Some thing to think about is the Air Brush It is basically the same as a paint gun just smaller if you are just doing one blank at a time Lighter and less wast of material
The spray pattern can be adjusted From vertical to horizontal just buy turning the tip on the gun
Play and practice with it it can do a lot

Bill - willierods.com

I'll look into that too Bill. I'd have to get a set up to run off my compressor, because I'm not going to buy a dedicated airbrush compressor. I think they have adapters.

Unfortunately I have a bit more time to consider, as the weather isn't going to be conducive to painting this weekend anyways. 85% humidity.

You should be able to use it on a large compressor with a regulator for air adjustment
Check with you auto body store you went to

Bill - willierods.com

For a gravity feed spray gun, using the small cups of the 3M PPS system, and small (1oz) mixing containers, it is easy to mix very small amounts of finish to reduce waste, and, when it is time to clean up, you do not need to clean the cup, it is disposable. Gun cleanup is much easier with this system.



Bill, I am curious about your suggestion of an airbrush... For clears, I would think that due to the low volume of finish that can be moved through an airbrush, and at a lower viscosity, that if the goal is to get a deep gloss on a rod, thus the reason for the 2k clear, that the airbrush would not be the 'goto' tool, much in the same way that a touch up gun would not be a good choice for spraying a whole car. Where the airbrush would take numerous, more tedious passes, a bona fide gravity feed HVLP, with the fan set narrow, and towards the lower end of fluid output, that the gun would be over and done with the rod blank in relatively few quick passes as opposed to the airbrush, giving a better gloss. I have only limited experience with airbrushes, but more than 30 years professional experience in spray finishing, and still going...


With the HVLP gun, again, it is important to have a small regulator at the gun handle.

I did not know the gun was a gravity feed They are better Thought it was a suction with the cup under
Did also not realize the cups were disposable been out of bodywork and paint a long time
If body-men can do graphics on cars with an airbrush I would also think it will do a blank They are adjustable Got a two stage brush but no room for even a small compressor They have fare size jars for paint And gun and material are all adjustable

Bill - willierods.com

Yeah I have a regulator on the gun. I leave the compressor wide open and keep about 25-30 lbs at the gun. I'm going to adjust the fan size. I didn't know much about setting up my gun properly. Hopefully this will help reduce the waste.

One ting he told me was to adjust it using water because it more accurately replicates the consistency of the clear. Then run acetone through to flush out the water and prime it for a solvent based paint.

I would rather use the reducer Try a little and shoot onto paper

Bill - willierods.com

Yep, .. +1 on the reducer. All is good and fine with the water, until one little bit remains in the fluid passages of the gun and decides to contaminate your finish..



I would not use paint thinner, or denatured alcohol, either. Acetone is safe.

So it was windy when I was going to spray, so I tried the paint on method with a sponge brush. It was on my wrapper going at speed, and I applied. The result was a deep gloss, not completely level, and...bubbles!!!

Needless to say I won't be trying that again. In any case, I stripped all the paint off and recoated with color. Will try again next weekend maybe with the spray gun.

Oh, and I sanded through the clear and tried some Permagloss before stripping completely without success. I tried with the power wrapper using a paintbrush, the drying motor with a coffee filter, and finally the wrapper with the coffee filter. I couldn't figure that one out either. Looks like I'll be sticking to the HVLP. I was really hopeful on the Permagloss.