HF Purple cleaning question

Slofut

Promoted Users
Well, actually the question concerns a lot of the newer cheap guns that are designed this way. So in the pic, notice that there is a gasket and a spacer behind the brass air distributor. Now I haven't removed the air distributor on this Purple gun but I have on a couple other cheap guns I had, one was from my autobody supply store and the other was a Lowes gun, there are many others and some of them can be over $100 and still designed this way.
So my point is that on the two I took apart for cleaning, that air distributor was installed permanently with threadlocker. I finally got them apart but they both had so much thread locker on them that it was impossible to clean the glue out of the threads enough to put it back together and not get bits in the paint. It looks like for all practical purposes that you're not intended to take them apart, but fluid does flow behind there at a point and would need to be cleaned other than just blowing thinner through it. The supply house gun I gave away brand new with one use because I wasn't going to spend the time to clean those threads, that stuff was really hard to get out. The Lowes gun I took back, it was like $50 maybe more.
I see the Purple gun looks about like the same build and I haven't used it yet but at 10 bucks I don't mind throwing it away if I have to. But see many others made the same way and wonder if they all have that part glued in place and how are people cleaning them?

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Can't help but wonder what other corners are cut to be able to offer these cheap (and that's being nice) spray guns?
Materials, machining tolerances, quality control and the list goes on.
 
Yea, the majority of them are made this way with the gasket or spacer or both behind the air distributor. Thing is the prices range from 10 bucks for the HF to over 100. I can deal with tossing a ten dollar gun to spray something with in a pinch. But to sell a 100 dollar gun that can't be cleaned properly? I went back to my distributor with that first gun, he about broke it trying to get the thing apart and then said It's not supposed to come apart. I went back to the shop with it and used a little heat with a pencil torch and broke it free, and there was paint in there that needed to be cleaned! I think I paid 70 bucks for that gun! The thread locker was such a mess that I gave up and said this ain't worth my time. Gave the gun to a guy that loves junk... Look for the gaskets at the head and stay away from those.
 
I agree, I buy the cheap guns as disposables. Dont know why anyone would even spend the time to take them apart.


LOL, Well, you asked. :)))

I love my Iwata lph400 but have owned HF purple guns. I certainly would not buy them and throw them away. The quality control is such that if you get one that sprays well, and some do, you had better clean it well and keep it. The next one you buy may not be worth taking out of the box. I have one that is 10 years old and still use it for epoxy occasionally.

John
 
Eventually, though, you get old, and start thinking, is my time really worth discecting a china SATA? I thought there was a coupon this week for 10 bucks again. Went to Goodyear to get a new Interstate battery, their current rate was 136.00 PER HALF HOUR.
I might get two or three before I get one that sprayed like that one did. Otherwise, get a gallon can and soak it in acetone for a while to see if the crud that should have been cleaned every time the gun was used would loosen up.
 
I'd clean a cheap gun if it would come apart properly. It only takes me a few minutes to clean a gun, I have three satas and three Finex guns and they come apart in seconds, I clean well every time with thinner and my guns look practically new.
I bought the HF gun a few weeks ago because I was curious about that joint/assembly, I wanted to see if it was glued with threadlocker. I can't believe they sell this popular design, after one spray you can't clean behind the air distributor. They may as well glue the air cap on.
But I sure as hell aint gonna spend my time trying to clean a cheap gun if it doesn't come apart properly.
Also this post was sort of meant as a heads up to others that may be contemplating buying one of those $100+ guns that have this design (flaw)!
I love my good guns...
 
Oh, and if you find me soaking a gun in a gallon of acetone it had better be a real $500 sata that I found at the pawn shop! :D
 
I got mine a few yrs ago, use it for washing out cars ac condensers in garage minimal mess, washing brake dust out rear drum brakes, all with soap, water and or alcohol. No stink like brake kleen, best adjustable spray can you'll ever use & reuse. Mine's different, forget how far i broke it down to get grease they globbed in it for god knows why.
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There you go Eddie! That's what I was looking for. Btw... don't spray paint with it! :D
Or can you unscrew the silver air distributor? Oh, and alcohol is very volatile and the flame is invisible...
I now have a use for the purple gun I bought!
 
I just bought one. Before reading this thread. Yes it had some type of glue, thread lock in there. My assumption is that its a sealant from the pressed in paint cup fitting oozing out and they didn't clean it before shipping. Mine had it in there thick and must have been laid on its side in the box rather immediately.

Yes you guess it, I had a very fine point pocket knife and went to work. Chipped most of it out as it would not stick to the anodize purple very well, just in a bear spot.

I am going to clean the gun with Lacquer Thinner before spraying anything. For those whom want it super clean I have found a bathroom cleaner called Kaboom that will remove the tarnish from the brass parts so you most likely will see anything out of place.
 
Oh, and if you find me soaking a gun in a gallon of acetone it had better be a real $500 sata that I found at the pawn shop! :D
well, you get a gallon can, put the gun in, put the top on and let it soak, use the acetone to clean up after a job. You are not throwing it away after the gun soaks.
 
well, you get a gallon can, put the gun in, put the top on and let it soak, use the acetone to clean up after a job. You are not throwing it away after the gun soaks.
I'm just sayin I wouldn't put that much time in a $10 gun. But I see your point, maybe not that much time.
 
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