Modern Paint, Old Paint Gun?

I had a painting project this weekend, so I decided I'd fire up my father's old Craftsman bleeder-style paint gun for the first time. It worked well enough with the shellac-based primer (unthinned), but I didn't even try to spray the Glidden Alkyd/Oil Enamel. The enamel was only a little less viscous than molasses, and the instructions on the can said "Do not thin." I figure I probably would have had to cut it about 25 to 30% to get it spraying consistancy.

I know my father used the gun to spray enamels back in the 50's.

Should I ignore the instructions on the paint can and thin it to spraying viscocity, or should I have faith that it will spray at it's original viscocity? I do have a viscocity cup, and it looked like the full-strength enamel was going to take 5 or 10 minutes to drain out of the cup instead of 25 seconds.

Thanks, Ed

Reply to
Ed Bailen
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You should thin to the appropriate viscosity. The "do not thin" instruction is CYA for the EPA, it has nothing to do with the chemistry of the coating.

Reply to
J. Clarke

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