How are you guys cleaning your epoxy guns?

[sprayerman]

I tend to stick with cheaper guns for epoxy work because of air cap build up and using smaller .5-1.0 touch up guns. With the longer flash times are you guys cleaning after each sprayed coat? Acetone over lacquer thinner?

What small touch guns are you using or any recommendations?

 

[AAE]

I don't have a gun washer so I use the aerosol gun cleaners. Not cheap but very effective in getting into the small areas. With mini guns it's a great idea to clean between coats. Those buggers clog fast.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Quality wash grade lacquer thinner I get at my Jobber. Followed up with urethane reducer. Acetone evaporates so fast it's really only useful mixed with something else imo.

 

['68 Coronet R/T]

I use my iWata LPH400 1.4 tip for shooting epoxy.
No need to clean the gun between coats. Simply pour the contents of the gun back in the cup, rinse the gun with some lacquer thinner letting it flow through the tip and IF need be wipe the face of the tip with thinner soaked rag.

 

[sprayerman]

I don't have a gun washer so I use the aerosol gun cleaners. Not cheap but very effective in getting into the small areas. With mini guns it's a great idea to clean between coats. Those buggers clog fast.

They sure do.. I actually just grabbed some aerosol from my local jobber to experiment with.

 

[sprayerman]

I use my iWata LPH400 1.4 tip for shooting epoxy.
No need to clean the gun between coats. Simply pour the contents of the gun back in the cup, rinse the gun with some lacquer thinner letting it flow through the tip and IF need be wipe the face of the tip with thinner soaked rag.

How long are you waiting between coats in a 3 pass session?

 

[sprayerman]

Is anyone having any success using any aerosol strippers or Jasco to salvage older guns? Maybe a long MEK soak perhaps?

 

[jcclark]

Sometimes I put all the parts in a glass of lacquer thinner
then place in a ultrasonic cleaner.

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[sprayerman]

Very cool. Cheap experiment for me to try.

I used to use a glass mason jar for my tips but stopped some time ago.

 

['68 Coronet R/T]

How long are you waiting between coats in a 3 pass session?

30 minutes is usually plenty here in Arizona where temperatures are quite a bit higher than 70 degrees. LOL

 

[SomedayDriver]

Hobby user with 3M Accuspray gun here: Squirt bottle with lacquer thinner. Toss nozzle after a few uses. Wipe needle with lacquer thinner soaked rag, look at old Binks gun and recall with disdain the time I've spent thoroughly cleaning every nook and orifice on it. Seems to work fine, no issues with epoxy. Definitely a fan of the Accuspray!

 

[Jim C]

acetone will make the epoxy clump up. you must use lacquer thinner or gun cleaner, etc. to get off buildup get the kleenstrip 5 gal pail of gun stripper with the soaking basket. esg-20

 

[JC Daniel]

I have had no problems at all with laquer thinner to clean epoxy, I usually wait 30-45 minutes between coats. I use a Devilbiss finish line gun for epoxy.

 

[sprayerman]

acetone will make the epoxy clump up. you must use lacquer thinner or gun cleaner, etc. to get off buildup get the kleenstrip 5 gal pail of gun stripper with the soaking basket. esg-20

I've got a few gallons of jasco stripper. I wonder if I can thin it back and use it with a metal basket?

 

[JimKueneman]

simple answer, poorly.... mine is full of dried epoxy right now ..... a few hours in Berryman carb cleaner and it is good as new.

 

[Slofut]

Shop grade lacquer thinner after 30 min. Paint stripper many times to salvage pawn shop guns. Finex 1000 is my fav mini gun, I use it more than anything else.

 

[JC Daniel]

For a mini gun I use a Sata mini jet 3000 in either 1.1 to 1.4 tips depending on what I am spraying.

 

[Slofut]

simple answer, poorly.... mine is full of dried epoxy right now ..... a few hours in Berryman carb cleaner and it is good as new.

Found out yesterday that stuff may be getting hard to find. My local parts stores no longer stock it, any of them. I used to be able to grab a can at all of them. I had Oreillys order a can and I got it this morn.

 

[sprayerman]

Since I have you guys here do you have any tricks for cleaning clogged air caps?

 

[crashtech]

Since I have you guys here do you have any tricks for cleaning clogged air caps?

Get one of those gallon or 5 gallon cans of carb dip with the basket inside, and soak the cap in it overnight. Remove, rinse with water, and blow out with compressed air. This will usually do the job. Sometimes welding tip cleaners might be required, but they have to be used very carefully because they can damage the air cap.

P.S. Use heavy gloves and face protection when dealing with the carb dip, it is seriously nasty stuff!