Spraying primer with HVLP gun, What am I doing wrong? Options

[bondo]

Ok, I tried out my new HVLP gun. I was spraying high fill primer. The output was similar to what you get from an airless sprayer for house paint. It literally looks like an orange.

Here are a few things that could be contributing factors:

1. Never used a HVLP gun before
2. 3 year old primer that says "use within 6 months"
3. Cheap Harbor Freight spray gun (no instructions besides an exploded diagram)

The primer had settled out and needed serious stirring. I did get it mixed, but it seemed thick. It said thinning wasn't necessary, but after I thinned it a little it worked better, but it still wasn't "flowing out". I didn't want to overdo it and get runs.

This is the gun I have
HF HVLP

I did like how I could spray outdoors in the wind without mega-overspray problems.

[RON S.]

QUOTE (skline @ Apr 18 2005, 06:13 PM)

This is the HVLP gun I just got on Ebay for $39.00 delivered to my door in 2 days. It even came with the regulator.

I got the same HVLP gun as Scott,got it also from Harbor Freight for about 50.00 bucks.
It was my first lp gun after years of using regular guns.Here's what I found out.

1st,the pressure setup,and paint mixture is everything.10-12psi at the gun is all it took to make it work nice.No more,less make everything blotchy.Bottom screw on the gun adjusts the atomization.keep adjusting it and try spray patterns on a test panel to get your feel for it.

Using old primer will give you a poor result.BTDT a couple of weeks ago,trying to save some $'s using someones donated primer on a door on my old truck.New pain and primer will make a noticeable difference.

The paints also need to be thinned correctly as per instructions on the labels.These guns are finicky about that.
Air temperature also matters,I've had poor results in cooler weather,50-60 deg,than in warmer weather,70-80 deg.
Either way,if your doing basecoat,clearcoat color sand the finished car and buff it out.Noone'll know it was a backyard paint job then.It's a lotta work,but it'll save a lotta $$$$.


Ron