The Worst Thing You Can Do to the Spray Gun You Rely On

Don't Soak It. Protect It.

You care about your spray gun's performance, so treat it like the precision tool it is.

One of the most common and costly mistakes at the end of a shift is completely submerging the spray gun in solvent or unnecessarily disassembling the entire gun for routine cleaning.

It may seem like a thorough way to clean the equipment, but it can create problems of its own.

Dirty solvent may contain coating residue and contaminants. If those contaminants reach internal air passages or other precision areas of the gun, they can contribute to blockages, performance problems, and premature wear.

Repeated unnecessary disassembly can also increase the risk of damaged threads, misplaced parts, incorrect reassembly, and avoidable wear.

Clean What Needs Cleaning

Routine spray gun cleaning does not always require complete disassembly.

Follow the spray gun manufacturer's cleaning and maintenance instructions. In many cases, routine cleaning may include:

• Remove the air cap and clean it carefully with the appropriate clean solvent or cleaning solution.
• Wipe the exterior of the spray gun with a soft cloth or suitable brush.
• Flush the fluid passages according to the manufacturer's recommended procedure.
• Avoid allowing dirty cleaning solution to enter the gun's air passages.
• Disassemble only the components required for proper cleaning or scheduled maintenance.

Protect the Air Cap

The air cap plays a major role in shaping the spray pattern and controlling atomization.

Keep its openings clean, but do not use tools that can enlarge, distort, or damage the precision air passages.

A clean air cap helps the gun perform correctly. A damaged air cap can create spray-pattern problems that no amount of pressure adjustment will fix.

Consider a Spray Gun Cover

Another way to reduce cleanup is to protect the spray gun before the work begins.

A properly designed spray gun cover, sometimes called a gun glove, can help protect the gun body from overspray and coating buildup while leaving the necessary working components exposed.

Keeping overspray off the gun can reduce cleanup time, reduce solvent use, and help keep controls and exterior components cleaner during production.

Less Solvent Can Mean Less Waste

Good cleaning practices are not only about protecting the equipment.

Using only the amount of cleaning solvent actually required can help reduce waste, cleanup time, and operating cost.

The goal is not to clean less.

The goal is to clean smarter.

The Bottom Line

A professional spray gun is a precision tool.

Don't treat it like a part that needs to be dropped into a bucket at the end of every shift.

Follow the manufacturer's cleaning procedure, keep contaminants out of the air passages, protect precision components, and disassemble the gun only when the maintenance procedure calls for it.

Take care of the spray gun, and it will have a much better chance of taking care of the finish.

Finishing Starts With Understanding.

AirSprayTech.com
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