LPH 400 - Suggestions?

MikeK said:
Do you run the Fluid the Same on both using the Same product ?
I too have both 1.3,1.4 and all the Caps and unless I LOOK at the Nozzle,have shot quite often and not even realized 'which' one I was using. Lol.. I really prefer the 1.4,Silver or Orange cap and the 1.3 is generally only Base's but honestly, it comes down to adjusting the Gun period.
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Yeah I pretty much adjust them the same. Don't really touch the fan unless it's to cone it down to spray small parts. Fluid is usually 2.5 turns out from closed. I like the purple for metallics. It has a wider fan pattern it seems.
 
I still recall the first time using a Lph-400 and this ginormous like 10" pattern appeared and kinda freaked me out. "Thissss sure ain't no Devilbiss".
For most of the work I was doing, I completely quit cut and buffing with the Iwata and SPI Clears.
No Riddler award in my future anyway and the customers were extremely happy.
I have/had Satas and liked them fine. Just couldn't Afford Them and I already had Excellent guns in my Iwata's so each their own .
 
I feel like the orange cap seems to spray a little wetter/faster compared to silver if comparing the same nozzle size. Maybe it’s in my head who knows.
 
I was going to start a new thread on this topic, but saw this one near the top, so I figured I would post in here.

I'm preparing to start putting together a home/DIY setup, and had settled on the LPH400 as my base and clear gun. I've done some reading on the silver/orange/purple caps, and here's what I've been able to put together. Please correct anything you feel is incorrect.

Silver- This cap seems to be the best of the three for clear, but it can also lay down solid bases. Probably not very good at metallics.

Purple- Iwata says this cap is made for those super difficult metallics that the orange cap can't quite get perfect. I plan on working with silver metallic on my project, which I understand to be some of the hardest stuff to work with. Is this what Iwata is referring to, or something else? I'm also unclear if this cap could be used for clear. I'm guessing it wouldn't be ideal.

Orange/gold- This one appears to be a good all-arounder and can lay down solids/metallics/clear, but may not be the best at any of them, with the exception of solid bases.

If I'm going to be working with silver metallic, can the orange really pull off putting down base and clear well? Or would I be better served by getting the purple for the metallic base and the silver for clear?
 
My personal opinion the orange is the best option. It lays metallics with a little less effort and I can achieve any finish I’d like with clear. I actually prefer it for clear. But I’m sure someone will have a different opinion. We’re all different.
 
Key to a Silver Metallic is the Paint......
Gun is next consideration.
If you 'expect to cheap out on the paint, base or single stage,
Your in for a long hard road which the Best gun struggles with reguardless of brand.
 
MikeK said:
Key to a Silver Metallic is the Paint......
Gun is next consideration.
If you 'expect to cheap out on the paint, base or single stage,
Your in for a long hard road which the Best gun struggles with reguardless of brand.
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Nope, I know where the cheap road leads, I don't mind paying for the good stuff. My problem for the base coat is that I'll be attempting to blend into the factory silver metallic paint. A local paint supply shop can send out my gas cap cover to their HQ in NY where they can apparently get an almost perfect match on the color, much better than the already fancy (to me) machine they have at the store. So I'll be limited by their base paint manufacturer(s). But I'll happily pay more for the best stuff they offer. Primer and clear will be from SPI.
 
95maxrider said:
Nope, I know where the cheap road leads, I don't mind paying for the good stuff. My problem for the base coat is that I'll be attempting to blend into the factory silver metallic paint. A local paint supply shop can send out my gas cap cover to their HQ in NY where they can apparently get an almost perfect match on the color, much better than the already fancy (to me) machine they have at the store. So I'll be limited by their base paint manufacturer(s). But I'll happily pay more for the best stuff they offer. Primer and clear will be from SPI.
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SPI slow or very slow reducer is also a key ingredient for metallics. They lay down much nicer.

Don
 
Go with the Orange cap.
It came out last in the Line with the knowledge learned from it's 2 siblings.
Forget the Factory recommended air settings. Nobody runs It that low. Low to mid 20's pulled generally.
I use a junk hood for practice on new or difficult bases just for 'insurance before hitting the real thing because I don't paint every day much anymore and Silver's flop is a concern. Any Metallic is tough but Silver is King.
 
dhutton01 said:
SPI slow or very slow reducer is also a key ingredient for metallics. They lay down much nicer.

