Practically Classics Forum

Hello Chaps

I picked up a touch-in gun today from Tool Station for the grand sum of £17 and the odd pence.
It is an old fashioned gravity-fed gun with a small cylindrical paint pot. Anyone who has watched the American Hot-Rod programs will be familiar with this type.

And I must say that it works very well indeed. Its a peculiar grip, but the thing is nicely balanced and will squirt a variety of materials with smooth precision and a fan-size ranging from a tiny blow-in to a proper fan.

This is a full sized gun with a small pot, as opposed to a miniture gun.

If you want a well made and very flexible gun which will do fine for pretty much anything you are likely come up against, and for small money. - Tool Station is the place.

They also have miniture guns for the same price, which as you know something I use quite a lot and rate pretty highly.
....And they are the cheapest place around for ultra thin cutting disks, flap-disks and a bunch of other goodies.

MARTIN

I was chatting to the mechanics (two brothers) at our local garage the other day and gave them my new Screwfix gun (see my tractor thread in "members Restorations" - it's a long story) and the older brother showed me one of those Tool Station guns and reckoned it was the best one he'd come across for many years!

He said it was bought more as a touch up gun, but found it was good enough to do complete panels and, being gravity fed, didn't waste paint - he reckoned the old suction gun had more paint in its container when it was "empty" and it was often all that was needed for a repair panel etc.

I'm keen to see how he gets on with the Screwfix gun (my "expensive" gun was virtually identical); but he is a good hand with a spray gun - I've seen him touch in metallics to perfect match, so I fear he will get it to work much better than I could!

Hello Mr. Tractor

Its always worth remembering when looking to shell out on a spray gun. That a mediocre gun in the hands of a skilled man will turn out better results than a top notch gun in the hands of a noddy.

To get consistently good results you need to keep your hand in, And many enthusiasts dont get to paint that often. A great gun is a joy to handle when you are on form, but it is no guarantee of a great outcome.

How true Mr T!

I have the problem that I spray in summer only and have usually forgotten how to do it when I start - but end up "on form" at the end of the season! The 780 cab is testement to that - the brown was sprayed first and has overspray and dry areas. The wings were sprayed last and are like mirrors!

If my spraying is bad, you should see my MIG welding! I just can't get the hang of the speed of the things, having been taught to use proper gas welders! A 9" angle grinder is often required!!

I've always said that, when starting out, a £20 spraygun is adequate as you'll make so many mistakes and a quality gun can't hide them. I suppose it's like anything - don't spend a lot of money on equipment until you know what you are doing with it (I gather that includes women too)!