Specifications

38. How should guns be cleaned?
A suction or pressure feed gun with
attached cup should be cleaned as
follows:
Turn off the air to the gun, loosen
the cup cover and remove the fluid
tube from the paint. Holding the
tube over the cup, pull the trigger
to allow the paint to drain back into
the cup.
Empty the cup and wash it with
clean solvent and a clean cloth. Fill
it halfway with clean solvent and
spray it through the gun to flush
out the fluid passages by directing
stream into an approved, closed
container. All containers used to
transfer flammable materials should
be grounded. (Be sure to comply
with local codes regarding solvent
disposal).
Then, remove the air cap, clean
it as previously explained, and
replace it on the gun.
Wipe off the gun with a solvent-
soaked rag, or if necessary, brush
the air cap and gun with a fiber
brush using clean-up liquid
or thinner.
To clean a pressure feed gun with
remote cup or tank, turn off air
sup-ply to cup or tank. Release
materi-al pressure from the system
by opening relief valve.
Material in hoses may be blown
back. The lid must be loose and
fluid pressure off. Keep gun higher
than container, loosen air cap and
trigger gun until atomizing air
forces all material back into the
pressure vessel.
A gun cleaner may be used for
either type of gun. This is an
enclosed box-like structure
(vented) with an array of cleaning
nozzles inside.
Guns and cups are placed over the
nozzles, the lid is closed, the valve
is energized, and the pneumatically
controlled solvent sprays through
the nozzles to clean the equipment.
The solvent is contained, and must
be disposed of properly.
Some states’ codes require the use
of a gun cleaner, and it is un-lawful
to discharge solvent into the
atmosphere.
After cleaning a spray gun in a gun
cleaner, be sure to lubricate as
indicated in Figure 22.
Figure 21 - Using a Hose Cleaner
Use a hose cleaner to clean
internal passages of spray guns
and fluid hose. This device
incorporates a highly efficient fluid
header, which meters a precise
solvent/air mixture. The cleaner
operates with compressed air and
sends a finely - atomized blast of
solvent through the fluid passages
of the hose, the spray gun, etc.
This simple, easy to use cleaner
speeds up equipment cleaning and
saves solvent. Savings may be as
much as 80%. It also reduces VOC
emissions. (Be sure that both the
hose cleaner and gun are
properly grounded.)
Where local codes prohibit the use
of a hose cleaner, manually
backflush the hose into the cup or
tank with solvent until clean and
dry with compressed air.
Clean the container and add clean
solvent. Atomization air should be
turned off during this procedure.
Pressurize the system and run
the solvent through until clean.
(Be sure to comply with local
codes regarding solvent dispersion
and disposal.)
Clean the air cap, fluid tip and tank.
Reassemble for future use.
39. What parts of the gun require
lubrication? (Figure 22)
The fluid needle packing A, the air
valve packing B and the trigger
bearing screw C require daily
lubrication with a non-silicone/
non-petroleum gun lube.
The fluid needle spring D should
be coated lightly with petroleum
jelly or a non-silicone grease
(ie. Lithium).
Lubricate each of these points after
every cleaning in a gun washer!
Figure 22 - Lubrication Points
2. Air Atomizing Spray Guns (Cont’d)
12