Anyone who has had to do painting work has probably thought about buying a paint sprayer (spray gun). Manual methods painting does not provide the required quality of coating, and is also ineffective. But you shouldn’t buy the first spray gun you come across and hope that it will replace your brush and roller forever.
Different spray guns have different capabilities, and to avoid disappointment in your purchase, you should understand the characteristics of paint sprayers and how they affect their capabilities.
Application of electric spray guns
Electric spray guns are considered household tool, professionals usually use pneumatic ones. Although among electric paint sprayers there are those whose “omnivorousness” and productivity allow them to be classified, if not professional, then at least semi-professional. Therefore, electric spray guns are used not only in everyday life as a replacement for brushes and rollers, they are also used for:
Finishing work for painting walls and ceilings;
Construction work for painting walls and fences;
Manufacturing of garden furniture and wooden structures;
Spraying shrubs and plants with insecticides or fertilizers.
Types of electric spray guns
Electric spray guns come in two types: air and airless. The manufacturer rarely provides information about what type of tool it is, but this is easily determined by the appearance of the spray gun and its parameters.
Airless spray guns easy to distinguish by low power, low price, splitter cup on the nozzle and a characteristic “hump” above the paint reservoir in which the plunger pump is hidden. Using this pump, the airless spray gun delivers paint to the nozzle, where it is sprayed into fine droplets.
The main advantage of airless spray guns is acceptable performance at low power (and, accordingly, low price). The paint consumption in this design is easily regulated by changing the rotation speed of the pump motor, so even the most budget models are equipped with paint consumption regulators. In addition, even at low power, airless spray guns can handle fairly viscous paints.
But there are also plenty of disadvantages:
Due to the heterogeneity of the paint, the ink torch has an unstable shape, which reduces the quality of painting;
Paint droplets form different sizes, which leads to both the risk of drips due to large drops and increased paint consumption due to small drops (paint dust);
Both the shape of the torch and the size of the droplets are determined by the quality of the nozzle, which can be quite low on cheap models. In addition, plastic nozzles wear out quickly;
After finishing work, the instrument requires thorough washing with a large amount of solvent. If you do not rinse (or rinse poorly) the tool after use, the paint will dry inside the pump and the spray gun can be thrown away.
Air spray guns remove paint from the tank using a jet of air. This allows you to create a paint torch of a stable shape and reduces the requirements for washing the tool: even an unwashed and dried spray gun can usually be “brought back to life” by simply cleaning the nozzle (although it is better not to allow this).
It should be borne in mind that the vast majority of electric air sprayers use HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) technology and, accordingly, have all the advantages and disadvantages of this technology. Benefits include reduced paint consumption and high productivity.
There are also disadvantages:
High air consumption requires a powerful compressor, which significantly increases the price of the tool;
Painting from a short distance (15-30 cm) and high productivity lead to the fact that with insufficient qualifications it is easy to allow the formation of drips;
Due to the high air consumption, the tool becomes very dusty. If the surface to be painted comes into contact with sand or soil (for example, when painting a fence), then particles carried by the air will stick to the surface;
To be able to use viscous paints, the compressor power must be above average - inexpensive air electrosprayers can only work with liquid paints;
It is impossible to paint in a closed volume - the air will tend to leave this volume and carry the paint with it.
It is easy to see that both types of electric spray guns are not suitable for accurately painting small parts and parts of complex shapes. If this is your case, you may want to consider LVLP pneumatic spray guns.
Characteristics of electric paint sprayers
Power determines both the performance of the spray gun and how viscous liquids it can spray. If you need a tool that can handle paint or varnish of any viscosity, you should pay close attention to power.
Just remember that the power of airless and air electric spray guns differs by an order of magnitude: airless have a power in the range of 60-150 W, and air - 100-1500 W. If for an airless spray gun 110 W means a decent “average”, the power of which is enough for most tasks, then for an air spray gun the same 110 W is the very minimum and the performance of such a tool can be depressingly low.
Permissible viscosity. The smaller the nozzle diameter and the higher the viscosity, the more power is required to maintain paint flow. If the viscosity is higher than permissible, the pump power will no longer be enough and productivity will begin to drop.
If the viscosity is greatly exceeded beyond the permissible limit, the nozzle may become clogged and performance may drop to zero. You can determine the viscosity of paint using viscometer, included with most spray guns.
A viscometer is usually a beaker or funnel with a hole. Viscosity is determined by the time it takes for a certain volume of liquid to flow through an orifice.
Most paints can be diluted to the required viscosity using solvents; problems can only arise on low-power spray guns with some acrylic paints and varnishes, enamel and oil paints. High-power spray guns are capable of using the entire range of paints and varnishes, with the exception of bitumen and epoxy mastics.
Having decided on the power and permissible viscosity, you should pay attention to the list supported materials. Some paints may not be suitable for a specific model of spray gun, even if their viscosity is below the acceptable level. This may be due to the composition of the paint or the size of its particles. Thus, suspensions of metal powders (“silver powder”) may not be included in the list of supported materials due to the large particle size.
The higher performance spray gun, the faster it will cope with the task. The performance of electric paint sprayers is measured in g/min. To roughly imagine how quickly a spray gun of one or another performance will paint certain area, you can use the following table:
Air spray guns can be with hose– in such models the compressor is located separately and the air from it is supplied to the spray gun using a hose. This solution allows you to increase the power of the compressor without increasing the weight of the spray gun itself. In fact, this is the only one possible option for powerful spray guns - no one likes holding a compressor weighing several kilograms at arm's length.
