ABC's of Spray Finishing
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ABC’s of Spray Finishing $10.00 1-239-C 11/01 ABC’s of Spray Finishing Forward Table of Contents While this book examines the About this book..... Forward..........................................2 spray finishing operation and its This book has been updated equipment from many viewpoints, several times from “The ABC’s of 1. Introduction..............................3 there is still much more to be Spray Equipment,” originally learned to become truly proficient Surface Preparation ..................3 published by The DeVilbiss at spray finishing. Company in 1954. It focuses on Paint Preparation ......................3 equipment and techniques for spray finishing. The best way to become proficient 2. Air Atomizing Spray Guns......4 at spray finishing is to just do it! Many trade technical and The format of the original book was Spray Gun Types ......................4 community colleges offer courses question-and-answer. We have in spray finishing, a great way to retained that format in this edition. Part Identification and improve your skills. Function.....................................6 This book is organized around the Operation...................................9 Many of the “tricks” of the major components of an air spray professional spray finisher involve Maintenance ...........................11 system… spray guns, material paints and coatings. The containers, hose, air control manufacturers of these materials Troubleshooting ......................13 equipment, compressors, spray routinely publish complete books booths, respirators and a short on these subjects. These section on general cleanliness and publications are available in 3. Material Containers ..............16 other sources of information. A specialty paint stores and will thorough understanding of the provide you with considerable material in this book - plus a lot of detail. Many of these books also 4. Hose and Connections.........18 actual spray painting practice - contain information on techniques should enable you to handle just for surface preparation. about any spray painting situation. 5. Air Control Equipment..........20 Another important source of Although we have made an effort Respirators information, particularly on 6. .............................22 to make this book as detailed and equipment use and selection is as complete as possible, be aware your local spray finishing that the equipment and product 7. Air Compressors ...................23 equipment distributor. No book systems used to illustrate points could ever completely cover a are entirely based on DeVilbiss specialist’s in-depth knowledge of technology. DeVilbiss is the world’s 8. Spray Booths .........................25 equipment, techniques, oldest and largest manufacturer of maintenance and troubleshooting. spray painting equipment, and has maintained this leadership since its founding in 1888. Information is available from many resources on the subject of spray finishing. It is our hope that this book will provide you with a start toward perfecting your finishing skills. A recent addition to resources available to the spray finisher is the World Wide Web. Many manufactures are represented and question and answer forums are available. Please visit our website at www.devilbiss.com. 2 1. Introduction This book is about the selection, Plastic parts may contain static and how much film may be applied use and maintenance of finishing electricity from the molding is its viscosity…or consistency. equipment: spray guns, tanks, process. This static attracts Following the paint manufacturer’s cups, hoses, compressors, particles of dust and dirt. Eliminate instructions will get you close, but regulators, spray booths, them by treating with “destatisiz- for professional results, use a respirators, etc. It presumes that ing” air using a special blow-off viscosity cup. It is a simple but very you are familiar with standard gun that imparts a neutral charge accurate way to measure the surface preparation techniques that to the airflow. A chemical anti-static thickness of paint. With the cup, may be required before finishing treatment is also available. you can thin or reduce the paint to actually begins. It also presumes a the precise consistency required by basic knowledge of the many the manufacturer. different types of paints and Paint Preparation Always prepare paint in a clean, coatings available. Today’s finishes are extremely dust-free environment. Paint has a Creating a perfect finish requires a complex chemical formulations. remarkable ability to pick up dirt. solid knowledge of surface They include both solvent and Dirty paint will not only clog your preparation, finishes and spray waterborne types. Some may spray gun, but it will also ruin your painting equipment. The first two require the addition of solvents to paint job. Get in the habit of always are extensively covered in many form the proper spraying viscosity. pouring paint into the cup or tank other books. The manufacturers of Others may simply require the through a paint strainer. Paint is paints and coatings have gone to addition of a second component at never as clean as it looks. great length to publish information a prescribed ratio to obtain on their new and existing products. sprayable consistency. Many of them also have hardeners or other But, even an extensive knowledge chemicals, added to them to insure of surface preparation techniques correct color match, gloss, and paint chemistry is not enough hardness, drying time or other to assure a professional finish. The characteristics necessary to finish must be applied by a spray produce a first class finish. Make gun, and all the variables of its use sure you are familiar with the must be mastered. specific finish material data sheets The equipment necessary to apply accompanying each material. Do the finish – the spray gun, tank, not mix materials from various cup, regulator, hoses, compressor, manufacturers. Read and follow etc. – must all be matched to the directions carefully. job as well as to each other. That All finish materials must also be equipment must be used and supplied with a Material Safety maintained properly, with an Data Sheet (MSDS). This data appreciation of how and why it provides information on proper works the way it does. handling and disposal of materials. The moment of truth for any finish Many states require that MSDS be happens when the trigger is pulled. kept on file by the user. This book focuses on that moment. The first step is knowing the type and color of paint the project requires. With this determined, Surface Preparation follow the manufacturer’s The surface to be finished should instruction for preparing it exactly. be well cleaned before painting. If If you have any doubts about how the paint manufacturer’s to proceed, don’t guess! Contact instructions call for it, the surface your paint supplier for help. should be chemically treated. Use Improperly prepared paint will a blow-off gun and tack rag to never produce a good finish! remove all dust and dirt. No The chief characteristic that amount of primer or paint will cover determines the sprayablility of paint up a badly prepared surface. 3 2. Air Atomizing Spray Guns Introduction Figure 4 shows a material container Suction feed is easily identified some distance away from its by the fluid tip extending slightly The spray gun is the key pressure feed gun. beyond the face of the air cap, component in a finishing system. It see figure 2. is a precision engineered and The type of material feed system is manufactured instrument. Each also a way of classifying guns: type and size is specifically Suction Feed...draws material to designed to perform a certain, the gun by suction as in Figure 1. defined range of tasks. Gravity Feed...the material travels As in most other areas of finishing down, carried by its own weight work, having the right tool for the and gravity as in Figure 3. job goes a long way toward get- ting professional results. Pressure Feed...the material is fed by positive pressure as in Figure 4. This chapter will help you know which is the proper gun by review- Guns may also be classified as Figure 2 - Suction Feed Air Cap ing the Conventional Air and High either external or internal mix Volume/Low Pressure spray gun depending upon the type of air Suction feed guns are suited to designs commonly used in finish- cap. many color changes and to small ing – suction feed, gravity feed and amounts of material, such as in pressure feed. It will also review the touchup or lower production different types of guns and 3. What is a suction feed gun? operations. components within each design. A spray gun design in which a A thorough understanding of the stream of compressed air creates a 4. What is a gravity feed gun? differences between systems will vacuum at the air cap, providing a allow you to select the right gun, to siphoning action. Atmospheric This design uses gravity to flow the use it properly to produce a high pressure on the material in the suc- material from the cup, which is quality finish and to contribute tion cup forces it up the suction mounted above the gun, into the toward a profitable finishing tube, into the gun and out the fluid gun for spraying. No fluid pick-up operation. tip, where it is atomized by the air tube is used, since the fluid outlet cap. The vent holes in the cup lid is at the bottom of the cup. must be open. This type gun is This cup has a vent hole at the top SPRAY GUN TYPES usually limited to a one-quart, or of the cup that must remain open. smaller, capacity container and low 1. What is an air spray gun? It is limited to 32 ounce capacities to medium viscosity materials. due to weight and balance. An air spray gun is a tool which uses compressed air to atomize Gravity feed guns are ideal for paint, or other sprayable material, small applications such as spot and to apply it to a surface.