Hi,
Whats the deal with cleaning spray guns? Is it just a matter of running some clean thinners through them or do you have to pull them apart?
I've got a couple of new guns and I dont want to stuff them up.
Thanks
Cleaning spray guns?
Started by
Com_VC
, Jan 06 2008 10:33 AM
20 replies to this topic
#2
_Yella SLuR_
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 11:22 AM
I generally just clean the front of the gun, nozzle, etc where paint goes, although, you may have to do a major overhaul now and then. The way I think of it is the result is directly proportional to the cleanliness of everything, gun included, so I try keep my gun looking like the day I bought it (that clean). I can spend an hour cleaning my gun after a full day, which is good with a beer and makes for a good wind down.
This is the way I do it:-
Poor excess from gun into mixing bowl. Disassembe water trap and leave to dry out. Poor excess paint back into can from mixing bowl (don't mix paint in your gun). Poor thinners into paint bowl. Swirl, and spray through the gun. Empty contents into paint mixing bowl once you've put excess paint back into can. Get tooth brush and rag, and sit and disassble and clean of any paint you can see/find, including air hoses.
Ooops, as I found out yesterday, for paint to flow out, air needs to flow in, so be mindful of cleaning your air releif valve/opening assembly as well to maintain good paint flow.
This is the way I do it:-
Poor excess from gun into mixing bowl. Disassembe water trap and leave to dry out. Poor excess paint back into can from mixing bowl (don't mix paint in your gun). Poor thinners into paint bowl. Swirl, and spray through the gun. Empty contents into paint mixing bowl once you've put excess paint back into can. Get tooth brush and rag, and sit and disassble and clean of any paint you can see/find, including air hoses.
Ooops, as I found out yesterday, for paint to flow out, air needs to flow in, so be mindful of cleaning your air releif valve/opening assembly as well to maintain good paint flow.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 06 January 2008 - 11:26 AM.
#3
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 11:28 AM
Another thing. Don't immerse your gun in thinners, it drys out/destroys the seals.
If it assists I can scan and put up my gun manual, which includes maintenance items. Alternatively, most manufacturer's place their manuals on the net, so you could just get onto an airgun manufacturer and download your own.
If it assists I can scan and put up my gun manual, which includes maintenance items. Alternatively, most manufacturer's place their manuals on the net, so you could just get onto an airgun manufacturer and download your own.
#4
_Bomber Watson_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 11:51 AM
Mate, at work i dont have time for full overhauls very often, so it goes something like this:
Tip out left over paint (I spray 2k, cant reuse it.) into waste drum, quarter fill pot with thinners, put gun back on, swirl it around for a bit, then take gun back off and tip thinners out. Quarter fill with thinners again, put gun back on, swirl it around a bit, then tip thinners out again. Now Quarter fill the pot with thinners once more, put gun back on, plug it in and spray till the thinners coming out is clear. Now undo the air cap 1 half a turn, hold your finger over the front of it and pull the trigger. You will hear the thinners in the pot bubbling. This is called a reverse blow back. Tighten the air cap up again and then spray clean thinners through the whole thing again and if necessary use the thinners in the pot with a tooth brush to clean the air cap.
Thats it, long winded but takes under a minute.
At home its a different story, my main spray gun atm retails for around $660. So i follow more like pats method and make sure its spotless. Considering all i ever really spray is 2k its a lot easier to make sure every things nice and clean before the paint dries...
Cheers.
Tip out left over paint (I spray 2k, cant reuse it.) into waste drum, quarter fill pot with thinners, put gun back on, swirl it around for a bit, then take gun back off and tip thinners out. Quarter fill with thinners again, put gun back on, swirl it around a bit, then tip thinners out again. Now Quarter fill the pot with thinners once more, put gun back on, plug it in and spray till the thinners coming out is clear. Now undo the air cap 1 half a turn, hold your finger over the front of it and pull the trigger. You will hear the thinners in the pot bubbling. This is called a reverse blow back. Tighten the air cap up again and then spray clean thinners through the whole thing again and if necessary use the thinners in the pot with a tooth brush to clean the air cap.
Thats it, long winded but takes under a minute.
At home its a different story, my main spray gun atm retails for around $660. So i follow more like pats method and make sure its spotless. Considering all i ever really spray is 2k its a lot easier to make sure every things nice and clean before the paint dries...
Cheers.
#5
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 11:57 AM
^ that reverse blow back is interesting, might give that a burl.
With the two pack, something I've always wondered, how long do you have to clean the gun? Not that I'll probably ever use two pack, just something that I've always wondered about.
I have flow coat coming up for my canoe soon, so will need to know some of the intricacies of working with two pack solutions, although I think flow coat will require acetone for clean up.
With the two pack, something I've always wondered, how long do you have to clean the gun? Not that I'll probably ever use two pack, just something that I've always wondered about.
I have flow coat coming up for my canoe soon, so will need to know some of the intricacies of working with two pack solutions, although I think flow coat will require acetone for clean up.
#6
TerrA LX
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 05:39 PM
Sooner the better, where the paint meets the needle inside the gun is a common place for build up and if you just do the rince job on your gun it will eventually catch up with you and usually when you are half way thru painting a roof does a gun blockage show up.With the two pack, something I've always wondered, how long do you have to clean the gun? Not that I'll probably ever use two pack, just something that I've always wondered about.
I dismantle the gun (cap, tip, needle and pot) to clean it every time i finish spraying.
I found general purpose thinners cleans up pretty well, 20L drum saves buying 4L of this and 4L of that.
#7
Com_VC
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 07:16 PM
Thanks for the replys, some good info here 
Just wondering where the best place would be to get 20L of general purpose thinners from?
