Wagner HVLP gun fix help!

[Fred Voorhees]

Was up in the shop this morning and had an unfortunate accident. My HVLP gun was still sitting out after a recent job and it was knocked off of the bench and fell to the floor - breaking the aluminum tube that connects the regulator to the upper works of the gun. It screws in at both ends and I disconnected it from the regulator, but it had snapped off at the upper end. It had some tubing protruding from the upper assembly, so I tried to use pliers to back it out, but the aluminum is so light that it simply snapped off where the plier jaws were gripping it. There is still some stock left to grip, but I doubt that I can use it to back it out. I am thinking of somehow grabbing it from inside the tubing, but am at a lack of an idea. Anyone have any ideas? I would be very thankful.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Freddieboy/wagnersprayer.jpg

[Fred Voorhees]

I have gotten some advice on another forum claiming that my best bet would be an easy out or possibly go to the plumbing supply and get what is called a nipple extractor. Does this sound like sound advice?

[Peter Elliott]

same thing happen to me. But happen when I was cleaning the gun and took it completely apart. I snapped off the pipe.

I ended up having to get a new gun.. I am not sure what the thread size is on the opposite end. I remember calling gleem and think he mentioned it wasn't something common.

But I tried everything to get that out and see if I could get it replaced.

No luck...

I was going to try and cut a grove with a hacksaw blade, then take a flat head screwdriver and break the grove allowing the tube to peel away from the threads.

Not much help but I know the feeling!

[Matt Meiser]

I was going to try and cut a grove with a hacksaw blade, then take a flat head screwdriver and break the grove allowing the tube to peel away from the threads.

Pretty much what I was going to suggest. A file might work too. Do it in a couple places and you might be able to break the pieces out.

[Fred Voorhees]

Well, my neighbor had a set of easy outs, but that is no help. The largest one bottomed out before it gripped the inside of the pipe. I am pinning my hopes on a nipple extractor from the plumbing supply just up the road.

[Fred Voorhees]

Peter and Matt. The hacksaw blade was the key. Problem solved! Carefully cutting a slight groove in the inside of the pipe and then carefully wedging an awl down alongside of the cut - between the threads and the pipe did the trick. The hacksaw cut weakened the area enough so that the wedging of the awl broke the pipe towards the inside and I was able to pull it out with a pair of needlenosed pliers. Very minimal damage to the assembly threads. I took the good threaded end of the pipe that threaded into the regulator and screwed that into the upper assembly and it corrected any slight thread damage. PHEW! I didn't want this mistake to cost me $130.00 for a new gun. Thanks guys. Now all I have to do is purchase a new aluminum tube from Gleem. It's priced at around eight bucks.

[Jim Becker]

Glad you got that worked out, Fred...