Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless: What Sprayer Do You Need

Which spray gun is better- air or airless ? you don’t need to be an expert to know that. Read our article, you will get a clear idea.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Air vs. Airless Paint Sprayers

Let the spray gun in its design principle and seems simple, but the choice of the device can catch many in a dead end. Until recently, the task was somewhat easier, because there were only pneumatic devices on the market.

 Now there are electric spray guns, which are not devoid of both pros and cons. To understand which spray gun to choose and make the right decision, it is worth delving into the design features of the device, its principles of operation, and the scope of application. It is important to understand the purpose for which you buy a spray gun.

Principle of operation and scope of application

The device is designed for uniform application and distribution on different surfaces of primers, mixtures, liquid rubber, enamel, paint, and other materials. The main function of the spray gun is the splitting of liquid solutions for their fine dispersion in a thin, even layer with a minimum amount of smudges and bubbles.

For more than a hundred years, namely, so much time has passed since the appearance of the paint gun; it has changed, modernized, become much more productive and convenient. The principle of operation of spray guns (both electric and pneumatic) is the creation of a kind of aerosol from a liquid material in the form of tiny droplets, which is directionally transferred to the desired surface. Based on this, you can identify the main components of the devices:

Main components of the devices:

  • Spray gun with the trigger “on/off”.
  • Tank for paintwork.
  • Paint and air supply pressure regulator.
  • Airhead and spray head with nozzle (nozzle).
  • Filter and paint nozzle.

It is worth noting that in an electric device, the paint is broken by a moving elastic membrane, and the mixture is blown out by a pump (built-in). In pneumatic equipment, the driving force is a powerful stream of compressed air, which is pumped by the compressor and, getting into the spray gun, breaks the liquid to the minimum possible particles.

To achieve the most uniform spray, it is necessary to select and set the material-air balance in the optimal ratio. As a rule, the manufacturer specifies the input pressure parameters that are normal for a particular device model.

For the correct choice of a spray gun, it is important to know not only the principle of operation of the unit and its device but also to have an idea of the scope and specific purpose of use. Knowing the exact object of painting – a car, a door, or a ceiling-will greatly facilitate and narrow down the search for the right model.

There are two main types of devices, electric and pneumatic, and they can be used for:

  • Painting of metal structures.
  • The whitewashing of premises.
  • Applying the primer to the walls.
  • Painting of ceilings and walls in buildings for various purposes.
  • Fight against bacteria and fungi by applying an antiseptic to the surface.
  • Processing of metal parts with anti-gravity.
  • Simplify the work on cleaning the walls from outdated wallpaper.
  • Painting of car bodies and parts.
  • Spraying of green spaces from pests.
  • Coating with varnish, paint, or staining of wooden surfaces.
  • Painting of small elements, hard-to-reach or raised places and corners.
  • Decoration of confectionery products.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

LVLP

The most advanced spray system uses the principle of “Small pressure\small volume of air”. Based on the process and results that LVLP sprayers show, they are rightfully the most popular spray guns in production, service stations, and paint shops.

The LVLP system provides not only the best quality of paint transfer to the surface but also the lowest cost at the same time. The amount of transfer of paint coatings to the surface reaches 95%.

 That is why many professionals use spray guns exclusively of this system. With an eye on the considerable prices of paint and varnish, such sprayers quickly pay for themselves due to their economy alone.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

It should be noted that the pneumatic spray gun should be selected primarily based on the characteristics of your compressor. After all, the compressor must ensure minimal energy consumption. Otherwise, the sprayer simply will not work correctly.

Summing up, it should be said that electric spray guns, according to their principle of operation and the results of painting, are household tools designed for painting “gates-fences”. Pneumatic sprayers, in turn, belong to a professional tool, but they also need to be selected and used correctly.

Types of paint sprayers

Since the range of spray guns is quite large, you can go through the possible options for a very long time. At the same time, you can not focus only on the price: someone will find it exorbitant, but the device will pay off very quickly, and someone will buy for a penny, will not get the desired result, and will pay again. Therefore, special attention should be paid to:

Power:

  • The quality and thickness of the coating.
  • Performance
  • Ergonomics

These indicators can be clarified by considering the different types of paint guns.

Mechanical or manual action

The simplest representatives of spray guns. Paint is not accurate enough, but, if desired, evenly. They are used for whitewashing the house or spraying the garden, because there is not enough power for painting, and the working pressure of the device is 0.4-0.6 MPa.

