The perfect paint spray gun (Full Version)

All Forums >> [RC Airplanes] >> Kit Building



Message

Gray Beard -> The perfect paint spray gun (11/11/2012 11:29 PM)

Yesterday I took a quick trip to Harbor Freight in search of the paint spray can, not a gun. It looks like a rattle can and you just put your paint in it and pressurize it, surprise, they no longer stock it. Instead I picked up a little 4 ounce gravity fed spray gun. It's soooooo cute!!! Not only cute but about the best little spray gun I have ever used. It's about perfect for painting a model. You only fill it with about 3 ounces of paint at a time but it only takes about 6 ounces of paint to do a 60 size plane.
Using Klass Kote paint I was able to get the perfect fan shaped spray. Best part was the clean up. I just wiped out the can with a paper towel and some solvent then put in about 1/3 cup of solvent and sprayed it out. I opened it up to check to see if I had to clean farther but it was perfectly clean.
The perfect modeling spray gun and only $13.00. I have several different types of guns but this is now my bestest favorite from now on![:D] Happy boy!!!



eddieC -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/12/2012 12:06 AM)

Great! Tips like yours are invaluable, GB!



Marinep51 -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/12/2012 1:17 AM)

Got a link for us with no HF store?



Campgems -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/12/2012 2:14 AM)

Gene, what compressor are you using with it?  Not brand, but volume and pressure?   I was down to the local Harbor Freight a couple days back and was looking at that gun.  I was wondering if my little air brush compressor would work with it.

Is this the one?  http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-detail-spray-gun-92126.html

Don



Gray Beard -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/12/2012 3:35 PM)

Hi Don, I still have that 1.20 waiting for you on your next visit to town. I have one of the little one tank nail gun compressors you see contractors using. I gave my son my big one when I moved here but I kept the little one. I had it set at 50 pounds and it was cycling quite a bit so I don't think the air brush diaphragm type will work. These small tank types are pretty good for home use and you can get them for as low as about $60.00. I use the heck out of mine just keeping the car and van tires at the correct pressure and it will still operate my impact guns. I dial it down for the air brush. I gave away my air brush compressor years ago and bought this little one when I had the dental lab. I know HF has them but they come up on sale all the time at different stores and you can beat HFs price.



Wagon1 -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/13/2012 12:37 PM)

I used this gun on a project last year. It was my first time using a gun and I had a lot of trouble. I was spraying on thinned dope. The dope was a gloss but it came out flat. I experimented with different setting but was never really satisfied. I guess I just need to practice.



SunDevilPilot -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/13/2012 2:53 PM)

I haven't used the Harbor Freight gun but I would recommend the spray gun I use, a Sata Minijet 4 (Now sold as a Minijet 3000 B).  I have owned mine for many years and it still operates the same as day one.  I am OCD about cleaning it so after each session it gets torn down.  I can say that Sata makes an amazing spray gun and it would be the last one you will purchase if properly cared for.  I got the minijet because it consumes a lower amount of air than a full size gun.  This allows you to use a smaller compressor than a full size spray gun would need. 

I also added a particle filter and water trap to my equipment.  It has a diaphragm regulator to really dial the gun in perfectly.

Here is what mine looks like and a cowl I painted with it, using Klass Kote Paint (Awesome Paint with great service!!!).

SunDevilPilot



Gray Beard -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/13/2012 5:57 PM)

I had problems with dope myself and it seems the thinner used is the key to a good job. I haven't used it to paint a plane in years, like about 40 so I don't recall the thinner I used back then.
When I was still building sand rails and buggy's I had a pair of Bink's guns, those I worried about cleaning and took care of them. These days if I have a painting project I just go to HF and buy a HVLP gun when they are on sale. The cost of a gallon of thinner to clean guns costs more then the guns themselves so I don't worry about getting then as clean as I used to. It can be more cost effective to just toss the cheap gun and I don't have to worry about where to get rid of the dirty solvent.
For model planes I may only paint one every couple of years so just buying a cheap gun and hooking it up directly to my compressor does the trick. I do have a moisture trap someplace in my garage or shop? When I was working with air tools a lot I had it in my air line.
SD, you have a great set up and not only is it good but it's simple, I like easy. In this new home and my Etty bitty shop I have no place to store much of anything so I no longer go to the trouble of making up things I would only use once every two or three years. If I still lived in my home and had my big shop in Calif. I would make up a system like you did.
I did manage to air up the tires on my car and van yesterday, way over due too. I think I will locate my water trap and hook it up to my compressor. These little contractor compressors don't have the moisture release valve on them and I have to tip it then shoot any moisture out the nozzle so that only happens once or twice a year. Maybe I could do like you did and just attach it to the wall? See, you got my brain going already and I have only had one cup. Thanks for the photo.
It's no Bink's but at $13.00 I'm still very impressed. The plane is painted and it's now time to assemble it and try the air brush.



