What do I need to look for in paint guns? I have seen them at tractor supply from $99-$29 and then they have a 3 gun job smart set for $49. I am wanting to practice and paint my motorcycles and maybe later shoot my car. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

First off, do you know how to paint? The major different between the high end paint gun and the cheap knockoffs is variation. The high end guns are made to a very exacting standards and everyone performs exactly the same. That is if you worked with one model XX you can most likely pick up another one and be good to go. With the low end guns it’s kind of luck for the draw and may need some teaking to get a good pattern to lay down. Another way to look at it, if want to shoot something and have it look like its glass a knock off gun is not what you want. But if you do not mind putting it on a little thick and working to a glass finish with wet sanding and a buffer then a knockoff is fine.

What tips come with the gun? That kind of defines what the gun was designed for. Some guns come with multiple tips so it can be changed. If you learn how to paint you will know what the tips do.

I started with a cheap HF set then moved to the devilbiss finish line set. The finish line set is the cheapest of the higher end guns.

There are many how to places for painting. That is where you want to start. Check out www.Smartflixs.com
https://smartflix.com/store/video/67...Car-Waterborne

 

I own an automotive paint store here in Wisconsin and have sold a ton of the Finishline guns and they do a pretty good job for the hobbiest. The tip size should be selected for the type of paint you will be spraying. Make sure you also take into consideration the size of your air compressor, usually a 5hp or bigger and a tank size of 50 gallons works the best.
The biggest mistakes we see is having the wrong tip and pressure set on the gun and the lack of a proper sized compressor which will ruin a paint job no matter how much is spent on the gun.