Anyone running Metco flame spray guns? (11e, 12e, etc)

[gasket999]

I have a couple of older Metco flame spray guns (an 11e and a 12e), one of which I'm looking to refurbish and put to use for spraying 1/8" zinc from an oxygen-propane setup.

Is there anyone on the forum running them and if so could you advise a place to find 1/8" zinc wire and spare parts for the guns (ideally in the UK, but will go to US - noting there seems to be a number of clones being produced in India)?

There's a chap called Gordon England offering refurbishment services, but the website seems to be very old and I haven't been able to make contact by phone.

Thank you.

 

[sasquar]

what are the nozzles like? If theyre the stepped ones, with two o rings, your fine, if theyre the flat faced ones, youre in trouble.....

Metco will sell you the parts direct (theyre actually really good for spares), Metalization will sell you the wire......

We run loads of these guns, so work with them pretty frequently........

Try and find a manual (ill have a look, i may have an e copy i can send you), as that will also have the recommended nozzles, and gas setting etc.....

 

[gasket999]

Hi - thanks for your reply.

Fingers crossed here, but I think the nozzles are the double o-ring type you describe. Both guns have the same style of nozzle and while I haven't yet figured out how to get the old nozzles out without marring them, there were a couple of spares in the box which I've photographed below. I think the part number for the nozzle type I need for 1/8" zinc wire on oxygen-propane on the 11e gun is "11E-7-15".

I've just managed to download a late 1980s copy of the 11E manual, but if you had any other versions or one for the 12E (or any of the metallisation handbooks) you could share I'd be very grateful.

Aside from identifying the parts I need to strip/rebuild the guns (assuming no damage is found) then I also need to work out a source for the bottle regulators and gas / air flow meters/hoses etc. If any of these components are common to modern gas systems (I'm thinking regulators and hoses) then for safety I'd assume the advice is to buy new.

Thanks for the pointer on Metallisation and great to know that Metco sell parts - I couldn't see any 11E or 12E parts on their website.

 

[sasquar]

yeh, theyre the available nozzles, so all good on that front. Im up against it a bit today so havent got time to delve too deeply, but off the top of my head, the 11 and 12E are, to all intents and purposes, identical, theyre also forwards compatible (talking FRONT end componants here, I need to check the gearbox end, from memory the bearings and shims are slightly different, but thats a bit more in depth than we're going today) which means you can order the nozzles from a 14E/16E (modern-ish, think theyre now on the 18E, who knows what thats like, never seen one, but its probably the same!), and they'll be the same, and work just fine.....

No idea what Metco list on their site, I just email the girls (not meant in a sexist way, one is called Lisa, the other Karen, theyre both fantastically helpful. No idea if they'll deal with the public, you'll have to ask!!) at Metco (ill pm you the email in a second, as im not entirely sure it publicised anywhere, so dont really want some nasty bot collecting it or whatever) with a list of part numbers, and they sort the rest out..... Give me a day or so (remind me, i have the attention span of a squirrel crossing the road) and ill dig out the part numbers that they might actually be able to assist with!!

Metco used to sell zinc/ali, they dont any more, hence the suggestion to talk to metalisation (https://www.metallisation.com/) who still supply wire in the uk. Normally comes in 25kg spools iirc, but its been a while since i bought any..... They dont sell metco parts, only stuff for their own guns (which are fine, but not the same, and being as you have metco stuff.....)

Gas stuff is mostly easy, regs and hoses are just standard modern stuff, EXCEPT the gun connectors, which are a stupid thread, so you'll need to transfer those over (side cutters, double ear clip, and youre golden) The Air supply is a bit more tricky, as you need a set of flows (full disclosure, you REALLY should have a set of flows on the gasses as well, but for non-technical anti corrosion stuff, youll be ok....) to set it up properly. Ive no idea where you get these, I know where I get them from, (the store upstairs), but thats of little help to you...... Probably easy enough to find, you might even have got a set with the guns??

Service stuff for the guns in general is just a set of seals on the spindle, and a set of seals on the siphon (<that doesnt look like its spelt right, had three goes, giving up now...) all of which are probably available for pennies if sourced outside of metco, but im lazy so just get them direct at the same time as all the rest of the bits.....

Gearbox oil seals will possibly be leaking, but unless your doing LOADS of spraying, id likely just live with it...... Store them gearbox down (like in that photo) always, minimises the problems!! Just make sure its got *some* oil in it when youre running......

Given a bit more time, I can go through a whole load of odds and sods with you, and do a bit more explaining........

No idea if Gordon is still around, he might well be? If you want to send it away and get a chap to look through them and test them, I can HIGHLY recommend Mick at MBe (full disclosure, he's a good friend of ours) (https://www.mbetss.com/) but to be honest, theres nothing inside the guns that is beyond a few screwdrivers and a bloody good look.....

 

[sasquar]

For getting the nozzles out, the brass rings at the front unscrew, then the nozzles 'just' pull out..... pliers can be used (carefully) for this......

You need to check what these guns were running before, the siphon is VERY different for oxy-acet/oxy-propane, you MUST run the correct one..... Think the spindle is different too, although id need to check that.....

 

[gasket999]

Have replied by PM, but a massive than you for taking the time to reply above - have learned more in a few minutes than I’ve been able to find online in weeks.

 

[gasket999]

plus after a few hours of searching, I’ll focus on tracking down the gas flow meter second hand and will get the rest new. Wanted ad to follow in the right section.