HVLP for on site spraying
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UncleJoe
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For Scott and other knowledgeable folks. Regarding the Graco TrueCoat is there any disadvantage to using the corded model vs the cordless one. The price is lower and I think I would need to use it 6 to 10 times a year and I am thinking about the long term life of batteries where as with the cord I just plug it in and go. After a while you will need to buy new batteries. I know the cord can get in the way but then so does an air hose. What are your thoughts?
Kevin Stricker
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Scott B. said:
15 sec on a 2'6" slab with a 515, no problem. 5 panel I drop to a 315 and take at least a minute. The hardest thing for me shooting the Proshot is changing the angle of the gun while spraying because the tip is a foot from your hand, and the gun is heavy. A backpack would be awesome.
Love to see a vid on a 4 min gun clean, I'm happy when I can do it in 15min. I must waste a bunch of time on cosmetics.
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UncleJoe said:
Hey Joe
Having used both. the corded is lighter because it is without the weight of the battery. However, for me, it becomes an issue of needing to find a place to plug in, and then tending the power cord during spraying. Those things are not excessively painful, but when you run the corded ps, you are doing something pretty unique. Not having to tend any fluid hose or power cord. That is the appeal for me. Also, the tip style is different. I don't like the tip guard housing on the corded.
That said, you are correct that its possible to kill the batteries and have to replace them ($). On the flip side, while you wouldnt be killing batts on the corded, you will probably kill the pump in about the same amount of time. I do think that if you are only using it 6-10 times a year, the two stock batteries would last quite a while.
The cordless has flaws, but I would probably still take it over corded every time.
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Tim Raleigh said:
Correct. That has always been the deal with these handhelds. In the current generation (ProShot 2), the rebuild kit is included, which softens the blow a bit.
It is kind of understandable that this particular tool doesnt last forever when you look at everything that is actually happening in the palm of your hand when in use.
James Metcalf
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Scott
If the Pro Shot 2 ever gets the Backpack, be sure and post that news. Thanks.
If the Pro Shot 2 ever gets the Backpack, be sure and post that news. Thanks.
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James Metcalf said:
For sure, James. We've been working with that exact setup for a couple of months, and will be sharing video on it as soon as we can make it comprehensive enough. It is cool to run the thing off a gallon container. And the weight of the gun is nicely reduced by it.
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Tim Raleigh said:
The 2 is the best one to come along yet. As long as you (or anyone) go into it viewing it as a competent convenience tool, I think you would be pretty happy with it as an occasional alternative to hvlp or airless.
Scott, a big thank you : Per your suggestions i read on TCR, I was able to unclog my Proshot (rather, Minimax, the euro-version). Took the whole thing apart, didn't dare unscrew the part behind the tip at first, until I read your answer to a comment on Proshot maintenance. Tried to push on any spring-loaded thingy I could find and clean little holes that may play a part. It now works again!
On the topic, as an amateur, I'd say it's great if you can lay the material horizontally (actually slightly angled towards you as you walk by spraying). You'll get a unbelievably perfect result. It's much harder to get that on vertical surfaces: lots of runs if you slow down. And cabinets more so. The overspray is also tremendous. I usually dexter-ize the whole area before taking the Proshot out of the case.
It let me down the day I had to paint an area above the heater, with pipes everywhere. Took hours, where the proshot would've had that covered (!) in minutes.
I wonder if the new model performs better in this respect, i.e. better control of the flow, no thinning.
David in Paris
On the topic, as an amateur, I'd say it's great if you can lay the material horizontally (actually slightly angled towards you as you walk by spraying). You'll get a unbelievably perfect result. It's much harder to get that on vertical surfaces: lots of runs if you slow down. And cabinets more so. The overspray is also tremendous. I usually dexter-ize the whole area before taking the Proshot out of the case.
It let me down the day I had to paint an area above the heater, with pipes everywhere. Took hours, where the proshot would've had that covered (!) in minutes.
I wonder if the new model performs better in this respect, i.e. better control of the flow, no thinning.
David in Paris
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dkorn said:
dk
That's awesome, glad to hear it.
It is very common for the inlet valve to stick. Even after a thorough cleaning and rinse out, there can be enough internal residue to stick the valve, which is a very small little white piece of plastic.
Sounds as if you found it and freed it up. For those who may also be wondering, it is necessary to put the wrenches to it to unstick the inlet valve. To locate it, you pull the suction tube and it is located just inside here:
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I have more pictures somewhere, but the next step from here is to very (VERY) carefully remove the valve with narrow needle nose pliers. Clean it with soapy water, and give it a good coating of pump armour, then carefully reseat and reassemble.
