OK OK - I've narrowed it down to (2) spray guns ... HELP

[John Snyder]

This is a follow up to my recent post ... to recap, I'm just getting into spray finishing & only have a small compressor; so, for now am gonna learn the ropes on a mini or detail gun. I've eliminated the Porter Cable unit sold at Lowe's, as it only comes with an 0.8mm nozzle tip, which I've been told is too small for shooting oil based polyurethanes (?) As far as I can determine, these are the two best moderately priced units on the market - one HVLP, one NON-HVLP ... any advice as to which way I should go would be greatly appreciated:

1. Astro Pneumatic HVLP 1.2mm tip $79.99 (should I go with the plastic or steel cup ?):

http://www.mytoolstore.com/astro/astpai04.html#4020/12

Or ...

2. Walcom ES/RV (NON-HVLP) 1.0mm is the largest tip available $99.00 (scroll down to the bottom of the page):

http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/asturomec.htm

Thanks !! JS

[Eric Apple - Central IN]

Man those are tiny guns. 4oz cups don't go far. But the small size is great for detail work. I would not buy either for use as a primary gun to finish average furniture size pieces. Maybe for end tables, or lathe turnings, guitars this size would work. For $199 there's the Asturo BBS at homestead.

Two other points, you probably don't want to shoot poly. It makes a mess and takes hours to dry. Use spray finishes that dry in 15 minutes. The BBS uses 17 PSI@7CFM, I think that is about the same or less air then 4CFM@41 PSI. But I don't know the math. Both are tiny amounts of air.

Check out the main page.

Here's the text ( I only spend money at homestead don't make any, so I guess this is ok)

The Asturo BBS HVLP Spray Gun requires only 17 psi inlet pressure and features a lightweight body with plastic cup. Air consumption is approximately 7 cfm. Standard configuration of 1.7mm will handle all lacquers and clears as well as stain.

Body: nickel-plated aluminum
Nozzle/springs: stainless steel
Needle: mild steel
Gaskets: Teflon
Air cap: nickel plated brass
Cup: Nylon, 600cc (21 oz) with drip-proof vent hole. (Includes wall mount cup holder).

Working Pressure: 17 (at gun inlet)
Air Consumption: 7 cfm
Needle/nozzle/air cap: 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2. (Standard configuration is 1.7 unless otherwise requested).

Click here for more details

#8100 - $255.00 (regular price)
Sale Price $199.00**

EXTRA BONUS!! With purchase of this spray gun we include a complimentary #10-500 Gun Cleaning Kit (a 20.00 value) here

NOTE: Sale price limited to our quantities in stock

[Steve Clardy]

Not to deter you away from your choices, but I noticed you eliminited the Porter Cable as to the nozzle size. I have two of these guns, PSH1. [There are three variations on these guns, PSH1, PSH2, PSH3].
You might not realize it, but it comes standard with a 1.5 nozzle, not a .8 nozzle. They don't list a .8 nozzle in my manual. If I remember correctly without digging out the manual, there are 7 different size nozzles for this gun. The largest being a 2.2, which is considerably larger than the standard nozzle it is supplied with. I have one but have never used it as I found that the standard nozzle will shoot poly.
Just turn up the air from 10 pds to 20 pds.
Hope this helps, Steve
:D

[Eric Apple - Central IN]

That's a good point Steve. Last time I saw the PC guns, they were in clear plastic bubble containers. You could just look at the nozzle. Most nozzles will have the size stamped or cut into the nozzle. You could just read it thru the plastic container.

[Patrick Lee Hiatt]

Hi, I have got a Astro gravity feed, Asturo pressure pot system, and the PSH1. If your looking at a gravity feed gun the Astro is by far better than the psh1, for a slightly lower price. If your going to spray thicker coatings like water poly or catalyzed coatings get the Asto with a 1.7 tip, it will aslo work good for thinned products as well like regular nitro lacquer. My Asturo pressure fed gun has a 1.2 tip but the material is pushed out under pressure. The psh1 I have I use basically just for stains and dyes it has a 1.5, had I known about the astro sooner I would have purchased it instead. I think the metal cups on the astro are better for me than the plastic cups. Why? because when a little finish bilds up on the screw down plastic lids they are hard to open, the metal cups have a flexible top cap that just has a friction fit, this makes it easier to get on and off and clean.
The plastic cups do have the advantage of showing how much finish you have left in the gun without taking the top off.

[Mike Mastin]

I just received my Astro HVLPDX (the HD in the model denotes that it has an aluminum paint cup) with 1.7 tip, after many recommendations over on Woodweb from many people in the Professional Finishing group. I was told that unless I wanted to spend in excess of $400.00 for a spray gun setup, the Astro was simply the best gun available. Most of the people that recommended this gun said that they use it for finish work in their businesses.

I ordered mine from Spraygun World ( www.spraygunworld) for about $90.00 delivered to the door. This one also has an aluminum spray cup with it.

I have not had a chamce to use it yet, but hope to play with it very soon.

I also got a commercial quality filter/drier to add at the hose hookup closest to where we will be spraying.

It looks like a really well built unit and after all of the recommendations from pro finishers, I just felt that it was a good choice. We will see :-)

[Mike Mastin]

I meant that the DX, not HD, in the Astro HVLPDX spray gun denotes it comes with an aluminum paint cup :-)