Spray guns

For effective, fast and professional quality painting, spray guns are used. Both household and commercial tasks are completed with spray guns. There are many kinds of spray guns available in the market. They can be categorized according to their application, construction, mode of use, usable paints and so on.

Types of spray guns

Spray guns are mainly classified in two main categories: automatic spray guns and manual spray guns. Automatic spray guns have their heads attached to mounting blocks and the spray gun heads spray paints from that position. On the other hand, in manual mode you have to move your hand back and forth for spraying. There is a limitation of the latter method. In manual method you have to spray carefully so that each stroke overlaps the previous one in a definite way.

The spray guns can be further classified on the basis of their application. Different types of spray guns available in the market are discussed below:

Airless Spray Guns: This type of air spraying gun is high pressure spraying gun which have high pressure pump to atomize the coating.

The advantage of this type of spray gun is that it can use different tip sizes to get desired atomization and spray pattern. So in this case atomization can be controlled. Since proper atomization can be possible so the coating of this spray gun penetrate better into pits and corners. But as it applies a thick coating, its application is limited. This type of spray gun is widely used in painting large sized chemical, commercial and marine coating and linings.

Air Assisted Airless Spray Guns: These type of guns are similar to the airless spray guns but just have a lower fluid pressure. The working mechanism of both type of guns are similar. Air assisted airless spray guns have a high transfer rate. For their high application speed they are generally used for finishing tasks in factories.

HVLP Spray Guns: These are conventional type spray gun. High volume low pressure spray guns require high volume and low pressure and they have a large compressor to supply the air. The air is used to aerosolize and propel the paint at a lower pressure. These guns are very popular for painting tasks in the field of automobile industry, furniture finishing, architectural coating etc.

LVLP Spray Guns: LVLP air spraying gun is low volume low pressure spray gun. It is similar to HVLP air spraying gun except it uses low volume of air instead of high volume of air. Since it uses low volume of air so its compressor size is small in compared to the HVLP air spraying gun. This type of spray gun is widely used in small stores, woodshops and smaller projects.

Electrostatic Spray Painting: Electrostatic painting uses electrical charge. In this method electrically charged powder is sprayed on the surface that is charged with opposite electrical charge. This type of paint is more preferable than the liquid painting because it is more durable and it is environmentally friendly. For the painting of most plastics and any kind of metal this type of painting is used. The electrostatic painting is mainly used for painting car bodies, bicycles, elevators, motorcycles and other sectors where high quality and duration both are important.

Tips for Buying the Best Airless Paint Sprayer

The airless paint sprayers are mostly purchased by professionals and contractors for heavy duty applications. These sprayers can be gas powered or electric. As the guns are used for professional use and not cheap, hasty decisions are not encouraged. Careful examination of the specifications, features and comparative price is very important. You should ask the local vendor for a brochure which will show you the comparisons of all the spray guns. Mainly two brands are available in most stores- Graco and Titan. The matters you should give your full attention to are discussed here.

Gallons per Minute (GPM): The higher the GPM of a machine the faster it sprays machine. Although getting a spray gun with high GPM may seem attractive, you should keep in mind that the price rises with the GPM number. For normal production purpose a sprayer with 0.5 GPM is more than enough.

Maximum Tip Size: The maximum tip size is important because it limits the type of materials you can spray with the gun. So check the specs carefully before purchasing the gun. You must buy a gun that has a tip size compatible with the materials you are going to spray with it.

Frequency of use: You should always buy a sprayer that can be used for the time you want it to function. Actually, you should buy a sprayer with more capacity if you can afford it-just for protective purpose. That way you will be less anxious about crossing the using limit.

Price vs. Quality: The most popular companies producing paint sprayers are Graco, Wagner and Titan. Wagner produces professional equipment mainly for homeowners. On the other hand Graco and Titan have commercial and industrial customers. If you can afford it, buy one from Graco because those are the best sprayers available in the market. Buying cheap spray guns will be a great mistake. If you can’t afford Graco, buy a good Wagner sprayer. Don’t buy a low quality airless paint sprayer for high cost of quality products.