Does price matter? In most hings you get what you pay for, but is it overkill. I would like to here about your favorite Gun and why?

Hi Lynn,

Yes Price matters. The better paint guns are more consistent with a good spray pattern, They atomize the paint much better, They have a wider fan pattern, And they perform better over the long run than a cheap gun that wears out quickly.

Profesional HVLP paint guns run upwards of $450 and they are worth every penny. The top brands are SATA and IWATA followed by DeVilbiss.

The DeVilbiss finish line III paint gun we use in our videos is the least expensive paint gun we have found that will do a decent job. If i was looking to buy a new paint gun right now I think I would buy the IWATA "Supernova" It will out perform a finishline II paint gun with less air.

Having a paint gun that puts out a 12" fan pattern vs' a 8-9" pattern makes a HUGE difference when you start painting large surfaces like wings and a fuselage.

All our products are shot with a 1.3mm nozzle. Some of the higher end paint guns have different air caps based on what type of paint you are using. Make sure to ask me before purchasing a paint gun which air cap to buy on the newer IWATA or SATA 4000 paint guns.

Make sure you are looking at HVLP paint guns. Research the web for info on each model you are interested in.


Jason

Jason,

Thanks for the info. I am thinking about ordering the SATA 4000 HVLP from TCP global. It's pricey, but I feel confident that its a great tool. Let me know on the cap.

Lynn

For the SATA 4000b you want to buy the HVLP gun with the 1.3mm tip and .6L plastic cup. The RPS disposable cup system gets expensive and since clean up with water is so easy there is no need for disposable cups

I would spend the little extra money for the digital version with the air pressure gauge built into the handle.

Jason

Hey Jason,

Are you using 3/8" air lines or have you moved up to 1/2" for the HVLP guns?

3/8" airlines are all that you need. Keep the length to 25-30' max from the regulator/filter for the paint booth. Only use a "High Flow" quick disconnect between the gun and the hose. All other connections need to be hard plumbed.


Jason

Thanks Jason. I'm setting up a temporary booth for a few projects and going with 3/4" RapidAir MaxLine from the compressor to the regulator as well (easy for temporary setup). I'm using a Devilbiss Air Vizor compressed air supply for breathing air and if anyone has had an issue with that MaxLine piping let us know please.

Hi,
I am looking to use the Stewart System to paint my aircraft. A few questions.

Is there any reason not to use a Hvlp pressure fed gun? It would sure be easier than toting that weight around all the time on top of the gun. Something like this maybe
http://www.spraygunworld.com/products/Asturo/ECO%20K1%20Flag/Asturo%20ECO%20K1-I%20P2liter.html

What volume of each product would I need to order for a strip and paint single colour of a 172?

Can the Stewart System be used on steel. I am painting my truck as well and might consider doing it first to get my technique refined before doing the planes as the finish is less critical.

I am also building a wooden experimental which will have an epoxy based sealer with dynal sheathing cloth as the base before painting. I am assuming it would be treated the same as a composite aircraft.

Thanks Steven

Pressure pots are much more trouble than they are worth. It's better to use a modern gravity feed HVLP. You can use a disposable bag system that works like a baby bottle liner and allows the paint gun to work at any angle. I would not paint an airplane fully assembled. The control surfaces all need to be painted off the airplane and re-ballanced per the FAR's so you might as well take the wings off too.

You will need 5 gallons of stripper, 1 qt of EkoClean, 3 quarts of EkoEtch, 3 gallons of EkoPoxy primer, and 4 gallons of EkoPoly paint for the C172

Our products have been used on automobiles. One customer has done three cars and one pickup with our paint.

Your Experimental would be treated about the same as a composite aircraft. Do you need a UV block for the Dynal Sheathing?
If so then spray EkoFill over the entire surface.


Jason

Thanks for that info Jason.
Another question if I may. In preparing for this job I ordered the DVD from Skyshop. It shows painting with only a cartridge respirator not an air supplied hood.
I had done a bit of research about polyurethanes and came up with this posting.
"I assumed that going with a water reduced finish would avoid the potential health issues. It turns out that the same basic isocyanate hardeners are used. This means that the worst of the health hazards remain"
Your thoughts?
Regards, Steven