Yea, I went to shoot some clear over the sanded primer on a plane tonight and the compressor picked that moment to die. Blew a seal somewhere. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting any material through the gun. Turns out the compressor was pumping, but it has a major leak somewhere. I was pretty tired so I just blew the air out and I guess I can look a it tomorrow.

To make matters worse, something is seriously wrong with my clear gun. The thing is also leaking air out of a seal somewhere. What a fabulous day!

Guess I'll have to reassess.

No, I was just shooting some clear to seal up the filler. Didn't get very far. Couldn't figure out why the gun wasn't passing much paint. Helps where there's pressure.

The gun is the DeVilbiss that I usually use for clear. I'll see tomorrow if there is a seal kit for it. It's not an expensive gun, but worked pretty well for clear. Worst case, I'll spring for a new one. I'd like to get another decent gun. Maybe I'll go for one of those Finex jobs that Mark was talking about. I try to reserve the Binks gun I have for color coats.

I'll look at the compressor tomorrow. It's an old Craftsman. Could just be a bad seal or something. I couldn't tell where the leak was. I'll half to take the thing apart to figure out what's going on.

Hey, some days are like that.

Do you oil your seals? It was revelation to me that that some guns recommend this. Apparently the seals are made of leather. I've an Ingersoll Rand gun that worked great for over a year until I submerged it in thinner and messed up the seals. (Didn't even know about the seals. Didn't read the instructions warning me that submerging gun is a no no.) The touch up gun was $40 at Lowes. Tried to buy another only to find that Lowes has discontinued this brand. The equivalent IR gun seems to be about $70, elsewhere. Oh well.

How do people take care of their seals? What is the usual maintenance drill for spray guns? Also, what size needle are people using, for different paints? I've been teaching myself to spray paint our toy airplanes. Getting better, I think, with each project. Also, I talk with Bob Brookins at each Brodak fly in. An article (or two) on spray painting would be much appreciated by this enthusiast.

I decided to replace my clear gun (a midlevel DeVilbiss) with a CATechnologies gun, a Jaguar Mini-Jet. It's another mid-line gun that's a copy of the Sata Mini-Jet. Cool part is it comes with 3 needles and seats (0.8, 1.0 and 1.5). in theroy for clear, base color and primer, though I'll only likely use it for clear coats. This is an example of a decent, mid-priced gun (about 199.00 MSRP that I found on sale for 145.00). Not a great gun, but a decent one.

I'm really hoping that the compressor is repairable. I really, really don't want to have to buy a new compressor right now. Sigh....

One nice thing about learning to spray these days is the availability of real cheap stuff to begin with. The first gun I bought was $12 at a flea market, new in the sealed plastic hang up pack. Used it for a year, until gold flecks from gold paint, did in the needle. Neat to get a feel for spray painting dope on the cheap. The next gun was a decent Ingersoll Rand that instantly showed me the value of using something better. The knock offs available at Harbor Freight and the like, great values. I'm a retread, back in this for four fun years. Back in the day, as a kid, only used a brush. So, I had to get over a bit of an emotional hump when doing spray. Jumping in is the way to go. Starting to get a feel for mixing thinner, retarder, etc. The inexpensive equipment, now available, works well enough to use for a start. Besides it seems to me that todays dope needs to be sprayed. Doesn't go on easily, when brushed. I sprayed six or seven models using a 3/4 horse 2 gallon compressor. Didn't even recycle on it's own. Just blew the safety valve, if I let the compressor run too long. When it started to smoke and screech it got thrown in the trash. I appreciate the 19 gallon tank on my new Sears compressor. Going up in stages teaches the value of each incremental improvement.

I discussed precisely this with Bob Brookins last year at Brodak. We talked about the small compressor I had been using (it was given to me in mightily used condition.) Also, the ridiculously cheap gun I started out with. The combo doing a pretty good job all in all, for sport planes and the like. We concluded that learning how to mix paint-- thinner, retarder, deal with weather conditions (such as humidity and temperature), adjusting air pressure for spray pattern, all this required developing a feel-- learning about painting was the most important issue. No need to get hung up on the equipment, at least when starting out. I used the small compressor simply because a buddy found it when cleaning out a rental on his property and gave it to me. I used the spray gun because what the heck it was there at a flea, $12. My point is that in that year I got painting. I developed a base line. Later, when using better equipment, I was skilled enough to appreciate the differences.

