Felt a need to boost my stain, laqcuer, and urethane paint spraying capacity to 5 gal. so I used some existing parts to create a true commercial level pressure pot/hvlp sprayer.
What I realized first in going up in capacity was that anything available retail above 2.5 gal was gonna be pricey..i.e. Binks...
Second thing was I don't really need an agitator...so I thought what's left to do and quikly realized geez all I need aside from existing parts on hand was some 1/4" hose to keep down the amount of stain in the line and then to figure out the correct fittings needed.
The thread fittings go as such... The air regulator (off a gravity feed gun) side is standard npt to compression fittings of regulator. The air 'in' fitting of the firestone soda premix tank is a proprietary type quik connect that happens to be of different post size underneith compared to the liquid 'out' fitting of the tank. The tanks are stainless 130 psi so they serve well the purpose of a pressure pot. That is what they are actually. Since the 'in' is air you can use the standard plastic type found at home brew beer stores without worry. The 'out' has to be converted to all metal though for using solvent/oil based stuff is my feeling. The posts underneith except flare type threads to create a compression type result but they can be hard to come by in all sizes. Had to saw the nut of the bottom nut in the closeup pic as it must compress down onto post after removing the quik connect. So but anyways, you can see it is female to female flare and then goes to npt. These fittings can be had at an Ace or True Value. Just remember the post sizes are different between in and out. Got my tank at yard sale for like $5..the spray gun part is part of the under $50 two quart kit at Harbor Freight.. the 1/4" hose was $15 each for two 100'. You should be able to tweak and use their two line welding lines also.
I like the simple 'insert lid and flip' of the tank as compared to tightening down all the wingnuts of the commercial offerings. I have a donut type stand I stick it in so it don't tip over. That is advantage of the low profile Binks type...although they don't get hurt if they do fall over.
For those that don't understand hvlp... the gun gets both air and spray product discretely. This makes for just about unlimited adjustment. Often all it takes is about 20lbs to atomize the product and you get no cloud of death as in an airless. The air does this at the tip after the product come out. Transfer efficiency is something like 98% compared to 80 something with higher pressure stuff. I do still use the shurflow type for big flat areas. This for me is mainly for overhead work, railings, picket fences, trailer and car painting, decorative concrete lacquer spraying... but you could theoretically use it to spray some chems..
Simple hu?....enjoy!!
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Other fitting options--
http://www.brewersdiscount.com/productCat15954.ctlg
The 3/8 would be the 'out' and the 1/4 the air 'in' under the poppet plug thingies.
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Quote:
[quote author=Chris link=topic=2208.msg25793#msg25793 date=1185980727]
I had purchased 4 of the soda kegs off ebay last year and tried to find adapters for them. They are like 19mm metric threads that are not tapered like pipe threads so you need an o-ring, compression fitting (like how you cut the threads down) or the quick disconnects from a supplier or dealer.
That is a really good idea on the sprayer. How is it working out for you?
Is it producing good spray like if it was an
HVLP rig?
I have an extra keg that I am not using so I might give that a try. Do you have to have the HVLP gun or will a regular airless gun work?
I have 2 Graco paint stripers that I have an extra gun for so I was thinking of using that with the soda keg.
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OK, I re-read the post. It is a HVLP gun that you are using.
It looks like the air is coming in, regulated, t'd (part going into the tank and the other part is going to the gun) and the liquid is coming out and going into the gun. You are using welder's dual hose (one side for air and the other for liquid) and both are meeting in the gun.
Is that correct?
That is a good idea.
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Any problems with using 100' of hose?
Have you tried longer hose? 200'?
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Chris,
Yes it is true hvlp gun...no problems with the 100'..not tried longer hose..no need. Air pressure loss is minimal at about 10lb between compressor and tank and then likely same between tank and gun. Some put a regulator at the gun too. About 35 starting at compressor works fine for me and even then I still turn down the gun both air and product. Can soak a deck with gallons and gallons or just one if it were yer perogative. There are plenty of web links with techniques to adjust hvlp systems. As example, when air is off at cap the product shoots straight out like 0 degree tip and you set for like 3 or 4 feet then add yer air till you start to get an inverted oval..
Airless likely not work less you were to boost air way way up and then ya loose the whole idea of very low overspray...they atomize by way of pressure.
These guns called a conversion gun (like a Capspray) and are different than a standard spray siphon type or a gravity fed. The air comes in after and sprayed out the cap without being mixed with product in the gun. The harbor freight ones can be had all day on Ebay if that suits ya. The hose pictured is not their welding hose. It is their roof hose series and very tough but lite..is like 250psi. Only tried the 100' worth and as I said I went with 1/4" for to keep down amount oil stain in line. Being these systems work off air pressure pushing down on the liquid inside tank you can almost spray all product out the lines though unlike your shurflo or airless as they rely on the product itself to push. Once their prime is gone at the pump it's done in those type. (btw, being able to spray all chems in a line is something I like about air operated diaphragm pumps to spray chems also.)
Although there are different brands and perhaps fittings on them I would think the thread sizes are that mentioned earlier. Yes yer right they not tapered pipe thread. You need no washers after you remove the poppet plug thingies. The flare thread or whatever that Hotshot link shows will compress down and make the seal. They are not compression threaded. I sawed my nut and not my post...lol
