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Best finish spraygun

NYTOM

Well Known Member
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. :confused: 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.:eek:
 
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.
 
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. :confused: 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.:eek:

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
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.:eek:
 
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.
 
3M

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/B01497MZB6/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I have a DeVilbiss FLG and use the 3M PPS. Love both. As mentioned, painting takes some practice. I do recommend the MicroAir regulator at the gun. Painting is about consistency so a good regulator is a must to keep pressure from changing.
 
Turbine System does not work

I want to second what Canadian Joy posted about using a turbine system. I had exactly the same experience. I told them up front what I was going to use to spray. They gave me specifics on how to do it with my equipment (Croix Turbine). Very bad results. Pretty much put me off their products, except for the fabric glue. I am back to Airtech products, and now use a Devilbiss Plus gun with exceptional results. The turbine products just don't compare. If you use SS, then use their recommended equipment.
 
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.:eek:

If you're concerned with the outcome, I would experiment with the SS paint first and make sure you can master. it. While I have no experience with them, I am told that waterborne 2K paints are a different technique and take a bit to master them. If you haven't bought the paint, I would consider a base/clear approach with solvent based products. As you have learned, they are pretty forgiving for the amateur painter. I found a clear that is a high quality and quite forgiving on technique.

Larry
 
If you're concerned with the outcome, I would experiment with the SS paint first and make sure you can master. it. While I have no experience with them, I am told that waterborne 2K paints are a different technique and take a bit to master them. If you haven't bought the paint, I would consider a base/clear approach with solvent based products. As you have learned, they are pretty forgiving for the amateur painter. I found a clear that is a high quality and quite forgiving on technique.

Larry

Larry I've had extremely good results with Deltron base/ clear paint but it's the smell / chemical clean up I was hoping to get away from. In fact a PPG tech gave me a tip to achieve a awesome wet look with minimal paint which I used on my last plane. I have seen some water borne paint jobs that were indistinguishable from solvent ones which is why I'm willing to try the Stewart System. Another solvent job just might be enough to cause my wife to "accidentally" run into my project with her SUV.
I ordered the practice kit that SS offers and hope it lives up to my expectations.
If the test goes south I'll probably go back to my old friend Deltron and just deal with the fallout. I used to do all my painting after midnight so my neighbors wouldn't get wise to what I was doing and freak out. Either way, the Devilbiss HVLP ProLite will be put to good use.
 
. I used to do all my painting after midnight so my neighbors wouldn't get wise to what I was doing and freak out.

I hear ya. I had the police show up at my door twice during painting my plane. She told them I was poisoning her. I told the police to remind her that she lives one mile from three paints shops that spray gallons per day, whether she smells it or not.

I know that that waterborne can be sprayed to look as nice as solvent. I am just not sure how much practice and trail & error is necessary to do so. If it were an easy transition, I don't think you'd be seeing the resistance to moving to waterborne that exists today.

Larry
 
Stewart Systems update

Using a DeVilbiss Tekna Prolite I've finally gained enough experience to start painting my tail and control surfaces. For anyone considering doing their own painting I highly recommend this system.
There definitely is a learning curve especially if you have solvent paint experience but the benefits outweigh the the extra learning time. It seems like there is a sweet spot in the learning curve where you go from major runs to almost impossible to make it run. Especially if your painting in your garage and want to keep your marriage intact.
I practiced on multiple old aircraft panels and doors and probably went through a quart in small test batches to get the procedure down. Following directions as close as you can will result in a extremely nice finish. Not like some of those 15K+ paint masterpieces you see at Oshkosh but a very acceptable finish which is closer to a standard Cessna factory finish.
This paint just doesn't behave like any paint I have ever used. After painting my V stab with a dark blue color which I had read was difficult to use I ended up with what I considered major orange peel. I settled for it and decided to move on to get the plane done. The next morning when I went out to inspect it, the paint had flattened out to a beautiful gloss finish. And has done so since on every part I have painted. I have learned to do the best spray job I can and then just close the booth door and wait 24 hours. Haven't been disappointed yet.
But the absolute best thing that I like about this paint is that after coming in the house after I was out in my "attached garage" spraying for about a hour straight
my wife asked me what I was doing and wanted to know when I was going to start painting.:D:D:D
 
spray guns

I am pretty new to the forum, but I wanted to throw in my pick for a spray gun brand.
SATA makes some of the best equipment out there. I have used their stuff for years and find it awesome. I used the smaller capacity guns, but the big boys are second to none.
SATA Jet 5000 B HVLP

