Why does the 2002 look different from other spray
guns?
What size compressor do I need?
Why does the 2002 spray so much better than other
HVLP guns?
Why don't I need extra needles, nozzles & aircaps
like I would with other HVLP Guns?
Why does the 2002 cost more than other spray guns?
Does the 2002 comply with Air Quality Rules?
How long will the 2002 last?
How hard is it to learn to spray with the 2002?
How can I tell the difference between a true HVLP
gun and one that will not work acceptably?
What is HVLP anyway?
The 2002 looks different because it is different.
No other spray gun in the world is machined. It costs more to do but it
provides unparalleled precision and produces better finishes.
The 2002 was the result of innovative, imaginative thinking.
It resulted from adapting the LEX-AIRE Automatic
spray guns, which are used in industry to hand use.
Automatic guns are designed to run all day, producing consistent finishes,
with little or no maintenance. Isn't that how a hand gun should work anyway?
The Automatic guns are triggered by an air signal sent by a computer.
Our 2002 is triggered by an air signal sent by your finger.
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The compressor size that you need depends on what you are doing.
The 2002 uses 8 - 10 cfm of air.
We have customers using as little as a 1 1/2 horsepower compressor to run
their guns.
In fact, a friend of the LEX-AIRE production manager borrowed a 2000 to
paint his Chevy Blazer truck in his garage. He used a 1 1/2 horsepower compressor
to do it and the Blazer came out beautiful.
The only drawback to the smaller compressors is that you are running off
the tank more than the pump and, if you are doing continuous spraying, you
will need to wait for the compressor to recharge.
So if you are doing occasional spraying of smaller woodwork or auto parts
a small compressor will probably be suitable.
If you run a body shop, marina, or millwork plant you will probably want
a 5+ hp compressor.
There is no danger of ruining a spray job with a small compressor, because
if there is not enough air for the 2002 to atomize the gun will not work.
That is another advantage of the pneumatic trigger. If there is not enough
air to pull the piston back, the paint won't come out and you cannot get
poor results, like you can with any other gun.
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There are several reasons.
The 2002 was designed from the start as an HVLP spray gun.
It is not a modified high pressure gun.
The 2002 has the wide open passages necessary
for efficient HVLP performance.
The 2002 is machined, not a casting, forging, or injection molded plastic
like all other spray guns.
Machining means that tighter tolerances can be kept on all components of
the gun. There does not need to be "slack" built into the parts
to make up for variations in castings or unevenness in plastic.
Low pressure air in HVLP spraying does not have the power to mask inaccuracies
in gun components. Thus a gun that is machined has accurate concentric parts
and produces an amazingly even spray pattern.
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Because of the superior design of the 2002, there is a wide range of
adjustment in air pressure, fan size and fluid adjustment. Whereas with
other spray guns you would need to change needles, nozzles and/or aircaps
in spraying a variety of finishes such as, going
from base coat to clear coat in automotive finishing or lacquer to waterbased
in wood finishing, all you need to do with the 2002 is change your air pressure
setting with the built in regulator.
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Before you even start thinking about price comparisons you have to compare
apples to apples.
First, with all other HVLP guns you need to get several needles, nozzles,
and aircaps to spray the finishes that the 2002 can spray with just one.
Along with buying the extra needle and nozzles, you are going to have to
spend the time to change them.
Second, the 2002 comes with a built in regulator. Not only does this make
the 2002 more compact and able to get into tighter spots it also means that
you do not have to buy a regulator as with other HVLP guns. The low pressure
regulators can add up to $75+ to the cost of other HVLP guns.
Third, the 2002 comes with an air pressure gauge. This gauge can be used
for learning what air pressure is good for the different materials you are
spraying and mounts nicely in a provided port on the 2002. Many states or
jurisdictions require that you be able to demonstrate that your spray gun
meets the Air Quality Standards. With most other HVLP guns you need to buy
the pressure gauge to do this and with most of them you also need to buy
ANOTHER special air cap which has no other purpose than testing. You can't
spray with it, it's only for testing. These testing kits can cost $50 to
over $100. But with the 2002 you don't need anything extra.
Fourth the 2002 is convertible. It can be a top feed (gravity type) gun,
a bottom feed ( siphon type) gun, or a remote gun (used with pressure pots
or remote cups). You wouldn't need to buy another gun, just the cup. The
2002 is convertible at no extra cost. With other guns convertibility isn't
available at ANY cost.
When you add up the costs of the extras of any gun you are comparing to
the 2002, the 2002 becomes a downright bargain.
More important than cost is performance.
It is always better to buy right once.
With other guns you are not going to get the performance that you do with
the 2002, so you end up compromising or having to buy a 2002 anyway.
Find out if the company you are buying from believes in the spray gun they
are selling.
We offer satisfaction guaranteed or you money back.
Other companies either do not allow returns, charge a restocking fee, or
will give your money back only if the gun has not been used.
Do yourself a favor and ask these questions before you buy!
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The 2002 is probably the most compliant gun in the world.
HVLP laws generally require that a gun be operated a less than 10 psi to
meet the standard.
With many other HVLP guns you need to be spraying at or near 10 psi before
you get decent atomization, if at all.
Many of the HVLP guns that are converted high pressure guns need to be "cheated"
over 10 psi to work and they use a lot of compressed air.
The 2002 sprays virtually all finishes with 3 - 6 psi leaving plenty of
room for the more difficult finishes of tomorrow.
Another requirement in some jurisdictions is that the gun not be able to
be modified to go over 10 psi. Most guns can be modified to go over 10 psi
simply by removing the regulator.
The 2002 has the regulator built into the handle and is probably the only
gun in the world that not only meets all laws but does so willingly and
ably.
