[eighty-one]

Hello,

I have a Sharpe Finex FX 300 HVLP, and a Harbor Freight purple gun.

Last night was my first time using any HVLP before.

The Sharpe will only shoot big, ugly blobs of thinner (I was using thinner to test my setup). The purple gun will shoot a fine mist. But, if I adjust my regulator down on the purple gun, it behaves the same way as the Sharpe, and shoots big blobs.

I assume there's some blockage or pressure problem with the Sharpe, but I'm not sure where to look. It's a used gun, so the previous owner might have mucked something up. I was going to start by soaking the cap in paint stripper and then rinsing in thinner, but I'm not sure where to go after that..

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[crashtech]

What is the PSI at the gun? Does the fan control knob work?

[MARTINSR]

You are going to need to get into taking this gun apart, might as well start right now. Remove the fluid tip..



The cup, and the fluid needle and clean this gun out. Did you get an "exploded view" on a maintaince guide for the gun? I am blown away that I can't find one on line for you, so hopefully you have one.


Brian

[MARTINSR]

This isn't your gun but nearly the same.

Brian

[eighty-one]

Thanks, MARTINSR.

I got the cap off OK, soaked it and the needle in some SEM bumper stripper. Rinsed in laquer thinner and reassembled.

I also have an air flow know at the bottom of that gun. I'm using an add-on air pressure regulator, so I took that knob off, took out all the stuff that limits flow, and put the knob back in with some Teflon tape on the threads.

After I fixed the gun I put my first coat of primer on! Run city, so fixing runs is the next thing I'll learn I guess Whole car minus one door, the hood and the bumpers took about 12 Oz, and I have two gallons of this epoxy, so I guess now's a good time to mess stuff up

[MARTINSR]

There you go, you are off and "running" if you'll pardon the pun.

Brian

[hinklejd]

If it's running, then either the flow is too high or you're too close. Stay about 6-8 inches from the panel, and check the pattern prior to hitting the metal.

First coat...put it down dry and light. Second coat should be about the same. That'll give the paint something to stick to. Then work on medium m wet coats until the paint color is the same all the way across.

Then just put on two more coats and you'll be set for a good long while.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by hinklejd

If it's running, then either the flow is too high or you're too close. Stay about 6-8 inches from the panel, and check the pattern prior to hitting the metal.

First coat...put it down dry and light. Second coat should be about the same. That'll give the paint something to stick to. Then work on medium m wet coats until the paint color is the same all the way across.

Then just put on two more coats and you'll be set for a good long while.

You are right on the money, but be careful with the "dry and light" first coat, For a number of reasons. With a top coat like a SS urethane or a urethane clear coat if you apply a dry first coat, you WILL have a textured orange peely finish coat. The first coat should look like the last, "med wet".

With primers, if you apply a "dry and light" coat over sand scratches you could very sell set yourself up for sand scratch swelling and shrinkage down the road!

The primer sprayed too dry will bridge across the top of scratches and imperfections instead of filling them. Then when a wetter coat is applied over it the solvents soak into that dry coat and shrink down in to the scratches! This can happen days later if heavy wet coats are applied.

Again, a good med wet coat as most every tech sheet recommends with proper flash time between coats is the way to go.

Here is an article on setting up an HVLP gun. Here is an article on setting up an HVLP gun.
http://autobodystore.com/ms6.shtml

Brian