I recommend doing this every 4th or 5th time you find yourself cleaning the sprayer. Just be careful. Fragile valve.
tjbnwi
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Scott,
Looks like a cup of Pump Armor in the one picture. I wonder how may don't realize you have to treat this small pump just like a large pump (especially if this is their first encounter with airless sprayers). I don't own a PS, how clear are the instructions on this? Also Graco has Throat Seal Lube, which they claim keeps paint from sticking to the parts.
Tom
Looks like a cup of Pump Armor in the one picture. I wonder how may don't realize you have to treat this small pump just like a large pump (especially if this is their first encounter with airless sprayers). I don't own a PS, how clear are the instructions on this? Also Graco has Throat Seal Lube, which they claim keeps paint from sticking to the parts.
Tom
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tjbnwi said:
Exactly right, Tom. Its pump armor. I try to run some through every time I clean, to keep the pump itself slick, and also the internal moving components as shown. I don't always do it every single time, if I know I am going to be back in the ProShot within days. But if I am not sure when I will run it again, I definitely do. It is a small airless pump, and does need to be treated as such.
In the first release of the PS and the PS Fine Finish, the mfr recommendations for maintenance were poor. This was an unfortunate oversight, as the PS was very misunderstood by alot of users. With some assistance (and insistence) from users like me, Graco has put together a maintenance dvd which I believe is free.
I think alot of guys tossed or shelved early ProShots with quirky little problems like the stuck inlet, that are pretty easily remedied.
Graco is a really good company, it's just another case where mfr's learn alot when they introduce new (and somewhat pricy) technologies. Fortunately, they do listen to contractor feedback.
tjbnwi
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I clean my guns/equipment after each use, even if I'm using it the next day. It would be my luck something would come up and I would find a mess when I get back to it a week latter. One big advantage of the PPS on an HVLP.
Good that Graco has updated their cleaning instructions, after all the PS is just a small airless pump and should be treated as such.
Maybe some day I'll get a PS, but for now I'm looking at a CAT gun. I need to find out if they are really that much better. Only way I'll know is shooting with it.
Tom
Good that Graco has updated their cleaning instructions, after all the PS is just a small airless pump and should be treated as such.
Maybe some day I'll get a PS, but for now I'm looking at a CAT gun. I need to find out if they are really that much better. Only way I'll know is shooting with it.
Tom
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tjbnwi said:
I've never used a CAT. I have only heard good things about them, though. Sounds as if you do well with your Fuji though. You must just be curious...
In my opinion, the logical next move for you would be a 10.14 Kremlin with the Xcite gun. For things like that large custom door project you (I believe) are doing, you would be in finish heaven.
The ProShot, for you, would just be a convenient backup piece for those times when you don't want to dirty up your cup guns with latex or something.
tjbnwi
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Yes, for the most part curious. I have a compressor that will carry it easily. Always looking to improve.
I was figuring on using the FP 395 to shoot the finish on the doors, use the Fugi with a pressure pot to shoot the stain. I'm not sure what the Kremlin costs, but I'll look into it. I am surprised they did not solve the stroke delay issue. I heard it on your video, then you mentioned it. Not sure there is a dealer around here where I could "play" with it.
Tom
I was figuring on using the FP 395 to shoot the finish on the doors, use the Fugi with a pressure pot to shoot the stain. I'm not sure what the Kremlin costs, but I'll look into it. I am surprised they did not solve the stroke delay issue. I heard it on your video, then you mentioned it. Not sure there is a dealer around here where I could "play" with it.
Tom
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tjbnwi said:
Do you have a 395, Tom? If so, that is certainly a game changer.
The stroke deal on the Kremlin's is interesting. We didn't observe it at all in the 10.14 with low viscosity clear, but we did wrestle with it on the larger EOS 15:1 in higher viscosity primer and paint. We don't have it solved in that combination yet, but I think it can be chased down with some more fiddling. I have been told by cabinet finishers who use Kremlin pumps that they don't pressurize well on the piston upstroke, regardless of product viscosity.
Its really clear when it happens, you get a "wink" in the pattern right at the sound of the upstroke. You can almost time it under constant trigger engagement. Thats why thousands of lf of board were a handy test scenario for both pumps. It was surprising that we didn't get it with the 10.14, but I suspect in higher viscosities we might have to deal with it.
That was part of our reasoning for putting both under long trigger runs. Most of what is out on youtube with Kremlins is very short burst.
