Tips, Tricks & Professional Advice

Problem: The likely cause behind either of these problems is the coating is migrating into the air stream within the head (front) of the gun. This can certainly happen when a gun manufacturers design has the air passing along side of a stainless steel fluid passage such as on the C. A. Technologies pressure feed or gravity feed gun models.   Problem: The likely cause behind either of these problems is the coating is migrating into the air stream within the head (front) of the gun. This can certainly happen when a gun manufacturers design has the air passing along side of a stainless...

Recently, a customer was comparing coating film hardness of comparable water-base coatings for their application, and ratings of 2B and 2H hardness were being discussed. We thought we would review pencil hardness which is an accepted method to measure coating hardness using various grades of lead pencils. The hardness of the coating is determined when the grade of pencil hardness does not mark the coating. The pencils of various hardness are prepared with a blunt end, using a file or sanding paper, then pushed across the coating at 45 degrees. Pencil hardness classifications start at 9B (softest) through HB (medium)...

“Listed” or “Certified to” – Listed and/or Certified products set a benchmark for product quality, performance, and safety providing you a point of reference. These words imply either third-party testing of equipment to insure compliance with industry recognized and accepted performance and safety standards, or in the case of European products a manufacturer “declaration of conformity” to a strict International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard.   UL: Underwriters Laboratories - a nationally recognized independent nonprofit organization that writes standards and tests products for safety certification.    ETL: Originally ETL Testing Laboratories, now IntertecTesting Services - a nationally recognized third-party product safety...

This request occurs weekly by phone and e-mail.  Our reply is “unfortunately not.” The variables that factor into the proper gun and set-up are the type of coating, viscosity, coating vehicle, container size, and compressor size. In upcoming newsletters we will be discussing why these variables contribute to the appropriate spray gun technology and set-up.    An often overlooked yet simple and direct method of obtaining a proven spray technology and set-up recommendation is by contacting the coating manufacturer. Coating companies publish Product Data Sheets which are not to be confused with Material Safety Data Sheets (which provide information on the health and...

Do not process water-base and solvent-coatings through the same siphon or fluid hoses. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for a reaction inside the hoses resulting in trash in your filters and possibly in your finish. Maintain specific spray equipment, or at a minimum, separate hoses for both coating vehicles. Water and oil do not mix. Oil mists in your compressed air system need to be filtered with a second stage coalescing filter, (with the first stage being a water separator filter). Water and air are corrosive on bare ferrous metals. Finishing equipment in contact with the water-base coating should be stainless steel or...