It can work on the principle of a child’s water gun or be made in the form of a tank, into which paint is poured, and then air is pumped by a hand pump. An outlet hose with a spray gun is attached to the tank.

With a very small price, the design is completely independent of the compressor and the power grid. But the quality of work and the amount of consumable material leave much to be desired.

Pneumatic

Representatives of this species are considered the most powerful. They occupy the first place among the equipment for painting cars. As a rule, professionals prefer to work with such units, appreciating their good performance, high power, and high quality of the painting.

The entire operation of the pneumatic spray gun depends on the compressor with the receiver. Therefore, first of all, the operating pressure (max.), capacity, and volume of the receiver, according to which the compressor is selected, are determined.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Electric air filters

A special feature of the air electric device is the spraying of liquids and mixtures using a pump that is located in the gun body. Spray guns of this series are unpretentious in use, compact, and operate from the most ordinary network in 220V.

The maximum thin layer of paint applied to the surface is identical to the layer of paint from pneumatic units. And, although the minuses include the appearance of a colorful “fog” during operation, the pluses prevail even with sufficient power; the spray gun produces a good performance – up to 0.35 l / min.

Electric airless (plunger)

In these devices, a plunger-piston is used to push the mixture out, frequent movements of which ensure a constant supply of paint. Despite the fact that the models are compact, easy to operate, and easy to clean, the quality of the work performed will not be ideal.

Since there is no air blowing, it is impossible to get very small drops of liquid. But this equipment (both domestic and professional) is perfect for applying viscous coatings.

Rechargeable batteries

Compact designs are similar to electric spray guns, only equipped with a battery, on the charge of which they work, and an additional tank for 1-2 liters. Visually, they are similar to a manual screwdriver.

The devices are easy to use, they are characterized by a good level of painting, but the price is higher than that of models without a battery, and the working time is short, so they are relevant for small amounts of work.

The undeniable advantage of battery-powered paint guns is their mobility and the ability to work in the absence of an electrical network.

Paint stations

Taking a closer look, the designs can be compared to hand-held devices, only made in much larger sizes: a pump and a high-power electric motor – a separate mobile installation, a high-pressure hose, a professional paint sprayer.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Spray guns with a huge number of adjustments have proven themselves well in various production areas when working on an industrial scale using a wide variety of types of paints.

Operation process

Below is an instruction that allows you to learn the basics of working with a tool for spraying paint products. Using this device, it will be possible to process even large structures in a short period of time, and the coating will fall in a uniform layer.

Initial system setup

To make the adjustment with your own hands, you need to fix a piece of cardboard or newspaper at a convenient height, after which you should bring the spray gun to the surface and pull the trigger. Hold the start-up until the smudges are clearly visible.

  • If there is a strong saturation at the edges of the spot, then you need to reduce the pressure or use a more viscous mixture.
  • In the presence of heavy smudges directly under the center of the applied trace, it is necessary to reduce the flow of paint with the help of the game.
  • If the stain is too light, then you should add a solvent to the composition used to reduce its viscosity.

Carrying out the main works

  1. The first step is to determine the sequence of coating on the surface of the structure. For example, you can divide a plane into separate zones – 1, 2, and 3. By unit, you mean the most significant place.
  2. Next, alternate processing of the sections from the 3rd to the 1st is performed, so that the excess paint products can disappear when approaching the main zone. At the very beginning, the spray gun is switched on at the edge of the surface to be painted.
  3. After starting work, the gun is held at approximately the same distance during the entire pass. It should not tilt in different directions: up-down or right-left.
  4. The trigger is released when the jet crosses the opposite edge. After examining the surface, untreated areas are identified. They are immediately applied a small amount of the composition.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Maintenance and care

Depending on the model, the cleaning process may vary slightly, but the basic procedures remain the same. Usually, the device is first disconnected from the turbine, and the remnants of the paint composition are carefully drained. The type of washing agent used depends on the type of the main composition.

After disassembling the equipment, deposits that have appeared inside the nozzle, as well as around the channel and needle, are removed. During the cleaning process, do not use metal products, as they can leave scratches on the surface of the device.

When the paint composition is completely washed off, it is necessary to lubricate with special means that do not contain silicone. The presence of this component can lead to further defects in the applied coating.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Some warnings

  • All spray guns supply the working mixture under high pressure, so you can get seriously injured during the work.
  • You can not process the raised surfaces to avoid uneven distribution of paint.
  • After switching off the device, you must release the pressure by pressing the lever or opening the valve.

