search  current discussion  categories  techniques - spraying 

airless spray gun for glaze application question?

updated sun 7 oct 01

 

vince pitelka on tue 2 oct 01


> I'm considering trying out spraying glaze on my pieces
> but am wondering if an AIRLESS spray gun will work.

Tom -
This has been discussed on Clayart before and you can probably find more
info in the archives, but no, it will not work well. It works fine at
first, but then the abrasive grit in the glazes almost immediately kills the
pumping mechanism in the sprayer. Paints do not contain such abrasive
materials, and to my knowledge no one makes an airless sprayer with a
pumping mechanism which is resistant to such damage. If you want to spray
on a budget, scout out the second hand stores for one of the those sprayguns
which fits on a vacuum-cleaner hose attached to the output of the vacuum
cleaner. Kirby made them, and I think several other brands did as well.

Beyond that, save your pennies and get a good air compressor. You can use
it for so much besides spraying glazes. There is lots of info in the
archives on compresses, but be sure to get one with an oil sump and a cast
iron barrel. Don't waste your money on direct-drive "maintenance-free"
compressors.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

Dannon Rhudy on tue 2 oct 01


At 04:10 PM 10/02/2001 -0700, you wrote:
>I'm considering trying out spraying glaze on my pieces
>but am wondering if an AIRLESS spray gun will work......

Yes, it will work. But not very well, and not for very long.
If you read the instructions that come inside the box, you
will find that they specify that the gun is NOT for spraying
glazes. The grittiness of the glazes quickly wears out the
nozzle/spray head. I have used one in the past, and it
worked marginally off & on for a few months. Not worth
the investment, in my opinion. If you want an inexpensive
way to spray large pieces, get a garden pump sprayer
from Walmart or somewhere. Get one with the brass tip
if you can, but even the cheapest ones with the plastic parts
will work for quite some time. I have students who've used
them for three-four years that I know about. These sprayers
will cover well, but you cannot get fine detail with them.
Clog occasionally, but rinse out easily.

If you do decide to get a compressor, get a "critter" sprayer
from Bailey or someone, to go with it. They last forever,
or nearly, are easy to clean, and reasonably controlable
in terms of detail.

regards

Dannon Rhudy

Tom Yocky on tue 2 oct 01


I'm considering trying out spraying glaze on my pieces
but am wondering if an AIRLESS spray gun will work.
I'm trying to get around purchasing an expensive air
compressor and I found a airless gun that looks like
it will suit me great, but it is made for paint as far
as I can tell. Does spraying glaze have anything
special to consider (so long as the ingrediants are
finely ground and seived.
Here is it's description:

Airless paint spraying is the most efficient way of
paint applications. This gun is ideal for small,
diverse painting jobs. Airless paint spraying is more
ideal than conventional methods because of the ability
to atomize paint from its liquid form. The term
"atomize" means to seperate into the smallest possible
parts. This gun transforms paint into tiny droplets
and propels these droplets at high velocity.
Atomization ensures uniform coverage even in delicate
and hard-to-reach work and on rough or uneven
surfaces. You will find painting with this gun
simplifies the unreliability of aerosols, and the
tedium of brush or aerosol painting.

Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Listen to your Yahoo! Mail messages from any phone.
http://phone.yahoo.com

Ababi on wed 3 oct 01


If you mean an electric hand spray gun. I had one, it worked fantastic.
I bought an inexpensive one. However our abrasive materials killed it.
I had to change the nozzles a few times in the short period I had it
and when the inside ruined I had to dump it. In a way I was lucky - if
I had a more expensive one I could replace the ruined part. within a
year I would spend on it the price of a small reliable compressor. I
have now a small compressor with EZE spray gun.

