vwbobby wrote:Your compressor should be at 90-120 since you're using a diaphragm regulator at the gun. This makes it so you have a little more reserve pressure in the line and less noticeable pressure drop.

I wouldn't run the Astro guns at 26lbs.... they spray best at 19-22 for me, but its up to you. I get more orange peel with pressure.

Did you try running your gun STRAIGHT off the hose (with the bubble type filter attached) and the compressor regulator set around 25-28lbs? This will tell you if your gun regulator is the problem or the gun itself isn't spraying right.

I have my regulator on tank set at 110 area. My compressor kicks on at 90psi and stops at 120psi I think? When I am doing the test sprays its usually in the 100-120psi range.

I'm spraying ********** Universal Clear, which I think is fairly high solids. I did my first at ~36-40psi at the gun regulator which gives me ~19psi with trigger pulled. I had orange peel and flash times where way slow. Barry (********** owner) recommended 26 at gun, on site I knotice he uses an IWATA LVLP which is what this is a copy of, although they spray very different. I was told something like "pressure is too low, solvents are not kicking out" (sorry something to that effect), I was tacky after 45 minutes. I bumped gun up to like 70-80psi at regulator (only 21-22psi with trigger pulled) and flash times were down a lot to like. It was defantly better but I don't get the whole pressure with trigger pulled thing, I can not get it past 21-22psi with either Astro Gun. I bought a cheap standard regulator and set it at 80psi at the gun and only get 18-19psi with trigger pulled. It seemed to lay fatter with the regulator bumped way up, but I got some little solvent pops? Picks in other thread.

Wow! Something is definitely not right! You shouldn't have more than 5-10 PSI pressure drop at the gun MAX! Please take a picture of your gun setup. I suspect you have some type of adapter fitting or a fitting that has a small orifice in it.

I use a Parker regulator that I got off Ebay for around $25. It goes from 0-40PSI and its dead nuts accurate. I get a 3-4PSI pressure drop with 1/2" hose and standard 3/8" fittings. Not trying to brag, just expressing that there is something that is causing a definite restriction.

Regulator that came with air compressor - (I don't remember this fitting size I think it had a quickconnect fitting already attached) 25ft of Air Hose 3/8" - Quick Coupler 1/4" - Astro bubble type air filter - Astro Diaphram type regulator - Gun ? Will take picks tonight. I hope I have a problem somewhere in there that will make since of it all. It seemed all the 3/8" Air Hose had 1/4 fittings, should I be using 1/2" air hose with 3/8" fittings?

My Astro gun requires 40 to 45 psi with the trigger pulled.
That's their spec.

JCCLARK wrote:My Astro gun requires 40 to 45 psi with the trigger pulled.
That's their spec.

The EVO is supposed to be 16-19PSI and the first gen were 25PSI.... now they're going back to their 25psi spec:

http://files.pbepro.com/Astro%20Pneumat ... VO4014.pdf

very blurry pic of my original manual. Someone at the factory hand wrote in the 16-19PSI spec



I still like it around 22PSI with the trigger pulled. Do whatever works best for you though!


Ryan S.

The standard fittings that came with your compressor should be 1/4" and those are OK for this gun setup. I use the standard fittings, like this:

or

Mine had a 16-19psi sticker over the old spec on the box. Just got it a week ago, and had to wait for spraygunworld to get them back in stock.

The last coats seemed to lay down better without as much orangepeel, and the flash times were normal instead of way slow.

My quick connects are like above. Compressor came with a ball valve on side of regulator that you attach to, I wonder if the opening on it is too small, I will take a look.

We have a big boy compressor in the shop at my workplace, I guess I can try it on that one also.

Try Photobucket or Flickr, its easier.

Looks good so far! I really hope you get this figured out, it must be very frustrating for you.

Please, please, please hook your gun up to your compressor with just the hose and filter. Set the compressor at 25PSI with ONLY the bubble filter attached and the standard fittings, no adapters. I can almost guarantee it'll spray a lot better. Its a 5 minute test and you'll definitely be able to see if its the gun or your regulators + fittings that are causing it.

Working now!

I hooked up my spray gun directly to the compressor without a hose or filter, on the compressor site its regulator, ballvalve, quick connect.... the gun regulator and gun on the other end. Same result. The regulator on the compressor I orginally had at ~90psi, I bumped it up to ~110-120psi or so before shooting the clear, but that is still where the problem was. I guess even there it is still a huge restriction! I screwed it in open all the way and BINGO, plenty of AIR. can set it where ever I want now. ~48psi at the gun gives me ~25 with trigger pulled. Can do some experimenting now. Thanks everyone for the advise!