But for an inexpensive medium-power spray gun, such a separation can also make the work much easier, especially when painting hard-to-reach places.
System adjusting paint consumption– a very useful option, especially for powerful, high-performance spray guns. For liquid paints and critical work, you can set a reduced paint consumption - this will reduce productivity, but will reduce the likelihood of smudges.
Choices
If you rarely need a spray gun, you can purchase an inexpensive airless spray gun. Just remember to rinse it thoroughly after use.
If the spray gun is intended to be used frequently, but the painting volumes are expected to be small, optimal choice there will be a medium power air spray gun.
For professional use and large areas, you will need a powerful, high-performance paint sprayer.
To reduce stress on your hands, choose from models with a hose.
If you are not purchasing the most powerful model and when working you want to be sure that the viscosity of the paint used is not too high, pay attention to the presence of a viscometer in the kit - with it you can always dilute the paint to the desired degree of viscosity.
The spray gun is an indispensable tool for any painting works. It is designed for convenient application of paint to the surface and is easy to apply even to inexperienced hands. But how to choose the right spray gun?
Electric or pneumatic spray gun: how to choose between them?
Modern paint sprayers are different high degree functionality and performance. They can handle even a large volume of painting work, making it possible to complete it in the shortest possible time. The use of a spray gun is especially important when processing hard-to-reach parts.
There are many variations of the tool on the market, but basically the division is carried out according to the principle of operation of the device.
According to this criterion, all paint sprayers are divided into two groups:
| Type of spray gun | Features of work | Advantages | Flaws |
| Pneumatic | The compressor pumps air and supplies it to the spray gun. Under the influence of pressure, the paint material is crushed into small particles and sprayed through the nozzle. |
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| Electric (airless) | The device is powered by an electric motor. The built-in pump creates the pressure necessary to spray the paint. There is no air flow. |
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Pneumatic spray guns are primarily intended for use by professionals: in this case, the cost of the device is well worth it.
Spray guns with an electric motor are traditionally considered household models and are recommended for people who are used to doing repairs at home themselves. The quality of painting will be slightly lower than in the case of using even the cheapest pneumatics, but the simplicity of painting work fully justifies minor and barely noticeable defects.
There is also an intermediate option - spray guns with an electric motor and a mini-compressor.
In this case, the quality of painting increases significantly, but the price for such models starts from $500.
Electric spray gun: which one to choose - manual or floor-mounted?
Pneumatic models are left to professionals; for home use, you should choose an airless paint sprayer.
But which one is better? Electric motor sprayers come in two types:
- Manual. The device consists of one block, including a motor with a pump, a container, a handle and a spray nozzle. Manual spray guns provide relatively low paint transfer efficiency, but they guarantee ease of use and fast work.
Features also include the characteristic buzzing sound and vibrations that accompany the painting process.
- Floor. In terms of paint quality, the device is as close as possible to the category of professional tools.
The design of the spray gun requires a powerful motor and a powerful pump. During operation, the user operates only the pistol, and the reservoir and power unit are located on the frame.
Compact hand-held spray guns are the most widely used. Despite the not very high efficiency of consumption of paints and varnishes, the device is able to provide acceptable quality of repairs performed on its own. Important advantage, before which possible shortcomings “fade” is cheapness: manual spray guns cost from $35 to $150.
Basically, buyers give preference to BOSH brand models (in “household” green cases).
Floor-standing spray guns are not very common due to their relatively high price on them: at least $300.
Such devices are designed to perform large volumes of work and do an excellent job of painting ceilings, floors, and walls. Floor spray guns are manufactured by Earlex, Campbell Hausfeld, Wagner.
Electric spray gun: how to choose based on the main characteristics
As a rule, spray guns from different manufacturers work with approximately the same “zeal”.
Small differences in the number of watts or pressure ratings of the pump do not matter much. The buyer must first pay attention to the following parameters:
- Type of compounds for which the device is intended.
Some spray guns work only with water-soluble paints, others can “cooperate” with any materials (however, such versatility costs a little more).
It is necessary to think about exactly what products will be used during repairs, so that the newly purchased paint sprayer does not have to stand idle due to “unsuitability”.
- Type of tank. The best option is a transparent tank located below.
If you plan to perform a large amount of work, then the built-in reservoir may not be enough. Therefore, it is recommended to take a closer look at models of spray guns that “can” take paint from a separate container.
- Material of manufacture. Manufacturers “love” plastic: it is light and cheap. The buyer’s task is to make sure that the material is of really high quality and has no obvious roughness or abrasions at the joints. But no matter how good the plastic turns out to be, the needle must be made of metal.
- Ease of use.
Some models are equipped with elongated guns, so you can do without ladders when processing the ceiling. Sometimes spray guns have the function of a laser pointer indicating the working distance (Wagner has succeeded in this). This property is very useful for beginners who are just beginning to comprehend all the intricacies of painting.
You should purchase only a trusted brand of spray gun.
If a device costs $15-20, then there is a high probability that it is of Chinese origin. This means that working with a spray gun will be very difficult. It’s better to buy a good tool once than to “fight” with a low-quality device.
The spray gun is an amazing invention that makes repairs much easier. Just choose suitable model to turn the process of painting walls or ceilings into an interesting activity.
Among the methods of applying paints and varnishes (contact, spraying, dipping, pouring, varnishing, extrusion) - spraying is the most widespread, not only in the do-it-yourself (DIY) sector and the auto repair industry (ART), but also in the automotive industry (OEM) .
