I've taken on the task of repainting my car myself. I've never painted anything before but there is always a first right. Anyway, yesterday i finally finished the prep and painted my first coat of primer. I got a few runs here and there and didn't hit a few tiny areas that well but otherwise it came out good and I am proud of it.


For primer i'm using a cheap siphon type non HVLP paint gun from Harbor Freight. There are two adjustments on it, i beleive for air and fluid. Would any body be able to tell me the procedure to adjust them to get the best spray pattern? Also one other question, what is the purpose of the hose on top of the can? Seems like it's just a vent to me.

 

alright, im not used to nonhvlp siphon feed guns, but its adjustment should be the same as a gravity hvlp....first adjust the air ( its the one thats not directly in line with the fluid tip) so you have about a 6-8 inch pattern...then adjust the fluid **** (the other one....lined up with the fluid tip) till you have even distribution of color / sealer/ primer/whatever you are spraying over the 6-8 inch pattern....then turn your air caps so they spray a horizontal pattern and spray it on heavy (on a test paper or something) it should all run evenly....if your adjustment ***** are in differnt locations post a pic of the gun, maybe i can figure out what goes where on it... and yes the other tube is a vent tube...dont let it get blocked...
a tip for spraying color, dont get it on to thick it shouldnt go on very wet, wait till its dull, then spray the next coat....(if your useing basecoat clear coat that is)
If you need any more help feel free to e-mail me....im currently in school for autobody

 

And always test the gun on a sheet of cardboard or something whenever you adjust it before spraying.

 

really the only way to adjust it right is to play around with it and find a setting that you are comfortable with. there are 3 basic adjustments. they are air, fan pattern, and how much paint you want to come out. normally at my work we shoot at around 40 psi. make sure that you overlap on every pass so that it does not look like there are streaks in the paint. when you reach the end of a panel don't just stop, go past the end of the panel. if you are using base/clear then you car spray the color as light and dry as you want. i always start with a really light coat and put them on more wet with each coat. as for clear, you are going to want to hit a sweet spot with the gun. not to dry and not to wet. i would rather see you put the clear on dry and have to wetsand it smooth and buff it. when you get runs in the clear it is really hard to get them all the way out. majority of the time you still see it. if you have any questions please fell free to pm me or email me. just to let you know ive been working in the autobody feild fo 2 1/2 years know. i mostly wetsand and buff and prep cars but i am pretty good at painting too. good luck.

you can also pick up the newest car craft magazine. it has a couple good articles that you could benefit from

 

I disagree 100% with this quote "as for clear, you are going to want to hit a sweet spot with the gun. not to dry and not to wet. i would rather see you put the clear on dry and have to wetsand it smooth and buff it. when you get runs in the clear it is really hard to get them all the way out. majority of the time you still see it." heavy chevy I'm an auto body student and anyone in this field will tell you to run the clear (if you don't run it than great) but it's harder to wetsand dry spray than it is runs. and you run the risk of cutting thru really easily, which means you have to re-spray it. I hope your going to scuff up all that primer because there is only like a 10 hour window for you to spray on somethin else without havin to scuff it. A few good tips: wax and grease remove it then tack rag it. DO NOT tack in between single stage and clear coat coats, you'll be sorry if you do. sand out all your runs before applying your topcoat, wet down your floors so dust ain't flyin around. that's about all the advice I can give to an uninstructed person to make it as simple as possible. and protect yourself cause some of those paints have isocyanates in it and that will kill you.
the 66 t-bird on the right I painted

 

Yeah, I already sanded out the runs and will be block sanding this coat with 180. I used PPG DX330 wax and grease remover and applied it with a tack cloth before spraying. I should be spraying another coat by the end of this week if it's warm enough.

Does "turn your air caps so they spray a horizontal pattern " mean i want the cap to look like this -- -- or do i want it like this
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I appreciate the help guys.

 

well if you run the clear then you are most likely going to sand through the clear anyhow. if it is a small run or sag then you would be ok. being how 3gc has never painted anything, if he runs the clear its probably going to be really bad. when you try to sand really bad runs you are going to have to wetsand and buff that area and an inexperienced person will sand through the clear like nothing. i speak form experience and ive learn from my mistakes. i deal with this kind of work every day. at my work when a car comes out of the both with a bad run, that area will be repainted. if you get a run, you will see it no matter what. besides, if he wants that mirror finish than he is going to want to wet sand and buff the whole car.

jaredjames: i not trying to make you sound like an idiot because you are not. you have given alot of very good advice to 3gc. you seem know alot about this business. i am speaking from my personal exeriences. i don't want you to think im a dick. so if i sound like one, i appologize(sp)

i think 3gc will see how everything sould look when he starts spraying everything. its not that hard. just take your time and be fine.

 

well 3gc to check how your gun is operating you turn your cap perpendicular, so your horns are up and down. and spray on a sheet until it runs, it should look like this
--------------------------- not this: ---------- or: ----------
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '

hopefully you understand that, the fingers have to all be even, if not you'll get streaks,and overlap your sprays 50%.