What is the difference between a $75.00 gun and a $400.00 gun. For a basic HVLP that can handle base coat clear coat. My current gun is an old siphon marsen and is trashed, I need to upgrade. Is a $400.00 gun that much better? Your input would be great.

Well, I am not the person to tell you whatever, but I was in the same spot not long ago. My old gun was 25 years old and I wanted the hvlp gun because it sounded good. It was! I bought a good quality two gun set through ebay. It had a touch up gun and a standard gun with some extra tips etc. I don't see it on ebay right now, but here's a link to devilbiss.
CLICK HERE (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=4&campid=5335838804&toolid=10001&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%2Fitems%2F%3F_nkw% 3Ddevilbiss%2Bhvlp%2Bkit%26_sacat%3D0%26_fromfsb%3 D%26_trksid%3Dm270.l1313%26_odkw%3Dhvlp%26_osacat% 3D0)

to be honest the biggest difference is gonna be how long they last...theres certain guns your gonna buy that your only gonna wanna use for primer. Your best bet, is going to be finding a moderatly priced gun. spend 50 bucks on one..you can get a few good uses out of it. buy a $500 one, and it will last forever long as you clean it and care for it. all in all...it depends how often you paint. even if your painting something large once a month, go for broke..it will be worth it. the outcome quality of the paint has a lot more to do with the skill...i know a guy that can make a rattle can job look pretty as can be....and then theres the people that work at macco.... all in all...if your looking to paint your car and maybe some buddies cars here and there...i wouldnt spend more then 200 or so on a set...

-jeff-

I'll be using this gun for only one job. that is good advice on why some are so much more money. It has been over 20+ years since I have done a complete repaint, I will be checking back in often for some direction. Thanks joe

btw i see your from mchenry, you ever bring your ride up to the dog n suds shows out in fox lake?

No I have not made the dog and suds show. My ride is a long way from being on the road. Just rebuilt the trans, fixed the rear end, replaced all of the brakes, starter, carb, gas tank ect ect.. I want to make this car is mecanically sound before I tear it apart again to do the body and paint. This is my first car in a long time. In the 70's and 80's I had old mopars and muscle cars and are long since gone. Actually I don't miss them, they road like dump trucks and handled like a shopping carts. Today I want something that rides and handles like a true classic.

If I get it on the road, complete or not I will for sure attempt to make it.
Thanks Joe

sounds good man, its a fun show, kinda small but fun..one of the better shows is down in rolling meadows on friday nights every week...biggest weekly show in the midwest...see you round~

-jeff-

The answer is $325.00.........Do I win.........A little humor :laugh_4:


www.howardsbackyardautobody.com (http://www.howardsbackyardautobody.com) :bgrin:

I have a cheapie husky for primer and Larry Lyles, author for Auto Restorer magazines told me to get the Concours from eastwood. It is 150.00 and works great for the home compressor.
I painted a little mercury last month with it and it worked great.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1801&itemType=CONTENT
What is the difference between a $75.00 gun and a $400.00 gun. For a basic HVLP that can handle base coat clear coat. My current gun is an old siphon marsen and is trashed, I need to upgrade. Is a $400.00 gun that much better? Your input would be great.

i was a tech rep for a paint jobber for over twenty years. the biggest difference is the material quality in the gun. high priced guns are for professionals and are made to hold up to thousands of uses and cleanings, many times parts and passages are of stainless steel for cleaning purposes. the cheaper guns will spray as nice when they are new but 5 years down the road may not be so nice.you can prolong that life by careful cleaning and maintaining the gun after every use. tip size and parts availability may be more important to a do it yourselfer than high tech metals and high prices. but as with any tool the nicer the better. just don't put yourself in the poor house for a spray gun. i would compromise and purchase one of the guns that are out there for around two hundred dollars they are quite good and will last as long as you take care of it. as one old painter said when asked what kind of gun he sprayed a particularly nice paint job with," the gun didn't paint that car, i did."

I got a Harbor Freight purple HVLP gun with a 1.4 tip from one of my buddies last year as a joke since I only use Sata guns. As it turns out, the el cheapo gun sprays out really nice and I did try it out on an overall paint job a few weeks ago, I was surprised at the results. Not quite as good as the Sata guns I use regularly but as good as factory paint on todays cars. Make certain your air compressor can deliver the air your gun needs. The air delivery is the CFM not how much pressure or horsepower of motor. HVLP guns usually require from 8-15CFM. Most department store compressor sdon't deliver that much air. If you're doing one paint job and your old gun is still in good working order, use it, you'll probably get much better results than you would with an HVLP.