[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/tpdusa/media/s-l500.jpg.html][/URL]

IWATA would be my close second choice if you want a gun under a grand.

[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/tpdusa/media/s-l1600.jpg.html][/URL]

Both companies make guns around the $5-$800 marks. These two are in the 1K field

Just my .02...
 
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NYTOM Re: Post 14

Can you tell us what the "tip" was from the PPG tech rep for a fine "wet look" finish?

Thx

HFS
 
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 bought the 3M Accuspray gun system to spray primer with. I have a high end Binks gun that I only use for clear coats on furniture and didn't want to put any "colors" through it.

IMO, the 3M system is AWESOME!! It sprays great AND is by FAR the easiest gun ever to clean. Less than 2 minutes after using, it's clean and ready for storage. I may never use my Binks again.
 
I bought the 3M Accuspray gun system to spray primer with. I have a high end Binks gun that I only use for clear coats on furniture and didn't want to put any "colors" through it.

IMO, the 3M system is AWESOME!! It sprays great AND is by FAR the easiest gun ever to clean. Less than 2 minutes after using, it's clean and ready for storage. I may never use my Binks again.

How many uses do you get out of each tip?

IIRC the literature said each one was good for 5 uses before disposal.
 
Can you tell us what the "tip" was from the PPG tech rep for a fine "wet look" finish?

Thx

HFS

I told the Tech that I was concerned about the weight of the paint but really liked the base coat / clear coat appearance. On the last coat after you have good color cover just use a mix of 50% color and 50% clear. It's not a real base/ clear appearance but produces a very wet look that really stands out.
I did it in Deltron and was often questioned on how I got those results.
 
I am pretty new to the forum, but I wanted to throw in my pick for a spray gun brand.
SATA makes some of the best equipment out there. I have used their stuff for years and find it awesome. I used the smaller capacity guns, but the big boys are second to none.
Both companies make guns around the $5-$800 marks. These two are in the 1K field

Just my .02...

SATA was my first choice after doing some research but I had to draw the line on price somewhere. :eek: Stewart actually recommend a cheaper DeVilbiss gun so I figured upgrading a little would do the trick. It did.:)
 
SATA was my first choice after doing some research but I had to draw the line on price somewhere. :eek: Stewart actually recommend a cheaper DeVilbiss gun so I figured upgrading a little would do the trick. It did.:)

I understand! I found a used in great shape SATA. I prime with an IWATA, which is a great gun too.
 
My Iwata with the devilbiiss DEcups disposable paint system has worked well for me. The DEcups system allows you to paint upside down and make cleanup breeze. Sata is also a good brand. I stayed numerous coats of polyfiber products and Ranthane (will never use Ranthane agin). probably 5 gallons or more. The Iwata gun worked great.

He is the deal, I have a friend that does some of the most outstanding , award winning paint I have ever seen. till recently he used a old Binks pressure pot gun and sprays in less than I
ideal conditions.

The real quality comes from the operator, not the gun,.

Having said that , a good gun is well worth the investment. Use the Tip recommended by the paint manufacturer.
 
My Iwata with the devilbiiss DEcups disposable paint system has worked well for me. The DEcups system allows you to paint upside down and make cleanup breeze. Sata is also a good brand. I stayed numerous coats of polyfiber products and Ranthane (will never use Ranthane agin). probably 5 gallons or more. The Iwata gun worked great.

He is the deal, I have a friend that does some of the most outstanding , award winning paint I have ever seen. till recently he used a old Binks pressure pot gun and sprays in less than I
ideal conditions.

