How to clean your paint gun?

Anybody use MEK to clean their gun? Just curious. When I worked as an aircraft mech. our hanger was next to the paint shop and the guys over there used to use MEK to clean everything it seemed. I have used laquer thinner also, depending on what I had at the time but didn't realize that it might harm the gun to leave a little in the cup. I'm just starting to "re-learn" to paint since I haven't done anything to speak of in the last 10-15 yrs. and then only as a hobbyist. I did however take folks advise and bought an Iwata LPH orange cap. I now just need to know how to use it and just as importantly take care of it. This is great forum and I appreciate the time you guys take to help "dummies" like myself.
Thanks, Atwell
 
shine;16233 said:
these guns have a machined seal. soaking in cheap thinner can etch the seal and screw up a gun. there is no reason to soak a gun. being busy is no excuse to have nasty guns . it takes all of 2 min to clean one.
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I am gonna respond to this also....It NEVER takes two minutes to properly clean a spray gun used in ANY 2k application and certainly not even base-coat. Metallic residue cakes the bottom of a siphon feed and coats like crazy all parts of gravity feed guns at the lower elevations.

"Machine sealed" so I take this to mean coatings used in automotive coatings are using "thinners" that aren't gonna "etch" a seal? Your basing this on what? These are ALL harsh SOLVENTS! So is it OK for me to wash my hands in Urethane reducer as opposed to lacquer thinner? NO!!!!!

Back to my initial point....I spent at LEAST 15 minutes cleaning my guns after each use, and they STILL were NOT clean! My clear guns ALWAYS spit clear residue from old jobs onto my fresh paint.


Don't treat me like I am an idiot...I can do the same to you! Only I can do it better, and this post is not an example!
 
Sherwin Williams has an aerosol product (clean shot) that does a good job of blowing a lot of stuff out. I might see about getting some reducer put into a can for the same purpose.
 
Ok, I'll fess up, I been kind of lazy keeping my guns clean (my color/clear gun looks like a tie dyed shirt!). It has bit me before too. I usually rise w/ lacquer thinner 3-4 times and wipe out the cup and then a final rise. One time I had build up on the nozzle and it affected the spray pattern and botched a clear job - lazy dumb azz. So I think I'm going to get a gallon of that parts cleaner and give it a whirl.
 
clausen , you need to learn to read the post instead of just spewing off. the machined seal is not exposed to solvents when the gun is assembled. but you soak it in some cheap recycled solvents that may contain some acid and you can etch the sealing surface .

15 min and you still did not get a gun cleaned ? you must really let your guns get nasty. i can break down my iwata and get it clean in a couple of min .

you can have these materials in you garage but if you burn it down by negligence and you will loose your coverage. putting thinner in something electrical to heat it is negligent . and yes the diy guys need to ignore you on this one.

your free to post anything you want . your opinion means nothing to me .
 
Arrowhead;19349 said:
Ok, I'll fess up, I been kind of lazy keeping my guns clean (my color/clear gun looks like a tie dyed shirt!). It has bit me before too. I usually rise w/ lacquer thinner 3-4 times and wipe out the cup and then a final rise. One time I had build up on the nozzle and it affected the spray pattern and botched a clear job - lazy dumb azz. So I think I'm going to get a gallon of that parts cleaner and give it a whirl.
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Yeah, I use reducer in a spray bottle to clean my guns. Still, this is getting to be way too expensive. Any other suggestions?
 
Bob Hollinshead;16997 said:
I clean color and clears guns when done and do a complete disassembly when needed but my cheap almost disposable primer guns look like crap on the exterior. The primer guns get neglected for a few reasons: the time savings, savings on solvent, and the looks of the exterior has no affect on performance unless it shedding while in use.
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The "shedding" description made me laugh :D. When I was a kid I worked at a shop with a Bink No.7 always loaded with lacquer primer, never cleaned just frequent refills. It looked like a primer ball and I think if you bumped into something it could have ejected chunks.
 
lol, brings back memories! A lot of shops back then never cleaned their (lacquer) primer gun, that is, until it stopped working altogether!
 
Went out at lunch time to try and find a can of Berrymans parts cleaner. I tried NAPA first, they had a similar product but was labeled NAPA by Macs. Barry said not the usse the "other" kind so I passed. Found it a Wal Mart of all places. They were listed on Berrymans website so I gave it a try. It was under $19 too.
 
crashtech;19361 said:
lol, brings back memories! A lot of shops back then never cleaned their (lacquer) primer gun, that is, until it stopped working altogether!
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LOL!! Got my old suction hanging on a hook with laquer for guide coating!
 
I fell like I read the full thread but only a few posts about how far to disassemble your gun. My Iwata says only remove needle when nessisary. So when you guys are disassembling your gun how far do you go? And do you lube anything while your in there?
Thanks.
 
i break mine down each time. the trick is to loosen the needle packing before you remove the needle. after it's cleaned and back together pull the trigger back and put some vasalne on the needle with a q-tip then adjust the packing. never leave lacquer thinner setting in it or leave parts in thinner . we've already covered the sonic cleaner so ignore that.
 
I always pull the air cap, needle, nozzle tip, cup adapter on my satas and devilbiss guns.
 
i would never even hire a painter with nasty guns. never understood that but they usually did piss poor work anyway.
 
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