Harbor Freight has gone nuts!!! HURRY!!!

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-04 AT 03:57 PM (CST)
 
This is insane! I might order 2 (IF I HAD ANY MONEY)!

* Best mix of paint and air pressure
* Uses most oil based paints
* Adjustable fan pattern and volume control

Required air supply: 1-3 HP compressor; Required air pressure: 50-60 PSI; Air consumption: 14 CFM; Output: 200-300 CCs per minute; Nozzle size: 1.5MM; Cup capacity: 0.6ML; Air inlet: 1/4''-18 NPS

ITEM 47016-6VGA

$14.99 !!!!!!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47016

* Heavy duty 4 HP (peak) motor
* Dual capacitors for fast, easy starts
* Thermal overload protection
* Clear view oil window for easier maintenance
* High impact ABS shroud protects the motor
* Easy-to-read pressure regulator gauge
* CSA certified

120V, 60Hz, 4HP (peak), 3 HP (rated); 3400 RPM; Single stage pump, Oil lubricated; 120 PSI max; Air outlet: 1/4''-18NPT; Air delivery: 4.5 SCFM @ 115 PSI, 5.6 SCFM @ 90 PSI, 6.2 SCFM @ 70 PSI, 7.2 SCFM @ 40 PSI; Weight: 65 lbs.

ITEM 90385-2VGA

$109.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90385

I saw this compressor unit at the store. It is really pretty darn nice. For $100!!! Everyone who has been waiting to spray paint becasue of the cost, do the math. For $130 plus shipping you could be spray painting with a top feed gun. Get on it you guys!!!

Guess this is the reason to check out the new store in my neighborhood. I already have the compressor and a touch up gun. Maybe this one would work better. Thanks, DOC:)

Because of the low low price I looked up the air requirements and it says it needs 14cfm @50-60psi.Then I looked up the requirements for the Badger 400 that I am currently using and it says it needs 1.7cfm @ 30 psi.Looks like my compressor couldnt supply this $15 sale item,I can barely keep up with the Badger I am using .Maybe it is on sale for that price because it is too greedy.Im no paint expert so I would like to hear from someone who knows a bit about the subject. Keith Varley

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-04 AT 04:54 PM (CST)
 
> Because of the low low price I looked up the air
>requirements and it says it needs 14cfm @50-60psi.Then I
>looked up the requirements for the Badger 400 that I am
>currently using and it says it needs 1.7cfm @ 30 psi.Looks
>like my compressor couldnt supply this $15 sale item,I can
>barely keep up with the Badger I am using .Maybe it is on
>sale for that price because it is too greedy.Im no paint
>expert so I would like to hear from someone who knows a bit
>about the subject. Keith Varley

It might need 14-15 cfm to shoot house paint at 100 PSI.

I normally shoot at very low CFM and pressure (airplanes are small and we do not want a lot of extra paint). The gravity feed gun needs very little air really, since it is not syphoning from a lower cup.

I have a 3 HP Cambell Hausfield. My buffer is the only thing I own that stress the capacity.

I would figure that the purple gun takes about 3-5 CFM at hobby settings.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-04 AT 05:29 PM (CST)
 
>
>It might need 14-15 cfm to shoot house paint at 100 PSI.
>
>I normally shoot at very low CFM and pressure (airplanes are
>small and we do not want a lot of extra paint). The gravity
>feed gun needs very little air really, since it is not
>syphoning from a lower cup.
>
>I have a 3 HP Cambell Hausfield. My buffer is the only
>thing I own that stress the capacity.
>
>I would figure that the purple gun takes about 3-5 CFM at
>hobby settings.

Have you tried one of these guns? I've been shopping at Harbor Freight lately (was there today), but a lot of their stuff is really low quality. Maybe the reason they're selling this gun so cheap is because it requires such a high flow and pressure. (Like what Keith said.)

You say 3-5 cfm, but what pressure do you shoot at? It may need 50-60 psi just because of the pressure drop in the internals. There's always the hose, too. Tell us some more specifics about your experience. Your paint jobs sure look like you know what you're doing.

By the way, their catalog says that air compressor has an 8 gallon tank.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-04 AT 07:11 PM (CST)
 
>Have you tried one of these guns?

<chuckle> Yes. I have. I think we have about 20 of them between all of the Texas guys. I wown 3, and will most likely have to break down and buy one of these while they last (MAKES GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS)!!!

