Topic: HVLP Spay gun recomendations

As it says....................looking for any suggestions for an HVLP spray gun. Ebay has a good selection, all at what seem to be sensible prices, but are there any that I should be avoiding, or names I need to look for.............

Something like this on paper looks good.........

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bergen-Gravity-FEED-HVLP-SPRAY-GUN-touch-up-mini_W0QQitemZ200089651233QQcategoryZ30906QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Coupled to one of these to ensure accurate air pressure feed........

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IDEAL-HVLP-SPRAY-GUN-GAUGE-LIKE-SATA-DEVILBISS-IWATA_W0QQitemZ170091618717QQcategoryZ30923QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Gun will be used mainly for large are work, nothing too fine...............

Thanks in advance for any pointers..............

Phil

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/L-K-DEVILBISS-FLG5-SPRAYGUN-BRAND-NEW-L-K_W0QQitemZ230105133888QQcategoryZ30923QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I used to use these for guitar finishing. The Bergen is a little small really for large areas.

Hi Phil,

I'd go for the Devilbiss - more expensive - yes, but it'll work out cheaper in the long run.

TTFN,
Neil

Personally I would go with Devilbiss everytime. Its a quality gun and will give faultless performance everytime.
You also have national backup and plenty of spares if needed.
Get one with a 1.8 tip you will find that pretty universal for spraying most primers and paints.
Have a look here
http://www.spraygunsdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=47_53_79&products_id=2522

They are not cheap but will last you out with good maintenance 

HTH
Shane

Yeah, i could never fault Devilbliss guns. Tried cheaper ones and they spray alright for the first few months but then just get sloppy with even the best gun care. 

I was once spraying a lovely sunburst neck and just getting the last top coat on when someone opened the spray-booth door while the extraction was on....


DUST ATTAAACK!!

Luckily it was cellulose so he didn't have to sand it back too much.....  :laugh:

Thanks for the input chaps...............

There is a MASSIVE price difference between the 2 Devilbiss guns shown above..............the 1st one do'able, the 2nd is a little OTT on current budget....or is it just that the 1st is an ebay advertised item and normally prove cheaper than other sources?

Thoughts?

Phil

The cheaper one is a Devilbiss Budget gun  the cost you see on Ebay is pretty similar to all over prices for that model.
Spec of it is as follows...........
FLG-5 GENERAL PURPOSE GRAVITY FEED SPRAY GUN General purpose spray gun for a wide range of automotive materials and coatings. The all metal construction includes a high grade alumimium drop forged gun body. supplied with a 1.4mm set up Precision engineered air cap and fluid tip. The FLG-5 employs gravity feed HVLP technology, ensuring low overspray and reduced consumption. 9.8cfm Proven DeVilbiss controls and a light, smooth trigger action. Spare Gravity Cup available for this Gun please order GFC-501 (1PT) or alternative cup KGP-509-1 (1/2PT) The FLG-3 has been phased out and replaced by FLG5, only limited parts will be available for th FLG3 please check with our telesales team. Air Inlet pressure: 1.6 bar (23 psi) Air Consumption: 368l/min (13 cfm) Air Inlet Thread: 1/4" Universal Cup Capacity: 560 mils Weight gun & cup: 692gms Air Cap: Brass Retaining Ring: Aluminium Fluid Tip: Stainless Steel Fluid Needle:

What are you intending painting Phil ? Paint or primer or both ?

Ideally both, though my £25 suction feed touch up gun from Halford is good for primer. Not V adjustable, but for blasting large areas fast, it's great. I've used it on the Skyraider on primer and basecoat so far, and it's been good, but I just feel I need a little more control of air/paint flow in some situations. Current gun has done well on the white, but the top surfaces are 3 tone camo, so I think more versatility is needed...........

BUT......I don't class it as getting 'heavy' use. Yes, I do a lot of building/painting, but it may only get used to do 3 or 4 models max a year...................I'll not be using this all day, every day as you do Shane.....which says to me, a lower priced Devilbiss gun will probably be perfectly good, and substantially better than what I am currently using.

Phil

I used the FLG-3 and then the FLG-5 and found them absolutely fine for my purposes and would suggest the FLG-5 will be perfectly suited to your set up Phil.

Hi Phil,

I too use the Halfords suction jobbie for primmer coating.  However I just had delived (today this morning) a MINI HVLP AIR SPRAY GUN 2000 with the metal cup as I did not want the plastic one splitting if knocked/dropped (same thing as you were looking at with a 125ml cup) and it is great for the work today (panel lines with those tapes I got (thanks again)

I use the big 600cc gun for large are work and it is by SIP and is about 1 year old. . . . Not let me down yet.

