Looking for advice on decent spray gun

[canoe42]

Just read some not so nice postings about me posting until I get the answer I want. Not true. I post until I get a good sense of the project, especially when there are conflicting replies. I posted here last fall and got replies that said repairing gelcoat was not too bad, just sand down as much as I can, fill the cracks that are left, prime and paint. I also found some articles on-line that said the same thing. I thought I was good to go. Then when I posted here this spring with a few more questions I started getting different replies, some from the same guys who replied in the fall, saying I had to sand out all the gelcoat and re-apply gelcoat. Do a search for all of my posts and the replies I got and you will see what I am talking about. Knowing little about boats and nothing about gelcoat I decided to post the article that said repairing gelcoat was not that difficult as maybe I missed something in the article. What do I know? It’s kind of like the blind men describing the elephant, you don’t get a sense about the entire elephant until you have heard from everyone. I also posted on another boat web site this spring and got the advice that gelcoat repair was not so easy. One guy said I could use truck bed liner which was good advice and would have worked but found it was too expensive for me. The “repairing gelcoat is not easy” crowd convinced me they were right. You guys have saved me a lot of time and money doing something that wouldn’t work. Thank you. I don’t post until I get the answer I want, nor do I jump to conclusions as apparently some posters here have done when speculating about why I post so often. No need to reply to the above. This web site should be about boat repair, not nit-picking on some guy like me who knows nothing about restoring boats and relies on the opinions of experienced guys here who do.

Now I need advice on an inexpensive but serviceable pneumatic spray gun. Thanks to all the good advice I got here on repairing cracked gelcoat on a canoe I have decided to just sand down to 220 grit, prime and paint and use as is. Have decided to invest in a decent spray gun as I plan to paint an aluminium Jon boat next year and to make some body repairs to my car. Have seen the Astro Pneumatic AS7SP Binks 7 Type Siphon Feed Spray Gun for $34.11 and the Astro Pneumatic AS8S All-purpose easy-to-clean Siphon Feed Spray Gun for $43.51. Have also seen several others in the $80 range, then there are those that sell for $2-300!!! Obviously I am not a pro painter, just need some advice on a decent spray gun. Most likely I’ll get something in the $80 price range unless anyone thinks the $30 and $40 guns mentioned are worth getting.

[Jeff Therrell]

I painted cars fo 20 years before getting into fiberglass 8 years ago.I have 2 of those $400 guns sitting on the shelf but I use a $50 gravity gun I bought at Lowes most of the time around the shop.It sprays just about as good and if I do happen to let something catalize in it I haven't lost very much.Whatever you do buy a gravity feed gun.

ME TOO, I have Binks and de ville bliss, but they dont seem to do a better job, main thing is your air supply, you MUST HAVE ENOUGH TO RUN THE AIRCAP YOU ARE USING WITHOUT, OF STUFF SORRY BOUT CAPS, WITHOUT droop, in air press, you must have the right cap for the fliud tip
Pressure pots need air, so stay with syphon and cheap,and play with it, there have been a squiilion posts abt painting so really you should research here, 2 pots are very forgiving, , single packs take more skill, as they run easier
bon chance!!

[Landlubber]

Reasonable advice above, but do not buy a real cheap Chinese gun as they are mostly copies of the real thing, like a Sampson 77, for instance. Most of them are not very well finished in parts that matter.

The Taiwanese guns (again copies) are far superior, and most likely in the 100 dollar range, compared to the 20 to 80 dollar types.

The gravity feed gun is a very suitable all rounder, the can is able to be set at different angles to do different jobs.

You need a nozzle of about 1.1-1.5mm for general purpose work (it will spray putty, but a bit dry), go bigger for putties and go to about 2- 3mm for gelcoating.

[the1much]

actually,,the reason you got different advice is that your first post on 9-29-07 just said some cracked gel,,,then on 6-13-08 you asked again and this time showed pictures of a gel coat problem that was WAY beyond just cracked,,so the advice was revised,,then on 6-30-08 you asked advice repainting crazed gel.

[canoe42]

Thanks, I will check here for posts on painting. The only painting I have done is with a spray can. Just need some clarification..