Spraying is a method of transferring liquid paints and varnishes to the surface to be painted in the form of an aerosol.
There are several methods of spraying: air, airless, combined and in an electrostatic field.
First of all, we will talk about air spraying, the process of which, in turn, is divided into two stages: breaking down paintwork materials and forming a torch shape. This process ensures high speed and quality of work, and the desire to reduce unproductive consumption of material and improve the decorative qualities of the resulting paint coating, in turn, leads to the emergence of new, more advanced spraying technologies, new, more advanced, environmentally friendly and economical equipment. Pressure value compressed air in the spray head determines the type of painting system, the main ones being:
CONV - conventional system - spraying is carried out at high compressed air pressure in the spray head of 2-3 bar;
2.
HVLP (High Volume / Low Pressure - high volume / low pressure) - spraying is carried out at low pressure in the spray head: 0.7 bar;
3. Optimized spray systems:
- LVLP (Low Volume / Low Pressure - low volume / low pressure) - spraying is carried out at a pressure in the spray head: 0.7-1.2 bar.
- HTE (High Transfer Efficiency – high efficiency transfer) - spraying is carried out at an average pressure in the spray head: 1.2-1.3 bar.
- LVMP (Low Volume / Middle Pressure - low volume / medium pressure) - spraying is carried out at an average pressure in the spray head: 1.6 bar.
What these types of painting systems have in common is that compressed air, passing through the spray head of the paint gun, forms a paint torch, breaking the paintwork down to the smallest drops and forming an airborne dispersion (aerosol).
The aerosol, as part of the torch, is transferred to the surface to be painted and deposited on it, thereby creating a paint coating. It should be taken into account that most microdroplets do not reach the surface to be painted, but, forming a paint mist, settle somewhere beyond its boundaries, leading to a significant increase in unproductive consumption of paintwork materials.
How to choose an electric spray gun?
Therefore, the main direction for improving pneumatic painting equipment is to increase the coefficient of paint transfer to the surface. Not only the cost-effectiveness of this painting method depends on this, but also the environmental friendliness of the process, because
work is carried out using synthetic solvent paints with a high solvent content.
It all started in Russia, where the first air sprayer was invented in late XIX century.
On a June evening in 1893, Naum Rovich, the head of one of the textile manufactories, demonstrated to the owner of the manufactory, a famous Russian industrialist, Savva Morozov, a bulky device made of galvanized sheet steel by bending and soldering...
Initially, the device was intended to moisten the woven fabric before applying dye.
After just a couple of months, all Morozov manufactories were equipped with such devices, and six months later they began to be used for applying dye to fabric through a stencil.
But the very principle of pneumatic spraying, in 1888, was developed by a modest otolaryngologist from Ohio, Allen Devilbis.
Familiar with the basic postulates of hydro- and aerodynamics, he was the first to apply this principle to more effective treatment patients with liquid medications.
His son, Thomas, found a new use for his father's invention, greatly improving the inhaler, which was used exclusively for medical purposes.
Thus, in 1907, the first manual spray gun appeared, which was perfectly suited for the new industry that had begun to develop successfully - the automotive industry. With its help, the efficiency of the painting process has significantly increased.
The quality of the resulting paint coating, both from a decorative and applied point of view (wear resistance, strength, etc.), has become, according to contemporaries, much better.
Let's take a closer look at the three main systems for pneumatic paint application.
Conventional system.
Enough for a long time, throughout almost the entire 20th century, pneumatic paint guns were represented by spray guns high pressure conventional type, with an inlet pressure of approximately 3-4 bar.
The high pressure system is also called “direct”.
This is because the pressure at the inlet of the spray gun is approximately equal to the pressure at the outlet of the spray head.
These spray guns were characterized by low compressed air consumption, good quality spraying of paint and varnish material and uniformity of the paint torch, providing good atomization, which is still fondly remembered by older generation painters.
Any compressor, in addition to the main characteristic - output pressure, has one more, and very important, which must be taken into account when choosing equipment - this is performance, i.e.
e. the ability to pump a certain amount of compressed air through itself.
Conventional type high-pressure guns had very modest requirements for compressor performance, which suited both the painters themselves and the owners of car service companies, since their productive and stable operation required little compressed air (approximately 300 liters).
per minute), and, therefore, not particularly powerful compressors.
But conventional type spray guns have one significant drawback: a low paint transfer coefficient, on average 30-35% (although, depending on the ambitions of the manufacturers of such equipment, the declared characteristics sometimes reached 45%, but in any case this is very little).
To increase the transfer coefficient, high pressure air is supplied to the spray gun. This, in turn, gave rise to the opposite effect: droplets of paint and varnish material, under high pressure, fly out of the gun nozzle and at high speed, hit the surface to be painted, bounce off it, increasing unproductive pollination.
And the design of the air cap has disadvantages that affect its efficiency.
These two factors lead to significant losses of paint and varnish material during painting.
HVLP system.
When working with a conventional high-pressure spray gun, paint dust is generated in large volumes, which, according to environmental organizations, leads to air pollution.
Therefore, the introduction in the early 80s.
Since the last century, new, stricter environmental laws have forced paint equipment manufacturers to develop more environmentally friendly paint guns.
It was an HVLP system device that sprays paint and varnish material at a pressure of approximately 0.7 bar at the outlet of the spray gun. Internal structure paint gun is such that if we use a pressure gauge at the entrance we set working pressure 2 bar, then the output is guaranteed to be 0.7 bar (provided the spray gun is working properly).