Leroy Gardner -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/13/2012 11:26 PM)

Hi guys, paint setups can be elaborate or simple and do the same quality work. I have a plumbed air system in my shop that is large enough to put a clear 2 mill paint booth in it when needed, also have wall fan for fumes. I know alot of you don't have the room to do something like that and painting in the home that has children can be hazerdous to all. That presents a challenge for many but don't forget the water base paints, many can be used in home environments without ill effects and are great for models.

Gray Beard I don't know how you do it with such a small shop but I see some nice stuff come out of there. You sound like an old painter like me, I just paint models these days. A decent HVLP gun and a air brush will do anything for me these days and a compressor to run them does not have to cost a fortune, besides you can blow up bike, car tires and the kids balls if you have any kids and thats a good excuse for the woman to get one. ha, good luck.

Pict. of last paint job, Leroy Internet won't up load, will do it later



vicman -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 2:43 AM)

I have the two gun kit from HF and use the smaller one frequently. I'm very happy with it.



Gray Beard -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 5:15 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Leroy Gardner

Hi guys, paint setups can be elaborate or simple and do the same quality work. I have a plumbed air system in my shop that is large enough to put a clear 2 mill paint booth in it when needed, also have wall fan for fumes. I know alot of you don't have the room to do something like that and painting in the home that has children can be hazerdous to all. That presents a challenge for many but don't forget the water base paints, many can be used in home environments without ill effects and are great for models.

Gray Beard I don't know how you do it with such a small shop but I see some nice stuff come out of there. You sound like an old painter like me, I just paint models these days. A decent HVLP gun and a air brush will do anything for me these days and a compressor to run them does not have to cost a fortune, besides you can blow up bike, car tires and the kids balls if you have any kids and thats a good excuse for the woman to get one. ha, good luck.

Pict. of last paint job, Leroy Internet won't up load, will do it later

Outstanding choice of P-51. I just finished the book, Goerge Preddy Top Mustang Ace a couple weeks ago. Not a must read but it was OK. Think it showed up on my Amazon account as a free book or a book under $3.00? If you think the shop I have now is small you should have seen my 10X10 before I moved into my 1000 foot shop. Once I got the 1000 sq. ft. shop I was able to put out a lot of big planes. I do OK if I keep them under 100 inches in this new little shop I have. Problem I have isn't building them, problem is I have no room to store them. Next two builds will be around just a tad over 90 inches but I think I will have to store them by hanging in the garage. Will probably be my last two builds. Your Stang is pure quality, I have a couple of friends that have built the same plane in different sizes. I doubt if they know who George Preddy was though.
Gene



NoOneFlysAtMyClub -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 5:21 AM)

The Sata is a sweet gun, we use them at my shop. I don't think the average modeler,
that sprays once in a while, is willing to spend $500.00 for a gun.

If you ever do get to use one, you will wonder how you ever lived without it!



Gray Beard -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 4:56 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: NoOneFlysAtMyClub

The Sata is a sweet gun, we use them at my shop. I don't think the average modeler,
that sprays once in a while, is willing to spend $500.00 for a gun.

If you ever do get to use one, you will wonder how you ever lived without it!