Ababi Sharon
Kibbutz Shoval- Israel
officially Glaze addict
sharon@shoval.org.il
http://members4.clubphoto.com/ababi306910/
http://www.milkywayceramics.com/cgallery/asharon.htm
http://www.israelceramics.org/



---------- Original Message ----------

>I'm considering trying out spraying glaze on my pieces
>but am wondering if an AIRLESS spray gun will work.
>I'm trying to get around purchasing an expensive air
>compressor and I found a airless gun that looks like
>it will suit me great, but it is made for paint as far
>as I can tell. Does spraying glaze have anything
>special to consider (so long as the ingrediants are
>finely ground and seived.
>Here is it's description:

> Airless paint spraying is the most efficient way of
>paint applications. This gun is ideal for small,
>diverse painting jobs. Airless paint spraying is more
>ideal than conventional methods because of the ability
>to atomize paint from its liquid form. The term
>"atomize" means to seperate into the smallest possible
>parts. This gun transforms paint into tiny droplets
>and propels these droplets at high velocity.
>Atomization ensures uniform coverage even in delicate
>and hard-to-reach work and on rough or uneven
>surfaces. You will find painting with this gun
>simplifies the unreliability of aerosols, and the
>tedium of brush or aerosol painting.

>Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?

>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Listen to your Yahoo! Mail messages from any phone.
>http://phone.yahoo.com

>________________________________________________________________________
>______
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.

Klyf Brown on wed 3 oct 01


Tom;
We use airless sprayers in our work every day. The first consideration
is price; a cheap airless (wagner comes to mind) is a very expensive
peice of machinery. An inexpensive airless is at least 8 to 900 bucks,
but would last a potter a lifetime. An airless machine blows at least 50
percent of the material into oblivion, and that is when you are working
on a flat surface like a deck or wall. Waste spraying a pot would be
more like 66 %. Another consideration is that they operate at over
2000 PSI (mine run around 2700psi).
Advantages; material does not have to be thinned out like a pot
sprayer or HVLP units, so you are not wetting your pot as much. All
other spray units require cleaning immediately after use. If you are
using the same material next time all you have to do to an airless is to
relieve the pressure. Leave it in the material and the material in the
pump, hose and gun. Come back in a few days, power up and spray
away. Spray guns for airless machines have a tip that can be reversed
in it's socket for easy cleaning (reverse it and spray, unclogs it every
time). An airless will spray stuff as coarse as 50 mesh without
problems. With a worn nozzle you could probably spray 30 mesh.
Most units have filters in the manifold and in the gun handle to help
avoid clogs. An airless will pump some really thick material.
My favorite is Graco, but they are expensive ($1,400 for a small one,
my gas powered one was 4,500) For the amount of time a potter
would use them a Titan would probably be best all around.
Klyf Brown

10/2/01 5:10:44 PM, Tom Yocky
wrote:

>I'm considering trying out spraying glaze on my pieces
>but am wondering if an AIRLESS spray gun will work.
>I'm trying to get around purchasing an expensive air
>compressor and I found a airless gun that looks like
>it will suit me great, but it is made for paint as far
>as I can tell. Does spraying glaze have anything
>special to consider (so long as the ingrediants are
>finely ground and seived.
>Here is it's description:
>
> Airless paint spraying is the most efficient way of
>paint applications. This gun is ideal for small,
>diverse painting jobs. Airless paint spraying is more
>ideal than conventional methods because of the ability
>to atomize paint from its liquid form. The term
>"atomize" means to seperate into the smallest possible
>parts. This gun transforms paint into tiny droplets
>and propels these droplets at high velocity.
>Atomization ensures uniform coverage even in delicate
>and hard-to-reach work and on rough or uneven
>surfaces. You will find painting with this gun
>simplifies the unreliability of aerosols, and the
>tedium of brush or aerosol painting.
>
>Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Listen to your Yahoo! Mail messages from any phone.
>http://phone.yahoo.com
>
>___________________________________________________
___________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

Jean Cochran on wed 3 oct 01


Dear Tom,

My own personal experience leads me to conclude that "the easier, softer way" is to
bite the bullet and get the proper equipment from the get go. I went through three
of these wonderful guns before moving on to get the compressor and guns that are
necessary to my spraying glazes. Of course, I do a lot of spraying. The glaze
particles are rough and tough, and they dirty worded up the airless gun and
enlarged the spray hole of the gun.

Just my experience.

