Anybody know of an online tutorial for HVLP spray guns? I’ve got two and absolutely no idea how to use them. Even the lil’ nobbies and stuff I got no idea what they’re for. I assume regulating air but why? how? 
Please excuse me for being stupid! :rolleyes:
Heres some really basic info as all guns are different.
Especially where the air control is.
The knob directly behind the needle controls the paint volume. Self explainatory as to what happens when you turn it.
The second smaller knob near it should control the fan. The width of the spray pattern.
Normally you want to keep the pressure at the gun, at less than 40 psi. Like mid 20’s. So you will need a pressure guage and pressure valve attached directly to the gun.
And let me be the first to say that a pressure pot set up is the way to go when dealing with catylized paints like those cured with MEKP.
Thanks JRL
This is what I have and what I’ve got figured out so far:
I also have a touch up sprayer I want to use for PVA. That gets sprayed at a much higher pressure correct?
That one your not sure about looks like it controls the fan pattern.
You can always fill it with water and experiment.
Yeah, PVA is supposed to be sprayed at 90PSI and about 18" away from the part.
KB, check out those handouts I sent ya as there was a package on spray guns in there.
Yes, i found an excellent tutorial a while back on how to adjust an hvlp gun. Let me look for it.
Here it is. Keep in mind this is for spraying automotive paint, but depending on what you are spraying this can give you a good starting point. Also never mind spending over $150 on a gel coat hvlp gun… that would be throwing money away. Use seperate guns for gel coat and clear coat or paint. If you can also buy a seperate gun for spraying primer, most professional paint guys use a cheap $80 AstroPneumatic LVLP EVO1018 gun for primer. Or the Astro Pneumatics HVLP QUL 1.8 or 2.0mm tip. SprayGunWorld.com sells them all at good prices.
http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/adjusting%20your%20gun.htm
Gotta be carefull with some of the astro guns. We bought one that the tip as cast into the gun. So the only way to clean it was to run acetone through it. Normally I take the whole gun apart after every session.
I think the EVO series and the QUL have replaceable/removable tips now. I’m probably going to get an EVO for shooting clear coat. I mean it would be nice to be able to have $400 to spend on an Iwata or Sata gun, but it’s not gonna happen most likely.
Looked through the package. All I saw was two on gelcoat and how to set up for spraying that. I’ll look again.
Not HVLP but…
Knotty, what liquid are you spraying with the blue hvlp gun?
That one will probably be used for automotive style paints, Centari or Imron. It came with 1.4 & 2.0 tips so I can shoot primer with it too. There’s a smaller one that came with the set that I’ll use to spray PVA. When I get ready to paint the boat I’ll invest in better guns cause the paints I’ll be working with are expensive and we want a really good finish even if it means color sanding the entire hull. The primers are two part epoxy and the top coats are LPU’s.
That lil’ thumb wheely thingy appears to control the feathering of the paint as it comes out of the tip. Crank it closed and there’s no feather virtually a stream of paint. Open it up and the pattern feathers out proportionally to the amount you adjust it. If that makes sense! lol
Yep, that knob on the side is the fan pattern adjustment. When you go to start painting put a regulator on the bottom of your gun, between the hose and the gun. regulate it down to 45psi and go from there whichever way you need, but don’t exceed 50psi with paint or clear coat.
i know which gun set you bought… i almost bought one of those sets myself to try out.