Could use some help with a paint gun

[Kaptain Krunch]

Well i picked this paint gun up for $10 at a tag sale, its a craftsman, Its got two adjustments on the back, one adjusts the main spray and the other adjusts the two other jets on the tip (they make like a criss cross). Im pretty much just wondering how thin i need to mix paint, and what kind of paint i need to use, and how to mix it (just thin it out with paint thinner?). Also there is a little red set screw right above where the paint can screws in, what does that doe? adjusts flow?

 

[t0x1k]

Rustoleum, thin it with VMP & Naptha, just about a 25% reduction tho. Too thin it's runny, too thick its spatters.

I'm assuming that has a large tip upwards of 1.5mm or larger.
If so it's more of a gun to shoot high vis paints like latex or unthinned rustoleum.

The top screw is for flow, the bottom is for material, the farther out it is the more material you are spraying. It basically allows you to scqueeze the trigger more and opens the needle valve more.

Not sure what that red screw is for...Is the tank pressure fed or siphon? Mine is pressure fed and doesn't have that screw.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Ok, so by 25% reduction, i would mix say 4 ounces of paint to 1 ounce of VMP/Naptha? I'll get a pic of the nozzle.

What kind of pressure do i need to run this?

 

[t0x1k]

Yes, exactly.

No more than 40psi, there should be a max rating on the canister, usually around 60.
Those guns need a lot of air flow. My 26g 2hp compressor barely runs the gun for more than 10 second bursts.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Yes, exactly.

No more than 40psi, there should be a max rating on the canister, usually around 60.
Those guns need a lot of air flow. My 26g 2hp compressor barely runs the gun for more than 10 second bursts.

Oh ****...mines like 30g...sounds like i may just use a spray can.

 

[t0x1k]

Check the scfm output at 40psi, it should list it on the tank. If it's more then 9scfm at 40psi you should be fine.
I run my gun at around 50psi(higher pressure means less scfm) cause it's a cheaper model and doesn't like rustoleum. I think you should be fine though.

Take the tip off and the size is usually lasered on there. If it's anything outrageous like 1.9mm or bigger, don't use it. it makes oil paints spatter badly. That size tip is good for latex paints that are unthinned.
By just looking at it it looks like a latex gun though.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

The gun has just about nothing on it besides "craftsman" and "do not use glass container" "do not use over 50PSI". It doesnt say what size the jet is, but heres a picture. The air compressor also doesnt say much (got it for free, craftsman also) but i looked in their catalog and it looked like a 1.6hp 30gal one.

 

[t0x1k]

That's a big tip...and it's pressure fed. Reason why you can't use glass...imagine glass exploding.

Just test it out. It may or may not work for your needs.

Those guns are really only good for laying down finishes to table tops where the chance of runs in the lacquers and varnish are zero.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Alright, well i'll give it a go. do i have to use rustoleum or can i just use some water based house paint thinned down?

Also the air compressor doesnt say anything about anything on it. It says sears craftsman, and says its certified by some company but nothing else.

The gun was used for paint at some point, because the filter is red, so i'll see what i can do.

 

[lemegacool]

i use a big gun sometimes at work heres what i do: pressure 35 psi, mi:x i pour paint in the canister untill there is like 1/2" - 3/4" space left in the can, then i fill the rest of the can with "gun cleaner" basically its thinner, so yes you can use pain thinner. and for the paint we uses common hardware store paint (rustproof)

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

i use a big gun sometimes at work heres what i do: pressure 35 psi, mi:x i pour paint in the canister untill there is like 1/2" - 3/4" space left in the can, then i fill the rest of the can with "gun cleaner" basically its thinner, so yes you can use pain thinner. and for the paint we uses common hardware store paint (rustproof)

Cool, i'll give that a try later. how thin should it be? i dont want to mix a whole container haha. and i dont have paint thinner, if its water based paint can i just use water to thin it out? I'm pretty much just trying to avoid a trip to the hardware store where everything is way overpriced.

 

[t0x1k]

Yeah, but no more than 10% water.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Yeah, but no more than 10% water.

What if i run more water after to clean it out, then run a lot of plain air through it? I dont care that much about this paint gun, i pretty much want to see if it works, and if it does i just need to finish my mower with it.

 

[pmat]

you could mod it and have a pretty nice squirtgun

 

[jr dragster T]

You dont want the paint like water but you dont want it how it comes from Tremclad in the can. We painted my Rhino and Kart header with flat black stove paint and only one coat and its still holding and looking great. We thinned it just a bit.

 

[lemegacool]

the texture is difficult to tell over a keyboard. for me its like when it has a kinda olive oil texture... and buddy dont be afraid of trying, put your paint add a little water, test ... splatter : add water, paint slipping away : too much water lol

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Yea i'll be experimenting tomorrow if i dont go mountain biking, I was cleaning up the garage today so i could actually get the air compressor outside haha, right now its trapped inbetween a chainsaw bike, and washer/dryer, my mower, my other mower frame, and a buncha sled parts.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Ok i gave it a try, with some pink housepaint, i think it would have been better if i used paint thinner versus the water i used. But overall not half bad, it got a little runny but overall it gave a nice even coat of PINK. Sunday my dads gonna bring me some of his paint stash and i'll try to get the colors i want onto that hood.

 

[burningmetalmaniac]

just kicked on to the thread, the paint gun you got is old yes, but dependingon what kind of paint you're spraying, it can work just fine, the tip on there will work great for the old school paints like laquer or like someone else here said about the rustoleum paints in the quart cans, if you want it to tack fast with the rustoleum, use acetone, if you want it to flatten really good, and you're spraying a flat surface use mineral spirits, but if you're using an automotive paint, make sure you use what the manufacturer recommends, otherwise the results could be nasty. I've painted a few cars and some 4 wheelers, and with almost that same gun I painted my s-10 with rustoleum sloss black thinned 1.5:1 with acetone (1.5 paint : 1 part acetone) and it came out great

 

[Raywelder]

just kicked on to the thread, the paint gun you got is old yes, but dependingon what kind of paint you're spraying, it can work just fine, the tip on there will work great for the old school paints like laquer or like someone else here said about the rustoleum paints in the quart cans, if you want it to tack fast with the rustoleum, use acetone, if you want it to flatten really good, and you're spraying a flat surface use mineral spirits, but if you're using an automotive paint, make sure you use what the manufacturer recommends, otherwise the results could be nasty. I've painted a few cars and some 4 wheelers, and with almost that same gun I painted my s-10 with rustoleum sloss black thinned 1.5:1 with acetone (1.5 paint : 1 part acetone) and it came out great

Doesn't look bad.
Buts theres always something about paintjobs like that.
You can always tell there's something a bit off.
Looks like the finish is off a bit. With some buffing though, it would look even better.