A GUIDE TO BETTER SPRAYING

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Bennett Carroll
5 years ago
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1 A GUIDE TO BETTER SPRAYING Always spray at the lowest possible pressure which will give a good spray pattern but which does not create tramlines. Excessive pressure is often used in the mistaken belief that it gives a better result. In fact excessive pressure results in pump and tip wear which in turn leads to more maintenance bills, higher paint consumption and lots of overspray. To eliminate tramlines: Increase pump pressure Thin the paint Change the tip size If any or all of the above suggestions do not resolve the problem try the following: : Warm the material being sprayed Use a larger bore high-pressure airless hose. i.e. change from 1/4 to 3/8 hose Immerse the pump directly into the material and not use a siphon hose Useful tips for spraying: On more awkward areas it is advisable to build up the paint film with quick light coats, leaving to flash-off if necessary between coats. Always let the spray gun do the work for you. e.g. work with a smooth and steady spray gun motion rather than quick uneven movements. Work to produce a full wet coat without sags. Once the job is painted walk away! Do not inspect it when it is still wet because you will invariably be tempted to try and touch-up suspect areas. When spraying a wall start at the top and work downwards so as to overlap and cover any overspray traces. On small square objects, e.g. table legs, view it as a four cornered object and not as a four faced object. If after spraying you are left with a streaky finish recoat in the opposite direction. i.e. downward spray strokes. This method is called cross-hatching. Always remember: Spray less important areas first Spray the difficult areas next Finish on the important face

2 RECOMMENDED AIRLESS SPRAY TIP SIZES MATERIAL TIP SIZE RANGE GUN FILTER Enamel Red (Very Fine) Varnish/Lacquer Wood Stain/Preservative Gloss water based Gloss oil based Red / Yellow Red Oxide Acrylic Eggshell Hammerite Zinc Phosphate Primer Yellow Fire Retardant Topcoat Undercoat Acrylic Primer Emulsion Yellow / White PVA Adhesive (thinned 5:1 for prime Coats etc.) Portabond Chlorinated Rubber Paint Yellow / White Dry Fog Floor Paint Epoxy Floor Paint White High Build Primer High Build Zinc Phosphate Primer Micaceous Iron Oxide White High Build Two Pack Epoxy Block Filler Masonry Paint Smooth White Zinc Rich Primer Bitumastic White / Green Intumescents Green Notes: Smaller tip sizes allow more control. Larger tip sizes provide speed. Remember that you may need to use a smaller tip in warm weather, as the paint will be thinner. Equally you may need to use a larger tip in cold weather. For certain materials, e.g. intumescents, check as to the recommended pump. If in doubt as to correct tip size or filter please ask for confirmation

GUN AND PUMP FILTERS Reverse thread design prevents filter from breaking when handle is

For use in Titan LX-80 and L70 airless guns, in-line filter, 340 and 440i.

Different types of paint require different tip sizes and these in turn should be used

GREEN WHITE YELLOW RED Coarse 30 mesh Medium 60 mesh Fine 100 mesh Extra fine 150 mesh

3 GUN AND PUMP FILTERS Reverse thread design prevents filter from breaking when handle is removed for replacement. For use in Titan LX-80 and L70 airless guns, in-line filter, 340 and 440i. Packaged two filters per pack. Different types of paint require different tip sizes and these in turn should be used with different gun filters. COLOUR MESH TIP SIZE PRODUCT NO. GREEN WHITE YELLOW RED Coarse 30 mesh Medium 60 mesh Fine 100 mesh Extra fine 150 mesh thou tip thou tip thou tip 7-11 thou tip For tips above 26 thou it is sometimes advisable to remove the gun filters. Push-in type filters are also available for other makes of airless spray.

4 For correct equipment selection establish: Paint to be used Object to be coated Also find out about: Site conditions Possible accessory requirements HELPFUL HINTS AND TIPS Airless and HVLP equipment will, between them, spray most materials other than: Paint containing aggregate Etch primers Always reduce pressure before doing anything to the system. If possible do not use 110V extension leads. Use paints neat or thinned by 10%, especially in cold environments. A worn seal invariably causes a leak from the spray tip. Look after gun filters and avoid problems: A reduction in gun speed is usually caused by a blocked filter Continuous tip blockages are usually due to a punctured gun filter.

