How to clean a spray paint gun? read our article to know. You will get a clear idea about this.
Often, special spray guns are used for painting furniture, walls, ceilings, various products and structures. In order for such devices to last as long as possible, it is necessary to wash them in a timely manner which requires paint gun cleaner. Currently, there are a large number of different means and ways to thoroughly clean such a device.
How to wash the spray gun?
In order for the spray gun to last a long time, and work properly, creating a high-quality paint coating day after day, care, cleaning, and lubrication of your faithful friend in the painting are necessary.
Let us briefly consider the main recommendations of spray gun cleaner for paint gun care.
What is necessary for cleaning?
To clean the spray gun, a number of substances and a spray gun cleaning kit may be needed.
- Spray gun cleaner solvent: If you used water-soluble paint, then you can prepare just clean water.
- Clean capacity: At the same time, it must be made of a solvent-resistant material.
- Rag: At the same time, it should not be fleecy, so that the particles do not remain on the spray gun during the procedure.
- Brushes: It is better to buy special brushes in advance, designed for cleaning such devices; they have the optimal rigidity for this.
- A key of a certain size: It will be needed to unscrew the head of the device.
- Means of protection: These include, first of all, protective gloves made of a material resistant to solvents.
Stages of work
To properly clean the spray gun with your own hands from dried paint, you should conduct several separate stages. Let’s consider each of them separately.
Disassembly
To begin with, the device will need to be disassembled for more convenient and high-quality washing. To do this, you need to remove the tank. At the same time, you can pull out the needle by unscrewing a special adjusting screw from behind, and the needle itself is already removed through this hole.
Then carefully remove the airhead.
In order for the nozzle to be easily unscrewed, you will have to use a key from the kit. A suitable tool is selected for the size, and the nozzle is unscrewed with its help.
Next, you will have to unscrew the distribution ring. To do this, it is better to take a hexagon and a cap key.
The subsequent assembly of the product will be carried out in the reverse order while being sure to take into account that it is necessary to fix the lining of the distribution ring with jumpers strictly above the holes for airflows.
Washing of parts
When the device is completely disassembled, you can start directly washing the product. It is best to wash all the parts immediately after use. Most often, such devices are used when spraying soil, paint, or a special varnish mixed with a hardener. Such components cannot be left for a long time, otherwise, they will dry out, and it will be much more difficult to wash them later.
To wash the paint gun after the epoxy primer or paint, you should pour the solvent into the tank, close it tightly and shake it well so that the product can affect the entire surface completely.
For such a cleaning, it is best to use the composition of the brand 646, you can take just acetone. Sometimes the solvent is replaced with gasoline A95. But the latter case is used extremely rarely because, after treatment with this substance, the gun intended for painting will still need additional cleaning with other cleaning agents.
Next, you will need to clean all the holes and channels available in the product. To do this, they should be carefully treated with a hard brush, which most often comes in one set together with the paint and soil spray gun itself.
Special attention should be paid to flushing the nozzle. This part should be especially carefully cleaned from frozen paint, varnish, or soil.
Compressed air purge
When all the parts of the spray gun are completely cleaned, the gun must be blown with compressed air. They do this in order to get rid of all the small residues of coloring substances, primers on the surface.
At this stage, the device is carefully connected to the air hose and the remaining detergent is sprayed. It can be sprayed on woven material. You do not need to use all the solvent at once, a small amount will be enough, but you should wait until a clean solution begins to arrive.
Assembling
After the spray gun is completely cleaned and processed, you can start its reverse assembly. At this stage, you will need to perform the same actions as during disassembly, but in reverse order. In addition, the needle will need to be pre-treated with a special lubricant – this will extend the operational life of the product. But at the same time, the composition should not fall on the tip of the element.
It is absolutely impossible to tighten the tank in its place with excessive effort after cleaning. After all, the remaining particles of varnish or paint when drying can simply glue the landing threaded part to such an extent that it will be almost impossible to unscrew the tank in the future.
Maintenance of the spray gun during the working shift
- In case of short-term interruptions in work, it is necessary to blow the paint gun with acetone, in addition, pour acetone into the spray gun tank.
- During the lunch break, make a partial disassembly of the paint gun: put the spray head in the tank of the gun with filled acetone.
- At the end of the working shift, disassemble and clean the spray gun. Put the spray head, nozzle, and needle of the spray gun in acetone.
Cleaning the spray gun after work
- Do not use chemicals, metal brushes, sharp objects, and non-specialized tools for disassembling and cleaning the gun to clean the spray gun.
- Do not immerse the spray gun completely in the solvent, because you will lose the lubrication of the spray gun components.
- Before cleaning the spray gun, turn off the air supply to the gun; press the release device to relieve pressure.
- Unscrew the spray head, clean it with a solvent and a soft brush, blow it with compressed air. If the head is clogged, clean it with a special wooden stick, then rinse it again with a solvent. Never use metal objects to clean the airhead, as they can damage it.
- Remove the locking needle, then the nozzle using the supplied key. Immerse the needle and nozzle in a clean solvent and gently clean them with a soft brush.
- Clean the inner surfaces of the gun with a brush soaked in solvent.
- When assembling, first install the needle, press the release device, and then screw in the nozzle so as not to scratch the needle.
Useful tips: How to clean a spray paint gun?
If you are going to clean the spray gun yourself, then you need to remember some tips.
- Use of personal protective equipment: Before proceeding with this procedure, it is necessary to wear thick rubber gloves to protect the skin from the negative effects of solvents.
- Careful handling of the needle: This element of the device is quite easy to bend, and even the smallest bend can lead to the fact that it will have to be replaced along with the paint head.
- The use of purging or wiping: These procedures allow you to get rid of small particles of old paint or soil after a complete cleaning. If you just wipe the surface of the device, then it is better to choose soft woven materials.
- The use of soft brushes: Do not use metal samples or products that have abrasive particles at the ends. After all, such devices can greatly damage the airhead.
- Carrying out regular lubricants: All parts of the spray gun must be lubricated with special protective compounds; it is worth carrying out such procedures at least once a week.
Notable issues:
In addition, do not forget that all the parts that have started to wear out and break should be immediately replaced with new ones so that the entire product can work properly. In stores, you can find whole sets with spare parts for this equipment.
Some users simply pour a solvent into the paint gun and shake it thoroughly; all this is repeated several times in a row. This method can only be suitable if the only rough painting will be carried out in the future, this option will not be suitable for finishing.
To keep such a spray gun always clean, you need to remember how to properly wash the spray gun after each painting. This is important for the formation of a good torch in the future, due to which a high-quality and maximally uniform coating is obtained, creating an absolutely even layer, without unpainted places and smudges.
If the device is not cleaned well enough, then the product will function much worse, it can even lead to the fact that small particles of the old pigment coating will fly out of the tool during operation.
Recommendations for the lubrication of the paint gun
The following parts of the spray gun should be regularly lubricated with a special silicone-free lubricant:
- The sleeve of the dosing needle
- Rod of the air supply valve
- Release lever screw
- E -Spring of the dosing needle
- The oil seals in nodes A and B should be replaced in a timely manner