Chuck K wrote:
I use a devilbis hvlp. Like you, I hate to do all the prep and then end up with something that looks like a brush job. I admit I'm not much good with a brush. Cleaning a gun isn't a big deal after you've done it a few times. Like others have said, it is imperative to keep the gun clean. On the negative side....if your painting a milling machine and you don't take the time to bondo it like they did when they first painted it, you might as well brush it. The grinding marks in the castings are something no amount of paint will cover up. I just finished a bridgeport and it looks great until you get close enough to see all the imperfections in the castings. The other problem I have is cure time. I have a logan lathe thats been sitting curing for about a week now. If I started assembling it tomorrow I know I would scuff the paint. I don't use urethane because I don't want the waste disposal problem. Autobody toolmart usually has good prices on spray equipment. Good Luck, Chuck
I had noticed this on my milling machine too. They did a fantastic job with the bondo / bog and the finish is quite smooth. The issue was the old chap I bought it from sold off loads of other gear so while people were moving their things out, they scratched up the machine.
When I lived in Australia, I had a different set of problems with regards to painting than what I have here. In queensland, it was the dust and insects that seemed to be the bane of re-sprays. Here in Norway, we seem to have non-stop rain which results in humidity that is much too high for painting. This does mean that there is relatively little dust in the air though.
I spent some time online last night and checked cheap guns. I am looking at 60 USD for a Chinese no-name gun. This was the cheapest I had found.
Paul.