random paint gun vs rattle can ponderings

[steveo3002]

so i do the odd bit of touch up work on my cars at home , as we all know even a small gun is air hungry and one of the struggles is owning a big compressor

well , i ve been using a few of the 2k clear coat rattle cans , they spray out lovely , flat smooth finish , acceptable build , low amounts of overspray as its just misting out like a rattle can does

so im wondering why cant i replicate this with a gun and compressor? very low pressure ,low mess etc ....yet 25ltr of compresed air in a compressor wont paint a hubcap? no way does a rattle can hole massive volumes of air yet it can paint a whole door /wing

 

[julianf]

im thinking the fan from a rattle can is more akin to a mini gun than a normal size gun.

is this what you are finding?

if so, comparing like for like, a mini / spot repair gun will be less air hungry


i used a little devilbis sri for years - sprays nice with low air consumption, just inefficient (in man hours) for anything large

 

[steveo3002]

yes maybe smaller than a full sized gun but still decent

i have a minigun and would need many charges of my 25ltr compressor to paint a whole wing , yet the little can has enough to do 3 coats

 

[MetalMonkey]

2K clearcoat, the one with the mixing valve at the bottom or the ones that aren't really 2K? - got to watch out for that!

Srpay guns, gravity or suction both are working off a venturi effect, so the air rushing past sucks up the paint - that takes a lot of air.
In a spray gun the contents is pressurised - I think the paint ones are just with air, but a lot of aerosol use a liquefied gas which boils.

I think that might account for the difference you are thinking about with regards of capacity.

 

[steveo3002]

yeah the real 2k ones...although a non 2k would do much the same

 

[jo1010]

Use something like the SRi already mentioned....on the latest models this guy notes air consumption around 3.5cfm...so should be good with smaller compressors - probably with a bigger than 25ltr tank though

 

[ajlelectronics]

LVLP gun suit you sir? FMT3006.

 

[steveo3002]

LVLP gun suit you sir? FMT3006.

i think honestly the amount i do , cans are the way forward

i have that gun already

 

[ajlelectronics]

i think honestly the amount i do , cans are the way forward

i have that gun already

OK, but I reach for that whenever a rattle can is required. 20psi and the material control backed off seems to be as good as it gets.

 

[norsa]

As a pro painter to respected acquaintance, I should express disdain toward you but the modern rattle can does come up to par these days. I have primers in rattle cans that I will ocasionaly dust on if I burn through the primer pre colour. I also use aerosol fade out for blending. The only real downside with exception of fan width compared to mini gun is they have to over thin materials to get attomisation.
Nick

 

[steveo3002]

theyve come along a long way since i started out , can now do a whole job in epoxy and 2k with cans , and no need to worry about moisture in the air or a noisy compressor riling up the locals

only niggle is they go off once started so a waste /not realistic for a palm size blow in or such like

 

[julianf]

The big air consumer is the mask..

...and thats the same regardless of what the isocyanate come from.