The real quality comes from the operator, not the gun,.

Having said that , a good gun is well worth the investment. Use the Tip recommended by the paint manufacturer.

All true. I need a good gun...as I am only an average painter, lol. It covers many of my mistakes. :)
 
Made for home builders

Another shout out to Stewart Systems paint. If you'd like to paint your project yourself at home and the "Stink" and danger of solvent paint concerns you, I recommend giving SS a try. Just putting the final colors on my fuselage today and the paint still amazes me. After painting the main fuselage color I had a little run in the tail section and it bothered me all night. Figured I'd sand it out in a few days and repaint. Got up this morning and checked it again. The dam run was gone. Over night the paint flowed out like silk.
I does take a little time to master but once you do it's a pleasure to work with.
And the best part is that you won't have your wife complaining about the smell at all. In fact my wife who has a nose like a bloodhound didn't even know I was painting. On my last plane she smelled it as soon as I was thinking about buying it. :eek: Don't know if SS advertises here so pull this thread if it's in violation but this paint can save a lot of builders a ton of money and get the satisfaction and reward of doing your oun painting.:D:D
 
Thanks for the update Tom. I have the exact same plans as you. Teckna pro lite and SS paint. What colors are you shooting? Any pics you can post? If you want to sell the gun when you are done, shoot me a PM or email.

Jay
 
Getting to the good part

Jay I used Juneau white, True blue & Dawn Patrol gray. All the colors went on the same. There was some chatter on here about the blue color being harder to apply with little holes forming but that condition may have occurred because many reasons. ( moisture in the air hose, dirt/ oil or silicone on part etc.) Preparation (clean, clean, clean) is everything.
Still have the fiberglass stuff to go so I won't be selling it for a while but Ill drop you a line when I'm done if your still interested. Taking the fuselage back to the hangar this week to see if all these parts will really go together to make a real airplane. Hope to get some photos up then. :)
 
I am in the throws of painting my RV8. I have been painting cars and Airplanes most of my adult life. Swore I would not paint the RV , but the prices from 14K to 25K ( that is not a mistype, actually had that price quoted). So I built my own home made paint booth and am about 3/4 done. The results are very good, but not perfect. hear are some things I have learned for what its worth.

1. Do not use a cheep gun, I paid $400 for my Iwata HP400. I painted my Tcraft with it and now my RV. it has paid for itself many times over. Estimate I have run 20 Gal. of various paints thru it and it has never let me down. The big thing with any gun is knowing how to adjust it. There are several you tube videos on the subject. My favorite is a guy who calls himself the "GUNMAN". He not only shows you how to do it but reviews spray guns. Crazy guy but very knowledgeable.

2. no matter what gun you use I recommend adapting the Devilbus DEKUP to the gun. It uses throw away plastic bags that allow you to paint upside down and probably saves more in cleanup solvents than you pay for the system. You can buy some great package deals on E-bay.

3. Get a good gun pressure regulator ( cheep ones will fog over and be useless after a few sprays) , see the GUNMAN you tube on pressure regulators.

4. Use a fresh air breather system.

I have never used Stewart system but their videos are some of the best on painting. Whatever you choose follow the paint manufactures directions. Paint is so expensive that cheep guns and not following directions makes no sense.

One last thought. If you want perfection use a base coat clear coat system. It allows you to sand and bus the clear. You can fix a lot of problems like dust and dirt, orange peel and runs. I used PPG aerospace single stage, but even with that you have to clear coat the metallic colors.
 
Finished weight added

....

One last thought. If you want perfection use a base coat clear coat system. It allows you to sand and bus the clear. You can fix a lot of problems like dust and dirt, orange peel and runs. I used PPG aerospace single stage, but even with that you have to clear coat the metallic colors.

I've always wondered if the base/clear systems are heavier because of the extra coats.

Or is it like my Chevy where it seemed the silver layer was very thin under a thicker clear coat?

Anyone know the weight differences for various systems/
 
How many uses do you get out of each tip?

IIRC the literature said each one was good for 5 uses before disposal.

