Painting -Tool of Choice

[powermax_paul 1]

What's your painting tool of choice? I've been cleaning and painting parts of my B207 and instead of using an automotive type cup gun, I've been using an airbrush. It seems to have better atomization but takes forever with larger pieces. It also wastes less paint than a cup gun. I found a trigger type airbrush at my local Menards store and it seems a bit easier to use than a normal airbrush, and is much easier to clean than a quart-sized cup gun. (made by Holding & sold under Toolshop) Paul

[Al 6]

The air brush sounds like a good idea, However I can see how it would take some time to do the larger pieces. I used a gravity fed paint gun, but I turned the air pressure down a bit to cut down on the overspray. Without good ventlation the air guns do make a mess.

[mowerman1193 0]

Paul, I have done a fair amount of painting (cars not tractors)and I have used several different spraying equipment from airbrushes to HVLP (high volume low pressure)guns.I know alot of folks in the auto body repair shops.Most of the people I know like the HVLP gravity feed guns.The ones that dont seem to care for them are those that are older folks that have grown up using the standard suction feed ones.They do take a little while to get used to if you never used one. Now with that being said,My personal choice is the gravity feed guns wether its a regular or HVLP.My reason for this is: 1)you use less air presure with them (especially the HVLP gun)so you have less paint bouncing off the object you are painting.Less paint bouncing off = less paint used.I run about 15-20psi on the gravity feed gun and sometimes only 10psi.I would say that one quart of paint in the suction feed gun will only paint 5/8 - 3/4 of what a gravity feed gun will. 2)The gravity feed is nice for doing a small amount of painting because you can mix up a small amout of paint and spray till its gone without splattering.If you used a suction feed gun you know what I mean by splattering(A suction feed gun you have to have enough paint in it to reach the suction straw).Kind of like trying to get the last table spoon of your McDonnald milk shake up the straw without getting any air in it (or splatter so to speak LOL). mowerman1193 [A href='http://www.geocities.com/mowerman1193index.html']http://www.geocities.com/mowerman1193index.html[/a]

[powermax_paul 1]

I know what you mean mowerman, the airbrush I'm using is a gravity feed. You can also spray in a lot more directions with a gravity feed gun. Paul

[Kent 436]

Has anyone tried using a gravity-feed touchup gun? They look like they hold about 1/2 pint of paint or so... I seem to always paint a few parts at a time, and I don't want to bother cleaning a quart gun?

[powermax_paul 1]

That sounds perfect Kent, where did you see one of these? The gravity feed airbrush I got is a little small. Paul

[Kent 436]

I've seen them on eBay and in the Northern catalog (I think)....[A href='http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1319585321'][img src='http://greattools1.homestead.com/files/HVLPtug.jpg'][/a]

[powermax_paul 1]

Looks like a great tool. A little pricey for a tightwad like me though. Paul

[JDSnyder 0]

I for years have used a mini sprayer made by the Badger Airbrush Co. It is plastic with a glass jar and I can run it from an air tank, so I can do some spraying in the basement in the winter without having to haul the compressor in from the garage. It is also inexpensive, about $22.00. You can mix up a small amount of paint, spray at low pressure, and minimize overspray. It is great for small parts ant tight areas. I've used them for years for inside door edges and on dashes of cars. I do use a quart siphon gun for large pieces like hoods where a good wide flow pattern is necessary.

[Brent_Baumer 5]

Marty, How do you mean, "Disappointed"..? There are some people that are disappointed right now since I'm still around. I suspect others will be delighted when I leave. I hope my family and friends are devastated when I check out. If you mean, from my sweepster pic, that I don't look old enough to take that trip just yet, you may have what I call a perception illusion. That's something like an optical illusion. The older we get, people look young who used to look old when we were young.

[dlcentral 1]

I use a $15 touch up gun that you can get at any of those ''junk'' truck tool sales held at local motels,or flea mkts.,works EXCELLENT! Also holds about 4 oz product,,

[Woodydel 0]

This does the best job in my opinion and saves paint. This is true HVLP. Notice the size of the hose. This is a turbine and the air is also heated by the turbine which also makes the paint dry faster once applied. The saving paint feature only matters if you do production work. You would have to paint many tractors to recoup the cost of this unit. They are also quiet in the extreme. Woody http://image.photoloft.com/opx-bin/OpxFIDISA.dll?src=/PhotoLoft/Asset18/2002/01/13/8805/8805935_0_5664.fpx,0,0,1,1,512,411,FFFFFF

[Woodydel 0]

I guess I’m one of those “older folks” that Mowerman1193 is talking about. On a good day I can get out of my rocking chair, shuffle to the shop and still lay a nice full wet coat that drys to a high gloss without any runs, sags, orange peel, blistering, or fish eyes using my DeVilbiss suction gun (if I’m not shaking too bad). Never had a problem with splattering because I keep enough paint in the gun to finish the job (if I can remember). I’d like to try one of those new fangled HVLP jobs. Maybe one of my sons-in-law will get me one as a gift. They buy me high quality tools claiming they will inherit them long before they're worn out.

[Woodydel 0]

Dutch, The most unlikely place you will find the turbine type setups is at Woodworkers Warehouse. The quick dry times keeps a lot of dust off your furniture. They also sell the type Kent displayed and those types I believe are the second best tool for painting. For those not so skilled at painting the HVLP helps a great deal. Woody

[Woodydel 0]

Woody, I'd want to use different types of HVLP guns before I tell my sons-in-law where to buy one. The "quick dry time" concerns me. I like a slow dry time so the paint flows out to a high gloss. On hot days, I'll use a slow reducer and even a retarder. Although I don't have a spray booth, I've seldom had a problem with dust. Before I spray, I blow down my shop ceiling and walls and wait for the dust to settle. Then I wet the floor before I spray. I usually spray late in the day, lock the shop, leave a small bulb lit in a far corner to attract any flying critters, and wait till the next morning before I examine the job. I don't do much spray painting nowadays. I recently had MAACO spray a car after I did the body and prep work. Couldn't beat the price, and their job was pretty damn good and guaranteed. But, I plan on spraying my tractors myself this winter.

[StinKy 0]

I have a suction type gun, have never used it but have enough spare sheet metal for practice to hopefully get me up & running. I'm going to use Banjo's XO-Rust quart of orange to pint of red formula (may have to adjust a little to match the "virgin" paint I have found under the footrest bracket) Can anyone tell me what type of thinner and how much of it to use with the XO-Rust brand? What air pressure range is best for a suction gun? Banjo's recipe is in Msg # 5582. Dick

[StinKy 0]

Dick, A good place to start is with 50 PSI at the gun (increase or decrease to your liking). Best bet is to use the thinner (lacquer) or reducer (enamel) made by and recommended by the paint manufacturer (read the paint can). Automotive spray paint is usually thinned about 3:1. You can buy a cheap little tool that measures viscosity (thinness). Remember, proper preparation and spray technique is more important than the paint or equipment you use. Go visit your friendly local small auto body shop. That guy may give you some valuable tips, a old car hood or door to practice on, and maybe even some surplus paint left over from the last job.

[MPH 12]

Herb, did you have to add that last sentence??CRS and lack of clear vision are enough to remind me I must have gotten a lot older then I ever figured I would..MPH

[MPH 12]

Herb, if the pics of you with your sweepster are close to current your son-in-laws may be disappointed, but don't tell 'em that..MPH