How to choose an electric spray gun
Content
1. The most important thing about electric spray guns and the principles of operation
1.1. Air-type spray guns
1.2. Airless paint sprayer
2. Main types
2.1. Manual spray guns
2.2. Painting stations
3. Performance characteristics that is important when choosing
4. A few words about the manufacturers
5. Choosing an electric spray gun is easy
1. The most important thing about electric models and operating principles
Painting with an electric spray gun takes place using a built-in pump under low pressure and with a significant volume of air. The paint is not completely broken by the air; rather large drops are formed, which are transferred to the object to be painted.
On the one hand, the quality of the coating is inferior to the coating applied with a pneumatic spray gun. But on the other hand, there is no colorful fog, and most importantly, you have to work with a compact, easy-to-maintain and inexpensive tool.
That is why it is most often used for household work: high performance and speed of coloring made it popular in the arsenal of a practical owner. Of course, electric professional models have long been successfully used for work in many areas of production and construction.
As a rule, they all have a large nozzle for paint, which means that they can be used to apply quite viscous compositions and water-based paint. About how to choose an electric spray gun, for example, for home conditions or in a car repair shop, what features to consider, how not to make a mistake with the choice of paint and not to spend extra money, we will talk in this article.
Let's start with the fact that there are air and airless models, the division of which is based on the principle of feeding the paint material from the tool to the surface. Consider the features of each type.
1.1. Air-type models
How do they work?
The method of applying paint to the surface depends on the design features of the tool. In models with a lower and upper tank, the paint is sprayed due to discharge (it is created by air), in models with a built-in pump-also due to air, only it is pumped into the pump. In all cases, the material is supplied by natural gravity, and sprayed due to the volume of air and its pressure, equal to about 8 atm.
Where are they applied?
A huge advantage of this principle of operation is that the paint is applied to the surface in a thin layer, and as a result, almost perfect coloring is provided.
For this reason, the tools are found in areas where high quality coating is required. As a rule, this is a finishing paint job in small-scale and large-scale production, when one spray gun is used with several types of paint in turn, for example: car service stations and automobile factories, production of wooden windows and doors, furniture factories and small furniture workshops, etc.
An example of a popular aerial model for professional painting is the Wagner Wall Perfect with a long gun and a painting speed of 15 sq. m in 5 minutes. For household work, for example, applying lime whitewash on uneven wall surfaces, the EKRP-600/0.8 caliber is suitable, less powerful, but productive, equipped with a long hose for hard-to-reach places.
What is considered a disadvantage?
Low paint transfer coefficient, which is associated with low pressure, which does not provide sufficient paint pressure from the tank. The smallest paint particles collide with the air environment and can not pass it, forming a colorful fog. This small cloud of paint is constantly present around the user, making it difficult to see and accurately apply the material.
1.2. Airless models
How do they work?
Spray paint under high pressure, the value of which can be higher than 500 atm. For this purpose, a high-pressure hose and a nozzle with a minimum material supply cross-section are provided. The paint is served in the form of a torch with a clearly defined outline.
This principle of operation makes it possible to use an electric spray gun with viscous materials. The high pressure ensures maximum transfer of paint to the surface even with the resistance of the air environment, so airless models can be used at a certain distance from the surface without the formation of a paint mist.
Where are they applied?
In large production facilities, where it is required to paint a large amount of significant surface area, for example, railcar or shipbuilding plants, as well as in the construction and repair of buildings for painting walls and ceilings, applying protective compositions with a high viscosity coefficient on facades.
A popular airless model is the Ryobi SSP100 spray gun with a flexible intake tube that allows you to work at any angle. Suitable for household work and small workshop: used with any paints.
But the airless spray device Caliber ABR-650 on wheels is designed to work with large surfaces, equipped with a long hose for working at a distance.
What is considered a disadvantage?
The quality of the paint is not as high as when painting with air models. The paint does not fall flat, but bounces off the surface if the pressure is high or the nozzle is not selected correctly.
If the product for painting has a complex shape with convex elements, then the paint will form smudges and swellings. An airless electric spray gun is good where speed and productivity are important, but not the final quality. You can get a high quality of painting if you choose the right nozzle and set the desired pressure value.
2. Main types
2.1. Hand tools
This design is more convenient than models with the joint placement of the pump and the motor in one unit: during operation, no vibration is created with a characteristic buzzing.
