equally well although the siphon feed may a little more "fussy." Both have their good and bad points, mostly related to shooting up or down or getting into a tight space. Generally I prefer gravity feed, especially with HVLP. There are also pressure guns where the air actually pressurizes the tank which can be separate from the gun.