Davie

In that case then Phil the FLG 5 should be ideal for your useage   
It is Devilbiss as well so you should have no spares problems if required either .
I tend to get carried away with spray guns , always buying the best I can afford as Its my source of income and I want NEED them to last for at least 2 years before replacing them. For the average modeller read MY 2 years as your 2 lifetimes   

Search the net before buying as well mate dong take it that just because its on ebay its going to be cheaper . At least if you buy from a retailer there is a better chance of the gun being right i.e needles not bent (ASK MPX about this one) .

Shane 

Hi Phil,

I too use the Halfords suction jobbie for primmer coating.  However I just had delived (today this morning) a MINI HVLP AIR SPRAY GUN 2000 with the metal cup as I did not want the plastic one splitting if knocked/dropped (same thing as you were looking at with a 125ml cup) and it is great for the work today (panel lines with those tapes I got (thanks again)

I use the big 600cc gun for large are work and it is by SIP and is about 1 year old. . . . Not let me down yet.

Davie

Where from & how much Davie............

I used Devilbiss guns a lot when I worked in a spray shop for a year after leaving college......this was almost 10yrs ago, so I guess they have improved further since. Just want to check out other possible alternatives before splashing out £70 on 1 gun...................

Phil

Can't find a stockist online at moment but have you looked at the Meiji range? I bought an F75 years ago and it has been excellent, same sort of quality as the Devillbiss but at that time quite a bit cheaper, I have no idea what they are now! I think they are up to the F 100 model but they were one of the best in class at the time my particular model was a good all round low pressure gun i.e. good at around 50 psi but you can use more.
I got mine at a local automotive paint supplier for around £45-00 but this was quite a while ago!

Hope that helps

Nige.

Thanks Nige.....another make to add to the search list..............

Where from & how much Davie............

I used Devilbiss guns a lot when I worked in a spray shop for a year after leaving college......this was almost 10yrs ago, so I guess they have improved further since. Just want to check out other possible alternatives before splashing out £70 on 1 gun...................

£11.99 for the gun from this guy . . . . same day delivery by DHL 2 days to Ireland . . . . . .

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINI-HVLP-AIR-SPRAY-GUN-2000G_W0QQitemZ200091734466QQcategoryZ30906QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Only 1 hour left on this one . . . . . But he has an ebayshop.

Hi phil,
          Neil our sheep loving Welsh friend got one he was pleased with off e bay.

I wanted to get one in stock so asked hime who i think it was addpower.  Anyway i looked up my e bay files and the vendor  was                    power23011958

I got the HVLP gun with plastic pot and a spare needle diffuser assembly for £25.5

I have never used it but it looked a good bit of kit certainly ok for an average modelers lifetime , so a year or two for you.

I have used industrial Devilbiss guns before and on the surface it looks as good although I know for that price it will not be in practice. However if you were to look after it you would get a few seasons worth I would have thought.

Now to make your choice and pay your money 

Regards Clive

Love the description of the advertiser in Davie's ebay link.

OK so the guy's in Germany but................

"The highest splashing quality by the finest pulverization. Optimal hue precision, fog reduced and material saving by which. Regulating valve and the ergonomics of the pistol body offer the simplest handling and pleasant painting feeling. Suitable for conventional and water varnishes."

Sounds just what I need "highest splashing quality by the finest pulverization"

did you get one Phil? I got a real cracker from ebay some time ago, and managed to get him to do a discount for RCMF members.....want me to dig up the details??

Neil

Yes please mate...................

Neil , Phil.    see three posts up it was

power23011958


Regards Clive

Thanks Clive..................

Been a bit mental today....still not had chance to do owt about this 

What's the difference between HVLP and ordinary spraying?  Is one of them better for our purposes and if so why?  If an HVLP gun claims to need Xpsi at Ycfm and it is virtually identical to the psi and cfm of my touch-up gun, what's the difference?  Do you need a different compressor etc to run an HVLP gun?

I once bought a very cheap mini spray gun off ebay, think it was a Bergen.  It was only fit to be melted down for recycling.  The front and rear barrels that the needle slides through were at such different angles to each other that the needle had a dreadful bend in the gap and the resulting friction was so high that having pulled the needle back to operate the gun, the spring could not close it again.

What's the difference between HVLP and ordinary spraying?  Is one of them better for our purposes and if so why?  If an HVLP gun claims to need Xpsi at Ycfm and it is virtually identical to the psi and cfm of my touch-up gun, what's the difference?  Do you need a different compressor etc to run an HVLP gun?

Right, trying to hark back to my college days so bear with me here... 

Conventional spraying puts 25% paint on the subject and 75% in the air.

HVLP (High Volume/Low Pressure) reverses this by putting 75% on the subject and 25% in the air.

HVLP is a lot more efficient.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to explain this with a lot more eloquence! 

From what I've read about them, the lower pressures used on an HVLP system mean you get less paint being atomised into the surrounding atmosphere, and as the paint is hitting the surface at a lower pressure, you get less 'bounce back'...............ie:- when it hits the surface, it stays there, rather than getting bounced off by high pressure air, causing the over spray we try to avoid.