I moved from So. Cal. in 86 and other then one old truck I started to paint I never had the need of another good spray gun. I was never an auto painter anyway, sand rails are just that, round pipes welded together to form a car of some type. I didn't need the Binks guns but I'm an old horse trader and they just sorta came my way. Way more gun then I needed but the control I got with them was outstanding.
The reason I posted about the little HF gun was just for the reason you mentioned, a modeler doesn't really require a high end spray gun. At $13.00 this little 4 ounce gun is the best cheap gun I have ever discovered for the modeler like myself that may paint a model once in a while.
I just borrowed a friends Paasche two stage air brush, mine is just a cheap single stage from Harbor Freight. I have some different designs in my head for this plane and I will see if I can do it better with a better air brush? I have no talent in the ait field at all but maybe the simple design I have in my head will come out better with a higher quality tool?
I'll find out today.



NoOneFlysAtMyClub -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 5:07 PM)

I have the two stage Harbor Freight air brush. Nice little unit. Sprays very well and did not cost $129.00.
A lot of people bash Harbor Freight, (sometimes for good reason) but if you shop carefully, read the reviews
and don't expect top of the line performance, you will most likely be satisfied with your purchase.



saramos -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 6:15 PM)

Another good related toy from HF is their Air Eraser. It's a sand blaster the size of an airbrush. I just picked one up and started playing with it using regular baking soda and was able to erase the ink off the instruction sheet. On bare metal, it will remove surface grime and leave a matte finish. For a little more of an aggressive job, HF also sells a 240 grit abraisive. It wll remove very light surface rust from steel. I can see uses like paint removal, weathering, prepping fiberglass for gluing, cleaning metals for soldering and who knows what else. It's about $28.

http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/paint/air-eraser-kit-99636.html

Scott



Leroy Gardner -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 6:48 PM)

Hi Gene, yeah the mustang came out pretty nice and thanks for your nice comments. 1,000 feet, you made it sound like you were building out of a shed, ha ha. My shop is a 720 sq. ft. and your right about one thing, start building a big plane and it gets real small real fast. I do feel blessed, I built the shop when we built our home here 17 yr's ago and it's insulated with forced air gas furnace. Alota guys would love to have just a 1/4 of it. Well you sound like an old painter, Me, well I have painted just about everything it seams including real planes. I try to advise on a number of these paint threads and it really don't have to cost a fortune, but then you need a safe place to paint some of these paints and many just don't have that and can only paint outside in summer. Thats why I feel blessed, I can do it year round.

I only have 6 planes to store and a Tiger 60 going on the table shortly, gonna put a DLE20 in it, it will be my totally fun plane. How many do you have and don't say you are a hoarder, haha-some guys are I think. Besides getting too old, I don't have room to build a hanger at my place.

Hey, I'll be building and posting the Tiger build along with a couple of others, "I hope", on the Goldberg Tiger club thread at Kit Building, check us out if you have a mind too.

Reguards, Leroy



Gray Beard -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/14/2012 9:16 PM)

My shop in Calif, was 1000 sq. ft. this thing I have now to work in is about 10X 14, could have been bigger before I moved in my benches and table. I think it was 14X14? Can't recall and nothing I want to measure or it could upset me. In Calif. I have a 22X22 building I used as a garage and auto work shop. Country living, I had out buildings like my 10X10 barn I had built. It was wired and insulated to death, I did all that myself for my dental lab. Ended up as my RC shop. When I had the new house built I moved my shop into the old house and that was 1000 sq. ft.
My lack of painting skills is legend!! Right now is lunch break but I will be out using the air brush again in a few minutes. I liked the paint job in my minds eye a lot better then on this plane!!![8|] It looked so good in my head. Looks like I turned one of the grand kids loose with the painting in real life. I really suck with painting. Base color is fine, after that it's all down hill. I have the artistic talent of a 4 year old. I can paint a car as long as it's one color. After that I'm lost.



Leroy Gardner -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/16/2012 1:12 AM)

AMEN to that, but who said you can't teach an old guy new tricks, there is some humor in the way you put that.

You take care.



Aurora_60 -> RE: The perfect paint spray gun (11/22/2012 9:23 AM)

The SATA mini jets are really nice. They dont run as high as the full size guns, but they are still pricey. Iwata also makes a mini, but those are a bit more. I couldn't believe how much I spent on my Sata Jet digital, but the first time I used it, I was so impressed that I probably would have spent twice as much for that gun.

DM



Page: [1]

Valid CSS!




SITE MAP!   : :   FORUM RULES

RC Universe is a service of Internet Brands, Inc. Copyright © 2001-2013.
0.125