Hi Guys,

Just finished my latest side job (a motorcycle tank and side covers). Used my Iwata AZ3 HTE2. Base laid great and the 3 coats of clear look like glass with only a tiny hint of peel if you really look at it in the right light--WAY smoother than any OEM paint I have seen. I'm just a beginner with only 5 or 6 bikes and small body jobs to my credit. Each job seems to get a bit better so I know I am still learning as I go.

My question for the Pro's.........at this point would a dedicated clear gun be advantageous to me? My first thought is yes and to just get another AZ3 but I have seen some really good reviews from the Gunman about the Devilbiss GTi Pro Lite for clear. If that gun would lay down clear as good or better (at my skill level) would that be a smart move for me or do I just need to keep what I have and continue using it of base and clear? Thoughts??

I bought into the idea of having multiple guns long ago when I first got back into spraying.
The idea then for having a dedicated Clear gun as now is the idea that if you had a different color in the gun and you didn't clean it out real good it could come out on your paint job when switching to clear.

Me personally I am extremely meticulous when cleaning my guns so really I don't need multiple guns But I do have them and I do dedicate one of them for clear only.

Is it really required in my opinion? No BUT multiple fluid tips and needles are as well as having a good supply of new packing to use as required.

I could see a Guy getting away with just one gun.

I have both (AZ3 & Pro Lites). With the right aircap the Pro Lite is a vastly superior gun to the AZ3, but it's not as good for smaller jobs and costs 3 x the price.

If you're planning on more smaller jobs like motorcycles and you're happy with the finish from the AZ3 then there really isn't much reason to change. If you plan on moving to bigger jobs then the Pro Lite will serve you well.

As to separate clear guns, this is driven more by budget and convenience. I have one Pro Lite set up with T110 aircap and 1.3mm fluid tip while another has the same aircap but 1.2mm tip. These are dedicated clear guns and I have another with 1.3mm and TE20 which I use for tinted clears. Keeping them separate means that there can't be any contamination by metallic or pearl but doesn't mean that you can take shortcuts in the gun cleaning process. I also have a separate AZ3 which is dedicated to clear. Having the guns already set up means that I can just grab the appropriate gun, fill and spray, rather than waste time setting up. A home hobbyist/DIY guy doesn't necessarily have these considerations, nor may he want to invest the money in guns that don't see a lot of use. That said, my next gun purchase will be an Iwata WS400 Supernova - because I don't have a really high flow clear gun and I just love the look of them - may not even use it, just hang on the wall and drool.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I really don't NEEED a second gun--more of a want to. I do want to start doing bigger jobs eventually but for the foreseeable future it will be bike stuff and small panels on cars (rockers, fenders, etc.). I guess my only question is, is the Pro Lite a better gun for clear than my current AZ3--for the stuff I am doing right now?

Someone else will have to answer that I have no experience with either gun.

For Bigger jobs make sure you have a Good compressor and a Good water trap and air filter with a desiccant drier stage, would be my recommendation.
Before looking at up grading guns look at your Main tool your compressor.

Just up grading to hi flow air fittings will improve your current gun.
When I made the switch it took me a while to get used to my guns all over again it was like having Brand new pro guns once I switched to Hi flow air fittings and Hi flow Pro air filter system.

Hi flo fittings are a game changer seriously, But you have to have a good compressor.
Guns need air flow NOT air pressure, that means an air pump with good CFM ratings.
Airflow Has nothing to do with tank size!

Depends what you spray i guess,

i use a 1.3 or 1.4 for base

1.2 for clear

sometimes I use a 1.6

it is really up to you and what you spray. one painter may not need to be as diverse as another. only you can really make that choice.

Rebel Racing wrote:my only question is, is the Pro Lite a better gun for clear than my current AZ3--for the stuff I am doing right now?

Is the Pro Lite a better gun? Yes.

Is it better for what you're doing now? Maybe.

Downsides are that the Pro Lite has a MUCH bigger fan, so you'll be wasting a lot more clear when painting smaller parts and it pumps clear at a faster rate, so your risk of runs is higher. Used correctly, the finish from the AZ3 can be as good as the Pro Lite, for smaller jobs; not necessarily so for large jobs.

Then you have the question of which Pro Lite? There are fluid tips of 1.2mm, 1.3mm and 1.4mm and there are 5 different aircaps : 3 x RP (T110, TE10, TE20) and 2 x HVLP (HV25 & HV30). That's like having 15 different guns with completely different spraying characteristics!

And then you have personal preference, as Dave pointed out, above.

I am going this route but in a different realm as I am using a turbine system to paint base and clear. I agree that having two guns does not negate the need for proper clean up, but for me, I have only done metallic paint jobs and even though the gun gets a great clean out at the end of the clear coat, I have sometimes not cleaned the gun enough between base and clear and noted problems. I got myself a new Titan Maxim Elite gun with the gravity cup. It comes with a 1.3 tip, but I may invest in a smaller one and consider this the clear gun.

JT

i always have a desiccated clear gun early Devilbiss tip size ?
Jay D.

Rebel Racing wrote:Hi Guys,

J
My question for the Pro's.........at this point would a dedicated clear gun be advantageous to me?

just a hobbiest that hasnt sprayed much in a couple years but did debate having 2 different guns. the main contributing factor for me purchasing a copper tekna was- first- more experienced painters saying they dont and why.
which 2nd was one thing read from quite a few more experienced
- i dont have to learn AND remember how to set up and use 2 different guns.