I bought a 4-pack of tips, and after spraying the interior, plus multiple small parts in 4 or 5 additional sessions, I am still using the original tip. Of course, I am using Jet Flex WR (water reducible), so life with a solvent-based paint will probably be different.
 
When I painted my RV I was told that the clear is heavier, but Im am not sure that is true. When I shot my RV with single stage white (ppg aerospace ) several things changed my mind. With any paint you will need a coat of epoxy corrosion resident prime which is also necessary for good paint adhesion. When I first shot an aileron with the single stage white I was unhappy with the way it covered flush rivets. There was this small gap around each rivet and the white tended to pull back around the shape edges. My PPG supplier , who has been in the business for a long time and deals with all kinds of planes sent me some epoxy " rivet filler. I told him I did not want to fill the rivets, but this stuff is amazing. after the epoxy primer I could just squeegee a thin coat over the rivets and wipe it off. You still see the rivet but the little line is gone. I was also advised I that most big shops shot one coat of primer surfacer over than and sand with 400. (second coat of paint), now you put on the color ppg says two my supplier said 3 to be safe with white. Now we are up to 5 coats. When I put on the stripes that are metallic I had to clear coat them with 1 or two coats just over the metallic.

Here is the bottom line. If I were to do this agin I would use a Base coat clear coat. If there is any weight diff. its small. The base coat is very very thin and just for color. You also have the advantage of being able to buff and sand the clear. Also the clear is easier to repair than single stage because you can blend in clear.

If I knew how to post pictures on here with ease I would show you my project.
 
What pushed the paint?

Another shout out to Stewart Systems paint. If you'd like to paint your project yourself at home and the "Stink" and danger of solvent paint concerns you, I recommend giving SS a try... J

Tom: Did you use a compressor or a turbine?
I'm sold on Stewart Systems products, but the cost of what they recommend for application ("...You are going to need a BIG compressor that can put out 13-15cfm @ 90psi") to include filters, water trap, regulator is a big bite...

thanks
 
Tom: Did you use a compressor or a turbine?
I'm sold on Stewart Systems products, but the cost of what they recommend for application ("...You are going to need a BIG compressor that can put out 13-15cfm @ 90psi") to include filters, water trap, regulator is a big bite...

thanks
I had a old 30 gallon Sears oil piston compressor I had in the garage for years and bought a second used Sears oilless 40 gallon compressor on Craigs list for 100 bucks and daisy chained them together. I used little cheap Harbor freight water separators on each compressor, a third spray paint water separator at the wall of my temporary paint booth and disposable paper disc filters at the gun. It was noisy as **** but I was able to keep any moisture from my spray gun. The final regulator was after the final water separator at the booth wall. Probably didn’t need it but also used oversized hose connectors at the gun to try to prevent any air restrictions
 
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I had a old 30 gallon Sears oil piston compressor I had in the garage for years and bought a second used Sears oilless 40 gallon compressor on Craigs list for 100 bucks and daisy chained them together...

Tom: thanks for the info- helps me work out my approach.
 
Stewart systems

I am also considering the Stewart System approach. Having recently installed a 60 Gal Dewalt 220 v. Compressor. The one thing i find promising about the set up is the gun they are selling for $200 only needs 10cfm. Other guns requiring greater cfm closer to 13-15 i thought may be a compromise with this compressor.

I have a 3m Accuspray gun but I’m told is not having great results on the wet coat. Im planning to buy the gun they recommend. Im going to combine it with the Devilbis Dkup system in order to spray upside down under my wing.
 
I have a 3m Accuspray gun but I’m told is not having great results on the wet coat. Im planning to buy the gun they recommend. Im going to combine it with the Devilbis Dkup system in order to spray upside down under my wing.

I also used the Dkup system and found it incredibly helpful in mixing and clean up.
One important thing to remember with the Stewart system especially if you have experience with standard auto paints. Water based paints are totally different. To get excellent results follow the directions exactly and practice on some test panels. In the beginning it can be frustrating but when you master the technique it’s like magic and extremely satisfying. :)
 
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