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  #1  
Old 01-17-2017, 07:50 PM
NYTOM NYTOM is offline
 
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Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
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Question Best finish spraygun

For all of you out there that had spectacular results using the Stewart System to paint your aircraft, exactly what brand and model spray gun did you use????
Did some searches and got conflicting info. I have a Snap-On HVLP gun for the primer but need advice on a reliable gun for the topcoat finish without emptying the bank.
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  #2  
Old 01-17-2017, 07:57 PM
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sprucemoose sprucemoose is offline
 
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I had excellent results with the Devilbiss Tekna Pro-lite, which is the gun they currently recommend. Get the one configured for waterborn finishes. I paid a little over $400 on Amazon. Use the pressures and gun settings they recommend along with their fog coat/ wet coat system.
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  #3  
Old 01-17-2017, 08:00 PM
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Carl Froehlich Carl Froehlich is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYTOM View Post
For all of you out there that had spectacular results using the Stewart System to paint your aircraft, exactly what brand and model spray gun did you use????
Did some searches and got conflicting info. I have a Snap-On HVLP gun for the primer but need advice on a reliable gun for the topcoat finish without emptying the bank.
I did the first RV with a Harbor Freight HVLP gun (base coat, clear coat). The second RV I borrowed a high end Devilbiss HVLP gun. Halfway through I shifted back to the Harbor Freight gun as I was not thrilled with the Devilbiss.

The point being the paint selection and technic is more critical than the the gun. PPG BaseCoat and Clearcoat products are very forgiving to the amateur painter. Use enough air pressure to get a good pattern, and have just enough paint per coat to get a flow, and you will be happy. If your Snap on gun is working ok for you, paint on.

Carl
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  #4  
Old 01-17-2017, 08:58 PM
rockwoodrv9 rockwoodrv9 is offline
 
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Location: Meridian ID, Aspen CO, Okemos MI
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Has anyone tried the 3M 16580 Accuspray Spray Gun System? I saw it used on Overhauling and noticed they were able to spray upside down. I have a high end DeVliss(sp?) but just ordered one of these to try.

I am interested if anyone has any experience with this gun.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
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  #5  
Old 01-18-2017, 04:50 AM
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Larry DeCamp Larry DeCamp is offline
 
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Default I bought the gun sold by Stewart Systems

I heartily agree with the comment that technique is more critical than equipment. That is not to say bad equipment can produce good results. Coating weight and sequence are CRTICAL. Follow instructions. Results even vary with temp and humidity which are hard manage.

The primer is misleadingly easy to apply. Practice finish coats on something you are willing to wash or sand off . The primer is affected by solvents in Mogas. If you dont completely encapsulate with finish coat, it will wrinkle up and strip around edges of sheet and holes ( ie. fuel spill/overflow)! I would use a 2K primer to avoid this potential.
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  #6  
Old 01-18-2017, 05:26 AM
HFS HFS is offline
 
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Location: Lemoore, CA
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Default 3M PPS System

The PPS system that is included with the AccuSpray Gun is an product that 3M sells as a separate item, with adapter fittings available for a wide range of existing guns.

I have been using it for many years, and can vouch for the convenience of being able to spray in any "orientation" without worrying about drips from the vent hole. You can also mix and match the PPS cup size (there are several ranging from 6 oz to 32 oz) to fit the size of the job without regard to using a smaller touch up gun for smaller projects that still need a high quality finish.

I don't have the AccuSpray system (yet), but I'll probably get one - I have always had good luck with 3M products.

David Howe
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  #7  
Old 01-18-2017, 06:01 AM
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sprucemoose sprucemoose is offline
 
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Devilbiss makes a similar disposable cup system called Dekups, which not only allows you to paint upside down but speeds cleanup greatly. They make adapters for all common spray gun types. It's not cheap- I probably went through $150 in disposable cups painting an airplane, but that's a small amount relative to the total cost of painting, and well worth it to me.

My best piece of advice about Stewart Systems is this- do not listen to any advice from someone who has never sprayed with Stewart Systems. From my experience, I am convinced that most of the bad results obtained with SS are from experienced painters who think they know what to do without following the instructions. Stewarts is a different kind of paint, and if you apply it like Imron (not picking on them, just one example of a common paint) you will not get good results. This type of bad advice has already been dispensed on this thread.
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  #8  
Old 01-18-2017, 07:24 AM
herricane herricane is offline
 
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Location: Gold Hill NC
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Default Devilbiss Tekna Pro-Lite

I second the Devilbiss Tekna Pro-Lite. we just bought one and I like it very much. With a little practice it will produce a show finish.
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  #9  
Old 01-18-2017, 01:45 PM
NYTOM NYTOM is offline
 
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Thank you for all the replies. After all the years and hard earned money I've spent building my dream I'd hate to wrap it in a poor paint job. Technique is very important but in the case of water based paints I have read many places where more expensive equipment = a better job. I have painted many cars and trucks plus one plane with excellent results using solvent based paints with a cheap Binks clone gun but this seems to be a entirely different animal. I guess I was hoping someone was going to reveal the name of a super DeVillbiss clone. I've decided to go with the gun Stewart System sells and possibly sell it on EBay when the planes completed. Stay tuned,photos to follow.....if I don't royally screw it up.
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  #10  
Old 01-18-2017, 02:55 PM
Canadian_JOY Canadian_JOY is offline
 
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The Stewart Systems EkoPoxy primer and EkoCrylic paints are doubtless good paints. BUT the huge caveat is that one has to be extremely careful with the advice provided by Stewart Systems. They only know one recipe for spraying the paint. You can ask about other methods and you will get answers which may be encouraging, but they have ZERO experience spraying with anything other than the very narrow spectrum of equipment which they mention on their website, namely the Finish Line spray guns.

Ask me how I know? I received some extremely incorrect advice from Stewart Systems about using a turbine HVLP system to apply these paints. I was even told how many stages were needed in the turbine and what fluid tip size to use, so I know I didn't dream this and in fact I carefully documented the conversation in my builder's logbook. The net results look like CR@P - orange peel that looks like a moonscape. The paint is tough, has great gloss and will, I'm sure, last a long time in service. BUT it needs to be hit very, very hard before it will atomize sufficiently to avoid orange peel. A turbine HVLP simply won't do it.

Again, stick to the EXACT equipment recommended by Stewart, or proceed while knowing Stewart Systems will be completely unable to provide you with any form of meaningful assistance should you run into application challenges.

Don't take this as a criticism of the folks who answer the phone at Stewart Systems - they've been very nice on the phone, professional and courteous. But of absolutely zero help. The canned response was "let me sell you a Finish Line gun". If I had any reasonable ability to generate the amount of air required to run the Finish Line gun I would have gone that route, but chose the Stewart Systems paint based on their confirmation that I would have no troubles applying the paint with a turbine HVLP. I later came to learn they have never even tried a turbine HVLP. Hadn't even gone down to the local tool rental place to rent a turbine system for a day to try it out. Yup, they made a recommendation to me based on zero real-world knowledge. As always, the devil's in the details!

Oh, did I mention this paint cuts and buffs quite nicely? That's how you get rid of orange peel... The painful way! It takes decent paint to produce good results with cutting and buffing, so again I have to emphasize that the Stewart Systems paint seems to be good stuff.
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