Differences between pneumatics and electricity

To choose the right spray gun, you need to take into account different points. Since all the current and most popular devices are divided into “pneumatics” and “electricity”, let’s try to make a comparison:

  • The quality of the work performed: Pneumatic spray guns are much more powerful than their electric brothers, and the paint in them is sprayed into much smaller particles. As a result, “pneumatics” covers any surface with a thinner and more uniform layer of dye.
  • “Fog” from paint: In this matter, the “palm” is given to electrical appliances. Moreover, in plunger models, the formation of “fog” is generally significantly reduced. That’s just an unpleasant addition that will be a low level of painting. If you need an ideal option, then only pneumatic devices.
  • The use of viscous substances: Substances with high viscosity will not be a problem for electric paint sprayers. The main thing is not to put on them nozzles with a diameter that is not suitable for working with these materials.
  • Replacement components: Basically, household electrical devices can not boast of the possibility of replacing the nozzle. To work with different compositions, the latter will have to be brought to the desired consistency; otherwise, most of the working time will be spent on cleaning the clogged nozzle or eliminating the smudges that have appeared. At the same time, when working with pneumatic spray guns, it is better to use nozzles of different diameters for different materials. Therefore, the right solution is to purchase a set of elements with different parameters and apply them as needed on the same device.
  • Fire safety: As for safety, it is important to know that it is prohibited to use electrical equipment in the paint chamber or in closed paint shops and other similar premises.

Operating principle

The principle of operation of such a spray gun looks simple. The paint is poured into the tank, which goes through the nozzle during operation, after which it is crushed and applied to the painted area.

The crushed paint fragments are distributed evenly, and their drying takes much less time. In fact, it is an electric pump that pumps the paint into the nozzle, where it is crushed and sprayed on the surface.

The high pressure under which the material is applied allows you to work with substances of high viscosity, the use of which in air-type devices is contraindicated.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Spray gun power

The power of pneumatic spray guns is determined based on the power of the accompanying compressor and can vary from 0.7 to 3 kW. The most popular devices are those whose power is in the range of 1.2-1.8 kW. This is quite enough for the good operation of all the equipment.

Electric paint sprayers with a power of up to 500 W have an affordable price and do a good job with medium-intensity work.

Spray gun pressure

Knowing these indicators, you can make the optimal choice of the desired model of the sprayer:

  • 2-2.5 atmospheres (low) – reduces the loss of mortar to a minimum (20%), but does not give an ideal paint quality.
  • 4-6 atm. (average) – the most acceptable option. The quality of the painting is always good, and the units can work with almost any type of paintwork.
  • 5-6 atm. (high) – the paint quality is at the highest level, the surface treatment speed is maximum, but the paint loss is too great.

Low-pressure devices are usually the choice of machine paint masters. They work perfectly at a pressure of 2 atm. And save up to 30% of the paint material.

High-pressure equipment (up to 6 atm.) is ideal for working with viscous compositions. With their help, you can apply primers, bitumen-based mastics, anti-corrosion compositions.

Which spray gun is better: air or airless?

Recently, a huge number of offers for the sale of various spray guns for painting products have appeared on the market of paint equipment. Managers of various companies vying with each other advise to take an air spray gun, then an airless one, and often different “experts” advise different paint equipment for painting the same product with the same paint under the same conditions. How do you choose the right spray gun for yourself?

Let’s start with a brief theory.

Principles of operation of the air spray gun:

Air pneumatic and electric spray guns are of three types: with an upper tank, with a lower one, and with a forced supply of paint from the feed pump.

When applying paint from the upper or lower container, the paint is sprayed due to the vacuum created by the air. When the paint is supplied from the pump, the paint is supplied by the air pressure supplied to the pump or discharge tank. In all three types of spray guns, the paint and varnish material flows by gravity and is sprayed due to the volume and air pressure (up to 8 atm).

In the case of airless paint spraying, the paint material goes from the paint unit through a high-pressure hose to the spray gun under high pressure (up to 530 bar). Also, in the spray gun, there is a special nozzle, with a very small cross-section, several times smaller than with air spraying. Through this nozzle, the paint is sprayed due to high pressure, forming a clearly defined torch.

Advantages and disadvantages of an air spray gun:

When the paint is sprayed by air, a soft colorful torch is formed, which falls on the surface to be painted in a very thin layer, due to the low viscosity of the paint, which allows you to obtain a high quality of the painted surface.