The low cost, convenient design and ease of operation, and most importantly – the high speed of painting allow you to quickly paint the walls and ceilings or fence of the house, cover the window frames with a primer, apply a varnish coating on wooden furniture. At the same time, household models are characterized by high paint consumption, as they form a colorful fog during operation.
2.2. Painting stations
This is a professional class of tools that are characterized by high performance and transfer of paint to the surface. They are a large housing with a powerful motor and pump inside. They significantly increase the weight of the tool, so the design is floor-standing and, as a rule, on small wheels.
The control is carried out by a pistol grip, which is attached to a high-pressure hose. In stationary spray guns, an expanded set of adjustments that make it possible to use it in different areas of production.
3. Performance characteristics that are important when choosing
Productivity shows the speed of work and the efficiency of transferring paint to the surface. The simplest household models have a working capacity of up to 0.5 l / min, airless models of the household class are slightly higher – up to 0.8-1 l / min. Airless paint stations have the highest productivity above 2 l / min.
The volume of the tank determines the duration of operation at one gas station. Electric spray guns for working at home have a small tank, the capacity of which does not exceed 1-1.5 liters. The tank capacity of stationary models can reach up to 2.5 liters.
The size of the nozzle must correspond to the nature of the material to be sprayed. Fluctuations in the diameter may seem insignificant, but in the end they will spoil the result or lead to the failure of the gun.
For base coatings, a nozzle with a minimum diameter of 0.5 mm but no more than 1.3 mm is required, for acrylic paints and lacquers - no more than 1.6 mm, for primers and liquid putties-up to 2.8 mm.
The material of the product is no less important when buying a tool. Pay attention to what the main parts are made of, plastic or metal. An electric spray gun is cheap, but good-it is a tool with a metal needle, but the body can be plastic, which significantly reduces the weight of the product.
In this case, the edges of the elements must be perfectly and hermetically fitted to each other. By the way, for electric models, there are practically no ready-made repair kits, so if the plastic part is damaged, the tool may not be repaired at all. The exception is the floor stations, to which in some cases you can buy a spare part.
The vibration level can be checked at the time of purchase, for this purpose it is recommended to turn on the tool. It is best to compare several options with a joint and separate arrangement of the engine and pump.
In many ways, the comfort of use is determined by the ergonomics of the tool, when the handle can partially dampen vibration.
4. A few words about the manufacturers
So, we choose an electric spray gun among the well-known brands. German Wagner painting tools are presented in a huge range, these are painting stations for professional work and mobile hand tools.
The main feature is the ability to adjust the pressure when applying a specific type of material. This ensures maximum staining quality without streaking on difficult areas such as corners, cornices, and surfaces with a relief or pattern, such as wood carvings or internal cavities.
Another German manufacturer – Bosch produces a paint tool in a green case. Household electric spray guns with this brand impress with the high speed of work, ease of use, compact body and, very importantly, affordable price.
Among the tools for small-scale production and home use, BORT stands out – one of the cheapest that are available on the market. If the work needs to be done quickly and on a one-time basis, without particularly caring about the service life of the tool, this is the best choice.
Among the disadvantages of sprayers of this brand, users note the jamming of the piston when working with some types of paint. Therefore, you should pay attention to the list of recommended materials that the manufacturer specifies in the instructions.
Better-assembled tools with protection from moisture and dust, STURM can work with paints, lacquers and primers. The built-in paint feed adjustment function allows you to adjust the tools for different tasks.
Paint guns and electric models of SPEC are created by domestic developers and assembled in China, so they are characterized by good quality and low cost. They are characterized by low weight (except for models with a large paint tank), a convenient pistol grip and a wide torch shape when spraying the material.
5. Choosing an electric spray gun is easy
The efficiency and service life of the tool largely depends on compliance with the operating requirements.
It is important not only to clean the tank, hoses and nozzle in a timely manner with the appropriate type of solvents, but also to use the materials specified by the manufacturer for this electric spray gun.
The rating of electric spray guns can be found on various resources, as well as information from manufacturers. The main thing for consumers is the ability to quickly and effectively cope with any painting work.
Buyers have long been convinced of the irreplace ability of this tool in repair, finishing, and painting work, in everyday life, and in production.
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