5 AIRLESS SPRAYING The principle of airless spraying is very simple. Paint is drawn from a container into a pump, which may be driven by an electric motor, petrol engine or an air motor. The paint is then pressurised in the pump, passed through a filter, and then to the airless spray gun by way of a high pressure paint hose. Atomisation of the paint is achieved by forcing it at very high pressure through a specially shaped tungsten orifice in the spray tip fitted to the gun. No air is used to atomise the paint hence the name airless spray A typical airless spray set-up can be broken down into 5 basic parts: Container to hold the paint Power source to drive the pump Pump to pressurise the paint Hose to carry the pressurised paint to the airless spray gun Gun and tip to atomise the paint. Advantages of Airless Spraying Faster application than other methods thus enabling labour savings. Cleaner than most other types of spray application due to low overspray. Wide range of spray pattern sizes is available from 2 to 22+. Improved penetration into uneven surfaces. Excellent film build. In most cases only one coat is required. Most common coating materials can be applied without thinning thus saving on thinners and mixing time. Should thinning be required then it should be in accordance with manufacturer s instructions. Can be used with a wide choice of accessories such as power rollers, gun extensions, pole extensions, angle heads etc. Limitations of Airless Spraying Uneconomic for small areas or where frequent colour or material changes are necessary. Spray pattern width cannot be adjusted by gun control only by changing the tip angle. Airless spraying call for strict observance of safety measures. Abrasive or corrosive coatings should be avoided.

6 SAFE OPERATING PROCEDURES When an airless unit is under pressure, considerable force will be in the system. Treat this force with due care. NEVER point the gun at anyone. Should the spray tip or guard be removed from the gun do not put your hand or fingers in front of the gun, even if the locking device is employed as paint can penetrate the skin. Before removing spray tip and when the gun is not in use the safety lock must always be applied to avoid accidental triggering of the gun. Remember to shut off power supply to pump and release fluid pressure in pump prior to either breaking down equipment or carrying out maintenance to the spraygun, fluid line, filters etc. When cleaning out the pump NEVER attempt to blow back by holding a rag over the front of the gun as is often done with conventional spray equipment. Always let material have free flow through the gun. When it is in operation the airless unit should be grounded, as should the object being sprayed, in order to avoid the build-up of static electricity. When flushing the airless unit through with solvent the pump should only be at a lowpressure setting. Always use the correct airless fluid hoses, which are reinforced to withstand high pressures. NEVER use the normal conventional fluid hoses with airless equipment. Fluid hoses should not be allowed to rub against sharp corners or objects as this may fracture them. Allow fluid hoses to run freely. Do not have sharp kinks in them as this could weaken the hose. All electric cables, plugs, switches etc. should be in good order. Make sure all fluid connections are secure prior to pressurising unit. Do not exceed maximum recommended fluid pressure for the unit. Ensure that correct voltage for the machine is available.

7 UNDERSTANDING AIRLESS TIPS Selecting the correct airless spray tip is vital to successful airless spraying. The tip defines the spray pattern, controls the amount of material being applied and ultimately tells the pump how hard it must work. A proper understanding of airless tips is critical to the success or failure of any airless operation. What is meant by Reversible Tip? Most airless spray systems now use reversible tips. This term does not mean that the tip can be used either way round but merely that in the event of a tip blockage it can easily be cleared without removing the tip from the gun. The point at which paint enters the tip from the gun is larger than the orifice point at which the paint leaves the tip. Thus any blockage is caused by a particle entering one side of the tip but being too big to leave from the other side. To clear the blockage merely rotate the tip by 180 degrees, hold the gun over a waste container, pull the trigger briefly and blow out the particle causing the blockage. How to Understand Airless Tip Sizes Titan reversible tips are either the SC4, SC5 or SC6 type. The SC4 & SC6 have a red handle and the SC5 has an orange handle. Each has its own type of tip base, which attaches to the gun. All Titan tips are very easy to understand and identify by means of the part number: SC4 tip sizes start with part number 541-XXX. (no longer available) SC5 tip sizes start with part number 641-XXX. ( ) SC6 tip sizes start with part number 661-XXX. All tip sizes consists of a three-digit reference number, which can be found on the handle of the tip. The first digit is equal to half the fan pattern size and the last two digits specify the orifice size. Example: Part Number identifies the fact that it is an SC6 tip 5 identifies the fan pattern size as identifies the tip orifice as.017 NB. Fan pattern width is measured with the gun tip 12 from the work surface. Why is the tip size important? It is important because different types of material require different size tips in order to be properly applied. As a rule of thumb the thinner the material the smaller the tip size and the thicker the material the bigger the tip size. Please refer to the airless tip chart supplied with this manual for further illustrations of this.

