# Sprayer Shopping: Advice?



## illusionsgame (Aug 1, 2010)

We do residential mostly. New and some remodels...enough to spray regularly.

When you bough your sprayer, what were the key factors?
Now that you own one, what do you wish you would have look at but didn't?


Any advice on money vs quality helpful too.

Thanks


----------



## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Bought a Graco 395 based on versatility, better mechanics, portability, and price, We only do interiors so it works great for doing doors and such when equipped with fflp tip. Also excellent for the occasional larger jobs. I would not hesitate to use it for doing exteriors. 

With all that said, most here would advise getting the most sprayer you can afford.


----------



## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

illusionsgame said:


> We do residential mostly. New and some remodels...enough to spray regularly.
> 
> When you bough your sprayer, what were the key factors?
> Now that you own one, what do you wish you would have look at but didn't?
> ...



I have owned and work on a bunch of different sprayers. Basically avoid at all cost homeowner grade or 'entry level models. Buy the biggest sprayer you can afford while striking a balance with portability and weight. Next thing to look at is local availability of parts and repair. Graco parts and repair are easy to find even for older pumps. They are everywhere and can get OEM or aftermarket parts from bedford.



Owned 3 graco magnum sprayers, all three died after around 100 gallons. One the caught fire. One packings blew out and sprayed paint all over the motor windings. The other just stopped pumping all together, I didn't bother taking it apart not worth the effort.


Graco 390 are good machines for someone starting out or a backup pump but you will quickly find your self limited by its mechanical pressure control and smaller GPM.


Graco 395 are what I have as rental units. Cheap, Light, easy to work on and clean, computerized pressure control by transducer making it suitable for fine finish work. *Doesn't have LCD or bluetooth 'confuser module'. *Honestly these are just expensive parts to break and replace, they are not needed.



Graco 490-695 are the best balance between GPM and portability. A 495 will spray 95% of coatings you generally encounter and no problems keeping up with a variety of large tip sizes.


I have an older model graco 1095 that I rebuilt. These machines are beast can spray elastomeric. Don't buy used equipment unless you can fully inspect you may end up sinking more money rebuilding it than buying new. Inspecting mine closely showed the pump housing was damaged $500 to replace. Luckily I was able to drill and install helicoil.


Buying a new pump for my self I would get 490-695 or a tritech.
tritech makes a great pump made in usa and doesn't come with all the bells and whistles the new graco models. Just a good solid pump design, simple pressure control with a quaility transducer.


----------



## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

^^^That's great advice from cocomonkeynuts. Not much more you need to know. The only thing I would add, is buy the unit from a local retailer with a repair service in store if possible (especially if you don't know a lot about repairing them and are not mechanically inclined). It's tempting to buy online, as you will likely find the best price there. But generally speaking, you will get faster and better service at a repair shop if the sprayer was purchased at that shop.


----------



## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Lightningboy65 said:


> ^^^That's great advice from cocomonkeynuts. Not much more you need to know. The only thing I would add, is buy the unit from a local retailer with a repair service in store if possible (especially if you don't know a lot about repairing them and are not mechanically inclined). It's tempting to buy online, as you will likely find the best price there. But generally speaking, you will get faster and better service at a repair shop if the sprayer was purchased at that shop.


Totally agree^^^. 

Buy local - even if it means spending a bit more. Support them like you’d like to be supported by people in your area rather than see them hire someone from two or three towns away just to save $100. You will likely never regret it if you have issues.


----------



## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

I have never owned anything smaller than a 695. I buy them for the ability to spray heavier materials,run at least 100 feet of line, support a bigger tip , keep up with me spraying all day and last a long time. My graco 5000 is 24 years old. Weight is sort of an issue but I have ramps to get the big ones in the truck.


----------



## vwbowman (May 15, 2017)

We sell Graco, Titan and TriTech - find dealer in your area and give the Tritech machines a test, extremely accurate on pressure, built like a tank. www tritechindustries.com/


----------



## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

vwbowman said:


> We sell Graco, Titan and TriTech - find dealer in your area and give the Tritech machines a test, extremely accurate on pressure, built like a tank. www tritechindustries.com/



Got to say I like the tritech but it is slow getting parts and ordering machines. I get stuff 2 day shipped graco and bedford parts and overnight if needed. Tritech take 3-4 weeks to ship me a pump and 7 days to ship some filters last time I ordered. They are built like tanks though and 100% made in usa.


----------



## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

Has anyone tried a post-Graco Airlessco? I've always used Airlesscos, but mine are older. LP540s.

I have a little 440i that has been reliable, but it appears that Titan is not quite the same as it was 10 years ago when I bought it.


----------

