Spray Guns for Contact Adhesive
A simple, low-end setup works as well as anything. January 8, 2007
Question
I'm doing some laminating, HPL and metal, and I tried some spraying of nonflammable cement with my AAA system. The product says it's sprayable. I cut it with their thinning agent. At about 12" from the gun tip, the adhesive would get stringy, so I sprayed close. Parts seemed to contact OK. But is there something I can do to spray wetter and less stringy? Any tips would be appreciated.
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor A:
Get yourself a cheap pressure pot and gun. You don't want to cut your adhesive with solvent. I am assuming you are using flammable contact cement. You can probably find a used Binks or something similar pretty reasonable on Ebay or in the WOODWEB Classified section. As far as spraying technique, you will get webbing at some point, although it varies depending on spray setup. I usually hold my gun about 6 inches or so from the surface. 12" seems to be a bit much unless you are pushing out a lot of material at a relatively high pressure which leads to a course, chunky application. I like to keep the spray pattern fine and a narrower pattern close to the surface. It is all about coverage % and evenness.
From contributor B:
You should take a look at the StarStuk contact adhesive system. The contact cement comes in two or three sizes of containers that look like little propane bottles. You connect the hose and gun to the bottle and leave it connected. Just clean the tip after you spray. Very convenient and easy to use plus cost effective. I don't know how much the individual components cost but I bought a gun, hose and 11 pound bottle about eighteen months ago for around $400. This rig was worth it to me even if I only sprayed adhesive once a year.
From contributor C:
I just use a cheap spray gun I bought from one of the national chain home improvement stores for about $60. I've been using it for three years with no problems, works great, and no need to thin it.
From contributor D:
I recently started spraying contact cement with a canister setup (Premier) and the gun that came with it. The gun sprays well, but the tip gets gummed very quickly when I spray. Is there a way to avoid this? The only adjustment on the gun is fan width.
From contributor E:
Don't you have better uses for your AAA? Get a cheap gun, conventional, not HVLP, and read the directions. You are looking for a percentage of coverage. If you want it wetter, you can either open the needle more, turn your air down, get a bigger setup, or add more pressure to your fluid.
From contributor F:
I have a 11 year old Devilbiss JGA gun with I think a #4 tip and needle hooked up to a 2 1/2 gal Speedair paint pot. The hose and dual regulator hookup (shut off valve to the incoming air) I bought at a commercial Sherman & Williams in Raleigh along with a spare nozzle and tip needle set which I don't mix up. I have sprayed at least 300 gals of flammable contact through this system. It has sat for a year and with 20 min. cleaning to the mixing chamber and spray tip. I was spraying full sheets in no time, with about a 10" pattern. Cost of the gun - $125.00; paint pot - $100.00; and new fluid hose and regulators with gauges and shut off valve - $100.00. You don't need the Binks regulators and gauges. The Speedair pot I selected because it was cheap in the WW Graingers book and they sold extra gaskets. The regulators and gauges and extra tip, needle set and spray cap I bought 2 years later after it had paid for itself 10 times over. I’m very satisfied with the system.
