Spray Gun recommendations

Hu Guys
interested in your thoughts on decent spray gun brands. Specifically for polyurethanes.
Any feedback greatly appreciated
Andrew

The spray painting trade uses a number of different brands.

It will depend on the distributors in your area what is available. Check out the smash shops near you they can tell you who and where the dealers are.

Top brands are Sata, Optima, De Vilbis and Iwata, maybe Binks and Arnold but there are other brands being imported by people. The ones mentioned will have spare parts available readily others might not.

A supplier should have a chart detailing the correct set-up (air cap, fluid nozzle and needle ) for poly. Don't buy a gun unless you see that the one you have is suitable for Poly. A lacquer gun won't work well. Every manufacturer has their own code for their own guns

Expect to pay between $200 to $700 for a good one. HVLP (high volume low pressure ) is an option this means less overspray and material used but they need to be correctly set up or they don't give as good a finish.

A normal high pressure gun is the easiest to use and you will probably find most painters like them better. Get a gravity feed gun ( pot on top of gun) not a suction feed (pot under the gun, hole in top of pot lid). They spray enamels nicer using less pressure, so less overspray

AND make sure you get a good mask suitable for 2 pack paint.

Please note that there is no safe mask for spraying 2 pack (isocyanate) polyurethanes.

You need a supplied air mask (link is a small pdf file)...with the compressor intake located a long way away from where you are spraying.

Thanks Guys
will take heed
A

The Arnold Durwood speaks of are called Samson nowdays.
www.justtools.com.au have them and this be the model you need for poly http://www.justtools.com.au/prod1770.htm

Sorry but I have to disagree with Master splinter. There are safe masks to spray polyurethane that arn't air fed

I did state " get a mask suitable for 2 pack" . As we don't know exactly what Yabbyman is going to spray and where, he could be just spending a heap of money unnecessary getting an air fed mask.

OH&S laws now make it compulsory for workers to use an air fed mask because it was found it was impossible to police using other masks.

There are several half face and full face masks that will stop a lot more than is necessary to spray any paint. but the filters have to be replaced after they pass their due date.

These masks use a number of different filters (usually three) which remove different problems. dust, overspray and vapor as well as viruses.

The main one is charcoal activated and has only a short life ( moisture wrecks them) . The mask has to be kept in an air tight container once unsealed and between uses.

It needs to be replaced when its time is up, what happens naturally is everyone get lazy and uses them way after they stopped being effective.

Because this meant safety could not be guaranteed the law was changed to prevent painters using a useless mask and then claiming they got sick.

An air fed mask is not only expensive to buy but to connect also. You can't just connect it to compressed air from a compressor. You need the air lines set up correctly to keep the lines clean. You need a good suitable compressor which does not pump oil and if it does it needs refrigeration and oil filters to clean the air and you need a special filter to finally clean the air so it can be breathed safely. If the painter is going to be using the air fed hood for extended periods you also need to fit at the end of the air supply a water injection device which adds distilled water to the air as the filter does such a good job the air will be so dry the painter will end up with a dry sore throat.

If you only occasionally spray use a good quality face mask (the industry standard is a Swedish one called "Sundstrom" ) spray in a well ventilated area and replace the filters when advised by the manufacturer and you will be fine.

I have seen a demonstration where a subject was wearing one of these masks with a hood and 500mm of acrylic lacquer solvent was sprayed into the end of the filters of the mask. The wearer could not detect any sign of a smell of the solvent even though it was dripping off his face .

Having used these masks for over 20 years and having had a medical test every year during that time I retired with no sigh of any breathing problem. Actually my lung reading is above normal.

I must stress I also used an air fed hood mask when spraying paint which the law required whilst at work but I would never hesitate to use a proper fitting half mask with good filters if the job was away from a spray booth and it was for only a short time. A motor vehicle only takes about 20 minutes to spray including tack off time between coats so you will be able to do a job OK.

I know OH&S laws are meant to be to help eliminate problems but often they are far over the top. But thats another story.

Amen too that...

One thing I might add though for a sundstom respirator to work you must be clean shaved.

There are currently no predictors to an individuals isocyanate sensitivity; they may not be affected at all, they may be affected soon after exposure, or they may be affected only after long term exposure.

See Preventing Asthma and Death from Diisocyanate Exposure

If you go for a decent mask with new charcoal filter and prefilters every half dozen sprays/every week/when the smell gets through, remember that by the time you can smell the isocyanate content, you are already at a hazardous level of exposure.