I've got a grayco airless sprayer, the 900 series magnum, and it seems
to not spray right. I've tried a couple of new tips, and had the
pressure from low to high. What i'm getting is a good spray pattern the
width it should be, but then a gap and a stripe on each side of the
pattern. I'm at my wits end, i've had close to a hundred gallons of
different brands of paint through this thing in the year and a half i've
had it and it worked great until the last 25 gallons or so. I'm
beginning to wonder if there's anyway the nozzle itself (where the tip
goes in) could affect the pattern.

thanks

steve

On Apr 27, 10:47*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
I've got a grayco airless sprayer, the 900 series magnum, and it seems
to not spray right. *I've tried a couple of new tips, and had the
pressure from low to high. What i'm getting is a good spray pattern the
width it should be, but then a gap and a stripe on each side of the
pattern. *I'm at my wits end, i've had close to a hundred gallons of
different brands of paint through this thing in the year and a half i've
had it and it worked great until the last 25 gallons or so. *I'm
beginning to wonder if there's anyway the nozzle itself (where the tip
goes in) could affect the pattern.

thanks

steve

Are you sure they are new tips, is there any way the pack could have
been opened and resealed, because after spraying myself 3-400 gallons
with my titan thats what it sounds like. You can blow out a tip fast
with higher pressure, in less than 1 hr with some product. Grayco
would know more.

On Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:44:01 -0700 (PDT), ransley
wrote:

On Apr 27, 10:47*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
I've got a grayco airless sprayer, the 900 series magnum, and it seems
to not spray right. *I've tried a couple of new tips, and had the
pressure from low to high. What i'm getting is a good spray pattern the
width it should be, but then a gap and a stripe on each side of the
pattern. *I'm at my wits end, i've had close to a hundred gallons of
different brands of paint through this thing in the year and a half i've
had it and it worked great until the last 25 gallons or so. *I'm
beginning to wonder if there's anyway the nozzle itself (where the tip
goes in) could affect the pattern.

thanks

steve

Are you sure they are new tips, is there any way the pack could have
been opened and resealed, because after spraying myself 3-400 gallons
with my titan thats what it sounds like. You can blow out a tip fast
with higher pressure, in less than 1 hr with some product. Grayco
would know more.

Anything change in the last 25 gallons? Not mixed well, strained well
or *buggers* in the paint. Change in viscosity or such?

"New tips" the same size and number....

"Steve Barker" wrote in message
...
I've got a grayco airless sprayer, the 900 series magnum, and it seems to
not spray right. I've tried a couple of new tips, and had the pressure
from low to high. What i'm getting is a good spray pattern the width it
should be, but then a gap and a stripe on each side of the pattern. I'm
at my wits end, i've had close to a hundred gallons of different brands of
paint through this thing in the year and a half i've had it and it worked
great until the last 25 gallons or so. I'm beginning to wonder if there's
anyway the nozzle itself (where the tip goes in) could affect the pattern.

thanks

steve

Damn, Steve, I hate to write the following, but it's just what I'd do from
my experiences with a Graco. I know you're a knowledgeable experienced
person, but you're missing SOMETHING.

On my Graco, I can turn the spray nozzle 180 so the big end is out, and if
there's anything in there, one spray, and it is gone. What you describe is
something getting in the nozzle, blocking it partially. That would mean you
don't have a sock on your intake, or your paint has a lot of chips in it, or
your pump has a lot of "stuff" in it. I thought I had cleaned mine
adequately, and put the Graco stuff in there inbetween batches, etc, etc,
etc. Then one day it just wouldn't work. I took the pump apart, and was
amazed at how much stuff had solidified in there in just a short time.

First thing I'd do is run water through it real good. Clean out everything
you can get to. Then I'd try it with a fine mesh screen over the intake.
Maybe even strain the entire amount of paint, altho that would be a PITA
with thick paint.

After that, maybe it's time to take it apart, and clean it thoroughly, pump
and all.

But I'd try the water and fine sock tricks first.

Let us know what it was when you find out.

The other Steve B.

SteveB wrote:
"Steve Barker" wrote in message
...
I've got a grayco airless sprayer, the 900 series magnum, and it seems to
not spray right. I've tried a couple of new tips, and had the pressure
from low to high. What i'm getting is a good spray pattern the width it
should be, but then a gap and a stripe on each side of the pattern. I'm
at my wits end, i've had close to a hundred gallons of different brands of
paint through this thing in the year and a half i've had it and it worked
great until the last 25 gallons or so. I'm beginning to wonder if there's
anyway the nozzle itself (where the tip goes in) could affect the pattern.

thanks

steve

Damn, Steve, I hate to write the following, but it's just what I'd do from
my experiences with a Graco. I know you're a knowledgeable experienced
person, but you're missing SOMETHING.

