Spray Gun Cleaning Solvent

O

Outlaw

I have been using acetone to clean my gun after spraying SPI Epoxy. During the cleaning process, the acetone leaves a sticky residue that takes a lot of wiping down to clean off. Is that a charteristic of acetone or do I have something too cheap? I got it at a discount store?
 
You need something that evaporates slower. My gun cleaning solvent is recycled so it is a mix of a lot of things, but to keep it fresh I put about a half pint of cheap laquer thinner and a half pint of slow SPI reducer into each gallon can before it gets filled with recycled solvent. Of course the SPI is a little expensive to be using that way, but even that cupful in a gallon turns it into a much nicer product. The problem with cheap lacquer thinners is that they are full of crappy grade acetone and methyl alcohol that dries quick. You might try getting a gallon of cheap thinner and pouring a little of the slowest quality reducer you can into it, just enough to slow it down and keep it wet on the surfaces of the gun so that residues can be wiped away fully before the solvent dries.
 
Thanks Crash, so the acetone Im using is desolving the epoxy but drying before I get it off the gun, which is leaving the sticky mess. Sounds like you solved the problem for me. Thanks again, I will make some changes.
 
i have never found any acetone that dissolves the epoxy correctly. you really need lacquer thinner. acetone will work for everything else but not the epoxy.
 
i wipe my cup out with paper towels before i start cleaning. i have a 6x9 in ss tub from a salad bar . it uses very little thinner each go around. clean it then refill with clean thinner and rinse . i use my squirt bottle to rinse things off before drying them .
 
Does using a quality lacquer thinner give better results than a cheap lacquer thinner?
 
honestly i dont remember. i've had it since the early 70's . probably a swap meet or something ....................... or golden coral :)
 
Go to Napa in kalispell and get a 5 gallon of economy thinner works great and it always seems to be on sale pretty cheap, around 35 I think
 
Thanks Airbrush, I still have your email. Gonna stop by and see you one of these days!
 
The Napa thinner is the same as the stuff I use, but it's too fast unless it's cool out. That's why I add a half pint of slow reducer to the gallon. Really improves it a lot.
 
Is the NAPA thinner a lacquer thinner? Is it recycled or pure thinner. When I picked up a gallon of lacquer thinner yesterday, they gave me the option of recycled lacquer thinner or not recycled lacquer thinner. $13/$20 gallon. The non recycled came in two options, fast and medium. I got the good stuff in the medium. It worked really well for cleaning up epoxy primer.

Im definitely gonna look into the NAPA product next purchase. Just need to know a little more about it.
 
Lacquer thinner, Not recycled, Google the product number, its ACME finish 1 Product number FT220
 
Shop is a mess right now but if you want to stop by ill give you some to try out, bring an empty 1 quart activator can if you have one
 
Airbrush, I sent you a pm asking for your address. My old email program is now working.
 
Outlaw;n75264 said:
Is the NAPA thinner a lacquer thinner? Is it recycled or pure thinner. When I picked up a gallon of lacquer thinner yesterday, they gave me the option of recycled lacquer thinner or not recycled lacquer thinner. $13/$20 gallon. The non recycled came in two options, fast and medium. I got the good stuff in the medium. It worked really well for cleaning up epoxy primer.

Im definitely gonna look into the NAPA product next purchase. Just need to know a little more about it.
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Either way it's overpriced. S-W is selling lacquer thinner for $35 for a 5 gal can. Even putting a cup of good reducer nets $10 per gallon. It might pay for you to try and associate yourself with a body shop account, or try and open one of your own so that you'll receive a better pricing structure.
 
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