All in all, more efficient as more of the paint goes where we want it...................

Hi Phil,

The only reservation I would have with this system comes from reading about the spraying problems some are having over on the RCSB site. I haven't had any of those WBC spraying problems with my good old fashion/well worn & about knackered system, that they've been experiencing

Why change if you've got something that works perfectly alright?

Just a tuppence worth

TTFN,
Neil

Fair point.............

I actually went out and bought a 2nd of the Halfords suction feed guns last week as I'd been V pleased with the 1st one I had, and was getting tired of cleaning guns out and swapping paint.....2 guns on the go at once was V handy. The 2nd gun however was a totally different animal......it sprayed differently to the 1st, and the adjustment on it was all but non existent................with the 1st gun.....the first half of the trigger movement gives air, the 2nd brings the paint in. The 2nd gun had everything all at once which I don't like. Even after I stripped everything down to have a look inside, it still did exactly the same............

I'd have been quite happy if the 2nd had matched the 1st, but I guess when you're only paying £25, accuracy of parts and generally quality isn't going to be be very good compared to something like a Devilbiss.................hence, I've taken the 2nd gun back for a refund (there was another more serious fault on it, so I got away with it).....and want to move up in quality a little. Still not convinced by these cheap HVLP guns.......my heads telling me to go for the £70 Devilbiss and be done with it.

Phil

Hi Phil,

it sprayed differently to the 1st, and the adjustment on it was all but non existent................with the 1st gun.....the first half of the trigger movement gives air, the 2nd brings the paint in. The 2nd gun had everything all at once which I don't like.

Sounds to me like the needle valve isn't seated right. Check that the locating nut inbetween the trigger & nozzle, which the needle valve passes through, is tight. I had problems when I bought mine & nearly took it back, if you recall. However, when I found that loose nut & tightened it up everything was fine.

TTFN,
Neil

Naa...wasn't that, all checked and it was identical to my 1st gun.............

Phil pretty much has it down
HVLP (high volume low pressure) is a fact that about 70% of the paint sprayed actually is used on the job not just exists as vapour flying around in the air or "bounced" off the job .
A much better system in my opinion and certainly saves a lot of money in painting . Maybe not so much in model spraying but certainly in the commercial spraying that I do .

Shane

If an HVLP gun claims to need Xpsi at Ycfm and it is virtually identical to the psi and cfm of my touch-up gun, what's the difference?

Do you need a different compressor etc to run an HVLP gun?

I dont think so Harry .
As far as I am aware the compressor has nothing to do with it , it is after all only a tank of air .
The old guns and the new hvlp ones should be swappable with no problems.

Is there any difference in technique when using an HVLP?

No difference when I paint .
I am a bit like a robot though , fill the gun spray the job  end of story .
The paint rep (RM ) has never told us of any difference in spraying techniques so its a case of load it up and go .
HVLP is something (I think? ) the government dreamed up a few years back to slow down the amount of waste paint contents being spilled into the envioronment , along with using water based paints and the stoppage of a great paint system 2 pack !
Painting the stuff is in my eyes the same as before and the same system apart from the fact its HIGH VOLUME LOW PRESSURE  I.E more paint at a lower pressure is being used.
Take that as reading more usable paint . The low pressure means that there is less blowing around instead of hitting the target .
About 5 years ago (ish) I can recall spraying in a booth and struggling to see the job due to the clouds of paint vapour propelled at high pressure , this low pressure is better you can see what you are doing 

As an example I painted the P38 using a hvlp gun using a 24 ltr tank on a Wolf compressor . this is no special kit and is available from screwfix or a paltry sum.
The gun used was a Halfords £29.99 job  so nothing special there . The paint was mixed at work , standard water based automotive paint .
Forget the title HVLP it means nothing to MOST and LESS to the informed 

Shane

Neil , Phil.    see three posts up it was

power23011958


Regards Clive

DOH FIK AZ ZHIT I am....

I now have 4 brushes:

Badger Crescendo Airbrush (selling on Ebay, going up to an Iwata)
My Smaller 'Chrome Gun' from power 23011958
The 'Blue Gun' HVLP with 2 different nozzles from the above chap on Ebay
And a Sata 'Whopper' for the garden fence (that is what all this spraying equipment is for dear)

Truth be known, I could spray anything with a dual action airbrush and my 'blue gun' and they are the most used ones in my arsenal.

Lovely fan pattern and cone on 'Bluey' , gravity fed with a very useful cheat valve and easy to clean. For £25 odd quid Phil its a steal.

Thoroughly agree with Mr Pro Shane....I spent so much time ignoring stuff that had HVLP on the side until I ended up using one....on my Screwfix compressor 

here is the chap Phil,

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/POWER-SPRAYS_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ0QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Just remind him of RCMF and me and he will look after you.

Neil.