Due to low pressure compressed air, a high coefficient of transfer of paint and varnish material to the surface to be painted is achieved (from 60 to 70%), and a homogeneous torch is formed.
It was possible to reduce the air pressure in the spray head by changing its design.
The outlet openings have become much larger than those of conventional high-pressure guns, and the diameter of the air channels inside the gun has increased. But an increase in the transfer coefficient also increased the risk of leakage.
Therefore, when working with equipment of this type, you must strictly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Another drawback of the system was the increased performance requirements of the compressor installed in the painting area.
This is understandable: a low-power compressor with a full supply of the required volume of air, an HVLP spray gun obviously cannot cope. As a result, loss of color shade, low quality of painting, and other negative aspects.
In any business, the preparation stage is important, especially when it comes to applying paints and varnishes.
In order for the compressor to supply compressed air prepared for use to the spray gun, there must be a filter module on the pneumatic line, consisting of a coarse filter, a moisture-oil separator, and a replaceable fine filter.
The correct and efficient operation of these filters is extremely important because...
HVLP spray guns are sensitive to pressure changes, which greatly affect the homogeneity of the spray and, accordingly, the painting result.
Also, HVLP system paint sprayers are characterized by low operating speed.
But be that as it may, the advantages of the HVLP painting system are still much greater, and they are much more significant than the disadvantages.
The main thing is a significant reduction in the formation of paint dust, leading to savings of up to 30% of paint material!
If, for example, painting the wing of a VAZ-2109 using a conventional high-pressure gun required an average of 200 - 250 g of paint and varnish material, then the use of an HVLP paint gun reduces this amount to 100 - 150 g (of course, a lot depends on the quality of the material, the skill of the painter and the hiding power of automotive enamel paint.)
Among HVLP spray guns, the most interesting is the professional gun from WALMEC - GENESI TOP LINE GEO.
This spray gun has a special, patented spray head design where the head cover has an increased number of air holes and the nozzle is cupped with 6 pre-spray holes.
This design allows for double breakdown of the paint and varnish material. First, inside the nozzle, the paint is broken into micro droplets, then air flow breaks the aerosol again into smaller droplets.
As a result, a cloud of paint with a particle size of 30 to 60 microns is formed, which, at an output pressure of 0.7 bar, significantly improves the quality of painting, even when spraying viscous paints and varnishes.
Optimized spray systems: LVLP, HTE and LVMP systems, etc.
Painting guns of the conventional spray system and paint guns of the HVLP system, along with the positive aspects that characterize them, also have quite a few weak points.
An attempt to combine the positive experience gained from operating these devices was an optimized technology for spraying paints and varnishes at medium compressed air pressure.
For different manufacturers these are LVLP, HTE, LVMP, RP, TRANSTECH, etc.
Due to this, main feature spray guns optimized systems have become a combination of the advantages of conventional and HVLP systems - low air consumption and high material transfer coefficient (more than 70%).
This made it possible to significantly reduce the dependence of paint guns on compressed air pressure in the air line - spray guns of optimized systems are insensitive to pressure differences in air supply systems.
The design of the internal air channels has also undergone a change, as a result of which the air pressure in the spray head increased to 1.2...1.6 bar, with the operating pressure of the spray gun from 1.6 to 2.3 bar for different manufacturers.
The consumption of compressed air has decreased significantly, which has led to a weakening of the technical requirements for air lines and compressors, but has not in any way affected the stability and uniformity of the torch, and, as a result, the quality of the paint.
For greater clarity, manufacturers of painting equipment adhere to a single color marking, which is applied to the air cap cover and the adjusting screws of the spray gun:
- white (silver) color – CONV – conventional type;
- green – HVLP system;
- blue – LVLP, LVMP system.
WALMEC spray guns are marked in blue with the dual spray system HVLP GEO, and in black with HTE.
Each manufacturer of painting equipment developed optimized systems completely independently, based on their own patented technologies:
- RP – SATA (Germany);
- TRANSTECH – DeVILBISS (UK);
- HTE - WALMEC (Italy);
- LVMP – AURITA (Taiwan), etc.
What is a spray gun, how to choose it, is it needed at all?
How to choose a spray gun for household and professional work
Such questions are asked both by a professional construction team and by an ordinary person who has started renovations in an apartment or country house, in which many surfaces will have to be painted.
These are pressing questions also for the reason that any instrumental devices are always more expensive than conventional mechanical ones.
In our case, this is a bucket of paint and various brushes and rollers.
Do we need a spray gun?
So, you have decided to paint the ceiling in the bathroom. It’s not fashionable, but there are supporters of whitewashed and painted ceilings, and you’re one of them. Is it worth buying special tool for painting surfaces? It’s not worth it, since the amount of work is small, you can easily get by with a roller or brush.
And if there is a large amount of work to be done - painting country house, floors and walls of a large area or painting a car fender, then it is simply necessary to make your work easier.
And here the spray gun will come to our aid. How to choose it , we will try to tell you.
Types of paint and varnish tools
Spray guns are divided into several types:
Based on the pressure principle:
- Low pressure;
- High blood pressure.
According to the operating principle:
According to the principle of paint supply:
- With top tank;
- WITH bottom tank;
- With HVLP technology;
- Airless spray;
- Combined spraying;
- Electrostatic principle of coloring.
From this amount all kinds of The number of devices for applying paint dazzles the eye and it is difficult to choose what is suitable for each specific case.
For painting small areas, a semi-professional model is suitable, but for working in a large space, a professional unit is needed. Therefore, the question of which spray gun is better to choose becomes very relevant. Let's look at each point in more detail.