Don’t know the difference between real cheap “Chinese gun as they are mostly copies of the real thing, like a Sampson 77 and The Taiwanese guns (again copies) are far superior, and most likely in the 100 dollar range, compared to the 20 to 80 dollar types” Will most likely buy at HD or Lowes. Can look to see where they are made before I buy. One thing that would help is make and model. Another thing I don’t understand is a “2 pots are very forgiving, , single packs take more skill, as they run easier”.

Thanks for the advice on gravity feed. Have never seen that type of gun before, just the siphon feed. I do need a general purpose gun, the type that does everything OK but nothing great. The nozzle info was good too. Don’t plan to use gelcoat so don’t need the 2-3mm nozzle. Besides painting boats and my car, we may use the spray gun to stain the house. Think I may need a smaller or finer nozzle for that work though as stain is pretty thin. Several guns I looked at on-line can be ordered with either a 1.5 or a 1.8mm nozzle. Any guess what I should get?

As far as cracked and crazed gelcoat goes, someone said the gelcoat looked crazed because it didn't go into the fiberglass. Another example of bad advice. I see now that CRACKED is what I have. Because all the cracks are on the bottom and none on the side or at the water line, one guy said the cracks most likely got there from stepping into the canoe while it was sitting on a rocky shore. That makes sence to me. Thanks for the input.

[the1much]

thats exactly what happens to most canoes,,,that or 2ton tessie with size 3 feet walk around it alot,,hehe,,i wont add anything bout the gun,,,lazy and landy have ya covered there,,

[Kaptin-Jer]

Forget the spray if you have never done it and don't have the equipment. A canoe would be an easy roll and tip project.

[the1much]

i need to add dude,,,,,your boat has gone PAST cracked gel,,,,its delaminating from the glass all together.

[canoe42]

I look at the canoe project as a way to get some experience spray painting. Want to paint my Jon boat next summer and want it to come out fairly well. What better way to learn than spray painting a "free" canoe that was given to me. If I make a few mistakes, who cares? May also take an adult ed auto body repair and painting class this fall/winter before I attempt painting my Jon boat next summer. It's funny but I wouldn't spend $150 to $200 to repair the canoe properly, but will invest $3-400 in a new compressor, if I need one, and a decent spray gun as they can be used for a lot of applications. I am retired and have never done anything like this before but I have a lot of time now and am willing to learn. There is a saying, "I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand." I'm ready to do, just need to know the basics of what and what not to do before I start.

[Kaptin-Jer]

Jim,
Where did Dude post his pictures? I seem to missed them. If it's that bad a crusher would be in order, and a nice cedar strip project canoe would be the right way to solve all his problems.

[the1much]

Restoring cracked gelcoat on canoe

its not that the glass is bad,,,(actually it might be),,,but his gel is "lifting" off the glass,,,,and if he has another glass boat,,,he should look at it as spending $500 on a brand new canoe, and for the "class" in glass and gel repair,,,, i know people that actually pay a school for that experience.

[the1much]

forgot to add dude,,if you want a free class on painting go here,,,,,,
The AWLGRIP Knowledge challenge
,,,do you know the legal problems with spraying paint?
on that thread and others theres tips on both spraying and roll&tip

[canoe42]

Thank you for the link to the AWLGRIP Knowledge challenge. That should help me alot as to technique. Just glanced at it but looks like it has the sort of info I need. Can't afford, rather not willing to spend the money to cover canoe with the smooth truck bed liner. Thinking of getting a quart of Grizzley Grip and just doing the bottom where it is cracked the most and painting the rest. Off to Lowes and HD to get supplys for our home renovation projects and will look at spray guns too.

Thanks,

Tom

[Kaptin-Jer]

Tom,
Real Marine painting is a lot more intense then it appears that you are ready to do. First is the prep. It's the most important part of the process. Fill, sand, fill, sand, primer sand, primer, sand. If you are not willing to do that whatever method you do to paint will look like crap. When you are ready to do it right Jim will help you with the process since you are set in wanting to spray, but if you keep looking for the easy way out don't expect anyone in this forum to help.