Sam or Mary Yancy on sun 23 oct 05
Some thoughts for all clayarters.
Question? Is glaze a completely soluble substance – or is it A bit “gritty” ?? I think it is a bit “gritty” till it is melted down into solution in the kiln. It is not a dye type fluid which is much thinner.
When you think if it this way, and note that you must mix the glaze before using (generally) because it settles to the bottom of the container it make you want to think that a siphon spray gun is not the best choice of use for applying glaze unless it has a power mixer in it (I used to use for spraying “metal flake” paint mixes). Therefore gravity feed is much better in this case than a siphon spray gun. Plus HVLP guns are much better too as you get much less overspray and much less glaze waste.
When I was custom painter (for over 20 years) there were no gravity feel HVLP spray guns manufactured. So I used very cheap spray guns to spray thicker solids like primer/ surfacers - they have talcum powder (i.e. grit) in them. I would buy/need a cheap inexpensive spray gun as the “grit/paint” passing through the gun would wear our the nozzle and needle over time and get unevenspray patterns. . Then I would use the expensive Devilbus or Binks spray guns for final paint applications. The closer to the final finish – the better (more enpensive) the spray gun. Thayer and Chandler and other manufactures make air brushes which I used too mostly on each paint job, but only for very thin (dye type) coloring.
Of course this is before HVLP mandatory spray guns and much lower costs for them. In my opinion, the Harbor freight (or other low cost source) gravity feed HVLP spray guns are more than adequate for spraying pottery (i.e. gritty supstances) . Just be sure that you strain your glaze and CLEAN the spray gun after use.
Also – either use a large low pressure air supply – or high pressure pump type compressor to the spray gun with a pressure adjustment at the gun inlet.
When I was custom painting (1965 – 1995) I would pay over $200 for a good Devilbus or Binks spray gun (in 1970 $$$) that were siphon feed and NOT HVLP type. .I had/have over 20 expensive spray guns (one for each color/type) as it was less costly to own a bunch of spray guns than spend the time and thinners (very esxensive even then) to clean them (I was a high production custom painter (usually about 15 or twenty motorcycles a week plus a car occasionally).
Also I had an employee that most all did was to "clean up the overspray dust" in the shop due to use of these old siphon high pressure spray guns. Also because of that over time it got to my lungs – so I don’t and can’t paint today.
My thinking:.
Have an adequate air compressor. (Turbine or pump wirh Big tank (preferably as you can always use a high pressure source (100psi) for other air tools
Buy yourself a couple of gravity feed HVLP spray guns with pressure gauges and air inlet adjustments and if you can with a larger nozzle assemblies (Not really important as passage of the glaze will wear them bigger in time). Just be sure you strain the glaze and keep thre spray gun passages clean. Wear will not hurt your glace application to pottery unless you get splatter or uneven spray patterns which mean gun is not clean or glaze it not strained or too thick.or the nixzzle assemby is just worn our (very doubtful).
Also PLEASE wear a face mask when spraying. And have good exhaust ventilation. You don’t want to be on oxygen at night and inhaling a bunch of meds like me because I was not careful. HVLP spray guns could have possible saved me from having COPD. BE CAREFULL - PLEASE!!!
FINALY – I really miss the custom painting which was my “Thing”. Dust and fumes cost me a bunch. Don’t mess up your pottery career or family by thinking dust won’t harm you.
Peace!!!
Sam in Daly City (Was know as SLY PAINT WORKS in the San Francisco CA bay area)
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