I have recently been using HVLP spray guns from Harbor Freight, both HVLPs.

I have just used the HVLP detail gun to spray a Hawk wing panel, the results are fabulous, the gun is VERY controllable, has a 5 ounce paint cup (more than enough for an entire Hawk wing panel, and sells for just 39 dollars complete with guage and regulator and they use the same anodising colours as BVM so it looks right too ! They are also selling their larger HVLP guns on special for just 25 dollars, (works just as well , will be great for my 1/3 scale Cub) fabulous prices for great equipment.

Just thought I'd pass this on for what its worth.

www.harborfreight.com

Regards, David Gladwin.

Thanks for the info David.
I am in the market for a spray gun but I'm not sure if I have a strong enough air compressor.
What size air compressor are you using? I have a 1 1/2 h.p., 12 Gal. tank that delivers 4.7 scfm @ 40 psi and 3.3 @ 90 scfm.
What do you think? Do I have to get a bigger air compressor?

Wayne

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43430

There are the specs.

Check the paperwork that came with the gun, it'll tell you what c.f.m. you'll need to take full advantage of the equipment.

I think I'm pushing 19 c.f.m. If I remember correctly you'll need around 16.

Jeff

I am using a 2 HP comp. with a 21 litre tank, works both guns just fine, needs just 3.7 CFM @43 psi so your compressor will be fine I prefer the smaller, detail, (model 46719) gun to the larger, cheaper, model. It is so much easier to use and the spray size and pattern was just perfect on my big Hawk. The HVLP gun certainly seems to be more economical on paint, too. Love it !

Regards, David G.

Thanks guys for all your inputs. David, I'm glad you started this thread. Your last post makes me feel better. Maybe I don't have to go and buy a bigger air compressor.
Thanks David,

Wayne

David

These guns look like excellent value for money. I see they also do a touch-up gun for $9.99!! Someone commented on my thread about spraying with emulsion paint that you needed to spend $500 for a good spray gun. If the results from these guns are as good as the finish on your Hawk they are good enough for me!

Best regards

John

in most cases you can get the same visual results (what your eye sees) with a $10 gun as you can a $1000 one but IF you were spraying full scale aircraft or a race cars the $1000 gun would save you several pounds of weight as they spray a much finer and fuller coverage so you save materials and weight, not enough saved on a RC jet to make it worth the cost difference.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92126

They regularly run these for $10.00
I think it is the best gun Ive ever used for clearcoat.

John, Thank you for your kind remarks about the Hawk and my best regards to you and Colin W.

In fact my JWM Hawk was painted with a Badger 400 touch up gun which gave up with one wing panel to clear. That panel was done with the larger HVLP gun and works beautifully but is rather cumbersome. The smaller HVLP gun is much easier to manage and is much more controllable than the Badger as it has a pressure controller and air adjustor ON the gun and has very accurate and easy to adjust fan spray and paint quantity controls. It produces an even better finish than the Badger. I believe these guns are Chinese copies of very expensive European guns. I am getting a couple more , one for a friend and a couple of those smaller guns ( as mention by Dr Doom) for small work. At the prices they charge and seeing the quality of finish they produce one just can't lose !

Hope the weather is geting better in Scotland now that spring is approaching.

best regards, David.

David

I am just about to order a couple of these guns myself, thanks for letting us know about them. Weather is dire here with almost constant wind and rain! We have had only a couple of jet flying days this year. I am off to Colorado on Monday for two weeks skiing and hopre the weather will have improved by my return.

Bestregards

John

John,
The skiing is great here but if you can’t stay away from models drop by Chatfield State Park. I live in S.E. Denver and fly at both Chatfield and Cherry Creek State Parks. It will be near 70 here today but we may have snow in the city tomorrow.

Sid

Thanks for the invite but this will be a ski trip only! The nearest I will get to Cherry Creek is the mall for my wife to shop on the way back to the airport.

Best regards

John

Hi David, What kind of paint are you using with the guns? Have you done any experimentation with thinners? Dan

I am using 2k almost exclusively, with about 15 % thinner.

Regards, David Gladwin.

Thanks David. 2K may be an Australian paint. I'm not familar with it. Is it oil, latex, lacquer, automotive, etc.? Dan

2k is the world wide generic term for two part auto paint. If you have not used it before, do be careful, it contains iso-cyanates so a mask and outdoor spraying is essential, unless you have a booth and full air fed mask equippment. Produces a fabulous and highly durable finish.


I can strongly recommend tyhe series of finishing article by Ralf Scneider (of Tailor Made Decals) in Jet Power magazine.


Regards, David.

Thanks again David. I was using automotive paints when I was using glow fuel. When I switched to gass engines, no nitromethane, I started to spray with oil based paints. The finish is not as good but it is good enough. The paints are also not as toxic and also not as durable. But the color selection is immense. They are being phased out in the Los Angles area so I will be in the hunt again for a replacement. Dan.

Hi David,
I wanted to know more information about your repirator you wear for spraying 2K?
Is it an air-fed full face mask? Where do you get the air supply for it from?
Is it the same compressor as the spray gun..Or do you have an electric compressor version?

best regards
Dave Kelly

Dave, I do not use an air fed mask but I do wear a 3M charcoal filter mask AND always spray outdoors (like this morning, perfect conditions) and avoid the fumes religiously.

I have been playing with the small gun more and now have it set up for a perfect finish, a glass like surface, not a trace of orange peel and am now using 20% thinner and a liitle more pressure than before.

Yesterday I was buying paint and there was a gun on sale with identical specs to the Harbor freight gun, price was 415 dollars as against 39 for the H-F one.

I also managed to get some 2k paint which is an identical, perfect, match to the red obtained from the RAF which is used on their Red Arrow Hawks. I have the spec. so if anyone need it PM me.

The more I use this gun the more I like it.

Regards, David.

Enjoy your ski trip, John !!

Hi David,

Ralph Scneider recommends spraying the colour with 1 pack paint and using 2 pack paint only for the clear coat.
Do you use the same procedure or use 2k paint throughout.

Best regards
Chaitanya.

John,
Your 2 weeks skiing should be about up. I am about 10 minutes from the Cherry Creek Mall. If you need something to do call me and come by.
303-757-4082

The thinnest paint cover is achieved with paints such as Humbrol enamels and these were used on my BVM F4 and FC Mig 29 with great success. The Humbrol paints are available in many FS numbers. Its not as expensive as one might think because Humbrols have amazing covering power.

On sports jets I use 2k with no clear. On the Hawk I used 2k paint which is the actual paint used on the Reds Hawks because Humbrol do not do the exact red. Trick is to keep it as thin a coat as poss. For the clear on the Hawk I have used Upol 2k clear with upto 50% thinner and its producing a fabulous shine, the HVLP gun from Harbor Freight is fabulous and after experimenting with the gun and increasing the amount of thinner the finish is like glass.

The code for the RA red is CPU 3x01x32.00 It is a Glasurit paint. Glasurit also make a blue which is the exact blue for RAF roundels and fin flashes. It is called, Roundel Blue in their catalogue and meets BS 381c, 110 !

Regards, David.

Sorry, wrong key

Hi David,

Sent you a pm with my address

Best regards
Chaitanya