How to choose a spray gun

 

We study the main types of electric spray guns: airless, air, electric rollers, pneumatic sprayers. We highlight the features and delve into the spray technology. Spray guns are different: from a light manual sprayer to an electric roller. Some are suitable for finishing furniture, others — for painting walls and ceilings, fence processing log cabins with stains. In this article, we will discuss how to choose the right spray gun. Think through a few questions in advance:

• What compositions will you use?
• What kind of work are you going to do and to what extent?
• How often will you work with a spray gun?
• Is there a place to store a large unit (or compressor)?

Electric sprayers

To decide which electric spray gun to choose, first, we will find out what they are.

Airless spray guns (plunger)

With the help of a pump, the paint is sucked out of the tank and fed to the nozzle under high pressure. There is no compressed air — which means that no fog is formed. Airless spray guns use paint much more economically than air ones.

The quality of the coating is not the highest, there is a "shagreen". Therefore, it is better to use plunger models for outdoor work, where small flaws are not very noticeable. It is good to paint fences, verandas, outbuildings, etc. You can forget about small products and complex shapes — they need a softer painting.

Acrylic, synthetic, and in some cases water-soluble compositions are suitable for paints. You should study the manufacturer's recommendations for the selected tool modification. The sprayed composition should not be too thick, that is, the viscosity of the composition should not exceed the maximum permissible viscosity for the device.

It should be borne in mind that at low temperatures and especially at negative temperatures, the viscosity of many materials increases, which will affect the quality of spraying. Most often, these are compact devices with a 0.8-1 liter tank and a low-power engine.

There are versions for industrial use devices with a feed rate of up to 20 l/min. An example is the Wagner ProjectPro 119 spray gun. It takes the paint directly from the bucket and works even with viscous compositions.

Air spray guns

The difference is in the method of applying paint. The composition is supplied not by a piston, but by a jet of compressed air. For this purpose, a small compressor is provided: built-in or remote.

The remote makes the spray gun less mobile, but more convenient in practice. Vibration is not transmitted to the hands, the device is easier to hold in your hand. Due to more liquid compositions, the coating quality is higher.

If you have a small amount of work, you often have to change the color of the paint and the composition allows a liquid consistency — choose an air-type sprayer. Among the disadvantages — increased fog formation and, as a result, large consumption of paint.

Electric rollers

According to the type of spraying, they belong to air, but they differ in design. Instead of a spray gun, a roller is installed, which helps to apply the paint as evenly as possible. Thanks to the long handle, it is convenient to paint walls, ceilings, and other places where it is difficult to reach.

Pneumatic sprayers

For their operation, a compressor is needed — not a built-in one, as in the case of air models, but a much more powerful autonomous one. The compressor performance should be calculated with a margin of 30-40%: if the air consumption during painting is 120 l / min, you will need a compressor with an output of 170 l/min.

With the help of a pneumatic spray gun, you can quickly paint a large surface area (up to 200-300 sq. m. per hour, depending on the model). So it is a tool for intensive work using various compositions: lacquers, acrylic, and water-based paints. One of the disadvantages is the strong air pollution during spraying. Therefore, in production conditions, painting is performed in closed chambers.

Air spray technologies: HP, HVLP, and LVLP

HP Technology-cheap and Angry

Spray guns of this type spray the composition at high pressure. The air consumption is low — 100-300 l / min. Thanks to the wide torch, the paint is applied evenly and quickly, but more than half (up to 65%) is wasted. After painting, the surface often requires grinding. But at the cost of these spray guns — the most inexpensive.

HVLP technology for smooth painting

The device sprays paint at low pressure but in a large volume of air. The paint and varnish composition is crushed into the smallest drops, and the surface is painted as evenly as possible, without discoloration and spots.

Due to less fog formation, HVLP sprayers are excellent for painting small objects or interior decoration. Liquid paints are preferable — with thick, for example, latex, the spray gun will work worse. These devices have a high coefficient of paint transfer — which means that they are more economical than conventional air spray guns.

LVLP technology is the most promising

These devices also operate at low pressure, but with a reduced airflow (up to 350 l / min). Up to 65% of the paint is transferred to the surface — this indicates good efficiency. The quality of the painting is high — as, indeed, the price.

Spray guns for water-based paint

Water-based (also known as water-dispersion) paint is good because it dries quickly. But this is critical for spray guns: they can easily become clogged. Therefore, you can paint with a water-based emulsion only if it is included in the list of supported coatings.

Based on the particle size, the nozzle diameter of the sprayer should be at least 2 mm. An example of a suitable device is the Bosch PFS line. The patented ALLPaint technology allows you to spray any paints, including water-based ones.

We can also recommend the Wagner WallPerfect W 665 electric spray gun. This is a sprayer with HVLP technology. Especially for water-dispersion paints, it has a volumetric Emulsion nozzle.

Battery or mains?

Battery-powered spray guns give maximum autonomy. Due to the low performance, these devices are optimal for small jobs. The tank volume does not exceed 1 liter. The battery charge is enough for an hour or two of painting.

The choice of network options is wider, and the time of continuous operation is not limited by anything. In addition, if you are looking for a model with a remote compressor, there are no options here — they are only network ones.

What else is worth considering

• For convenient cleaning, the sprayer should be easy to disassemble.
• For intensive operation, models with metal tanks and nozzles are better — they have a greater margin of safety.
• You need to move often — then light sprayers with a shoulder strap or floor models on wheels will work.
• Depending on the area of painting, select the volume of the tank. The larger the container, the less often it will have to be filled.
• To paint high ceilings and hard-to-reach places, choose a paint gun with an extension cord.