Bill Wilson has about 7 or so in the shop right now. He has tested tons of cheap guns. He says he cannot tell much difference between a HF gun and a Sata. Neither can I. A clean cheap gun is better than a dirty expensive gun.

The consumption on the more expensive purple gun is the the same as this gun. Quit worrying about the consumption. Ultimately the consumption will be much less than a Windy trim gun.

This was the article printed in Flying Models (rough draft posted in SSW).

http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dcforum/DCForumID9/145.html

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-04 AT 08:31 PM (CST)
 
> Yes. I have. I think we have about 20 of them
>between all of the Texas guys. I wown 3, and will most
>likely have to break down and buy one of these while they
>last (MAKES GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS)!!!
>
>Bill Wilson has about 7 or so in the shop right now. He has
>tested tons of cheap guns. He says he cannot tell much
>difference between a HF gun and a Sata. Neither can I. A
>clean cheap gun is better than a dirty expensive gun.
>
>The consumption on the more expensive purple gun is the the
>same as this gun. Quit worrying about the consumption.
>Ultimately the consumption will be much less than a Windy
>trim gun.
>
>This was the article printed in Flying Models (rough draft
>posted in SSW).
>
>http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dcforum/DCForumID9/145.html

OK. I'm convinced. I read your article, too. Turns out, Harbor Freight doesn't have the same specials in the stores as they do on the Internet. I don't think the gun is actually on sale in our stores. Also, the compressor in the store is the 2hp version you reference in your paint article (lot 40400), not the 4hp version in your post above.

I went in today because their web site has an LCD readout digital caliper on sale for 15.99 - less than 1/2 of the regular cost: $39.99. Unfortunately, the store didn't have the special. They claimed they would honor their Internet specials, but the store product numbers don't match the Internet product numbers. Even the store itself has two different flyers with different specials. Confusing.

Tom B

>I went in today because their web site has an LCD readout
>digital caliper on sale for 15.99 - less than 1/2 of the
>regular cost: $39.99. Unfortunately, the store didn't have
>the special. They claimed they would honor their Internet
>specials, but the store product numbers don't match the
>Internet product numbers. Even the store itself has two
>different flyers with different specials. Confusing.

This appears to an Internet only special.

I bought one of the purple HF guns on your recommendations Zilla. I am having a mite of trouble getting used to it. It sprays SOOOO much easier that I tend to put too much paint on and get a few runs. I am going to spray two more planes this next week if the weather cooperates.

Bigiron

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-04 AT 04:44 PM (CST)
 
Three questionable things stand out in this combination.

1) The gun is specifically recommended for oil-based paints, and no replacement needle sets are available.

2) It also specifies 14cfm air consumption. This is typical of HVLP guns. This requires a helluva lot more compressor! You could spray for 2 minutes, maybe, and then wait for the tank to recharge, but . . .

3) The compressor listing doesn't even specify the tank size - looks like about 10-12 gallons. I do like the fact that it is an oil-lubed pump; that's MUCH quieter.

That gun looks exactly like my regulated Harbor Freight spray gun. On my gun, the white plastic tank split at the seam. I think I will be able to use the tank off this gun to replace the split tank on my gun at less cost than trying to replace just the plastic cup.

>That gun looks exactly like my regulated Harbor Freight
>spray gun. On my gun, the white plastic tank split at the
>seam. I think I will be able to use the tank off this gun
>to replace the split tank on my gun at less cost than trying
>to replace just the plastic cup.
>
>Al

It is almost too cheap to ignore. Al, does your experience agree with Bradley above? Will that compressor work with that gun for modeling purposes (and KlassKote, especially)?

The compressor Bradley posted would be plenty of air to drive the guns we all bought. I don't know anything about the listed gun. I am well pleased with my gun.

>That gun looks exactly like my regulated Harbor Freight
>spray gun. On my gun, the white plastic tank split at the
>seam. I think I will be able to use the tank off this gun
>to replace the split tank on my gun at less cost than trying
>to replace just the plastic cup.
>
>Al
Just take it back to HF they will replace it no questions asked.

Terry,

You were right. I stopped in Harbor Freight this morning on the way home from church. I showed them my gun with the split cup. They were nice about it. They didn't talk about warranty, proof of sale, or date of sale. They just got another boxed gun and swapped out the cup, no charge. You can't complain about that kind of service.