Don
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Good to know, thanks!
MikeK said:
Go with the Orange cap.
It came out last in the Line with the knowledge learned from it's 2 siblings.
Forget the Factory recommended air settings. Nobody runs It that low. Low to mid 20's pulled generally.
I use a junk hood for practice on new or difficult bases just for 'insurance before hitting the real thing because I don't paint every day much anymore and Silver's flop is a concern. Any Metallic is tough but Silver is King.
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I didn't know that, makes sense. Will the 1.3 be fine for what I'm trying to do or would I be better served with the 1.4?
 
The silver can lay down metallics with no problem. I did it just fine as a novice the first time I ever used that gun. I do a drop coat with metallics.
 
Lizer said:
The silver can lay down metallics with no problem. I did it just fine as a novice the first time I ever used that gun. I do a drop coat with metallics.
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Could you explain a drop coat a little more? I am leaning towards a blue metallic for my project.
 
Drop coats are sort of a hangover from the not so good old days. Modern basecoats with a quality reducer don’t really need a drop coat. At least I don’t use them.

Don
 
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Kawickrice said:
Could you explain a drop coat a little more? I am leaning towards a blue metallic for my project.
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To do a drop coat you turn your gun pressure down about 10 psi, pull the gun back from the panel about 15 inches and spray a fast fog coat over the panel to even out the metallic. It also is effective at removing striping.

THE CRITICAL PART TO A DROPCOAT is you must do it IMMEDIATELY after spraying the basecoat on a panel. The basecoat must be wet. By immediately I mean as soon as you finish spraying that panel. Drop the PSI, pull the gun back, and sweep over the entire panel real quick. It is essential the panel is still wet so the drop coat melts into it. If the base has flashed off then the drop coat will not melt in and will cause adhesion issues for the clear.

I always use a drop coat because it saved my butt the very first time I ever sprayed a blue metallic. That was thanks to Barry who told me to do it. I’ve never tried not doing one since then, but it’s so easy to do, I do it just to ensure an even final coat.

Unless you have achieved God status—which is not me—a dropcoat might still be a good idea for a novice with metallic.

Let me put it this way—I can tell which cars at shows were (probably) painted by the owner, and they would have definitely benefited from a dropcoat.
 
Lizer said:
To do a drop coat you turn your gun pressure down about 10 psi, pull the gun back from the panel about 15 inches and spray a fast fog coat over the panel to even out the metallic. It also is effective at removing striping.

THE CRITICAL PART TO A DROPCOAT is you must do it IMMEDIATELY after spraying the basecoat on a panel. The basecoat must be wet. By immediately I mean as soon as you finish spraying that panel. Drop the PSI, pull the gun back, and sweep over the entire panel real quick. It is essential the panel is still wet so the drop coat melts into it. If the base has flashed off then the drop coat will not melt in and will cause adhesion issues for the clear.

I always use a drop coat because it saved my butt the very first time I ever sprayed a blue metallic. That was thanks to Barry who told me to do it. I’ve never tried not doing one since then, but it’s so easy to do, I do it just to ensure an even final coat.

Unless you have achieved God status—which is not me—a dropcoat might still be a good idea for a novice with metallic.

Let me put it this way—I can tell which cars at shows were (probably) painted by the owner, and they would have definitely benefited from a dropcoat.
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Standox still recommends a drop coat.
 
Lizer said:
To do a drop coat you turn your gun pressure down about 10 psi, pull the gun back from the panel about 15 inches and spray a fast fog coat over the panel to even out the metallic. It also is effective at removing striping.

THE CRITICAL PART TO A DROPCOAT is you must do it IMMEDIATELY after spraying the basecoat on a panel. The basecoat must be wet. By immediately I mean as soon as you finish spraying that panel. Drop the PSI, pull the gun back, and sweep over the entire panel real quick. It is essential the panel is still wet so the drop coat melts into it. If the base has flashed off then the drop coat will not melt in and will cause adhesion issues for the clear.

I always use a drop coat because it saved my butt the very first time I ever sprayed a blue metallic. That was thanks to Barry who told me to do it. I’ve never tried not doing one since then, but it’s so easy to do, I do it just to ensure an even final coat.

Unless you have achieved God status—which is not me—a dropcoat might still be a good idea for a novice with metallic.

Let me put it this way—I can tell which cars at shows were (probably) painted by the owner, and they would have definitely benefited from a dropcoat.
Click to expand...
+1. Sprayed some wanda metallic pewter earlier today and although i felt like it was uniform I still did an orientation coat. The funny thing is, I always hear of everyone dropping pressure to do it. The guy that taught me the orientation coat back in the day told me to raise pressure and do it. And thats how Ive done it all those years and continue to do so as its always worked out well for me.
 
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