Low pressure spray guns
You cannot use thick coloring material in them, but it is very convenient to change different paints, the painted surface turns out beautiful, and the coating is of high quality.
With their help you can paint furniture, windows or your car. But such a tool has many disadvantages.
- Large waste of paint;
- Low application speed;
- Filters for spray booths are expensive and have to be changed quite often;
High pressure spray guns
These include combination or airless spray guns. They do not provide a very high quality coating, but they can be used over large areas and work with viscous paints.
More than half of the coloring material “flies down the drain” when working with such a tool, and in the literal sense of the word. But the price is relatively low.
As you can see, choosing a suitable spray gun for your home is so easy, especially considering the low environmental friendliness of the work being carried out.
Manual and automatic tools
Manual spray guns are convenient when working with small volumes, for painting products of complex shapes, it is convenient to change the paint in them frequently, and the quality of the painted surface is very high.
It is best to choose guns with a top tank, as this allows you to use all the material without leaving any residue.
The automatic tool is good in many respects - an ideal painted surface, the quality of which does not depend on the skill of the painter. The main thing in working with an automatic gun is its adjustment and precise selection of nozzles, so that there will be no paint smudges or unpainted areas.
But it is used on automated lines, so for household use not intended.
The result of the work depends on the type of paint supplied.
To find out how to choose the right spray gun, watch video materials on the Internet. First of all, it's interesting. Secondly, you can clearly see a certain type of tool in action.
A tool with an upper reservoir is convenient for small amounts of work.
The capacity cannot be larger than a liter. With this mounting option, the paint is used without any residue. This tool is not suitable for thick material. Guns with a lower reservoir weigh more, so working with them you get tired faster, and besides, there is always a small amount of paint left at the bottom.
Modern airless spray guns have proven themselves well in everyday life.
Actually, all electric paint and varnish guns operate on an airless principle and come with different tanks - not only top and bottom mounts, but also side ones.
We would like to highlight a tool with HVLP spray technology. This is a low pressure atomization technology that reduces the formation of paint mist.
The coating is of very high quality, and paint is saved significantly.
Electrostatic spray guns have found their use in auto repair, when painting plastic and wooden surfaces.
How to choose an electric spray gun
- First of all, we pay attention to the amount of paint and varnish material that the tool you like can work with.
Simpler models work only with one type of paint and varnish product, for example, water-based paints, while more expensive models work with several, including various varnishes and primers.
- Secondly, the number of adjustments on it.
The more there are, the better you can adjust the paint supply and the torch itself.
- Electric models are either manual or floor-standing. The former are suitable for express painting of small surfaces, as they have small reservoirs in the form plastic barrels volume up to 1 liter.
The latter can take paint directly from the bucket through a special hose (depending on the model).
- Also pay attention to the length of the gun. There are special extensions that allow you not to run on stepladders, but to paint using a special extension nozzle, with its help you can even reach the ceiling.
Which electric spray gun to choose , It also depends on the quality of the gun itself.
Turn it over in your hands. Evaluate what plastic the individual parts are made of and how much metal is in it. It is very good if the needle responsible for ejecting the paint is metal, and all the small parts of the gun fit perfectly. They cannot be repaired, so any breakdown will entail replacing the pistol. This is exactly the case when the brand matters a lot. By choosing a branded tool, you will save yourself from unnecessary waste of money.
Another point that we definitely pay attention to is vibration.
It is very good if you compare several models when switched on and choose the one that is most convenient for you. It is also important how much the product will weigh, including the weight of a full tank.
How to choose a pneumatic spray gun
The difference between pneumatic tools and electric tools is great. It requires a quality compressor. And this is already a decent amount of money. In addition, we need to select the gun nozzle itself, depending on it the compressor will be selected.
If you are not planning to work on painting professionally, you should not think about buying a pneumatic tool. In addition, when choosing a compressor, relying only on your knowledge is more than unreasonable; it is better to take the advice of professionals.
As you can see, the choice of paint and varnish equipment is large, so it is very easy to make a mistake when choosing a tool for yourself. One of important criteria when choosing a spray gun, know the features of each model.
It is also better to choose the branded version over the Chinese trinket. Although it all depends on your choice.
Sprayer for painting
With the development of science and technology, there have been some changes in the color of finished products.
Sprayers
If it were hand in hand, various technological innovations are now being used that reduce color consumption and the coloring process is enhanced faster and better. When rendering manually, it is difficult to avoid small particles of dust or villa getting into the product, which ruins its appearance. 
There are several types of spray guns, also called spray guns.
The quality of the spray gun image is directly related to the quality of the spray gun. There are several types of spray guns, the painting technology of which is fundamentally different. Specifications and the features of use make it possible to color the powder with each type of powder.
All paint sprayers are divided into three main types according to painting method and operating technology, including universal guns, low pressure sprayers and high pressure sprayers.
High pressure gun
High pressure gun imaging technology lies in its ability to apply enamels and varnishes and, in addition, base coatings in the form of metals.
The painting is of high quality because these sprayers do a great job of spraying the coating onto the surface and give the most consistent color result.
Due to its operation at very high pressure, this airbrush consumes little air. Painting with the highest quality is achieved when painting from a distance of about forty centimeters. 
Low pressure gun
Low Pressure Gun Imaging Technology This requires a lot of air.
Therefore, when painting with this sprayer, a powerful compressor is used. The distance to the colored product in this case is much smaller and ideally about 20 centimeters.
