harbor freight gun

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:03 am
Brutal Tooth wrote:Do yourself a HUGE favor. When you get this gun, take EVERYTHING out and clean it as much as possible. This includes the air that goes through the handle, too. I've been through so many HF guns because they would contaminate my work, while my friends HF gun puts out EVERYTHING in immaculate condition.
I bought another gun from Home depot just to see if I could get away from the contamination (which I still didn't) and someone recommended I cleaned the handle part of the gun, too. This worked and I have not had any problems since.


That is good to know. I did get a little dirt in a job I just did with the HF HVLP gun. I was surprised at how easy it is to use. The air in the handle... I would have not thought of that.

Thanks Brutal!!!!!!! :worthy:



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PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2012 2:00 pm
Thanks for this thread!! Just what the doctor ordered. :)



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PostPosted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:41 am
Subscribed.



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 2:11 pm
For what will probably be one time use (primer then top coat), what do you guys think about buying a cheap TCP Global gun over the cheap Harbor Freight gun? Which one would you choose for both primer and top coat? http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraygundepot/tcpgate.aspx

Thanks

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:40 pm
I started with a HF gun and I resisted getting anything else, but somehow I decided to get a Devilbiss Finishline 4 master kit with 1.3, 1.5, 1.8 and 2.2 nozzles. This is where it gets interesting. Following advice all over the place, you are told to use 1.8 for primers, 2.2 for slicksand, and 1.5 for topcoat.

Well, I am sure I am doing something wrong, but I am blissfully ignorant to that and very happy with the smallest nozzle that comes with it. The 1.3 means no more runs and sags and my work comes out perfect each and every time. It may take me longer, but things are clean and flawless from epoxy primer to urethane high build primer, to sealer, to topcoat. Havent tried clear yet, but this gun is bulletproof and I highly recommend it.

I have a Devilbiss Tekna Copper gun too. When I hear a decent reason to break it out, I will do it. But this FL4 gun really is the best multipurpose gun I have ever used.



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:02 pm
Deve wrote:IThe 1.3 means no more runs and sags and my work comes out perfect each and every time. .

Where are the photos of the perfect frame you did that no nobody in the history of restoration has accomplshed before? I use my Copper for base and if I feel like it sometimes clear. Why do you need a reason? Just break it out and use it.



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PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 2:32 pm
Thanks but I don't want to spend $200 on a gun, and since this is a one time thing, I'm hoping to find something a lot cheaper that will do a decent job of shooting primer and a single stage top coat.

Deve wrote:I started with a HF gun and I resisted getting anything else, but somehow I decided to get a Devilbiss Finishline 4 master kit with 1.3, 1.5, 1.8 and 2.2 nozzles. This is where it gets interesting. Following advice all over the place, you are told to use 1.8 for primers, 2.2 for slicksand, and 1.5 for topcoat.

Well, I am sure I am doing something wrong, but I am blissfully ignorant to that and very happy with the smallest nozzle that comes with it. The 1.3 means no more runs and sags and my work comes out perfect each and every time. It may take me longer, but things are clean and flawless from epoxy primer to urethane high build primer, to sealer, to topcoat. Havent tried clear yet, but this gun is bulletproof and I highly recommend it.

I have a Devilbiss Tekna Copper gun too. When I hear a decent reason to break it out, I will do it. But this FL4 gun really is the best multipurpose gun I have ever used.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:44 pm
There are no 'one time' painters that go from aerosol to compressor/paint gun that do anything close to a professional job. Use the HF gun and be proud of your work. Im sure it will be adequate for what you are doing. I am not being sarcastic, I honestly wish you well. My first gun was an HF. But, like in the movie Anchorman, I punted when I learned that the quality of an HF gun is like the difference between sh!t and shine-ola. Over the last 40 years, my policy on tools is always to buy what the professionals recommend. This is not because I have lots of money, its because I am VERY impatient.