8 WARNING INFORMATION ON THE HAZARDS OF AIRLESS SPRAY The warning information regarding the hazards of airless spray painting equipment printed below should be read and understood by you and all others dealing with the use of airless spray. The user should be familiar with high-pressure equipment and all of the dangers inherent in the system. Read, understand and follow all safety suggestions and warnings on every component part of the system. Do not alter any parts. Never use spray gun without tip and guard and always engage the safety lock when not spraying, thereby making gun inoperable. Never exceed maximum working pressure of any component part. INJECTION HAZARD High-pressure spray or application equipment can cause serious injury if the spray penetrates the skin. DO NOT point any high-pressure device, gun or nozzle at anyone or any part of the body. Do not attempt to deflect or stop leaks in the system by hand. In case of penetration, adequate medical aid must be immediately obtained. Be prepared to tell the physician the identity of injected material. COMPONENT RUPTURE The system is capable of producing high pressure. To avoid component rupture or personal injury, all components in the system must have a maximum working pressure of not less than the pressure stated on the pump. HOSE RUPTURE Check hoses for worn or weak condition and tighten all fluid connections before use. Never try to stop leaks in any part of the system with hand as injection could result. Use only conductive airless spray hose. FIRE - High velocity flow of material through equipment may create static electricity. All equipment and objects being sprayed must be grounded to prevent sparking which may cause fire or explosion. Be sure of adequate ventilation when spraying any material. EXPLOSION HAZARD Do not use halogenated hydrocarbon solvents in any spray gun that contains aluminium which can react with these solvents to cause an explosion hazard. If in doubt contact your coating material suppliers for information. ELECTRICAL DANGER Avoid power lines by 3m when painting or spraying. Spray materials, moisture and/or extension poles could conduct electricity under certain conditions. If you must come closer than 3m contact your Power Company and follow their instructions. SERVICING Before servicing, cleaning or removing any part, always shut off power source, carefully release pressure in fluid portions of the system and set safety locks on guns and equipment. We have suggested some of the possible dangers you must be aware of when using airless spray. However, the user of the equipment must act in a responsible manner and take every precaution necessary to insure YOUR own safety.

9 WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED SPRAYING One of the fears associated with airless spray is that it is all too easy for the system to get blocked and fail to work. The major reason for a blocked system is that paint has been allowed to dry inside, but with a little care this is remarkably easy to avoid. Under normal circumstances and with normal paints, (i.e. not two pack paint), the material will only dry when it is in contact with air. In order to avoid paint drying in the system make sure that no parts that are in contact with the paint are left exposed to atmosphere. It is normally advisable to leave paint or preferably Titan Liquid Shield in the airless unit at all times when not spraying. After work has finished for the day or just when stopping for lunch etc. the unit should be left with paint in, assuming that upon return to work the same paint will be used again. The following action should be taken: Turn the unit off and turn the pressure control knob to zero. Reverse the tip and hold the spraygun against the side of the paint bucket. Pull the gun trigger to release the pressure from the system. Slowly open the bleed valve, after first ensuring the bleed hose is over the paint bucket. Remove the tip and guard and place them in appropriate solvent. Wrap and seal a polythene bag around the spraygun, or put a smear of Vaseline over the diffuser, or preferably just clean the diffuser thoroughly. Ensure the siphon hose and bleed lines are under the surface level of the paint or solvent. To restart spraying, simply remove protection, (if it has been used), from the gun, put the guard on, replace the tip, turn on the power supply, re-prime the pump, close the bleed valve and increase the pressure to spray as normal. We advise a full clean out of the system once a week and also prior to storing the pump, in which case it should be left with Titan Liquid Shield in the system. Gun and pump filters should be checked, (and cleaned if necessary), every 2-3 days.

SPRAY GUN. MODEL NO: TG2 PART No: OPERATION & MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS

SPRAY GUN. MODEL NO: TG2 PART No: OPERATION & MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS SPRAY GUN MODEL NO: TG2 PART No: 3090070 OPERATION & MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS 0803 - 1 - - 14 - NOTES Please read these instructions carefully before operating the tool Thank you for purchasing this CLARKE