A pipe is required for painting large diameter. This diameter must match the diameter of the pistol grip. When using low pressure spray guns, less color is lost, which means this application is more economical.
Universal sprayers
Removable equipment with universal sprayer is a combination of the two above-mentioned operating methods.
Spray guns are allowed in the home, but you must protect all surfaces beforehand to prevent paint drips.
When staining with a pulse gun, you must carefully study the instructions for choosing the optimal pressure.
The compressor connected to the sprayer consists of a control unit, a compressor and an instrument unit.
The compressor is automatically controlled via the control unit. Once the desired pressure level is reached, the device extinguishes the motor and can produce color. 
Enamel sprayer
The most commonly used color gun is enamel. PF-115 (Alkyd enamel - for painting metal, wood, unpainted or pre-painted surfaces exposed to weather conditions.
PF-115 aluminum enamel is resistant to environmental corrosive environments, precipitation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which allows the use of PF-115 enamels for interior and exterior painting) or similar body of organic solvent-based materials. Together with enamels and pulse paint varnishes, water-soluble materials can be used in acrylic paint - water-based
Many manufacture spray guns, but the use of such devices is not recommended.
In the absence of technological education, it is very difficult to invent a device that will be of high quality and safe.
First, let's look at the accepted designations for spray types - they directly indicate the characteristic features of the spray gun.
The most simple systems- This HP (High Pressure) spray guns. They are demanding on pressure and compressor performance; the operating pressure in the air head is higher than other types. Due to this, the paint breaks into small drops, gives a powerful torch, but also spreads it “by”. Therefore, these types of spray guns have the highest consumption of material; when working, we must not forget about a respirator and a hood. The surrounding area should be protected from pollination. But, for example, if you need good varnish breaking, then it won’t hurt to have an HP pistol in stock. A more interesting option for work is RP (Reduced Pressure). In essence, this is the same classic design, but it works softer and has less dust.
HVLP (High Volume, Low Pressure) spray guns They operate at low pressure in the air cap, so their torch is soft and does not shoot far, and paint consumption is economical. On the other hand, it is already more difficult to create a “mirror” on the varnish. That is, for example, when painting with metallic, it is more convenient to apply the base with an HVLP spray gun, and for varnish, use the “good old” HP. Please note that the torch of such sprayers is “short”, and, for example, they are inconvenient to spray on the roof of a car.
What does it mean then LVLP? Based on the definition of Low Volume, Low Pressure, such spray guns not only operate at low pressure, but also supply the material in small quantities. Good option for small areas that are best worked from a short distance. For example, when painting a forged lattice, more efficient spray guns will either instantly drip, or too much paint will “fly” into the free space. However, in any case, it is not the gun that paints, but the hand - a certain skill is always needed.
Electric spray guns- a specific thing. They are convenient primarily for large areas without special requirements to quality. For example, for painting walls water-based paint using a pneumatic spray gun, you will need such a compressor that not everyone can drag it into an apartment. But an electric spray gun, which only a very undemanding person can use to paint a car, will help out here. Due to the low air pressure at the inlet, they have minimal pollination, which is important indoors. But productivity will allow you not to spend a lot of time on work.
Before deciding which spray gun to choose, you need to pay attention to the following components:
- productivity - the ability to cover as much area as possible with paint in a certain period of time;
- power – the possibility of uninterrupted use of the device for at least half a working day (4 hours);
- quality of coating - the higher the functionality of the spray gun to break the paint into the smallest particles, the better the paint coating;
- ergonomics - ease of use of the device, which includes ease of operation, compactness, weight, ease of transfer from place to place, etc.
Considering that today there are only two types of spray guns (pneumatic and electric), then, based on the above criteria, it will not be difficult to understand how to choose an electric spray gun for home use or a pneumatic one for professional activities.
The pneumatic spray gun for painting a car and other surfaces is characterized by high performance, good power and high-quality application of the paint layer. This is achieved, first of all, by design features. In a sealed tank, called a receiver, pressure is created by pumping and compressing air using a pump. Compressed air is supplied to a small paint container built into the spray gun. When the trigger is pressed, the contents of the container are pressurized through the sprayer, creating fine particles of paint and evenly spraying over the entire painting area. Such paint sprayers perform well when used professionally. The only drawback is the limited working space due to the length of the hoses. For example, to paint a house you will have to drag all the equipment from place to place.
An electric spray gun, unlike a pneumatic one, has a simple design. In this type of spray gun, paint is pumped into the nozzle using a small pump built into the body of the gun. It should be taken into account that due to the lack of a receiver for compressing and supplying air under pressure, paint spraying occurs at a lower quality than in pneumatic devices. However, if the question arose of which spray gun to choose for painting walls and periodic work around the house, then an electric spray gun is quite suitable for performing the assigned tasks. First of all, due to the fact that they are compact, lighter, easier to operate, convenient to move from place to place, and also much cheaper than pneumatic analogues.
Pneumatic spray gun: how to choose
Experts have no difficulty in choosing a spray gun for car painting and other professional needs. Because they know how to do it and are aware of the amount of work ahead. First, you should select a compressor based on receiver volume, maximum operating pressure and performance.
