cmfisher4
Promoted Users
I've been shooting primer (epoxy and 2K) on my Spitfire project for a while now and I've only recently did a test run on an old panel that I took from bare metal through bc/cc. I'm learning still, of course, but it seems to be going okay.
I've always used an in-line dessicant filter between the gun regulator and the gun. I have moisture problems if I don't use one and I don't really have any other options unless I spend a bunch of money, which I'd rather not do.
I was messing around a bit today and decided to see what would happen if I took the filter off. I've always painted my epoxy at about 26# at the gun (compressor is about 110#) based on what I've read and the tech manual. With the desiccant filter off, at 26# the gun puts out A LOT more air at that pressure and it is loud (almost hurts my ears). If I leave the regulator set like that, but then put on the filter, regulator pressure bumps up to about 45# and the noise and air flow is about the same. If I then turn the regulator down to 26#, where I've been painting, air flow is drastically reduced as well as the noise.
This obviously has to affect how the paint will come out of the gun. This opens up a whole can of worms for me. I have never painted without the filter. So this leads me to believe that I've had my gun set up really wrong for a while now and have been getting lucky (or screwed, but I don't know it yet). I don't know what testing would look like at 26# without the filter, but I'm going to do that soon before I move forward with any more painting. I probably don't really understand the relationship between air pressure and fluid flow, either.
My question is which gun behavior seems proper: lots of air flow and lots of noise, or something less. I know it's hard without being there, but I'm trying to get a feel. Or should I just do some testing runs and see what happens?
I've always used an in-line dessicant filter between the gun regulator and the gun. I have moisture problems if I don't use one and I don't really have any other options unless I spend a bunch of money, which I'd rather not do.
I was messing around a bit today and decided to see what would happen if I took the filter off. I've always painted my epoxy at about 26# at the gun (compressor is about 110#) based on what I've read and the tech manual. With the desiccant filter off, at 26# the gun puts out A LOT more air at that pressure and it is loud (almost hurts my ears). If I leave the regulator set like that, but then put on the filter, regulator pressure bumps up to about 45# and the noise and air flow is about the same. If I then turn the regulator down to 26#, where I've been painting, air flow is drastically reduced as well as the noise.
This obviously has to affect how the paint will come out of the gun. This opens up a whole can of worms for me. I have never painted without the filter. So this leads me to believe that I've had my gun set up really wrong for a while now and have been getting lucky (or screwed, but I don't know it yet). I don't know what testing would look like at 26# without the filter, but I'm going to do that soon before I move forward with any more painting. I probably don't really understand the relationship between air pressure and fluid flow, either.
My question is which gun behavior seems proper: lots of air flow and lots of noise, or something less. I know it's hard without being there, but I'm trying to get a feel. Or should I just do some testing runs and see what happens?