The disadvantage of air spraying is the low paint transfer coefficient.

The paint flies out of the nozzle of the air spray gun under low pressure, and not all of it reaches the surface to be painted because when it collides with air particles, it can not pass it, form a colorful fog and fly around the painter.

Advantages and disadvantages of an airless spray gun

With airless spray due to the high pressure of the injection pump, the paint can be significantly more viscous than with an air spray gun. Flying out under high pressure, it calmly passes air particles, does not swirl, and falls on the surface to be painted. Due to this, the paint transfer coefficient for the airless method of painting is significantly higher than for the air method, and the productivity of painting works is several times higher than the productivity for air spraying.

The disadvantage of airless painting is the impossibility of painting products of complex construction because when choosing this method of spraying, the paint will paint the structure unevenly, forming “swells” on convex places.

With airless spraying, it is very difficult to obtain a high quality of the painted product, because the paint, arriving under high pressure, can bounce off the surface, and a “shagreen” can form on the painted product.

If the nozzle and the pressure of the paint machine are not properly selected, there may be smudges and paint surges, because the painter can simply not keep up with the speed of spraying paint and varnish material from the nozzle.

Main applications of the air spray gun:

The main application area of air spray guns is small-scale production, where frequent material changes are required or possible, where the high quality of the painted surface is needed.

The main consumers of air spray guns are:

  • car service stations (take equipment for painting cars);
  • furniture factories (frequent material changes and the required high quality of the surface to be painted, force furniture manufacturers to use air spray guns);
  • window and door production (for applying finishing coatings, air spray guns are also used due to the frequent change of paint colors);
  • automobile plants (for painting small products);
  • car factories (for finishing touch-up of passenger cars);
  • bus factories (passenger buses should have a good finish paint, and since most factories do not have such a flow production, paint of the same color in a row does not pour so much per day).

Main applications of the airless spray gun:

The main field of application of the airless spray gun is the large-scale production of geometrically simple products, or the construction and repair of buildings and structures, for painting walls and ceilings.

The main consumers of airless spray guns are:

  • car factories (in the production of freight cars);
  • construction companies (for painting facades and interior decoration);
  • companies that apply flame-retardant coatings that have very high viscosity;
  • factories that produce windows and doors (stream production of standard products of medium quality). Basically, they apply the soil without air, because after applying it, the technology is used for grinding;
  • shipbuilders (painting of barges and large cargo ships).

In order to choose which spray gun is suitable for you or your production, you need to answer the following questions:

  • what is the viscosity of the paint to spray?
  • what are the paint volumes?
  • are color changes possible?

If the quality is high, the paint can be diluted and made liquid, the volumes are small, frequent paint changes are possible at the request of the customer, then choose an air spray gun.

If the quality of painting the facade of a building or the quality of painting a railway freight car does not suit you very high, the paints are similar to “kefir” or more viscous, the volumes are “decent”, the color changes once a day or not at all, then your choice is an airless spray gun.

Choose the right high-pressure paint equipment and it will serve you for many years!

Diameter of the nozzle (nozzle)

An electric spray gun is used to work with many compositions.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Each type has its own nozzle size:

  • Enamel-no more than 1.3 mm.
  • Acrylic mixes – 1.6 mm.
  • Primer – 2.8 mm or more.
  • Building mixes – 6-7 mm.

The universal size of the nozzle for almost all spray guns can be considered a diameter of 1.4 mm. Be sure to pay attention to the material of manufacture of the nozzle – it should be metal, even aluminum with its softness, and not brass, but, most importantly, metal. Master car paint artists also choose different sizes of nozzles for their pneumatic assistants:

  • 2-1.3-base “metallic”.
  • 4-1.5-acrylic primer, acrylic paint, and varnish.
  • 7-2-liquid putty.

The main parameters that you should rely on when buying a spray gun

If the properties of the gun of the device are able to affect the quality level of painting, then the compressor will depend on how the gun gets the right amount of air, which has the necessary pressure. Also, how long it manages to work without stopping.

Receiver volume

The main task of the receiver is to equalize the outgoing airflow. Due to the pump, its gradual supply is carried out in the form of shocks. Accumulating the right pressure is also his responsibility.

There is a directly proportional relationship here. It consists of the fact that the larger the volume parameter of the receiver, the more stable the airflow will be, and the compressor motor will rest longer until the pressure is reduced. On the other hand, a large receiver will take longer to gain the desired pressure indicator.