On my Graco, I can turn the spray nozzle 180 so the big end is out, and if
there's anything in there, one spray, and it is gone. What you describe is
something getting in the nozzle, blocking it partially. That would mean you
don't have a sock on your intake, or your paint has a lot of chips in it, or
your pump has a lot of "stuff" in it. I thought I had cleaned mine
adequately, and put the Graco stuff in there inbetween batches, etc, etc,
etc. Then one day it just wouldn't work. I took the pump apart, and was
amazed at how much stuff had solidified in there in just a short time.

First thing I'd do is run water through it real good. Clean out everything
you can get to. Then I'd try it with a fine mesh screen over the intake.
Maybe even strain the entire amount of paint, altho that would be a PITA
with thick paint.

After that, maybe it's time to take it apart, and clean it thoroughly, pump
and all.

But I'd try the water and fine sock tricks first.

Let us know what it was when you find out.

The other Steve B.



thanks for the replys. I've covered about everything i can think of
except taking the pump apart. I don't think it's getting stuff in the
tip. The lines were there from the very first squeeze on a (yes) brand
new tip. I did, however, buy a tip that was really too small because
they were out of the one i really needed. I've been pushing KILZ brand
(pretty darn thick) bright white interior semigloss through a 415 tip.
TODAY we purchased a new 619 tip and a new guard. I'll try them out in
the morning with a new bucket of paint. We'll see. Basically all i'm
using it for is popcorn ceilings in rental rehabs, so the lines are not
the end of the world, it just doesn't make sense. We also usually paint
the interior window trim at the same time, then the rest of the wall
painting is done with rollers. I'll report back this time tomorrow.

thanks again for the suggestions.

steve

On Apr 28, 9:31*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Steve Barker" wrote in message
...
I've got a grayco airless sprayer, the 900 series magnum, and it seems to
not spray right. *I've tried a couple of new tips, and had the pressure
from low to high. What i'm getting is a good spray pattern the width it
should be, but then a gap and a stripe on each side of the pattern. *I'm
at my wits end, i've had close to a hundred gallons of different brands of
paint through this thing in the year and a half i've had it and it worked
great until the last 25 gallons or so. *I'm beginning to wonder if there's
anyway the nozzle itself (where the tip goes in) could affect the pattern.

thanks

steve

Damn, Steve, I hate to write the following, but it's just what I'd do from
my experiences with a Graco. *I know you're a knowledgeable experienced
person, but you're missing SOMETHING.

On my Graco, I can turn the spray nozzle 180 so the big end is out, and if
there's anything in there, one spray, and it is gone. *What you describe is
something getting in the nozzle, blocking it partially. *That would mean you
don't have a sock on your intake, or your paint has a lot of chips in it, or
your pump has a lot of "stuff" in it. *I thought I had cleaned mine
adequately, and put the Graco stuff in there inbetween batches, etc, etc,
etc. *Then one day it just wouldn't work. *I took the pump apart, and was
amazed at how much stuff had solidified in there in just a short time.

First thing I'd do is run water through it real good. *Clean out everything
you can get to. *Then I'd try it with a fine mesh screen over the intake.
Maybe even strain the entire amount of paint, altho that would be a PITA
with thick paint.

After that, maybe it's time to take it apart, and clean it thoroughly, pump
and all.

But I'd try the water and fine sock tricks first.

Let us know what it was when you find out.

The other Steve B.

thanks for the replys. *I've covered about everything i can think of
except taking the pump apart. *I don't think it's getting stuff in the
tip. *The lines were there from the very first squeeze on a (yes) brand
new tip. *I did, however, buy a tip that was really too small because
they were out of the one i really needed. *I've been pushing KILZ brand
(pretty darn thick) bright white interior semigloss through a 415 tip.
TODAY we purchased a new 619 tip and a new guard. *I'll try them out in
the morning with a new bucket of paint. *We'll see. Basically all i'm
using it for is popcorn ceilings in rental rehabs, so the lines are not
the end of the world, it just doesn't make sense. *We also usually paint
the interior window trim at the same time, then the rest of the wall
painting is done with rollers. *I'll report back this time tomorrow.

thanks again for the suggestions.

steve- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

What you describe is exactly when I put the tip in the garbage, new or
not its blown in my book. Stripes on both ends are wear or a crap tip
not made right of high grade Carbide. Ive sprayed enough to go through
alot of tips and never start without many extras. I never messed with
a pump or anything else when that ****ing pattern ****s up a job you
need to finish now before rain or wind. If pack wasnt shrink wrapped
its probably used crap they sell.

On Apr 27, 10:47*pm, Steve Barker wrote:

snip

Can't help but wonder if the paint formulation has changed to
something abrasive. Silica pigments are much more so than calcium
carbonate, for example. This could selectively etch away the tip
material in use and screw up the pattern. The effect could be a
problem later in unusual pump wear.

Joe