OK, here's the story. The compressor is an old 2hp, 20 gallon Sears job. It does a fine job, though certainly not the best thing in the world, has been eminently serviceable. Turns out that the pressure tube where it connects to the pressure relief switch was split requiring not only a new switch by new tube and nuts. Sigh... Sears doesn't carry the parts anymore, but I found that an outfit called M&S supply online carries them. Turns out that DeVilbiss makes the compressor for Sears and the parts are available through M&S DeVilbiss parts service. I was kinda surprised when I punched in the Sears part numbers and got DeVilbiss parts. I back tracked and entered the model number and that's were I found out that DeVilbiss made thing things for Sears. Figures. So, a mere $50 later and the parts are on the way.

After talking to Mark S. last night, I decided to bite the bullet and just bought the SATA gun. It's near top of the line and the place I bought it had a special. The price was steep, but not obscene, and the deal comes with a rebuild kit and various doodads (holder, filter frame, pressure gauge, fittings and a disposable material cup system - the gun itself has an aluminum cup). I swallowed a bit, but with the old Binks gun I have, I should be set for the duration. The DeVilbiss is a decent gun and I may track down a rebuild kit for it, but it's not in the league of a SATA.

I'm blaming Mark for inadvertently talking me into it.   

Turns out that the pressure tube where it connects to the pressure relief switch was split requiring not only a new switch by new tube and nuts.

Well, the Blind Hog strikes again.......... seems some people here don't understand that I was a poor boy and learned a LOT from an extremely brilliant man and own my own...........  and still know it.

As to HAVING to use a $400 gun?  Ridiculous (not offense, Mark) but I will put my finishes up with anyones (especially since I don't even sweat over them) and my MOST expensive gun is $29.95. Pretty much the exact same gun Windy used on all his old painting videos.  Gee.. didn't THAT guy have a 20 pointer??  I HAVE USED ridiculously high priced guns (I used to go by Bob Switzer's shop, $10,000-$20,000 paint jobs) which are a necessity if you have to do it day in and day out for a living, but for a plane every 6 months or so, it ain't.  There is only SO MUCH you can do to a model airplane, and 99% of that is in the preparation.  If you have the money, by all means get the best you can, but take care of it since the overall usage will be minimal.   And as Lily Tomlin used to say: "and that's the truth".

Bill no offense taken. I think I said, At least I hope i have said bdcause its my intent. Buy the best you can afford. There IS a difference, it DOES make a difference. Can you get a good job with cheaper stuff? absolutly! Will it be easier, Not neccessarily. In fact many times you have to figure out how to compensate for the shortcomings of the less expensive equipment. Knock yoruself out, I really didnt ever tell Randy to buy the SATA, sheesh hes just trying to get me in trouble. I will continue to state unequivocably that there does exist a difference between the inexpensive guns and the good ones. Randy and I talked about it last night in fact, good equipment is always good, some ok equipment is good. Is the difference relative to an individual, sometimes yyes sometimes no. Pay your money take your chances. I will always reccomend buy the best equipment you can justify. I too use some harbor freight stuff. my epoxy brushes and things like that, heck yeah, they are functionally acceptable for what I want them for. would I use them to brush dope on a wing, Nope. As a Proffesional painter, If I reccomend somethning it will be because I trust it to NOT cause you problems. That is the reason I will reccomend buying the best you can. the difference between expensive guns and cheap guns usually is in the QC line. that means some cheap guns are ok, some are garbage. The key is to know when you get a junk one, is it you, or the gun?

Well, I'm still waiting for parts. Hopefully I'll see the compressor parts by the weekend. It's getting boring around here. May have to go back to playing Freelancer. Sigh...

Mark,

Not my cup of tea. Right now I'm still playing Freelancer (with added open source modules - online), a bit of Prophecy and a new game called Starshatter-the Gathering Storm. Pretty cool. I love space flight games.

Randy,
gotta test the new spray gun out, @just blow in the hose really reallly hard,,

Randy...you could borrow my compressor for awhile. It's a 4hp, and requires 230v., funny plug, ya know. Lemme know.  Rod would probably let you use his paint booth, too.  Steve

I thought your shop was upstairs from the garage. Why don't you put your compressor downstairs and run some pipe up to the model shop? That way, you won't have to listen to it so intently! If you buy a new compressor, get a good one, that will live ten+ years. Let me know if you need mine.  Steve

OK, it's a done deal. There is a new compressor in the back of my car even as I type this. On top of everything else, it went on sale today and I saved $50. Can't beat that with a stick.

Steve,

Actually, the spousal unit encouraged me to just buy the thing. So, new compressor, new air lines and connectors, new in line filter and dehumidifier with water trap and very cool new spray gun. Should be set for awhile.

Mark,

Yea, I'm glad there's a 4 day weekend coming up. I'm abouts to do some serious painting.

Mark,

Naw, my staff is all out on leave today. In fact, they are out of state for the holiday. Someone has to mind the store. Sigh... I've decided I'm way too nice a boss.

