How can I tell the difference between a true HVLP gun and one that will not work acceptably?
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 diffe