For the use of spray guns at home, a receiver with a volume of 25-50 liters can be suitable. This is the golden mean if you choose between the indicators of compactness, performance, and the frequency of switching on during uninterrupted operation. I.e., this is quite enough to perform painting work on a professional basis.

100-500 liters will be required if you need to provide a production line. If there are doubts about the choice of the receiver or you need a reserve for the future, then pay attention to the connector that is needed to connect the receiver of the additional plan. Often, it is installed in cases where it is necessary to increase the working volume.

Engine power properties

A number of budget and semi-professional compressors are equipped with electric motors, the power indicators, in this case, will be 1.3 kW. At the same time, the volume of the receiver will not exceed 50 liters, which is quite enough to support up to 6 bar of operating pressure.

In the store, you can see 2 engines, which according to external data seem to be the same, but if you look closely, their power indicators are different.

Of course, the hand will reach for the device with 2 kW, rather than with 1.3, but do not think that due to the quality of the winding, the engine power will be increased. As a rule, the more powerful the device is, the larger it is.

Look at the compressor drifts. If they are the same size, then most likely you have 2 similar devices in front of you. Immediately, the power properties are used as a marketing move from the manufacturer.

This is due to the fact that the power will not be related to the speed of air injection. Affect the size of the piston, the number of revolutions of the shaft for 1 minute.

If the pistons are the same, then to increase the air injection rate, it will be necessary to remember that a large number of revolutions is proportional to the rapid wear of the piston group and bearings.

In general, there is another way to deal with this situation. You need to bleed the air from the receivers and track the time it will take to fill them. In this case, all the secrets will become clear and you will understand which device will suit you best.

Air pressure

All receivers have a pressure switch. It allows you to set the necessary parameters that allow you to turn on and off the engines. In compressors that are used for painting, often the lower bar is represented in 6 bar, while the upper bar is 8 bar.

This means that if the receiver is less than 6 bar, then the engine will turn on and pump the air until it becomes 8 bar. The need for more pressure will be in the case when the compressors are used in production.

Productive properties

As in the case of the engine power indicator, here you can face a marketing ploy. Pay attention to this parameter is required. This is due to the fact that there are 2 types of compressor performance – what it pumps into the receiver and the volume that comes out with the gun.

The characteristics may indicate the amount of air that is driven by the pump, but the manufacturers hide what losses are observed in the case of compression. They can reach up to 35 percent. That is, to get a real figure, you need to multiply this parameter in the passport by 0.65.

If the compressor has lower performance properties, then it is likely that the gun will not have enough pressure, and therefore there will be long pauses in its operation associated with pumping air.

Or there is a chance that the engine will run without any interruptions. This will speed up its wear and tear, without having the rights to warranty repairs.

As a result, we can say that this parameter is one of the most important, and therefore take it into account and select it with a margin, given that in addition to the operation of the spray gun, there is also the possibility of connecting an additional type of equipment.

Tank volume and location

The paint can be fed into the gun in two ways: through a hose connecting the paint container and the gun, or from a compact paint filling cup. The latter is made of metal or plastic:

  • In the first case, the user gets difficulty with washing, but the visibility of the remaining paint.
  • And the second case, the tank is easy to clean, but it is not known how much paint material is left in it.

In addition, the glasses for paintwork can be located both at the top and at the bottom:

  • With the “top” position on a break in the work, the tank can not be placed vertically; this arrangement makes the element convenient for operation and increases the speed of the painting process.
  • When the tank is fixed to the “bottom” position, it can be placed on any surface to rest or fix the wires – this is very convenient. But it should not be tilted, so that in any case, instead of paint, the air is not sucked in.

Today, there are many new interesting developments, and, for example, offers a real pro a sealed tank with the “PPS” system, which has proven itself perfectly when working with viscous and thick materials.

The glassworks as a hermetically sealed system, the preparation of the mixture and its delivery to the sprayer takes place without transfusion. The described tank is compatible with the most popular paint guns with the turbo-HVLP system, which can be installed in three positions: “top”, “bottom” and “side”, respectively, the spray gun can work even in an inverted state.

Many craftsmen carry out finishing work on large areas and perform processing or painting of walls, ceilings, door and window openings, facades, etc. To help themselves, they choose equipment with a floor-standing, free-standing tank with a volume of 7-10L.