Think about it.. its mathematical. You have variables in everything you do. How many variables do you want when its very critical that you put out a really nice product? For this example, lets start out with a 30 gal 2 hp compressor and an HF gun. Is the reason your job turned out poorly the compressor or the gun? SO, now we have an 80 gallon, 7hp, 2 stage compressor so you can sandblast, run air tools, paint, do everything but you have an HF gun. Is the reason your job turned out poorly because you are a noob and you really haven't done a lot of painting, or the HF gun? SO, now we have an 80 gallon, 7hp, 2 stage compressor and a Devilbiss Finishline 4 gun yet we are a noob and haven't done a lot of painting. So now, we have decided that you are a noob that hasn't done a lot of painting. Its not the variable of equipment. Time to read lots of forum posts, some Youtube videos, and try some test panels. Now, you have isolated this mathematical problem down to a manageable level. Its a road WELL traveled because everyone here, EVERYONE has been there, done that!



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PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:00 pm
I know dude. I really do and I'm not just saying that. :goodjob: I was a cabinetmaker and finish carpenter for 25 years so I know the difference between junk and tools that feel good in the hand and do what they are supposed to do really well. I also used to spray my cabinets. However, I only sprayed lacquer and lacquers are super easy to deal with. I've read a lot of reviews about the cheap HF guns and many who claim they are experienced are saying that if cleaned thoroughly that it can be adequate for the job. I don't need a show piece paint job as this is for a little Toyota motorhome that I'm going to be living in and bouncing around Mexico and Central America in. I've read that the quality can vary greatly from one HF gun to another so I'm thinking I'll buy three of them at the same time and return the ones that don't work properly or that I don't use. I was also considering this $40 wonder at TCP Global http://www.tcpglobal.com/itemdetail.asp ... P+G6600-18 but I bet they don't have as liberal a return policy as Harbor Freight.

Deve wrote:There are no 'one time' painters that go from aerosol to compressor/paint gun that do anything close to a professional job. Use the HF gun and be proud of your work. Im sure it will be adequate for what you are doing. I am not being sarcastic, I honestly wish you well. My first gun was an HF. But, like in the movie Anchorman, I punted when I learned that the quality of an HF gun is like the difference between sh!t and shine-ola. Over the last 40 years, my policy on tools is always to buy what the professionals recommend. This is not because I have lots of money, its because I am VERY impatient.

Think about it.. its mathematical. You have variables in everything you do. How many variables do you want when its very critical that you put out a really nice product? For this example, lets start out with a 30 gal 2 hp compressor and an HF gun. Is the reason your job turned out poorly the compressor or the gun? SO, now we have an 80 gallon, 7hp, 2 stage compressor so you can sandblast, run air tools, paint, do everything but you have an HF gun. Is the reason your job turned out poorly because you are a noob and you really haven't done a lot of painting, or the HF gun? SO, now we have an 80 gallon, 7hp, 2 stage compressor and a Devilbiss Finishline 4 gun yet we are a noob and haven't done a lot of painting. So now, we have decided that you are a noob that hasn't done a lot of painting. Its not the variable of equipment. Time to read lots of forum posts, some Youtube videos, and try some test panels. Now, you have isolated this mathematical problem down to a manageable level. Its a road WELL traveled because everyone here, EVERYONE has been there, done that!



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:32 pm
I'll give my input here, since I've used the cheaper HF purple gun for smaller projects (bumper cover, small metal panels, furniture, etc.) This is their item #47016. If you buy any HF gun, do give it a thorough cleaning as has been suggested.

My HF gun actually sprays basecoat and clear fairly well, with very little orange peel in the clear (ChromaBase and ChromaClear). The trick I've found is that BC sprays fine with HF's suggested gun settings. However, for clear, I open the fan adjustment wider than you'd probably set it with better guns. I also turn up the air pressure at my regulator (I leave the air adjusting knob on the bottom of the gun wide open all the time).

I've haven't had great luck with the gun for single-stage paints -- regardless of my gun settings or the thickness of the paint, SS always seems to have quite a bit of orange peel with this gun.

Really, my opinion of the gun is this: it's fine for painting industrial equipment, furniture, and the like. I would probably not use it on a vehicle, simply because you can do better and I hate to waste my time doing quality bodywork and other prep, and then spray with a lower-quality gun (or cheap paint). Having said that, it's not the worst gun... and you can do decent work with it, if your budget really won't allow something nicer.

Ben
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