Looking to get into Spray? Here are some tips & help
All you need to know about the parts on a spray machine along with tips & advice on maintaining you airless sprayer
More & more people are seeing the benefits of Airless Spray. This entry is designed to help you understand the different parts on a machine & how best to keep your machine in good condition to avoid unnecessary damage. This example is based on a TriTech machine however the principal is the same with most other manufacturers.
How do I know what size spray tip to use? A spray tip will have 3 digits for example: 417. When spraying approx 10" from the surface the fan width will be double the first digit so 4 = 8". The second two digits represent the orifice which will control how much paint is allowed to pass through. This is measured in thousandths of an inch (17= 0.017") A larger fan will cover more area however if you were painting skirting boards you would only need a small fan so you might opt for a 211. Then you would need to consider what speed you want to be moving at because a larger orifice would allow you to apply more paint & work faster so then you could go for 213 instead.
How often should I change my filters? Smaller machines would have 2 filters - Suction Filter & Gun Filter, a larger machine would usually have 3 filters - Suction Filter, Manifold Filter & Gun Filter.
The suction filter is visible at all times so its quite easily to tell when it needs to be replaced as it will either be covered in dry paint or the mesh may have been damaged. If the suction filter is covered in paint it may be possible to soak in gunwash or paint stripper to remove dry paint & reuse. However if the mesh has been damaged it would be advisable to change ASAP.
The Manifold Filter is attached to the machine. On the TriTech T5 you would unscrew the Cover to take out the manifold. If you are using your machine regularly this would be advisable to do once a week. You don't need to replace with a new one every week you just need to clean with water / thinners & remove any excess paint.
If the machine is being used every day then the gun filters should be replaced every week.
How Often should I oil my machine? We supply Q Lube for lubricating the Piston. This product is specifically designed for using on pumps. You simply need to put 2 drops into the piston once a week or after each use if you are only using the pump occasionally. Q Lube will prevent paint from drying on the piston and damaging the packing's.
Can i use other brands of tips in my spray gun? If you wanted to use a TriTech Tip with another brand of gun you can do this providing you use the TriTech guard and the gun has a 7/8" thread. If it was the other way round you would need the matching guard for the brand of tip you are using.
