Can I use lacquer thinner to clean my paint gun??

N

NYH1

I have a gal. of SPI epoxy primer and activator that I'm going to be using soon. Can I use lacquer thinner to clean my paint gun after I'm done using the epoxy primer? What else is good for cleaning paint guns and other stuff when you're done using them? This is a very helpful site!

Thanks, NYH1!
 
Lacquer thinner works fine for cleaning but you don't want it contaminating any of your primers or paints so slosh a little urethane reducer through it after the cleaning is done, some shops are using aerosol carb cleaner when using disposable cup systems because the amount of cleaning is so minimal.
 
You can use lacquer to clean your paint gun. However, low-grade lacquer may contain chemicals or moisture that could pose a problem to your gun. If concerned, rinse gun with some high-grade urethane reducer after cleaning with lacquer. I've been using lacquer thinner for years, and have yet to have a problem. I have heard of problems with people using lacquer, just haven't experienced it, maybe because I use a decent lacquer thinner?
 
What if I rinsed the paint out with the lacquer thinner. Then washed the lacquer thinner out with soap and water? I don't have any urethane reducer. I guess I could try to find some.

Thanks, NYH1.
 
Don't wash with soap and water. Do get some reducer, you'll need some sooner or later anyway. Carb spray might be a good second choice, the ones I have used leave no residue at all, though NY might have regulated the good stuff away.
 
I buy the Omni cleaner grade lacquer thinner in 5 gallon cans from my jobber. Haven't had any issues with it but I am thorough when I clean the gun and rinse it with fresh lacquer thinner before hanging it up.
While spraying if I need to rinse the gun or clean the tip I use Urethane reducer so as not to introduce any contaminants.
Cleaning the guns is the only thing I use the lacquer thinner for. Never put it on anything you're going to paint.
 
The lacquer thinner I bought is Dupli-Color. I was at a local Pep Boys getting an air filter for my wife's SUV. Just for the heck of it I walked over to their auto body supply section and saw a gal. of Dupli-Color lacquer thinner so I bought it. I used their wheel paint and clear a few years ago to paint my steel 5 spoke Z28 wheels and it worked pretty good and has held up well. I don't know if their other stuff is any good or not.

Thanks, NYH1.
 
That Duplicolor lacquer thinner is bottom of the barrel IMO, the stuff flashes off so fast I can't imagine what is in it. I had to do some lacquer work a little while back (1968 original paint car) and I tested the duplicolor thinner since there's nobody locally stocking paint grade thinners anymore. I can't imagine trying to paint with that stuff-they must stock it solely for gun cleaning.
 
Bob Hollinshead;20821 said:
I can't imagine trying to paint with that stuff-they must stock it solely for gun cleaning.
Click to expand...
That's all I'll use it for.

Thanks, NYH1.
 
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