I have been using an Eastwood Concours gun on my project car. It's been pretty good for all the primer work but no matter how I adjust it I still get a smidge or orange peel so I'm thinking I would like to step up to a better gun.

The air compressor is a Lowes 60 gallon unit with a 3.7hp motor and it seems to keep up with my Eastwood gun just fine. Specs are here.

http://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-3-7-HP-6 ... or/3370356

I'm almost at the point of attempting some BC/CC on a few parts and I'd love to hear opinions on a good gun for the next step for a guy like me.

SAT RP 1.3

The guys here have some better advice than I can give about cheaper guns

To be honest your compressor is borderline too small.
That being said, if you limit your gun choices to those which use less than say 9 CFM you should be okay.
Remember you need some "head room" in the compressor output so it isn't running all the time you are spraying.
Personally, I think a 15 CFM compressor is the smallest a one man shop could adequately run on. Especially if painting complete cars and using a DA or sandblast cabinet.

PainterDave wrote:SAT RP 1.3

The guys here have some better advice than I can give about cheaper guns

His compressor wouldn't even come close to keeping up with that gun.

He going to need a bigger compressor then lol

This is exactly what most beginner painters struggle with.
The cost of a decent compressor can be more than their total budget for a paint job so they go with what they can afford rather than what they need.
This gives them a compressor that can't keep up with any of the tools they buy and then they can't understand why the tools don't perform properly. Like when you give them the exact settings you use for spraying paint and they try it with the same gun and it doesn't work for them. Most of the time I have found the cause to be an undersized air compressor.
I guess most of the confusion comes from a failure to comprehend the difference between pressure (PSI) and volume (CFM) when measuring air supply.

LOL. Sounds like the movie Jaws. Going to need a bigger boat.

OK, it looks like the only real answer for me is to haul all this to someone with a shop and paint booth to do the final paint. Luckily I know just such a fellow. He married my sister.

For a lot of guys like me it's not only the budget but space. I'm working in a 2 car garage in the 'burbs. My wife wants her half of the garage and that leaves zero space for me. I've had to rent a storage unit for all the parts when I scattered the car to begin this job. This compressor I have fits nicely into one corner on my side of the garage. Anything bigger (80 gallon tank) and I wouldn't be able to get it in there.

It's kind of a shame though. I've come this far on my own. I'd get a kick out of finishing it without having to involve the pro.

And to be honest, the Eastwood Concours gun has served me well for epoxy primer, build primer and sealer, all TAMCO products. Some areas that I shot sealer on were very smooth, other spots had orange peel. That could very well be my technique. I should buy some BC/CC and try this gun on that spare door I have. I might find the right combination.

Came across this today:

http://monroe.craigslist.org/tls/5714723282.html

I'm tempted to pick it up since I have to paint momma's kitchen cabinets anyway. Might be fun to play with.

Uhhhhh.... be careful what you wish for there...turbines are whole different creature than what you are used to.... if you do get into it pm me for some advice when you do those cabinets.... special kitchen cabinet grade coatings and a lot of system tweeking.....

And now DarralK has convinced me. LOL. Sounds like I better just buy a paint brush and turn momma loose in that kitchen. No response from the craigslister anyway. But I'd still like to play with true HVLP system like that some time. I'm curious.

I may have found part of my issue tonight. I had to shoot some epoxy on a couple of urethane bumpers.. I upped the pressure 2 pounds and opened the flow and extra turn while slowing down my pass. Danged if it wasn't going down really smooth. I mean REALLY smooth.

And then my gun started to slow down feeding material. WTH??? I started futzing around with it trying to see if it was clogged. I dumped everything out of the cup, ran some thinner through the gun and it was working great. So I dumped the primer back in, slapped the lid on and it sprayed great for about 2 passes before it started choking down. That light spray was making my bumper look like CRAP!

So I pulled the cap off, looked, saw nothing but decided to put the cap back on and shake it to see if it dislodged anything. Again, 2 good passes and it started choking out.

Then it hit me. I had read something about watching out for your vent in the cap getting plugged up. I pulled the lid off and that gun was spraying just swell.

I think this is another one of those learning moments.