# Pressure pot or airless sprayer?



## MGardner (May 15, 2013)

So I'm new to spraying outside my company's facility... what are the pros/cons of airless sprayers over pressure pot rigs?


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## MGardner (May 15, 2013)

I should add that what I am used to using is a graco airpro hvlp with a 10 gallon binks pressure pot when I spray CARC or polane.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

MGardner said:


> So I'm new to spraying outside my company's facility... what are the pros/cons of airless sprayers over pressure pot rigs?


In my experience, coventional rigs allow better control then an airless. The air, fan, and fluid valve gives the operator a wider range of options. As far as production on large flat surfaces, you can't beat an airless.

I also found airless rigs to be more user friendly when applying waterbornes, where as conventional rigs tend to create flashing with WB's from the necessary air atomization. I am not experienced enough with turbine sprayers to give an assessment on that type of conventional rig.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

CApainter said:


> In my experience, coventional rigs allow better control then an airless. The air, fan, and fluid valve gives the operator a wider range of options. As far as production on large flat surfaces, you can't beat an airless.
> 
> I also found airless rigs to be more user friendly when applying waterbornes, where as conventional rigs tend to create flashing with WB's from the necessary air atomization. I am not experienced enough with turbine sprayers to give an assessment on that type of conventional rig.


Turbine is just more mobile. Same kind of issues with flashing, if that's an issue with what your spraying. Usually have to turn up the volume of material to help counteract the flashing....unless what you need to happen, such as toning or shading. 

Good luck!


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## MGardner (May 15, 2013)

Ok, so my terminology is a little different ... when you guys say turbine rig, which one is that?


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

MGardner said:


> Ok, so my terminology is a little different ... when you guys say turbine rig, which one is that?


Capspray (titan), Graco HVLP 9.0 or 9.5, Fuji type systems etc.

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/home-builders/products/catalog/capspray-115/


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

biggest difference is speed and ability to spray thicker coating with the change of a tip and reversible clean out when a clog happens.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

MikeCalifornia said:


> biggest difference is speed and ability to spray thicker coating with the change of a tip and reversible clean out when a clog happens.


For AAA I believe only, FF tips. I know my HVLP (turbine unit) needle tip isn't reversible for clogging, but then again it doesn't usually clog up unless it dried on the tip.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

What type of material are you going to be using the setup for? What are you normally going to be spraying?


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## MGardner (May 15, 2013)

As of right now, all the customer has decided on is the color (John Deer green). There lies some of the problem; I don't know the product and I don't fully know the equipment.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

MGardner said:


> As of right now, all the customer has decided on is the color (John Deer green). There lies some of the problem; I don't know the product and I don't fully know the equipment.


product will depend on the substrate too. Just know what materials take what type of product.


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## MGardner (May 15, 2013)

The substrate is sandblasted steel.


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## 1camper (Feb 17, 2013)

The HVLP will be more user friendly on steel. Practice on something else first to get the fluid needle set like you want. Use a self etching primer on the bare steel, then topcoat with whatever John Deere green you have. If it is some thick waterbased material it may be hard to break up with an HVLP and require a good deal of thinning. An airless will spray most anything with just a tip change but you might not want to spray a self etch primer thru a nice airless.

Edit to add: if you are using a two component topcoat like polane that would favor the hvlp, imo. Two component thinners are kinda hard on airless pumps. I've sprayed them but I think it shortened the life of my packings considerably.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

1camper said:


> The HVLP will be more user friendly on steel. Practice on something else first to get the fluid needle set like you want. Use a self etching primer on the bare steel, then topcoat with whatever John Deere green you have. If it is some thick waterbased material it may be hard to break up with an HVLP and require a good deal of thinning. An airless will spray most anything with just a tip change but you might not want to spray a self etch primer thru a nice airless.
> 
> Edit to add: if you are using a two component topcoat like polane that would favor the hvlp, imo. Two component thinners are kinda hard on airless pumps. I've sprayed them but I think it shortened the life of my packings considerably.


 Yes, I agree. Strong reducers are hard on a pump. I left a small rig sitting in R64 too long and it trashed it. Swelled up the tubes too.


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## harmonpa (Dec 20, 2015)

I know its a older thread. The pressure pot is going to give you finer control and if you will be using an hvlp spray gun better efficiency of coating application. The airless will be faster but will typically not have the finer control of a pressure pot. Heres a full article on pressure pots vs airless paint sprayers here.


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