HVLP spray gun recommendations

[Randy R.]

I want to purchase a gravity feed HVLP spray gun (time to retire the Binks #7). The variety of prices and options has overwhelmed me. Can anybody recommend a gun? I have a good sized air compressor. I don't do a lot of painting but would like a gun that can handle single stage paint as well as BC/CC.

Thank you,

Randy

[Joel F.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

It really depends on your budget. For primer you can use an el cheapo Harbor Fright gun. You can get a Devilbiss Finish Line 3 for about 160 new and it is a decent all purpose gun that can do base and clear. The Devilbiss Plus is a step up from that and about 100 more. If you want to spend more you can look at the Sata and other professional quality guns

[Joel F.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

One other thing is to look at the guns CFM and PSI requirements and ensure your compressor can handle it.

[Dick W.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

I purchased 3 SATA HVLP guns and am extremely pleased. I never thought that anything would replace my DeViliblis JGA guns. I donated 3 JGA siphon guns, pressure pot set ups, and one touch up gun to the local high school body shop program. I picked up on the HVLP technique in less that 10 minutes. Not bad for an old dummie

[Jim D.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

I have used almost every gun out there and for the money, NOTHING compares to the Devilbiss Plus. It's not a true HVLP but it is a "compliant" gun. Nothing on the market lays down clear as smooth as the Plus. Sata's are good until you need to buy a part, then it's cheaper to buy a new gun then to buy parts.

Jim

[Doug F.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

Randy, i too thought it was time to retire my binks # 7's, i bought a high dollar sata, nice gun, i use it occasionally for spot work, still use the 7's for my everyday stuff, old habits die hard, as they say " it's the magician, not the wand "

[Chuck S.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

I have used almost every gun out there and for the money, NOTHING compares to the Devilbiss Plus. It's not a true HVLP but it is a "compliant" gun. Nothing on the market lays down clear as smooth as the Plus. Sata's are good until you need to buy a part, then it's cheaper to buy a new gun then to buy parts...

A few years back, you could buy Satas and parts at wholesale prices on the internet...about half what you would pay at retail. Then their retailers charging nearly $1000 for a freaking spray gun complained, and they tighened their policy making it nearly impossible to find them at decent prices on the internet.

Looks like TCPGlobal is still selling Sata, but they can't give you any details on the internet...you have to call them on the telephone. Most likely you can forget buying parts from them. Other cheap wholesale sites that made the internet market competitive aren't even bothering with Sata anymore.

Sata sounds Japanese, but actually they're German...as usual in any manufacturing field they can to compete in, German quality is high. I think the 3000 is their latest HVLP model, but I seem to recall that you have no flexiblity for changing nozzle sets for different tasks with that gun...in other words, you'll spend a $1000 for a dedicated gun just like the pros.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autobodydepot/sata.aspx

[Dick W.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

Chuck, my local Carquest gave me a pretty heafty discount on the the guns I purchased.

[Chuck S.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

Chuck, my local Carquest gave me a pretty heafty discount on the the guns I purchased.

Did you buy the new 3000?...What did it cost at CarQuest? You might have gotten a sweet discount because they see yer mug in there everyday with yer wallet out.

When I bought my 2000 with a 1.4mm nozzle set a few years back, I bought an extra 1.7 mm nozzle set to allow me to spray K36 primer surfacer with the same gun. It wasn't the best solution, but when you can only afford to buy ONE good gun, and your time is free, cleaning and swapping nozzle sets is an acceptable compromise. It seems like the 1.4 mm set and gun was around $400, and the spare nozzle set alone was probably $150. I later bought a 1.2 or 1.3 mm nozzle set for spraying clear, but I couldn't tell that optimizing the nozzle size really helped my painting.

Is it true you can't change nozzle sets on the new 3000? That's what someone told me, but it seems wrong...you may need to replace one because of careless cleaning. But, like Jim said, they may have decided that if you're dumb enough to damage your nozzle, you SHOULD have to buy an entire gun.

[Dick W.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

Mine are the 2000's. One for lacquer, one for base coat and one for clear. But I have not painted any since 2007 (or was it 2006?). Like the rest of these tools around here, occupying space. BUT I might need them sometime in the next 15-20 years, better not get rid of anything.

[Sandra H.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

Dick,
I absolutely guarantee if you get rid of anything, you will need it within a week.
Sandy

[Randy R.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

What is the differnce between a HVLP gun and a compliant gun such as the Devilbiss Plus? For the amount of painting I do, switching nozzles or air caps to allow the application of different materials would be acceptable.

Thank you,

Randy

[Chuck S.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

What is the differnce between a HVLP gun and a compliant gun...

I have always wondered myself what the difference was, and I was forced to Live Search for "VOC compliant spray gun" to get the answer for us.

As I understand it, HVLP guns gain high material transfer efficiency using higher volumes of low pressure air. Alledgedly, you have less overspray in the air and use less paint because the paint is going ON the surface being painted and not into the air. I didn't see a material difference in either of these, but maybe I haven't painted enough. HVLP guns exceed all VOC compliance regulations

The stringency of these VOC compliance regs is set by the pollution level where the gun is being used. In California, where state regulations often exceed the EPA regulations, I'm sure VOC compliance is an issue. In California, and some larger cities in Texas (EPA only), you probably cannot buy a spray gun that is not VOC compliant.

For painters that have worked with the old style non-compliant, high pressure guns for a long time, manufacturers have designed another type of spray gun that uses high, but somewhat "reduced", pressure to obtain material transfer efficiency they claim to be almost as good as an HVLP gun. These guns are referred to as "compliant" guns, or RP (reduced pressure) guns. The most important point is these designs can still meet compliance regs in areas where existing VOC pollution is high.

Lucky me...I hadn't used old fashioned guns enough to really get attached to the "feel".

[Paul J.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

Randy:

Chuck summed it up pretty well.

Over a year ago I had gotten rid of my old gun and was trying to get a grip on this HVLP thing. I spent a lot of time with some painting forums and on one particular web site trying to understand which type and brand of gun would provide all of the options of spraying different materials. I also went to two body shops that I've had dealings with and talked to them. They both used Iwata guns (although they said Sata was comparable), and they both talked about the good quality of the finish with these guns. Thier only complaint was the frequency of rebuilds, which was because the guns are used several times every day (not an issue for us). If you study the descriptions on the Iwata web sites you can see why these guns are better and cost so much more. However, these guns are a little too rich for me so I concentrated on the web site. Thier resident "Professor" was extremely helpful, and I determined that the Devilbiss Plus, which was sold in a kit with another gun, was perfect. However, I was a couple of years from doing any quality painting and it was right before Christmas, so I didn't buy it. Imagine my surprise when I opened a present from my wife this Christmas to find a picture of a Devilbiss Plus gun! She said that it was the only picture that she could find, and that I'll have to buy the gun.

I'll be placing my order soon.

Paul

[Dick W.]

Re: HVLP spray gun recommendations

You will not have to worry about VOC's much longer. Waterborn paint does not have that problem Your new cars are painted in waterborn, and it is filtering into the aftermarket