Magnum DX

[Phil]

Hello,

Does anyone have any feedback on the Magnum DX product from Home Depot? I am going to be painting the interior of a 1700 sq ft home and am thinking that it will save me quite a bit of time.

ALso, would you recommend going up to the Magnum XR5 instead of the DX?

THanks, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Phl

[The Good Bohemian]

One suggestion I can give you is to make certain that you strain your paint first as well as using a good pump protectant/cleaner. The design of these residential Graco units is a ball-cocked piston driven pump. When problems arrise with these units, 99% of the time, the ball has corroded in the cavity because of poor maintanace (i.e. leaving water-based products to corrode the pump housing, etc.). If you don't want to use a pump protector (Graco's 'Pump Armor' is a good one as is the crystaline stuff called 'Hero'), you can always finish your cleaning by leaving a little mineral spirits/thinners in the pump to avoid corrosion.

When asking if the Xr5, 7, or 9 would be appropriate for your job, as long as you don't use the 5 series for prolonged time periods and on a daily basis, it will be fine. If you are looking for a contract grade Graco unit, these machines don't cut it whatsoever. I would look towards the ES line (190 as a minimum).

Keep the machine spotless... strain the paint ... protect the pump... don't use an under-rated extension cord... replace the tips frequently if using flats or ceiling paints. The XR5 should be fine for your job if it's a one-time project... look to heavier grade machines if painting constantly...

HTH

Andrew.

[Phil]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks so much...

Question... I am a total novice with paint sprayers. Do you recommend any websites for getting up to date on how to strain the paint?

The way I read your steps are...

1) Strain the paint 2) Utilize the paint sprayer (I am being obvious, here) 3) pump out any excess paint 4) Maintain the sprayer by leaving either pump protector solution, "pump armor", or thinner in the pump when not in use.

Is this correct?

Thanks in advance

Phil

[SQLit]

Straining the paint can be done by using commercial strainers available at the home center. Not really an big issue with latex. Now if your spraying your car, different story. If it is warm, cover the bucket with a wet towel. That will keep the skin from forming. Also occasionally put the sprayer in the bucket under the level of paint and mix up the paint. I use a 24" extension, so I do not have to put the gun under. Tips clog, when that happens just turn the nozzle 180 degrees and spray into the bucket. Reverse and see if it is clear, Repeat as necessary. I use a couple of fivers that have clear fresh water in them. I tie the trigger on and run all the water through the unit varying the pressure and finishing up on high. The I remove the paint suction hose, and spray wd40 into the pump, while jogging the motor on and off. When starting up again I reverse the process, 2 fivers of clear clean water and then start with the paint. You can spend your money on the pump protector solution. WD 40 works better. Find a out of the way place to practice first. Does not take much time to get the hang of it. Mask everything including yourself. Long sleeves, a hat or hood, glasses are good inside, and OLD clothes, your going to get paint every where. Light coats until you get the hang of it. Carry a 1" brush for runs.

[The Good Bohemian]

That's the basic idea - yes. As another poster has mentioned, you don't have to use expensive materials to maintain the integrity of the pump assy. Be aware, however, that if your pump design is a diaphragm design with rubber o rings, using a solvent like WD-40 may cause the rubber to swell and cause a premature leak at the diaphragm (causing pressure drops, inconsistent spray patterns and possibly a dead sprayer).

My suggestion is always to follow the manuf. directions (even if they don't seem correct at the time). At least this way, they will support you on a warranty call when you can tell them you spoke with 'x' on this date and such and such an office... That being said, the folks at Graco are very knowledgable and can be reached via the web at:

I think their site is under construction right now but take a look there for a number you can call. One last thing mentioned by a previous poster was that you need not worry about straining paint unless you are doing work on cars? I disagree. You will wear down a tip faster and get more 'blobs' in your finish if you don't dtrain your paint. This being said, many manufacturers have high quality paints that don't need straining but as a good practice you should filter them all (will also cause less wear on the filter in your guns). This isn't as important with the higher quality gloss paints but I would pay special attention when using PVA primers, flats, etc (the particles in the paint are larger and may be more inconsistent). If you don't want to break the bank on filters, etc., no problem... use old pantyhose...

If you are spraying when it's very warm or you are outdoors or you want a longer dry time, I suggest treating the paint with either Flotrol or Penetrol (Flotrol is for latex and the other is for oil/alkyds). It is a good idea to buy high quality paints when spraying - it saves a hassle when cleaning up and creates a more consistent spray. I suggest

100% acrylic latex paints (ones produced with ti02 rather than chalks and limes/clays are best) and alkyds (unless you are spraying laquers, epoxies, etc.).

Take care and good luck...

Oh yeah... don't spray your hand to test the pattern... if you do, drive yourself to the hostpital...

Here's a halfway decent write up that serves as a basic intro to spraying:

Andrew.

[The Good Bohemian]

....as for straining... nothing too complex... here's a decent idea of what to do:

Andrew.