Thanks, Brad, because of your tip I just bought two more. I bought my first gun from them after I read your recommendation in 2003 and have used that gun a lot. Last year I used one for painting full-size airplane components and even painted a complete Cessna 150. It sprays everything from Brodak dope to urethane enamel beautifully. It does take some getting used to, but if you experiment with pressures and mixing ratios it handles well and is easy to clean. I'll use the new guns in January when I paint my Brodak Smoothie and a full size Piper Cherokee.

Bill Groman

I have 4 of the Harbor Frieght spray guns. They work great, I recommend them. I have 6 other spray guns that sit on the shelf.
I use a Sears 1.5 hP, 15 gal. tank compressor. I can paint about 1 minute then it kicks on. It takes about 2 minutes to fill up again.
I can get one heck of alot of painting done in one minute of spray time.
A larger compressor would be nice but not realy needed.

THIS IS NOT THE HVLP VERSION BRAD WROTE ABOUT--NOR MY REVIEW ARTICLE IN SN.

Brad never had a cfm issue withhis. I have, although I can't explain the difference.

THis appears to be the conventional version.

FWIW

LAST EDITED ON Nov-14-04 AT 11:17 AM (CST)
 
>THIS IS NOT THE HVLP VERSION BRAD WROTE ABOUT--NOR MY REVIEW
>ARTICLE IN SN.

Well, technically, that is KEE-RECT.

Bill has one exactly like the unit on sale, except his is green. There is ZERO difference in the functionality of the two units, while the more expensive unit appears to have prettier knobs.

I feel it is worth $15 to find out. I will certainly be buying one.

>Brad never had a cfm issue withhis. I have, although I
>can't explain the difference.

Did you ever try opening the knob at the base of the handle? That is the air flow control, to be used in the absense of the regulator.

>THis appears to be the conventional version.

I would love to have someone take a few of these guns and rip them down the middle. You would see there are only three mechanisms. A air flow control, a diffuser mechanism for the air, and a material flow control. That is about it.

These are all "conventional" guns.

You're right Brad. It IS probably worth 15 to compare it to the "purple HVLP" version. I plan to do jsut that to see.

I have tried changing the air control valve and it DID make it better--but I still found it used ALOT more air than my small standard touch-up guns.

I DO love it tho...It is the best I've sprayed with for what we do regardless.

>You're right Brad. It IS probably worth 15 to compare it to
>the "purple HVLP" version. I plan to do jsut that to see.

The original version is certinaly worth $40 also. But $15 is insane!!!

Save paint and get a superior finish at the same time! High volume low pressure sprayer reduces overspray so that more paint goes on your work, less into the air. Fine adjustment knob for air flow. Stainless steel needle and tip for use with water based finishes. Includes air regulator.

* Required air pressure: 15-50 PSI
* Air consumption: 9.5-14.8 CFM
* Air inlet: 1/4''

ITEM 43430-8VGA

$39.99

Godzilla, For what it's worth I bought this exact compressor at a Horbor Freight tent sale for $69.95. A steal price, but the thing isn't worth a flip. I think the compressor is OK and certainly nothing wrong with the tank, but the controls are junk. I'm a decent electronics and electrical man and I have given up on it. It won't regulate at times and then at times it won't compress to a setting and cutoff and all kinds of weard things. If anyone wants it they can come and get it.

>Godzilla, For what it's worth I bought this exact compressor
>at a Horbor Freight tent sale for $69.95. A steal price, but
>the thing isn't worth a flip. I think the compressor is OK
>and certainly nothing wrong with the tank, but the controls
>are junk. I'm a decent electronics and electrical man and I
>have given up on it. It won't regulate at times and then at
>times it won't compress to a setting and cutoff and all
>kinds of weard things. If anyone wants it they can come and
>get it.

Well, darn.

I have a Cambell Hausfield, made in USA. I think it would be worth a few more coins over a Chinese compressor. I just posted what I saw, and I know a lot of people want to start spraying and they are afraid of the investment. I truly feel that a compressor is a little more complex than a gun, and will last 20 years if you take of it. In that case, you might consider it as more of investment.

I do not feel that these spray guns are the same. The cheap guns are only *marginally* less than a $300 gun, if any.

Thanks for the report. Not a bad deal for $70 though!

Sonny I will take it.
Ed