Jean Wadsworth Cochran
Fox Hollow Pottery
Kentucky

Tom Yocky wrote:

> I'm considering trying out spraying glaze on my pieces
> but am wondering if an AIRLESS spray gun will work.
> I'm trying to get around purchasing an expensive air
> compressor and I found a airless gun that looks like
> it will suit me great, but it is made for paint as far
> as I can tell. Does spraying glaze have anything
> special to consider (so long as the ingrediants are
> finely ground and seived.
> Here is it's description:
>
> Airless paint spraying is the most efficient way of
> paint applications. This gun is ideal for small,
> diverse painting jobs. Airless paint spraying is more
> ideal than conventional methods because of the ability
> to atomize paint from its liquid form. The term
> "atomize" means to seperate into the smallest possible
> parts. This gun transforms paint into tiny droplets
> and propels these droplets at high velocity.
> Atomization ensures uniform coverage even in delicate
> and hard-to-reach work and on rough or uneven
> surfaces. You will find painting with this gun
> simplifies the unreliability of aerosols, and the
> tedium of brush or aerosol painting.
>
> Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Listen to your Yahoo! Mail messages from any phone.
> http://phone.yahoo.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

ASHPOTS@AOL.COM on wed 3 oct 01


I spray my ash glazes , but i use a compresser. I spray at 40LBS

I have a collection of sprayers and it seems only a couple really work. I
have my favorite one that came from a discount house. It is a HVLP, also i
have a air brush , and 2 others from Paashe, i also use a EZE.
When i lived in Miami i would go to Miami Clay and buy stuff. I bought all
the sprayers they had .
I really like being able to control the air pressure.I bought a air
compresser from Sears that was reconditioned and it the one thing from Sears
that has lasted. It seems i have a problem with things that have moving parts
when i buy them from Sears.

I spray Ash and Clay 50/50 that is my glaze.I sieve through a 40 mesh then a
80 mesh.

Email me at ashpots@aol.com if i can help

Mark Lookout Mountain Pottery
Rising Fawn Ga

Susan Ford on wed 3 oct 01


Ok question about the spray guns and compressors.
My husband has a good air compressor for his shop,
and I need to get a spray gun for it for glaze, since I
don't want to mess up his spray rig for paint with
abrasive glazes.

What kinds of spary guns are good. What's the
advantage or not of an airless?

The spray guns I've used in the past have been the
same types used for housepaint, usually. Fairly
basic models. I'm not trying for special effects, just
for a nice even coat of glaze.

Susan
---
Susan K. Ford
Norman, Oklahoma
http://www.clueless.norman.ok.us/sf/rerhome.htm

The weakest ink lasts longer
than the strongest memory.
-- Confucious

vince pitelka on wed 3 oct 01


> My favorite is Graco, but they are expensive ($1,400 for a small one,
> my gas powered one was 4,500) For the amount of time a potter
> would use them a Titan would probably be best all around.
> Klyf Brown

Klyf -
I have only had experience with the cheap airless sprayers, which fail very
quickly when used with glazes. From your comments I see that the expensive
airless sprayers must have a pumping mechanism which can handle the grit.
Is it a rubber diaphram pump? I would be curious to know how this works.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

Klyf Brown on thu 4 oct 01


The Graco pumps that I have are stainless steel piston type pumps.
That is how they reach high pressure. The packings is (are) what
wears out on these models. They are made out of a couple pieces of
nylon and some rings of that space age material, leather. Even though
Graco is expensive, the rebuild kit is only about $50. We use ours
mostly for concrete sealer, pigmented. This material is fairly abrasive
and I only need to rebuild one of these every two to three years, and
it is usually from the leather drying out. One way to prevent that is to
run mineral spirits through the "prime" cycle (not into the hose and
gun). and leave it in the pump. That prevents it from drying out and the
two ball valves from sticking. Tips wear out quickly with more
abrasive material, but with the Reverse-a-Clean tips, you just spin it
out by hand and stick in another for about $22.
Right handy for painting the house too.
Ball milling your glaze down to 100 mesh or better would probably go
a long way in preserving the pump.
So far in 16 years I have never been able to wear one out, they get
stollen first. The oldest one I currently have is seven years old and
sprays about 3,000 square feet of sealer two coats every week, often
more than that.
Klyf Brown

