Issues with HF HVLP Gun

[Dave Gaul]

Ok, so I bought this http://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html to try on small projects. I have the Milwaukee HVLP/Airless combo, but that thing is too big for small projects. The gun is hooked up to a PC 6gal compressor, with proper regulation & filtration.

I tried spraying a 2lb cut of shellac from flakes, no go. So I diluted to almost a 1lb cut, still no go.

Here is what happens: If I dial the air pressure at the gun to near zero, the gun will "squirt" a solid stream of shellac. As I increase airpressure, I get nothing but air from the gun, and the shellac in the cup gurgles like boiling water.

I tried adjusting everyting on the gun, and I took the gun apart before using it and cleaned everything with mineral spirits as the manual suggested.

Any thoughts? Bad Gun? My compressor not big enough?

[Rob Cunningham]

Gurgling in the cup usually indicates an air leak which could be from the nozzle not seating tightly in the gun or the needle not seating in the nozzle properly. Check that there are no burrs of rough spots on the nozzle seat. Tighten the nozzle firmly in the gun. Also check the end of the needle to make sure there is no damage to it.

[Mike Nguyen]

I bought the same gun awhile ago and it worked fine when I tested with water. I have not sprayed with anything else with this gun because I have the Earlex 5500 turbine system. Have you tested with just water?
Mike

[Dave Gaul]

Thanks Rob, I will take a look at all that.

Mike, I did try with straight alcohol and had the same lack of results!

[Dave Gaul]

Rob, you pointed me in the right direction, so thank you!

The gun came with a small plastic ring. A drawing in the manual made it seem like this ring goes inside the tip before you screw it on the gun, and it fit perfectly. The ring prevented the tip from screwing on completely. So I took the ring out and put the tip back on, and ta-da! Working like a champ now, spraying like a pro(well that might be stretch)!!

[Rob Cunningham]

Glad you got it working.

[Dave Gaul]

Glad you got it working.

Thanks again! It's working pretty well for a $9 gun (HF Super Coupon). I would eventually like to get a better gun, like the Qualspray LVLP that homestead has, or I may go for the Earlex 5500 at some point.

[Curt Harms]

Thanks again! It's working pretty well for a $9 gun (HF Super Coupon). I would eventually like to get a better gun, like the Qualspray LVLP that homestead has, or I may go for the Earlex 5500 at some point.

If you spray in enclosed spaces and can get air to it, the conversion gun is friendlier. Friendlier as in less air and less stirring up newspapers used to cover spray surfaces and such. I bought the Earlex for its portability and it works well but if I put down newspapers to protect against overspray, I need to weight or clamp them pretty well. I've had a Porter-Cable PSH1 for a while and it doesn't put out near the air and doesn't stir things up like the Earlex. The Porter Cable gun/compressor setup isn't portable though. Both setups have very little airborne mist though. You'd think with the amount of air coming out of the Earlex (and I have the lower CFM 5000) that there'd be paint/finish mist all over the place. There isn't.

[Dave Gaul]

If you spray in enclosed spaces and can get air to it, the conversion gun is friendlier. Friendlier as in less air and less stirring up newspapers used to cover spray surfaces and such. I bought the Earlex for its portability and it works well but if I put down newspapers to protect against overspray, I need to weight or clamp them pretty well. I've had a Porter-Cable PSH1 for a while and it doesn't put out near the air and doesn't stir things up like the Earlex. The Porter Cable gun/compressor setup isn't portable though. Both setups have very little airborne mist though. You'd think with the amount of air coming out of the Earlex (and I have the lower CFM 5000) that there'd be paint/finish mist all over the place. There isn't.

Good to know! Problem is I only have a pancake compressor, and I don't have much room for a bigger one, which is why I'm considering the Earlex in the near future..

[Curt Harms]

Good to know! Problem is I only have a pancake compressor, and I don't have much room for a bigger one, which is why I'm considering the Earlex in the near future..
I tried the P-C gun with a small Craftsman compressor just for grins -- the compressor is rated at 3.7 CFM @ 40 psi. The compressor would keep the pressure in the tank above where it needed to be but ran continuously. I'm sure if I tried to spray anything larger than a small box I'd be in the market for a new compressor.

[Jim Shockey]

How did the P C gun work for you. I have one but I just can"t get a good pattern out of it, and it probably is me and not the gun. I bought a Mark 1 at a rummage sale and get a good pattern out of it. Jim