I was wondering if anyone had feedback on the $300 Graco airless paint sprayer that HD sells. Its 2800 psi and runs a .015 size tip at around .24 gpm? They are running a 50 dollar rebate now if you buy 20 bucks worth of accessories (such a deal).
I would not be using it more than a couple times a year. We are addicted to remodeling and have a couple of rental properties but we are by no means pro painters. It costs 75 dollars to rent one for just one day here. I started to do the math if the sprayer works okay it becomes a good investment and a chance to buy a new toy.
The salesman at HD kept saying he would never buy anything except the $3,700 model that he owns. Was wondering what everyone out there thinks. Thanks BC
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I had one of those that I bought from HD or Lowes. Worked well enough for me, as long as I kept it very clean.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I have both... The little $300. sprayer is good for what it was designed for, I think. I use it a lot for interior work. It only puts out about 20% of what a commercial sprayer does. So... production goes down a lot. For small jobs, they are great though. Would I paint the exterior of a 3000 sq ft house with it... No way. I'd rent or buy a real spray rig first. Labor just costs too much to spend a couple extra days on a job. --- BRICK
"They say that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I like to color outside the lines...and then eat the crayons." ~ Me
1/4 gallon per minute is very small . It has its place , stains and laquers mostly. I have a small one that sprays nothing else . It will spray latex enamel on doors wood work and such if thinned. But thats it .
1/2 gallon per minute rigs are minimum for houses exterior and ceilings and walls.
1 gallon per minute "runs and guns thick coatings".
3/4 is a compromise .
Tim Mooney
Would this 1/4 gpm then be a good versatile substitute for an HVLP sprayer? Would such a low gpm also reduce overspray?
I was considering the same sprayer for my trim and wainscoting. I had to paint an entire hallway with a brush and it was a killer. A sprayer like that for me, a homeowner, would be great; as long as it could adequately spray primer and covered the woodwork in 2 coats (of latex enamel).
The smoother finish and time saved would be worth the $300 to me.
airless isnt a substitute for HVLP, youll have overspray. But protect areas form overspray and the rig would work for you.
Even though 1/4 is a small volume , it has high pressure around 2500psi. Airless tips require high pressure to atomize the paint into a even pattern. This type of pump would probably run a .013 tip which is rated for stains , primers, and enamels. Its hard to spray sizeable amounts of latex through a .013 tip. It is however a sizeable enamel tip. Thinning latex enamels would be necesary.
For interior enamels where the building is already finished , its hard to beat low pressure high volume units.
The answer to your question is no, because of the high pressure of an airless sprayer, no matter the size of pump.
Tim Mooney
No, not a good substitute for HVLP. But, you can buy a pretty good HVLP gun now for less than $50. I have a couple of Binks HVLP guns I paid a lot for before the cheaper import guns came on the scene. I do a lot of furniture & cabinet finishing and needed a gun or two just for shooting sealers... so I tried a couple of the cheap guns. to my supprise, they work as good or better, in come cases, as the Binks! This is the gun I use the most: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=43430 It works fine at 15 pounds of pressure, with very little overspray. I have even painted a truck or three with it with good results. --- BRICK
"They say that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I like to color outside the lines...and then eat the crayons." ~ Me
While you're at it, can anybody tell me how much I should spend on a spray rig with brass innards, for applying caustic paint remover? I can thin it some, but it'll eat away at anything leather or plastic, AFAIK.
Graco is a premier name for spray equipment.
They make units to work for all budgets right up to taking care of battleship hulls. Good company.
As long as you know that it is what it is.
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I have owned 3 wagner diaphram pumps over the last 15 years. Each one purchased about 5 years apart. They all still work. They were all bought for doing lacquer work and I have painted many homes with them. I personally think they are perfect for lacquer and the problem with paint is it needs to be reduce alot to get a good spray a 15 thousanth's tip is the max. They all still work, just two are starting to show some fatigue.
As a matter of fact, yesterday, I just bought my first piston pump. It's a spraytech 2105 and I paind $750 with a 50' hose, a Wagner G10 gun with a reversable tip. I sprayed around 15-20gals today straight from the bucket with no thinning. Tip size was #517.
If your not sure, rent one from your local paint store first
Talk to any pro painter and they would laugh at the little Graco.
Is it a small machine? Yes, its pretty small.
Is it the right machine for a professional painter? Hell no.
Is it the right machine for you? Maybe. I would probably look at the next size or two larger. The bigger motors push more volume and allow a larger tip size. Not to mention more hose, a nicer gun, and even a rolling cart.
I have a Graco 190es, which is the largest one that depot sells. Most Pros would find even it small. For the little that I use it (couple of times a year) it works awesome. Bought it used off a buddy of mine. Now I need to figure out a way to build a hopper for it.
Eric
i should get a job at ebay,i'm always plugging it. anyway i bought a new graco on ebay, h d was selling the same model for 900. i paid 425 no tax. it's been a great sprayer. my #1 rule with it is never loan it out-never not to your own mother,no one will ever clean it as well as you [because it's your money in it]. i had a really good friend want to borrow it once,couldn't figure a way out so i just stopped at the rental yard and paid the 60.00 for one of theirs and took it to him,told him mine was giving trouble...... larry
if you use it once in a while, yes its worth it. Tip size is a bit small for some high holdout primers(surfaces)
If youre going to make a living with it that, you wont.
Those DX and XR models will have to have the seals replaced about every 100 gallons of paint, if you run lots of laquer they will be replaced more. Rebuild kits are like $40
Make sure you clean your machine out and clean out the filters.
For the occasional use they are great, day in and day out for weeks at a time, buy a pro rig. For rental property, own house use, they will "get er done".
Graco has a new line of tips out for latex, they use the blue tip guard and last longer. Cheaper paints will wear out a tip faster. Plan on buying a new tip every 30 gallons of paint or so. They run about $25 a tip to $40 a tip. Gun filters run about 6 bucks.
The power roller attachment is a great addition to those rigs, they arent tip based so they will pump thicker paint like high holdout primers(surfacers)
For landlords and property owners they are worth it, you can shoot laqs paints, stains sealers with it will save your weekends so you can finish faster, but they arent designed to paint day in and day out.
I use a titan 440 for everything except blockfiller... i paint whole shopping centers with it... painted my dumptruck with it (industrial enamel with a little penetrol) used it today to paint a mortar mixer and a bobcat that'd sandblasted... they sell for about 1275.00 new but i've never purchased a new one... i think i have 5 or 6 of em now... and never paid more than $300 for one at a pawnshop... i agree with the other posts never lend em out... no one takes the time to clean em right... best to always leave em full of mineral spirits after each use... i try to keep a gun & set of lines for enamel... and a gun & set of lines for latex... i have some bigger units one gas powered titan... a graco 570 (i think) i never used any of em (yet) except the little 440.... they always work for what i need
pony