Also can you get away with using general purpose with the primer? I've got premium thinners for the top coats.
Thanks
Just wondering where the best place would be to get 20L of general purpose thinners from?
Also can you get away with using general purpose with the primer? I've got premium thinners for the top coats.
Thanks
#8
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 08:06 PM
I'd be inclined to stick with the same thinners all the way through, as you don't want inconsistencies or incompatibilities in bottom layers affecting top layers. Same with primers and top coats, stick to the same brands.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 06 January 2008 - 08:07 PM.
#9
_Pete_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 08:30 PM
Having an automatic gun cleaning machine at work makes day to day cleaning really simple but a spray gun still needs disassembling to clean properly.
I was flicking through a trade magazine a month or so ago and came across a great article on gun cleaning tips. It was in Paint&Panel Magazine Nov/Dec 07, you might be able to find it online but I photocopied it and scanned it for my personal reference book.
Here it its anyhow, I'm not sure if you can read it, might need to save it and enlarge it etc.
any questions feel free.
I was flicking through a trade magazine a month or so ago and came across a great article on gun cleaning tips. It was in Paint&Panel Magazine Nov/Dec 07, you might be able to find it online but I photocopied it and scanned it for my personal reference book.
Here it its anyhow, I'm not sure if you can read it, might need to save it and enlarge it etc.
any questions feel free.
#10
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 08:40 PM
Yella looks at postage cost of spray gun to Pete's place.
#11
TerrA LX
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Posted 06 January 2008 - 10:13 PM
I more use the general purpose for cleaning and thinning acrylic undercoat or any around the house job such as a trolley or fence (I paint alot) but i always stick to manufactures recommendations for 2K or top coats, clears etc for their specific thinner/reducer.Just wondering where the best place would be to get 20L of general purpose thinners from?
Also can you get away with using general purpose with the primer? I've got premium thinners for the top coats.
Thanks
20L or larger drums of general purpose thinner or "gun cleaner" (cheaper than thinners) are avliable from all dedicated automotive paint suppliers, if there are none listed in the yellow pages near you try asking a few paint shops in your area where they get their supplies.
#12
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Posted 07 January 2008 - 09:54 AM
so for acrylic primers general purpose thinners will be fine?
#13
_Sammy_
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Posted 08 January 2008 - 02:55 PM
i don't think its so much that general purpose thinners is not good to use or anything i think its something like this.
if you use no frills brand general purpose thinners, use it for the entire job, which means all coats of paint. and this should probably work fine, but the finish may not be as good as if you use better quality thinners.
my understanding of the premium thinners is that they just give a bit better finish ... but im by no means a pro at spray painting
if you use no frills brand general purpose thinners, use it for the entire job, which means all coats of paint. and this should probably work fine, but the finish may not be as good as if you use better quality thinners.
my understanding of the premium thinners is that they just give a bit better finish ... but im by no means a pro at spray painting
#14
Com_VC
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 04:05 PM
that's some good info there on cleaning the gun, just read it
Sadly my old CIG Arnold Devilbiss gun didn't work quite well the last time I used it, which i'm to blame for as I used to leave paint in the gun over night if I was using it the next day. That article said the fumes ruin the seals etc.
The gun used to work quite well, are these meant to be a good gun and would I still be able to get a rebuild kit for it. It's probably 20 years old...
I'm going to pull it apart and have a look.
Thanks
Sadly my old CIG Arnold Devilbiss gun didn't work quite well the last time I used it, which i'm to blame for as I used to leave paint in the gun over night if I was using it the next day. That article said the fumes ruin the seals etc.
The gun used to work quite well, are these meant to be a good gun and would I still be able to get a rebuild kit for it. It's probably 20 years old...
I'm going to pull it apart and have a look.
Thanks
#15
Com_VC
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 05:44 PM
Just pulled it apart fully and gave it all a good clean.seems to be working ok now, I just sprayed some thinners through it.
I'll probably end up using it as my primer gun. Will test tomorrow.
I'll probably end up using it as my primer gun. Will test tomorrow.
#16
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 05:47 PM
Oh also one question.
That needle packer as shown in the article above... I found if you do it all the way up the fluid needle becomes too tight and wont move when you press the trigger but if you back it off a bit it's fine. Is this the way it should be?
Thanks
That needle packer as shown in the article above... I found if you do it all the way up the fluid needle becomes too tight and wont move when you press the trigger but if you back it off a bit it's fine. Is this the way it should be?
Thanks
#17
_Bomber Watson_
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 06:07 PM
Thats how i've always had them...
#18
Com_VC
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 06:34 PM
what's that? backed off a touch?
#19
brocks72xu1
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 07:37 PM
just the spay and rinse trick for me then onto the next car,dont have the
time to pull down and clean,friday soak gun ,fluid tip,air cap,needle in thinners
over weekend ready for monday
time to pull down and clean,friday soak gun ,fluid tip,air cap,needle in thinners
over weekend ready for monday
#20
_Bomber Watson_
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 07:44 PM
Yeah mate backed off a touch.
Thats how i have it on the work/home Star S770's, My Air Gunzo AZE GT3, and my Iwata W400, never had a problem.
Thats how i have it on the work/home Star S770's, My Air Gunzo AZE GT3, and my Iwata W400, never had a problem.
#21
Com_VC
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Posted 09 January 2008 - 08:36 PM
Ok so say i've got some painting to do and I need to have a break for about 1 or 2 hours, should I pull the tip etc off, clean em, remove paint from pot and run some thinners through the gun? Or just tip the paint into a jar, chuck some thinners in the gun, give it a spray etc and thats it? Remove tips at the end of the end?
Sorry about all the stupid questions, just pretty new to all of this
Sorry about all the stupid questions, just pretty new to all of this
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