So... LPH400 or SataJet 4000?

M

mitch_04

Learnin'
I'm getting closer to needing a quality base/clear gun. Currently I have a LPH440 Primer Gun(1.4 & 1.8 needles) and a LPH80 (1.2 needle). I have been doing smaller projects for practice, but will have a few more serious jobs coming up. From what I've read, the SataJet 4000 is a great gun for base coats and the LPH400 is a great gun for clears. I will be spraying a lot of metallic/pearl/candy paints since most of my work is not factory or collision. I've also read that the SataJet 4000 makes spraying metallics much easier. However, I'll need 1 gun that works well for base and clear until I can afford to have two guns. All the money I make doing work goes back into my tools, it's a side business I started just to satisfy my craving for fancy tools :) I'm not incredibly worried about having a highly efficient transfer, more about quality and making my amateur painting look less amateur!

Short Version:

1. Which gun will work best for both clear and metallic/pearl base?

2. If the SataJet, should I get the RP or HVLP?

3. What size needle would be the best to start with? I use SPI products exclusively except for when I need a different color base.
 
This is a tough one but here is my 2 cents.
Sata HVLP'S do not spray clears right but are exc base guns.
Sata RP's 2000, 90, 3000 and 4000 are great clear guns and ok for most bases.
Iwata LPH is a top notch base gun and a good clear gun.

All around the iwata LPH 1.4 with silver and purple cap will do everything.
 
best explanation i can give is a sata is a fast gun while the iwata is a slow and deliberate gun. i passed on sata because of repair parts cost .
 
Hmm... maybe I'll just stick with the LPH400 and buy the caps/needles as well. I appreciate the responses, my next investments are going to be a good base/clear gun and the DAD500 air drying system.
 
Iwata all the way. I have 3 of the lph400 one in every cap color
 
Excuse my ignorance, but the Iwata website isn't extremely clear on it. What are the different color caps for? It seems like silver is the all around, the purple is for metallic and pearls, and the orange for efficiency (production shops).
 
Orange is for solid and metallic base, purple is for pearls and to help with harder to spray colors like silver or pewter, and the silver cap is for clear. Aleast that's what the iwata web site says. I still can't get the purple cap to work for me, I use the orange and have had no problems so far with any color base as far a streaks, blotches or matching.
 
i dont think they even know what the orange cap is for. they have changed their mind twice and dont even show it any more. i have all 3 but never use anything but the silver .
 
back when i bought mine they said the orange was for pearls now it looks like they have changed it again. i have yet to use mine. i have not used the purple much either. the silver seems to work fine for most everything . i haven't talked to dr gun in a while. have to give him a yell .
 
I agree with shine I have all of them but I always go for the silver cap first. I spray everything Barry sells with it but 2k. I would like to know the big difference in the w400 compared to the lph400
 
Interestingly enough, Barry and I had a similar conversation the other day about gun preference and such. I think I made him spill his coffee when I told I usually base with either a Sata RP 1.4, or a W400 1.4. I know those are not the typical guns used for base coat, but like we were discussing it is what I got used to and it works for me. A lot fo people have trouble using the w400 for anything, so maybe I just got lucky on my settings, but it works well for me. I prefer the Sata guns because their speed matches my "style" for lack of better explaination, espescially for clear coat. Anything mentioned up to this point will serve you well, in my opinion the LPH400,and the Sata RP, are the best options on the market if money is not of concern, you just have to figure out which one fits you and your painting style.

Kelly
 
I use only the silver cap as well. Never had a problem and have sprayed, epoxy, pearls, silvers, and all color metallics. It is a great clear coat gun but as Shine stated it is for a more slow and deliberate painting style. If you want to move faster then go with the SATA.
 
I use my sata rp 4000 for epoxy, base and clear. I think it puts all those paints down very nicely
 
I'm with Shine, from what I have seen the Sata parts are very expensive. I still want to try a sata mini jet to see how it compares to the lph80. I know you said Sata or Iwata, but I have heard nothing but good things about the Tekna guns. Might be able to get a good deal on one and use it until you could get a higher end gun.
 
LPH400LV - Silver Cap - Clearcoat
LPH400LVX - Orange - Basecoat
LPH400LVB - Purple - Metallics and Pearls

Representative said that in her 6 years she has seen the purple cap truly needed with 2 colors. She said most painters use the orange cap for almost everything. Hope this helps someone, or at least saves a phone call!
 
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