– if painting will be carried out on an industrial scale, then accordingly they opt for the largest stationary receiver with a volume of 300-500 liters with a maximum operating pressure of up to 10 atm and a compressed air capacity of more than 500 l/min. This will allow you to use several pistols in a fairly intensive mode;
– for workshops involved in bodywork, carpentry or fabrication wooden furniture a compressor with average performance is quite suitable: receiver – within 100 l, operating pressure – about 8 atm, productivity – 200-500 l/min;
- For finishing works and for home use, the question of which spray gun to choose for painting a house, windows, doors, floors and walls is easily resolved. That is, the most compact and lightest of compressors with a receiver volume of up to 50 l, operating pressure from 6 atm, productivity up to 200 l/min.
When choosing based on performance, you should take into account that compressors indicate the air injection at the inlet - this is what you should select according to. If you need to find out the air flow at the outlet, then you need to multiply by a factor of 0.65-0.7.
The second part of the answer to the question of which spray gun to choose for painting a car, for finishing work, for a home or for painting walls, is to select a gun for the compressor. In other words, you will need to balance the selected air supply mode and the painting mode of the sprayer using the following three technologies:
– “high pressure” (HP) technology is based on supplying paint under high pressure up to 5-6 bar at minimum consumption compressed air. Shows well when painting industrial volumes in closed, unventilated rooms and workshops. It is characterized by a high consumption of dye, where about half ends up on the object being painted, and half evaporates into the air;
– technology of “low pressure with high air flow” (HVLP), where the splitting of the paint and varnish material occurs due to the rapid supply of compressed air with a pressure of only 0.7-1 bar at the outlet. It is quite economical, versatile and effective, both on an industrial scale and in small-scale production, where losses due to spraying into the air are reduced to 35%;
– “low pressure with low air flow” (LVLP) technology, where atomization losses into the air are reduced by up to 20% with a sufficiently high operating speed and high-quality paint coating. But it is practically not used on an industrial scale due to low efficiency.
Which spray gun is better from the above technologies is decided according to the conditions of the upcoming paint and varnish work.
Finally, the third part of the question, how to choose a spray gun for painting a house, car and other needs, is to select one or another design of the gun and nozzle:
– according to the location of the barrel: When positioned at the top, the gun is easy to use and speeds up the production of paint and varnish work, thanks to good unbalancing. However, the capacity of the tank is small, up to only 1 liter, and it also cannot be placed vertically during breaks in work. With the tank located at the bottom, the tank capacity is more than 1 liter and can be placed vertically during breaks in work, but it is a little heavy and less convenient to use;
– according to the diameter of the nozzle: for paint and varnish work, use replaceable ones with a hole diameter from 1mm to 3mm, or universal ones in the range of 1.4-1.7mm; for application and spraying building mixtures replaceable nozzles with a hole diameter of 6-7mm;
– according to the set of functionality: in this case, how to choose a spray gun is decided by the possibility of adjusting the stroke of the needle, by adjusting the power of compressed air supply to the nozzle, by giving one or another form of spray (torch).
How to choose an electric spray gun
Despite the fact that an electric spray gun is much simpler than its pneumatic counterpart, deciding which electric spray gun to choose has its own characteristics. The only plus is that there is no need to select a gun based on air supply power and tank volume, the manufacturer has already produced everything necessary calculations on balancing these components. All that remains for the consumer is to understand which spray gun is best to choose for painting a car or outbuildings, for use in decoration or for small household needs.
The first thing you should pay attention to is the capacity of the tank and its location. This will determine which spray gun to choose based on the volume of work to be done. For minor works Around the house and for household needs, a spray gun with a built-in tank with a capacity of about 1 liter or more is quite suitable when you need to paint small areas and surfaces. For finishing work, when periodically you have to paint fairly large areas of walls, doors, frames, ceilings and other elements of the room and facades, it is better to choose a spray gun with a separate floor tank with a capacity of 7-10 liters. And how to choose an electric spray gun for serious construction projects, a powerful electric spray gun without a tank will show you most effectively. The main unit of such equipment is placed on a wheelbase, a high-pressure hose up to 60 m long runs from a powerful pump to the gun, and paint and varnish material is collected from any container, bucket, barrel of paint, etc.
The second criterion for the question of how to choose a spray gun for painting a car, walls and other surfaces implies what kind of paint will be used for the work. Some types of spray guns work only with water-based paints, others are more versatile and allow you to work with varnishes and solvent-based paints. If this is overlooked, the device may become unusable, since choosing a spray gun for painting a car from the line of spray guns for painting walls can lead to a negative result.
Third and no less important aspect The question of which electric spray gun to choose lies in the availability of various functional settings. At a minimum, it should be possible to adjust the paint supply volume and change the spray pattern (torch). At the same time, when purchasing, you should pay attention to the weight of the device, the level of vibration in the hand and the convenience of placing the handle in the palm - not only the quality of work, but also the comfort and labor intensity of painting surfaces largely depends on these little things.
If you need to paint a large number of parts, such as a fence, garage doors or something similar, then working with a brush is not the best convenient option. Firstly, the painting process will take much longer, and secondly, the paint will not lie evenly and thin layer.
If you want to get a good effect, while spending much less time, then you should use a spray gun, or rather, buy yourself this irreplaceable device. So that you can buy a quality product that will last you a very long time, we will tell you how to choose a spray gun and what to look for when purchasing.
Is it worth buying a device for home?
Let’s immediately make a reservation that you should not buy a spray gun unless necessary. If, in principle, you paint very little and once every five years you go over some surface with a brush, then there is no point in throwing away money on a device that will gather dust in the closet.
But if you regularly renew the paint on wooden or metal surfaces, or paint your car yourself, then this device is indispensable. Moreover, professional painters and even just amateurs cannot do without it. But the final purchasing decision is yours to make.