But, I now have accumulated all new stuff and am ready to move forward. That's at least encouraging. With luck, all the color will be on the Cobra by Sunday depending on how carried away I get with paint scheme complexity. I just love 6-8 hours of taping and masking for 2 minutes of actual painting.

Mark,

Believe me, there are times that that sounds pretty attractive.

Steve,,
groan,,, you hadda say it didnt you,, sigh
good news on teh flying feild! you guys ahve been working on that deal for ages trying to get a real "home" hope it comes to totall fruition!

(snip) But, I now have accumulated all new stuff and am ready to move forward. That's at least encouraging. With luck, all the color will be on the Cobra by Sunday depending on how carried away I get with paint scheme complexity. I just love 6-8 hours of taping and masking for 2 minutes of actual painting.

Hi Randy, 

I'm so glad to hear that you CAN spend 8 hours of taping and YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PAINT AGAIN!

I know you will do the Cobra proud.

and I will say, and not apoligize, I do refinishing professionaly. I spray different colors, different substrates and different clears. I will never agree that a Harbor Freight gun will spray as well as my expensive guns. It simply will not atomize as well, or be as consistant. To say otherwise is to say that my twister will fly as well as Paul Walkers Impact. Maybe, just maybe if Pauls impact was way out of trim, and mY twister was at its absolute best maybe youcould compare them. No disrpect to you Mr. Hinton, but I havent even heard of a "Plummer" I have been painting for 25 years, I am a total advocate of having the best you can afford, it will serve you better for longer with less headaches. YOu do as you choose, and more power to you if it works. I have helped many many people to sort out problems painting , granted mostly on cars and motorcyles, but my point remains valid. As a rule, people that were willing to invest in at least a middle range gun, had less problems than people that bought cheap equipment. My 40 FP will not ever perform the same as Pauls 40 VF. Occasionally it may appear to work as well, but overall, long term what is the best solution.

Hi Mark,
The Plummer guns are made here in Napoleon, Ohio, and are used, along with their "heavier" spray equipment, in the automated auto industry in Detroit and other main line plants.  Not too many are familiar with them because they don't push the "non-industry" market.  As a restorer of aircraft many years ago and then a restorer of cars as a hobby I've used them all, and these HF el-cheapo's work fine for my application.
The finish work I do professionally is on small stuff, similar in size to a stunt ship, and involves a lot of clear application and a heap of mettalics.  I find them sufficient.  I do admit that if I were doing full scale aircraft or cars again that I would go back to the huge Plummer, even over the DeVilbus, which, by the way, is also made within 30 miles of my shop.
It appears I offended you since you refer to me as "Mr. Hinton", if so, my apologies, but with the size and scope of our models, I simply can't see the need for the high dollar stuff when my $2000 custom guitars are quite loved and admired by all my clients.
www.crossovercustomguitars.com will give you a look at my wares if you're curious.
Blessings,
Will

Will and all,
In reading my postI can see that it comes across as me being upset, not sure that I really am. I do get frustrated with trying to solve peoples problems with paint issues, again not neccessarily with models. I personally get very frustrated with equipment that makes my performance more difficult and less predictable. Perhaps my outlook is jaded, but I want equipment that willnot introduce unknown variables into the equation. there are enough things to try to control without that. I by no means feel it is critical to buy a 400 dollar spray gun. there are good guns in the 100 dollar range. For me, if I am using a tool for a job, I want to be sure it is capable of doing the job I expect. as I said initially, will a Harbor Freight gun work, yes, sometimes. can you work around the problems yes sometimes. can you fly a 500 point pattern with a flight streak, yes sometimes, can anyone do it, nope it takes a special level of finesse. So if you dont have the finesse, and you strive for a top notch finish, perhaps it is in your best interest to use tools that wont cause you more problems that you dont have the skills or experience to diagnose, is it me, is, it the paint,is it the reducer,or is it the gun? I am very very carefull about recomending a tool for a job that will cause problems. Will it sounds as though you have many hours experience with a spray gun in your hand. I commend you for the quaility of work you do, I like the looks of your guitars. With your experience I imagine you have been able to overcome the shortcomings of these substandard tools to create your above standard instrements. When someone asks me, what spray gun should I buy,, First question, what can you really afford, and what do you want it to do for you. I beleive you probably ask your customers the same questions about your custom guitars. I dont know, I really hope I havent offended you, youhavent offended me. I simply am trying to "protect the innocent". There is NO ignoring the fact that a better tool allows you to do a better job easier. I am sure you feel that way about your guitars? My sole reason for being adamant about this issue is that as a painter, I feel responsible for advice I give. I dont want people to get the impression that a Harbor Freight , or any other repro copy cheap spray gun will do the job as well as  a good gun.   By good I am speaking of any number of 100 $ guns on the market by name brand companys. FInex, Finish Line,, and several others. As with your guitars, and those that Hastings sells for 100$, there IS a difference, a marked difference and an advantage to using better tools.
Respectfully, I invite you to communicate with me personally, I dont like the misconceptions that some times arrise as a result of this media format. I am not offended, just protective I appreciate your input and perspectve, though I may not agree.
Have a blessed day

