It is time to grow up and buy a gun for more than $16 and us

Any questions about tools or supplies. Post your compressor/gun questions here.



Settled In
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:55 pm
Location: N.E. FL
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:32 pm
I started painting a few years ago and still use one HarborFreight $16 gun for primer/paint/clear. (I paint a few body parts a month). I repaint pretty often blaming myself for screw ups. Maybe it is time to buy better gun and use more expensive clear.
I would buy a gun for $60-100, suggestions? Average quality clear(not the cheapest one)? Is Proclear bad choice? Thanks.
Experience: 40 body parts.

User avatar

Top Contributor
Posts: 2773
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2012 4:46 am
Location: Canberra
Country:
Australia
PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:33 am
I reckon that the difference between a $16 gun and a $60-80 gun is the price.

If you're painting regularly, even 3-4 times/month, then at least buy something half decent. Lots of threads here about guns but Devilbiss Finishing Line is generally agreed as a good budget gun. If you only have to do half the reworks because you've learnt to use a better gun it will save you much more than its cost in time and materials.

Do some research on clears. Many mid-range clears are just as good as top of the line products but just pitched at a higher volume, lower price bracket - just as some guns are.
Chris

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 9878
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:40 pm
Location: ARIZONA
PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:04 am
If you are going to "grow up" into a serious car painter then you better dig a little deeper into your wallet.
What separates the higher end guns from the cheapo models is the materials they are made from and the machining tolerances.
A Chinese knock off gun may look like an exact copy of a SATA or Iwata but looks are as far as it goes. The quality control standards are basically non -existent in the knock off guns.

Figure $300 for a decent entry level spray gun. You might try buying a used gun but be sure it is in great condition.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31



Settled In
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:55 pm
PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:05 pm
Go with a good paint gun, and do not look back. Yeah i painted it to match white...


Image



Image



Top Contributor
Posts: 1396
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:16 pm
PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:33 pm
if you want to stop blaming yourself, which i think that blame is for being cheap on the most important tool for auto body( the spray gun) then please take coronets advise and up your spending for a gun. you wont be discouraged if you buy a quality bc/cc gun.
save the cheap guns for the primer that gets sanded.



Settled In
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:50 am

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 4:56 pm
I think you can get a Sharpe Finex gun for a little over $100 that may be worth considering.----In my opinion Acme- Finish 1 clears are pretty decent and reasonably priced.

Return to Tools and Supplies

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 49 guests