12 CFM's at 45 PSI?, Paint pro advise Options

[pete]

I've never painted a car before. I was planning on purchasing http://www.harborfreight.com/high-volume-l...-gun-66222.html. The manual states it uses 12 CFM's at 45 PSI. I have a Craftsman 20 gallon compressor. I haven't checked the max CFM yet but I have a feeling it is around 7CFM's. Will this gun work with my compressor for priming and painting my 914?

[andys]

I have that very same gun, and a 20 gal Craftsman 2HP compressor. I can outrun the compressor when doing a larger area, but it will catch up reasonable quick and has never been an issue for me. I run 15-25 psi at the cap; maybe a bit more for primer, but not 45 psi as you'll get too much bounce-back. Go by the paint manufacturers recommended cap pressure. BTW, that gun works as well as my expensive Eastwood Concourse gun.

Andys

[pete]

I have that very same gun, and a 20 gal Craftsman 2HP compressor. I can outrun the compressor when doing a larger area, but it will catch up reasonable quick and has never been an issue for me. I run 15-25 psi at the cap; maybe a bit more for primer, but not 45 psi as you'll get too much bounce-back. Go by the paint manufacturers recommended cap pressure. BTW, that gun works as well as my expensive Eastwood Concourse gun.

Andys

Thanks for the advise everyone. I did a little more research on HF and ordered this one http://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-high-vo...-gun-47016.html Runs a little lower on the CFMs, was cheaper, came with a 1.5mm tip which seems an all around good size ( have no idea what size tip the other one comes with, tech support didn't know either) and you can purchase other size tips separately from HF. Got great reviews to boot. Ordered all the necessary accessories as well. Thanks for the coupon too!

[andys]

Thanks for the advise everyone. I did a little more research on HF and ordered this one http://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-high-vo...-gun-47016.html Runs a little lower on the CFMs, was cheaper, came with a 1.5mm tip which seems an all around good size ( have no idea what size tip the other one comes with, tech support didn't know either) and you can purchase other size tips separately from HF. Got great reviews to boot. Ordered all the necessary accessories as well. Thanks for the coupon too!

The first gun you posted is slightly better quality (The first gun has a 1.4 tip) and has a regulator at the gun where as the second one does not have the regulator and is of slightly lesser quality (as far as HF guns go). I have both of these HF guns, and use the cheapie for high build primers (though I modified the tip). BTW, it's best to have the regulator at the gun in order to set the cap pressure; makes it easier and more accurate. Pull the gun trigger to air only, and then set your pressure.

Scottyb gives some good advice. I found the 1.4 tip to be pretty darned universal in the end, and reducing the paint to work with the tip seemed to work out as well as selecting the tip to the paint.....It's not an exact science. I have 1.2 and 1.7 tips for the Eastwood, and never used them.

Andys