P.S. I would like some info on the brand of gun you spoke of, th e Plummer,I did a search as I am a fan of Unfamiliar spray equipment, I cant find anything on it online. is there a contact site? Incidently, my favorite spray gun is my Kremlin,which is also not well known but all the painters that have tried it fell in love with it for clear, it sprays a very controlled pattern about 12 inchs across and very very flat and extremely atomized. it is my FAVORITE clear gun of all time. I hate it for color coats though.

Randy, first off, I want to apologize for hijacking your thread, seems I have a habit of this happening, sigh,,,,
Greg,
that is a very astute observation and also a very valid one. As I noted, I have a gun I use for clear when shooting cars, thats my Kremlin. It sprays urethane clear exceedingly well. It has machining and nozzle jetting that atomizes the particular viscosity and structure of this material well. I have tried to spray acrylic lacquer and cabinet lacquers through this gun. I can make them work but it certainly is NOT optimized for it. My Devilbiss cup gun, old siphon feed cup, sprays cabinet lacquer far better than any of my newer high tech guns. I can and on occasion do , spray this material through my modern guns for various reasons. The most common one being when I work in my shop at home, IE my garage. My modern guns distribute far less over spray into the air while i am spraying than does my cup gun simply by nature of design and the inherent efficiencies of HVLP technology. I have other guns that I use to spray basecoat colors, and still other guns for sealer and primers. Each material has its own "happy place" where it will spray better, this includes thinner  temp range, temp and airflow, as well as the gun porting and needle size. You will also note in past posts that I am a very very big believer in using the thinner that was engineered for  material you are spraying. In other words, you wont see me recommend Dupont 380s or anything else to use in Brodak, Sig or any other dope. I am also a firm believer in not mixing paint lines. In other words, I believe in every paint product on the surface being from the same product line. One of my worst case scenarios is using something like water based wood finishing material under dope. I am actually trying to resolve some issues in a system that will allow a complete Urethane system from bottom to top. This will eliminate many problems with shrinkage and incompatibility that occur. Yes I am a purist. I am that way because I have had enough issues using all the right stuff to be horrified to think of mixing things together that weren't meant to be together. I know there are lots of people that mix and match and do it successfully. Some of them do magnificent work. as Phil Granderson said, rely on the fact that it works to know it works. ( I think thats the way it went) I speak from my personal experience. The best way I can explain my feelings is to use analogies, Some time ago, Honda built a car called the NSX. It was slammed in some of the motoring press because it was to easy to drive fast. It was said that anyone could drive the car within 90 percent of its capability and that until they got into a crisis situation they would be very very fast.Not 100 percent, but the first 90 were so easy to get. This is the way I look at spray guns. There IS a difference in quality, and repeatability. I can take a Harbor Freight gun that I bought for 20$ and in all likely hood by the time I have sprayed a cup of paint through it, I know how to make it work pretty much near its optimum. It may be I have to tweak the amount of thinner, air pressure, type of hardner, or how fast I move the gun. I may even make small adjustments mechanically on the gun. If you, who by your own words, isnt exceedingly experienced with paint, were to pick up that same gun and try to spray, and it was not working, would you know to increase the fan screw, increase the air pressure, thin the material, use different thinner, hold the gun closer or farther away. Heck I have even read reports of some of the inexpensive guns having some of the air ports not machined completely through. without the experience, you wont know what is happening. At least With a good gun,  a lot of the concerns like this are eliminated. You can be assured that the gun will react repeatably. I dont really knwo what Will's situation is in his shop. However, I would hazard a guess that he is spraying pretty much the same material day in and day out. He obviously has experience with a spray gun and has learned to make the cheap guns work for him. More power to him. Its guys like you that I worry about. As with my flying, I dont want my equipment to be the limiting factor. I want my skill or lack of it to be the deciding factor in the equation.I haven't really addressed some of the variables but perhaps this isn't the right place for that. I may try to generate a document to cover some of that if there is interest and I can drag myself away from my bf109 project long enough to do it
Please realize, I dont think I am an expert painter, I am an experienced painter. I have made lots of mistakes and had to solve lots of problems. but like my daddy told me, you LEARN more from mistakes than you ever will from doing it right.