Types of spray guns
Today there are two types on the market - pneumatic and electric. If the second is clear, then the first is divided into two types - compressor and manual. But first things first.
Operating principle
The essence of any spray gun is to create an aerosol from the paint you have filled and apply it to the work surface. Based on the above, any device has a nozzle, a valve with adjustable paint and air supply, and a hook button for turning it on and off. And some models have a pressure gauge to adjust the pressure.
Electric spray gun has a special membrane with which the paint is broken and blown out. Its movement occurs due to an ordinary connecting rod mechanism. In the pneumatic one, the paint arrives on the surface in the form of an aerosol, and this happens due to the compressed air flow. It is he who breaks the paint into small particles.
Electric
These models have average power and are quite economical in terms of material consumption. As a rule, you do not need to buy additional hoses or a compressor for them. Operate from mains or battery. Not demanding in operation, convenient for home use, compact.
Power electrical devices not great. Typically, the power of devices operating only from the network varies between 0.06 - 1 kW. Battery ones are slightly smaller - up to 0.9 kW.
Important to know! Despite the fact that battery-powered devices are completely autonomous, they are not suitable for large volumes of work, since their performance is limited by the battery capacity. In this case, it is better to purchase one that works from the network.
Pneumatics
A hand-held pneumatic spray gun is a little primitive, but it has good performance. It is often used by painters to paint large surfaces. For example, if you experienced master, then you can easily paint 20 m2 in an hour. A hand-held spray gun is a small reservoir with an outlet hose on which a spray gun is attached. There is also a hand pump. With its help, air is pumped in, the flow of which throws the paint onto the surface. It is poured into a special tank.
The advantages of this design are its low cost and the absence of special requirements for the paint composition (even coarse mixtures can be poured). At the same time, the nozzle does not become clogged because a regular mesh filter is installed inside.
Flaws: high consumption paint, constantly required to pump up the application manually, low quality of painting.
In general, if you are not too demanding and painting work is not the main area of your activity, then you can purchase it for your home.
Pneumatic spray gun with compressor
Quite powerful and productive models, needed more by professionals than for home use.
Depending on the volume of air and pressure, they are divided into three types:
- LVLP;
- HVLP;
LVLP spray guns are the latest development in this field. Such models combine all the advantages of the brothers mentioned below. The acronym LVLP stands for Low Pressure Low Volume. The air pressure from the gun at the outlet reaches 1.2 atmospheres. This ensures good surface coverage and paint distribution. The distance from the device to the surface has increased to 20 cm. These improvements allow you to apply paint more efficiently, without drips and in an even layer. Of the shortcomings, only one can be noted - the high cost, about 4-20 thousand rubles.
Models with the HVLP system were developed after stricter environmental regulations. As a result, the pressure from the paint gun was reduced by 2 atmospheres and amounted to 0.7. As a result of these changes, the painting became much better - the paint did not bounce or accumulate in the air in the form of mist. Plus, compared to HP models, paint savings have increased by 30%. But at the same time, another problem appeared - with an increase in the transfer coefficient, it became more difficult to apply paint in a thin layer. In addition, it is the HVLP spray gun that has the highest requirements not only for the hose diameter, but also for the compressor power (minimum).
The High Pressure system is the simplest and most undemanding of all presented. For adequate operation, a pressure of 3 atmospheres is sufficient, while not much air is needed, and a powerful compressor is not required. Judging by numerous consumer reviews in different areas applications, it is models with the HP system that provide excellent surface painting quality. Another plus is the low cost of the device - from 800 to 2 thousand rubles. So if you're looking for the perfect tool for painting medium-sized surfaces for... affordable price and don’t know which spray gun to choose for your home, then take a closer look at the Intertool models. Its price is approximately 600-800 rubles.
In addition, how to decide which spray gun to choose for painting, taking into account the company and cost, it is important to know about some features. You also need to pay attention to them.
Cup and nozzle
For example, more powerful models supply paint through a hose, while manual or “home” models use a glass. It can be either at the top of the spray gun or at the bottom. This does not affect the quality of the painting itself, but there are some features in both cases.
For example, if you are working with paint coating, it is better if the glass is at the top, because viscous liquids go down. A spray gun with a lower glass is more convenient to use, but this is not so critical.
If you choose between plastic and metal, then metal ones are more convenient to wash, but through it you cannot see how much paint is left. Transparent plastic is more convenient in this regard. The nozzle in the spray gun must be metal, preferably aluminum. The quality of the nozzle directly affects the painting result. The smaller the hole, the better. Optimal for viscous materials - up to 2 mm, for acrylic paints - 1.5 mm.
How to thin paint for a spray gun
There is no particular difficulty in this, just remember important rule- add approximately 5% of the solvent from the total volume of paint in the glass, and then mix. In this case, the solvent must be suitable for both the spray gun and the paint itself. To dilute water-based paint, you need no more than 10% clean water.
Additional nuances
- Before buying a device, decide what you will paint - doors, walls, a car. This will greatly facilitate the selection of models.
- To get high quality painting, do not work automatically. Adjust the torch, nozzle and air supply.
- When buying pneumatics, pay attention to the performance of the compressor. If it is small, then surges in air pressure cannot be avoided and painting will become torture.
- Remember that most often the input capacity is indicated on the box, and what you need is the output. In most cases the difference is half.
- Don't buy the cheapest models. Even if you rarely use the device. Choose an average price if the device is for home use, and an expensive tool for professionals.
We hope our tips will help you.
More information on how to choose a spray gun for painting in this video.