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Because the 2002 is a hand version of out Automatic spray gun it can
last a LONG time.
The automatic gun it is based on often operates up to 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, cycling on and off every two seconds. Compared to this, the
use most people give it is nothing.
In fact, we once estimated that based on number of use cycles, the gun should
last about 200 years.
The 2002 is machined out of aircraft aluminum, with a machined Delrin handle.
The needle and nozzle are stainless steel.
The aluminum parts are all anodized for durability.
There is only one moving part in the gun for needle and air flow.
Because the 2002 is machined, it is designed to bolt together easily and
quickly. Thus, if need be, you can have it totally apart in 5 minutes.
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The 2002 is probably the easiest spray gun in the world to learn to use
and get great finishes.
What makes this possible?
The pneumatic trigger.
Every other spray gun in the world uses a mechanical trigger.
That is, your hand movement is pulling back the needle using a serious of
levers or rods.
This does 2 things.
One, it is very inconsistent.
Two, because the levers or rods are always changing the angle of contact
with the trigger and needle, the needle does not pull straight back but
does so in an arc.
Pulling back in an arc makes for an uneven fluid stream in the early part
of the pull and as the trigger is released.
The pneumatic trigger in the 2002 activates a piston, which pulls the needle
back in a straight line instantaneously. The straight needle pull gives
an even fluid stream throughout the triggering.
The pneumatic trigger is 100% consistent. Set the air and fluid where you
want them, and every time you pull the trigger you get exactly the same
perfect pattern.
The pneumatic trigger also means that the 2002 never spits or spatters paint.
You know how when you are spraying you start off the panel and end off the
panel so you don't risk getting a little "spitter" as the paint
starts coming out?
Well you don't have to worry about that with the 2002. The design of the
gun ensures that the air starts before the paint and that the air stops
after the paint stops. No matter how fast you pull the trigger, the gun
will not spit.
How good is the 2002?
You could paint panels from the middle out! No one would know the difference.
The difference between a pneumatic trigger in the 2002 and mechanical trigger
in all other guns is analogous to the difference between a hammer and a
nail gun. Sure, the hammer gets the nail into the wood but maybe you dent
the wood, maybe the piece moves as the hammer hits it, maybe you hit your
finger.
The nail gun shoots the nail exactly the same, every time, without damaging
the wood or moving the piece. It also works a heck of a lot faster.
It's the same with the 2002 versus any other gun.
On a good day you might be able to get great results with a conventional
gun. But as the day drags on you start getting tired. Or maybe this isn't
a good day and you'd rather not be spraying.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a gun that sprayed the same at 8 in the morning
or 10 at night?
The 2002 is that gun.
In fact, we often have demonstrations at body shops where an insurance adjuster
is present.
Insurance adjusters are known for not knowing how to paint. We will set
the fluid and air adjustments on the 2002 give the adjuster a 30 second
lesson and they can paint almost as good as a guy who has been painting
for years.
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A true HVLP spray gun is designed to be an HVLP gun. It is not a converted
high pressure gun.
Signs of a true HVLP gun are:
Wide open air passages - For High Volume Low Pressure to work properly the
air passages in the gun need to be open for the greater volume of air flow.
The conversion of the high pressure air in your air line to the low pressure
air coming out should happen inside the gun. This gives the air a chance
to "even out" after it has depressurized. Most converted guns
have restricted air passages and do their conversion at the air cap. Doing
it at the air cap means that the air stream is much more turbulent and uneven.
Having restricted air passages also means you need a bigger compressor to
make the gun work. The air requirements for these guns are usually 15+ cfm,
requiring 5 - 10 hp compressors.
A converted high pressure gun is usually pretty obvious. It looks just like
that manufacturer's high pressure gun except for the bigger holes in the
air cap and usually a different color.
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HVLP means High Volume, Low Pressure.
Older high pressure guns atomize finishes with 30 to 80 psi of air. This
results in that huge cloud of mist you see when someone paints something.
It also has a transfer efficiency of about 25%. That means if you spray
a gallon of paint on something only 1 quart gets on what you are spraying.
That's WHY you see that big cloud of mist. It is wasted paint.
HVLP guns atomize finishes with under 10 psi of air pressure. That low pressure
results in a great reduction in the mist cloud and a 65+% transfer efficiency.
That means you use 30 - 50 % less material than you would using a conventional
gun. With the price of finishes that is a LOT of money. HVLP also keeps
the spray area cleaner and the finisher is better able to see what he is
doing.
Federal, State, and Regional jurisdictions like HVLP because that reduction
in overspray mist and material usage meant a huge reduction in air pollution.
Paint and thinners contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds (oil derivatives
for the non-chemists)).
Why then doesn't everyone use HVLP?
With most HVLP guns these benefits come at a trade-off.
Most HVLP guns are slower, don't produce as good of a finish, and/or use
inordinate amounts of air. That mean that in changing to HVLP a shop might
use less finish, but the results would be unacceptable. Or the results were
good but it took twice as long to do. Thus the savings from HVLP did not
outweigh the costs of using it. That is why there is such an uproar whenever
HVLP laws are proposed. The businesses think they are going to suffer under
HVLP.
Shouldn't someone be able to make an HVLP gun that is as fast or faster
than a conventional gun, gives the same or better finish, AND uses less
material, creates less overspray, and reduces air pollution?
The 2002 is that gun.
LEX-AIRE has been quietly making high performance HVLP equipment for 10
years.
Our customers buy LEX-AIRE not because of a law, but because they want to.
They do get the great finishes.
They do get the job done fast.
They do save 30 - 50% of materials.
In your search for an HVLP gun accept nothing less.
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LEX-AIRE AUTO-2000 HVLP Automatic Spray Gun