Sonny wrote:
On Monday, September 9, 2013 8:44:21 PM UTC-5, Mike Marlow wrote:
Thanks Mike. Yeah, I may have skimped on my latest cleaning
efficiency. I may have gotten by with abbreviated cleaning, for a
while, but apparently that has caught up with me.
The gun-can gasket is noticeably old and probably needs replacing.
In the past, I've removed it for cleaning and it's pretty stiff, not
flexible, and is difficult to easily seat it back in place.
It's long overdue for a total break down, also.
You bet - I'm confident a good cleaning will be helpful. Cleaning a gun
well after using it is kind of a pain in the butt, but if done consistently,
it really only takes 5 minutes or so. It really pays off though. I'm not
anal about cleaning my guns because I'm a clean freak, rather so I don't
have to contend with problems.
As you have probably guessed - you'll want to find a replacement for that
seal (that seal should be available at NAPA - it's a common size cup),
and like I said in my last email - see if you can find a kit for that
gun. If you go the route of super cleaning and installing the kit, you can
take the cheating way out and clean the gun, then just replace the needle
packing and the cup seal, and you stand a good chance of being fine. Do get
after that cup vent though - it's your most likely suspect.
BTW - if you don't have a brush kit to clean your gun, the Harbor Freight
brush kit is dirt cheap, and is every bit as good as any brand kit. I have
one, as well as brushes that came with expensive guns - same brushes. Don't
waste money on brand name brush kits.
FWIW - when I strip a gun down, I take all the normal things apart - needle
removed, air cap, etc. Throw all of those into a 3lb coffee can that is
half full of clean lacquer thinner. Take the trigger off the gun, and
anything else you can easily remove. Pay attention to how it comes apart or
have the IPB on hand for later reassembly. Digital cameras can be your
friend if you're unfamiliar with how a gun works inside. Everything goes
into the lacquer thinner. Last, put the body of the gun into the thinner
upside down so the nose of the gun is in the bottom of the can. Let it soak
for a day, and pull it out as you happen to walk by, or think about it and
give the inside passages a run through with a brush - then put it back in.
Clean your cup really well too. I'm a believer that every part of the gun
should look as close to brand new as possible. Contamination, and all that.
Dried and built up finishes on the outside of a cup can result in a bad
mating surface between the cup and the gun. Plus - depending on the finish
you have been shooting, old finishes on the gun can become dissolved by the
solvents in what you're currently shooting, and mix into your current
finish.
Don't use tools that can scratch or gouge the gun. Time, lacquer thinner,
and some brushing is what you need here. Paint guns are a lot more
sophisticated than one might think, and gouging up a mating surface, or an
air passage is a good way to turn a good gun into something else. If you
have to pick at something stubborn, do so with extreme care and try to use
the softest tool possible to get the job done. Finally, remember...
something that you loosen up in the cleaning process is going to get lodged
somewhere inside your gun. Never fails. Blow the gun out as best you can
by hooking up your air in the normal way, before you assemble the gun.
Then, gently blow everything out as best as you can from the outside of the
gun before reassembly. It's amazing how small of a booger will screw up an
otherwise perfectly workable gun.
--
-Mike-