Paint gun

Thanks, Marty

Greg

I wonder how Len at autobodystore.com gets around the current SATA policy prohibiting internet sales. As far as I know, SATA is the only spray gun manufacturer to have such a restrictive policy. To me, it only serves to keep their prices artificially high ($500 to $600 for their best RP3000 gun) by eliminating competitive pricing at the retail level, presumably justified by "quality service" considerations that most consumers, especiallly DIYs, likely will never use, even if theoretically available to them. I just doubt that twice the "street" price of other high quality name-brand spray guns (in comparable premium lines, of course) results in a similar (or even significant) performance increase. Case in point: the best DeVilbiss reduced pressure compliant gun (GFG-670 "Plus") lists at $562 (spraygundepot.com). That's a similar list price to SATA's best reduced pressure compliant gun, the 3000RP. Len sells the DeVilbiss for $300 and the SATA for $550. I have seen the SATA elsewhere for over $600. Color me sceptical but it looks to me like SATA is for those where price is no object and bragging rights are worth something. They certainly seem to have almost a "cult" following. They also have $ex appeal judging from their website. Maybe that's where the extra dollars go.

Rod

You certainly will never know for sure if a SATA gun will be worth the extra cost to you unless you try one for yourself. Other's opinions are just that - opinions. SATA does seem to emphasize service so maybe you could get a loaner from a local dealer for a "try before you buy" evaluation. If you are going to purchase one on the internet, I'd do it sooner rather than later though. That means of purchase might stop abruptly at any time given the SATA directive. You might also give Len a call and get the straight poop on internet sales from him. I see you can save about $50 by avoiding the digital models with the built-in pressure gage.

I am a little surprised that you are not satisfied with the atomization of your Sharp spot gun. If it's the one I think it is, however, the 1.4mm tip seems quite large for a spot gun unless you're spraying surfacer with it. That could be some of the problem - I think it's somewhat unusual for a spot gun. My newer HVLP spot gun has a 1.0mm tip. Even my (very) old non-HVLP suction feed spot gun has a 1.0mm tip. The smaller patterns and lower fluid flow rates of spot guns just do not require the larger tip sizes that you normally find on full sized guns. I have always been satisfied with the atomization of either of mine. You could try increasing the air pressure on your Sharp to improve it. I suspect your SATA spot will have something like a 1.0mm tip and should work fine right out of the box at the recommended max pressure setting.

I've nothing against SATA as a brand - except for what I think is an excessive relative cost. But I have never used one either. I am sure they are top-of-the-line guns. I just happen to believe that a perfectly acceptable finish (even on automobiles) can be obtained without going to that price extreme. Perhaps I am just not demanding enough.

Rod

You should find the 1.0 tip works fine for MP170 in a spot gun. It works fine in mine. It goes downhill with the 182 surfacer but still works OK for sometime use, especially since most of it is going to be sanded off anyway. When I got mine, the only tip available was the 1.0. I see they (DeVilbiss) now have a 0.8 available for it. If SATA offers a 1.4 for their spot gun, it probably is for something like surfacer. A 1.0 in spot guns seems to be the most common general purpose size.

Rod

I agree with CNKS. In that price range, look into the DeVilbiss Finishline series or the Sharpe Finex series of guns. Those are two good brand names where you can get replacement/optional parts easily if needed. You can review some of these two "economy" series of guns, together with prices, here. Otherwise, it's probably the Chinese knock-offs that will be necessary to get you down into that price bracket. My guns are DeVilbiss but I don't have any personal experience with their Finishline series. What may be very important in your gun selection is your available compressed air capacity. You need to match (more or less) the cfm air demands of any gun you are considering with what you have available. If you are low on air capacity you may want to consider a mini spot gun, especially if your plan is to do much disassembly and painting of individual parts. The Devilbiss spot guns are expensive (>$200) but I see that Sharp has one in their Finex series for under $100.

Rod