After you’ve selected your correct spray gun, air compressor, and nozzle size the last thing keeping you from a tip top finish is your spraying technique. There are several small steps in assuring that you’re applying an even coverage.
1. The spray should always be perpendicular to the surface that is being coated. This means that if you are stationary, then when you are making passes your wrist should flex to keep the nozzle of the gun directly pointed at the surface at a 90 degree angle.
2. Moving the gun always overlaps triggering. This means that when you begin your pass the gun should be moving before you trigger it and it should be moving after you stop triggering it. This ensures that you get even coverage and there is no buildup on the ends of your pass.
3. Overlap your passes. You are shooting for a 50% overlap on passes. Simply position the nozzle so that the center of the tip is aimed at the bottom edge of the previous pass. This overlap will ensure you get adequate coverage.
Practice makes perfect and good spraying technique is critical in producing top flight coating results. Use water and a spare piece of wood or cardboard to make some practice passes if need be so that when the time comes, you are able to put your best foot forward and get great results.
Jorge Flores, Marketing Coordinator
Coating Equipment Technology, Inc