Phoenix chopper gun

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by glassdave, Sep 7, 2019.

  1. glassdave
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Toledo Ohio

    glassdave Junior Member

    thanks but i want to keep it, its a great gun and in great shape, I'm sure i will use it in the future. I am going to spend some time with the Phoenix and see how i like it. I gotta say i do like the way the Phoenix sprays and i love the clean body of the gun. Super easy to keep clean and i like that its small and compact. Comfortable and easy to swing around boxed in molds. I really cant say anything bad at all about the ATC its certainly done what i wanted it to and pretty well, i bought the Pheonix from their ebay store on a late night shopping spree and an accepted "purchase offer" that i didnt they would accept lol just had some cash burnin a hole in my pocket and i took a shot lol . . . . glad i did though i do like it so far.

    hey i have a question concerning blade count and spacing in the chopper. Currently i run two yarns with the blades in every other slot yielding fibers about an inch and a half long running at speed. What is the rule of thumb for cut fiber length? if i run blades in all slots giving shorter strands does it lay down better or worse in details and corners? Just curious as i really am having to self teach on this thing
     
  2. KD8NPB
    Joined: Mar 2018
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    Location: South Carolina

    KD8NPB Senior Member

    I’m not sure which MiniPro you have, but;
    35 psi 7:1 pump drive pressure
    5017 tip (5 degree fan, 0.017” orifices)
    2 strands of 13 micron 2400 tex roving
    Chopper motor open all the way
    Blower open about 1/4

    This will get you about 30-33% fiber.

    8 blades typically is 5/8 inch
    4 blades typically is 1 1/4 inch

    My recommendation would be 8 blades for skinout and 4 blades for bulking. 8 blades can be acceptable for bulking on parts with complex geometries that require minimal tensile strength. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to run 8 blades on boat decks.

    Remember, voids have no strength. Ideally, fiber length should be matched to the smallest radius on the part. Radius putty should be used for radii tighter than 5/8 inch. The procedure is to apply putty and wipe on lightly via brush, then immediately chop and roll out. Be careful not to displace the putty with too much roller pressure.

    Most sprayguns come with a 6025 tip standard, so your fiber content may be lower. Ideally, a properly wetted mat will look “matte” and the individual fibers are visible. Glossy, “wormy” laminates are resin rich.
     
  3. glassdave
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Toledo Ohio

    glassdave Junior Member

    thanks KD, that was the only issue i have had with my Mag was no real support or usable/avaliable info after i bought it. I've kept it largly set up as i got it on the day it was delivered. Sales guy gave me a bit of instruction and i was on my own, not complaining because i am happy with the purchase and its performance but after the fact i didnt have much luck getting any Q&A guidance.
     
  4. KD8NPB
    Joined: Mar 2018
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    Location: South Carolina

    KD8NPB Senior Member

    MVP has maybe 5 reps for the entire USA. They go after the big fish. Their manuals are written quite well though for jobbers. Lots of good information if you’re willing to wade through it.

    I’ll be uploading some YouTube videos at some point as an introduction to slaved spray equipment.
     
  5. glassdave
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Toledo Ohio

    glassdave Junior Member

    I kinda got that impression that as a single unit purchaser that i am on the small fish side of things lol and thats ok . . . . I'm good at figuring things out and theres always the internet for everything else :D The manuals were good but yeah you have to wade through a lot of stuff, mostly safety disclaimers. Of the 35 pages dedicated to the cat pump alone about fifteen of them are just safety precautions but i guess in this day in age its a necessary evil. I'm pretty happy with that purchase from Magnum and it has definitely made me money and saved me time.

    that would be great if there were some videos out there on these things. Hope to see yours some day.

    so far i have made several four foot by four foot parts out of an obsoleted mold i have and the Phoenix does a nice job. Hard to say which one i like better they both have their strong points. Time will tell . . . . .

    Spare parts are wayyyyy cheaper for the Phoenix. Ordered some minor and major rebuild kits and inquired about a fluid/air cap assembly and was about half of what i paid for the Mag stuff.
     
  6. glassdave
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Toledo Ohio

    glassdave Junior Member

    hey got one more quick question while I'm pickin your brain. My chopper head works great but i can only seem to run it with the guard off. As soon as i hit it with the guard on it binds up on the spools. I keep the passages and wheels clean and free from resin/debris but as soon as i try to run it with the guard on it clogs. It works fine without it and the pattern is nice and even in the resin stream with a little bit of random cut fibers escaping around the work area but not much and pretty manageable. I'm sure i have something adjusted wrong or something like that but could use some suggestions on what to look at. Thanks again for all the info
     

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  7. KD8NPB
    Joined: Mar 2018
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    Location: South Carolina

    KD8NPB Senior Member

    Open the blower adjustment by 1/8 to 1/2 turn. It’s that silver tube behind the cutter/idler. It blows air in the housing to prevent clogs.

    Too much blower air will reduce motor speed though.
     
  8. glassdave
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    Location: Toledo Ohio

    glassdave Junior Member

    great thanks, gonna give that a shot this afternoon.
     
  9. KD8NPB
    Joined: Mar 2018
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    Location: South Carolina

    KD8NPB Senior Member

    Did it break yet?
     

  10. glassdave
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Toledo Ohio

    glassdave Junior Member

    no it actually has been working quite well. I built a 36 foot mold i needed for the sponson on a Skater i am repairing in pretty good time without much issue. No issues with gun at all and has a very nice pattern with good control. I will say this though i have no idea what the thought process was on the trigger design . . . . if left as delivered it is a total pain to use but i suspect the product of some safety regulation engineering. I had to disable the little tube slide thing and put a rubber band around the handle to keep the trigger from flopping around. Anyone thats ever used one should know what i mean and if anyone has thoughts on it i would love to hear them. So far pretty happy with the gun, it sooooo much easier to keep clean then my MVP (but that is a great gun as well)

    Why would you ask if it broke? Is there an inherent weakness with some part of it? thanks for the input.
     
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