For work on large construction sites, specialized teams are equipped with powerful electrical equipment, in which the paintwork is taken from a barrel, bucket, or any other container.

Weight of the device and length of the cord

If painting the necessary surfaces takes a considerable amount of time and the working unit is not a painting station on a stand, then the weight of the structure will also affect its choice. As a rule, the weight of small compact devices is not more than 2 kg.

But for those who decided to buy something like “Bosch PFS 5000E”, it is necessary to take into account that this is quite heavy equipment (up to 5 kg) with a portable pump. But with household appliances such as “Wagner W100” easily cope even a woman.

You also need to decide on the length of the hose. To do this, you need to take into account two points:

The length of the hose is the distance that you can move away from the external compressor or station.

Whether the power of the device is enough to “push” the mixture to the “exit” with a large length of the hose.

Specialized craftsmen prefer electric floor appliances (Campbell Hausfeld, Earlex, Wagner).

Types of devices

A spray gun is a device for quickly painting a surface. The coloring device can be of the following types:

  1. Manual unit powered by electricity: Manual paint equipment is small but very efficient, and it does not require a lot of paint when refueling. All these advantages make it popular for a variety of jobs, but this device is not designed for painting a large area;
  2. Stationary device: This unit is mainly used by qualified specialists for painting large-scale objects and complex parts. Since this equipment requires a large amount of paint, it is most often used in production.

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

Type of gun

To choose the right pneumatic paint sprayer, you need to know the main types of devices that differ depending on the pressure and volume of air:

Which Spray Gun is Better Air or Airless

  • HP (High Pressure) (pressure – high, airflow – low). The most budget option, although painting can be done with a very good speed. The required pressure is 5-6 bar, the paint loss is no more than 50%, a powerful compressor is required. They have an affordable price and are used for various types of painting work.
  • HVLP (High Volume-Low Pressure) (pressure – low, volume – high). When using a high volume of air, the work is performed under low pressure. The pressure at the outlet barely reaches 1 bar, the torch is stable, the speed is excellent, and the paint transfer is more than 65%. The devices are recognized as the most effective and pay off very quickly.
  • LVMP (Low Volume-Middle Pressure) (pressure – medium, volume – small). The devices have high performance, air consumption-270 l / min, effective transfer-more than 65%, they are distinguished by the widest spray torch – 28 cm. The device does not work with hammer enamels and paints with abrasive elements.
  • LVLP (Low Volume-Lou Pressure) (pressure – low, volume – small). Equipment of the highest category, useful transfer-up to 80%, sufficient air consumption-200 l / min. Pistols are expensive, but they differ in the minimum consumption of paintwork, thin, even spray and very little “fog”.

Paint application: features of the technology

The device can be presented with one of the 3 available paint application technologies. All of them vary among themselves due to the operating pressure and the need for air, which is issued at the expense of the compressor.

The technology is displayed in the names of the spray guns. We are talking about HP, HVLP, LVLP. Note that all of them are able to cope with the disadvantage of the device.

This is the formation of a “colorful fog”, which is inherent in all spray guns. Its appearance is associated with a strong grinding of paint particles, which become excessively light in weight.

Also, on the way from the nozzle of the gun and to the surface to be painted, they can be slowed down by air, while remaining in it in the form of a suspension.

3 LVLP

The technology provides low pressure and the same volume of air. The device is a premium class with a transfer coefficient of paintwork up to 80 percent. The technology does not require a high-pressure air gun at the inlet, nor does it require a powerful compressor. The option that produces about 200 liters per 1 minute of work is also suitable.

It seems that with less air pressure, the speed of operation will drop, but this does not happen with a large transfer coefficient. The quality of painting in this case will be higher, as you will need less control over the distance from the gun to the surface to be painted.

Even if the LVLP spray gun is expensive, such devices are indispensable when working with premium paint coatings. Let the paint savings be no higher than 5-10 percent if you compare HVLP, but with regular use, the device will definitely be able to justify itself and quickly enough.

2 HVLP

The technology provides low pressure and a large volume of air. The nozzle of the gun will be made so that the high pressure from the compressor is lowered at the outlet.

Let the paint fly out at a lower speed, but the amount per unit of time will be greater. The airflow will be lower, which will allow you to keep the gun closer to the paint surface on which the paint falls.

During this time, the loss of paint and varnish materials will be reduced, and the transfer coefficient will be more than 65 percent.

