Adriatic posted:Aside from the traditional single and dual, there are automatics and trigger styles too (I like the gun type trigger)
Then external mix or internal. The internal mix has a more predictable spray pattern. External mixers clean up easy.
Then there is feed method, gravity cup, siphon cup, or a side loader that does either. Gravity feed is better at fine lines with good definition, and moving thicker paints.... I find them a pita though. Harder to set down fast, easier to have a leak or spill overall.
I've never gotten a HF brush or gun who's seals didn't melt with lacquer thinner. They don't (didn't) use nitril rubber o-rings & seals. Cheap rubber seals will dissolve, harden or shrink. Replace those and they are usually decent tools.
Really, if you get a chepie the chance it works sub par could be discouraging as well. It took a few times before I finally got to use a brush I liked, an automatic (trigger opens air first, then paint flow is opened by more pull on the same trigger, then further pulling increases paint flow)
Half of not hating this is mixing the paint, and cleaning up efficiently. Develop a work pattern and use it, never delay cleaning as it only gets harder.
Run thinner through it asap, and don't be quick to throw away dirty thinner. It can still be used again for a first round of cleaning, followed with a "rinse" out of the new can. (I keep three or four stages of thinners for this and for color-washes in weathering). I have at least 8 jars of dirty wash water/paint thinner-mineral sprits/lacquer thinners just waiting around and I don't even paint too often anymore.
I thought I was the only crazy one! .....I keep different jars of degraded thinner from horrible to clean! ...I don’t throw it out till turns so yucky you wouldn’t use it to wipe out a valve cover! .....thank god there’s at least two of us! .............Pat