10/3/01 6:28:16 PM, vince pitelka
wrote:

>> My favorite is Graco, but they are expensive ($1,400 for a small
one,
>> my gas powered one was 4,500) For the amount of time a potter
>> would use them a Titan would probably be best all around.
>> Klyf Brown
>
>Klyf -
>I have only had experience with the cheap airless sprayers, which fail
very
>quickly when used with glazes. From your comments I see that the
expensive
>airless sprayers must have a pumping mechanism which can handle
the grit.
>Is it a rubber diaphram pump? I would be curious to know how this
works.
>Best wishes -
>- Vince
>
>Vince Pitelka
>Appalachian Center for Crafts
>Tennessee Technological University
>1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
>Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
>615/597-5376
>Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
>615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
>http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
>
>___________________________________________________
___________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

Marcia Selsor on thu 4 oct 01


Dear Klyf,
I use a compressor from Sear $100 and an EZ sprayer from the Bray Clay Business
for $25. I have no problems. good system and not expensive.
Marcia Selsor

> > My favorite is Graco, but they are expensive ($1,400 for a small one,
> > my gas powered one was 4,500) For the amount of time a potter
> > would use them a Titan would probably be best all around.
> > Klyf Brown
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

Des Howard on thu 4 oct 01


Vince
Here, roof painting contractors use airless spray guns because of less wind drift.
When the job calls for a micaceous paint they won't use their own gear, too
abrasive,
but will rent an airless unit & stuff it up. Our local hire company doubts if there
is
a hire firm in the state that have airless sprayers for hire.

That said, I'm in total agreement re your other recommendations.
Des

vince pitelka wrote (in part):

> It works fine at first, but then the abrasive grit in the glazes almost
> immediately kills the
> pumping mechanism in the sprayer. Paints do not contain such abrasive
> materials, and to my knowledge no one makes an airless sprayer with a
> pumping mechanism which is resistant to such damage.
>
> Beyond that, save your pennies and get a good air compressor. You can use
> it for so much besides spraying glazes. There is lots of info in the
> archives on compresses, but be sure to get one with an oil sump and a cast
> iron barrel. Don't waste your money on direct-drive "maintenance-free"
> compressors.

--

Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
LUE NSW 2850
Australia
Ph/Fax 02 6373 6419
http://www.luepottery.hwy.com.au

SAM YANCY on sat 6 oct 01


HI - suggest you check out harborfreight.com and order their HVLP Gravity Feed

Spray gun for $45.95. Item number 43430-75CA.(at least it was when I bought Last)
It's great for glazing with very
little overspray or dust - and most important LOW pressure.. I brought it to the
attention of the Pottery teacher at Skyline College last year. He bought on on my
recommendation. In a class room setting, it is used daily by many students with no

problems. I have four myself, two for glazing and two for painting. I was a long
time (20+ years) Custom auto/motorcycle painter before getting to my current LOVE
- POTTERY and CLAY so I have the experience with many many spray guns from pasche
to whatever. You can adjust this recommended gun from a 1/2 inch circle to a fan

width of about 6 inches. Trick is to put on WET coats (two) with about one minute
wait between coats. Also you can shade glazes with this gun. Very easy to do.
This spray gun is easy to clean in plain running water. The glaze should be
strained and about the thickness of cream for best results - its is important to
not clog the gun. I also built a low cosast spray booth and that works great too.
Regards, Sam in foggyadn COLD Daly City, Ca.

Susan Ford wrote:

> Ok question about the spray guns and compressors.
> My husband has a good air compressor for his shop,
> and I need to get a spray gun for it for glaze, since I
> don't want to mess up his spray rig for paint with
> abrasive glazes.
>
> What kinds of spary guns are good. What's the
> advantage or not of an airless?
>
> The spray guns I've used in the past have been the
> same types used for housepaint, usually. Fairly
> basic models. I'm not trying for special effects, just
> for a nice even coat of glaze.
>
> Susan
> ---
> Susan K. Ford
> Norman, Oklahoma
> http://www.clueless.norman.ok.us/sf/rerhome.htm
>
> The weakest ink lasts longer
> than the strongest memory.
> -- Confucious
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.