Such devices are more expensive than high-pressure spray guns. But keep in mind that the paint savings will be higher than 15 percent. This will allow them to pay for themselves quickly enough.

1 HP

Provides high pressure: The technology is appropriate in devices that are sold inexpensively. It has many disadvantages, which are increasingly forced to abandon this type of device. But if your budget is limited, it is likely that you will be happy with such a purchase.

The main advantage is that the device paints the surface as quickly as possible due to the use of a large airflow. But then there are also drawbacks.

Note that a high percentage of paint that does not end up on the surface will be more than 50-55 percent. We must admit that the overspending is really noticeable in the field of paint and varnish materials.

Moreover, there is a high level of air pollution. More often it is necessary to buy paint, change respirators, and protective suits. In general, this outfit is indispensable in the case of working with this technology.

At high air pressure, you will need the skills to use such equipment. If you bring the nozzle of the gun close to the surface to be painted, the airflow will contribute to the fact that the paint will swell, even if it has not yet frozen.

Even if the spray gun works in accordance with HP technology, its price is not high. There is a need to create high pressure and a large airflow, and therefore you need a fairly powerful compressor.

If you close your eyes to the question of economy, then high-pressure spray guns are inexpensive. These are universal devices that are used in most cases for paint and varnish work.

Availability of adjustments

Modern paint guns, as a rule, have from one to three adjustment systems:

  • Needle stroke (nozzle opening). Purpose-regulation in one direction or another of the volume of paintwork and, as a result, the creation of a layer of the required thickness.
  • The task is to allow you to select and configure the most acceptable shape and size of the sprayed spot.
  • Air supply. Feature-the ability to change the force of the paint departure from the nozzle, by adjusting the output pressure.

Device

The design of the unit consists of the following elements:

  • Aluminum or plastic housing;
  • Filter;
  • Soploderzhatel;
  • Nozzle;
  • Material supply hose;
  • Electric drive;
  • Safety system;
  • Fuse holder;
  • Handle;
  • The rotary mechanism in some models.

Useful additional elements

Basically, spray guns are purchased for frequent use and perform considerable amounts of work. To increase the efficiency of the devices, they can be supplemented with useful elements:

  • Dehumidifier: With high requirements for the quality of painting, it is necessary to install this part between the paint gun and the compressor. It will not allow moisture from the air to enter the spray gun, which has become condensate in the compressor and hose.
  • Paint injection tank: This is an additional installed, hermetically sealed container, which makes it possible to significantly increase the area of the painted surface.
  • Air filter: The device cleans the air from solid small particles.

Compressor Features

The main part of the paint sprayer design. In its absence, it is impossible to perform coloring. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the compressor with special care.

Its main characteristic is power. For use in domestic conditions, you can purchase a device with a power of 1.2 kW. You should also pay attention to the receiver, the optimal volume of which is considered to be 25-50 liters.

The compression force of the air is also important for the compressor. The standard pressure is 8 bars.

The quality of the spray gun depends on the performance of the compressor. The user needs to decide how many liters of air per minute of working time the device should give out. This parameter may differ for different models of sprayers.

It is desirable that the compressor has a system of protection against overload and voltage drops. Therefore, it is best to purchase products equipped with automatic shutdown.

A few” Secrets ” of choice

To perform one-time work, in which the quality is not important (whitewash), a mechanical spray gun or plunger device is suitable.

For frequent painting in the house, an electric air device with good application quality is suitable.

For professionals of different specialties, it is better to use “pneumatics” of the HVLP or LVLP category, which has an external tank.

The use of spray guns in various fields makes it possible to get the desired result as quickly as possible and avoid many difficulties.

Advantages and disadvantages of the product

The pneumatic sprayer has a number of positive qualities:

  • the possibility of use in premises that do not allow painting works with the use of electrical equipment due to the risk of ignition or explosion;
  • high quality and efficient operation;
  • cost-effectiveness. Devices of this type allow you to minimize the consumption of paint;
  • high strength. These devices fail in very rare cases;
  • operational safety;
  • they can be used in rooms with a predominance of high humidity;
  • simple design, maintenance, and application;
  • overload resistance;
  • the presence of a sealed housing, which minimizes the risk of dust or debris entering the paint and knocking down the spray nozzle.

This device also has a number of disadvantages:

  • the need for compressed air, so you can only use it in conjunction with the compressor;
  • low level of efficiency. The spray gun needs to be connected to the power grid because the compressor can not work independently.

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