The paint sprayer system offers you several advantages in painting as compared to painting with the traditional methods with a brush. There is no alternative to a paint sprayer to achieve a smooth and elegant finish. It makes your work fast and effective.
HVLP and airless paint sprayers are widely used by professional painters as well as homeowners for their projects. A spray gun gives a clean coat and a significant effect on your painting.
Paint sprayer priming is crucial if you want to ensure the efficiency of your paint sprayer. It would help if you suitably primed the machine to get the best service.
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Is It Difficult To Prime Paint Sprayer?
Before beginning your sprayer priming procedure, it would be better for you to know whether the sprayer is difficult to prime or not or how difficult it is to prime the sprayer. So, let’s tell you that priming the sprayer is a straightforward process. You can do this seamlessly without any special knowledge or skills.
However, you will need to learn to prime the sprayer correctly. The manufacturer’s guide will help you in this matter. You can accomplish the sprayer priming process by following the sprayer priming instructions. The sprayer priming tips we’ll describe will also help you prime your sprayer.
How Long Does It Take For A Paint Sprayer To Prime?
You would definitely like to know how long sprayer priming takes and would also like this process to be done quickly. So, let’s tell you that paint sprayer priming is an easy process that is completed in less time. This is a simple task. Whether you want to prime an easy-to-prime button-type sprayer model or your purpose is to prime an external drive hydraulic paint sprayer – the whole process should be over in 15/20 minutes.
Materials Required To Prime The Sprayer
- Primer paint
- Full-face respirator
- Protective glasses
- Two 5-gallon buckets
- Gloves
How To Prime A Paint Sprayer? [Step-By-Step Guide]
Step 1: Take The Pressure Off
When it comes to priming a paint sprayer, your first step is to release the pressure. Throughout the procedure of the priming sprayer, wear protective glasses, a respirator, and gloves. We have given some suggestions on how you can release the pressure:
- Be sure to engage the trigger lock
- Put the switch of the device in the off position.
- Adjust pressure to the lowest setting
- Invert the tip to remove the trigger lock
- Grasp the metal parts on the sprayer, and place it firmly on the ground. In that case, trigger the sprayer to release the pressure.
- Engage sprayer trigger lock
- Move the valves that are present in the device to the dominant position.
Step 2: Prime The Pump
Now, it’s time to prime your pump. Follow the steps given below to complete the process of priming the pump:
- Utilize a trigger lock
- Remove the gun’s guard and tip.
- Put the drain tube and intake pipe into separate buckets of priming paint.
- Place the “primary” or “drain” position of the prime valve.
- Verify that the pressure control is set to the lowest level
- Activate the machine’s “ON” switch.
- Until the motor starts, apply more pressure. Allow the paint to flow easily through the machine to the trash container’s exit.
- The sprayer should be turned off.
Step 3: Prime The Hose And Gun
Once the priming of the pump is done, proceed to prime the hose and gun. The tips below will help you complete the process of priming the hose and gun:
- Place the gun firmly on the trash can, release the trigger lock, and keep holding
- Set the “Spray” position on the primary valve
- Run the appliance continuously until the paint starts to come out of the outlet. Release the trigger after putting the device in “OFF” mode
- Pull the trigger while bringing the gun up near the paint bucket. Turn the switch there to “ON” and let the paint sprayer run for around 15 to 20 seconds.
- Then, let off the trigger and let the pump develop pressure.
- Lock the gun trigger
- The tip should then be tightened and screwed back on.
Step 4: Test The Spray
Once the process of priming the paint sprayer is complete, test the spraying of paint. The test will ensure how effectively the material comes out of the sprayer tip. You can use cardboard for a spray test. It will be easy to test your sprayer on cardboard and test the spray pattern. Follow our instructions on how to test the spray:
- Place the pressure control knob in the center
- Maintain an 11/12 inch space between the sprayer’s tip and the surface when holding it. The trigger lock should then be taken out and sprayed over the cardboard.
- Your test pattern’s edges should be rounded and easy to merge. When spraying paint, gradually raise the pressure if you notice any heavy edges, and keep going until you get the perfect edges you like.
3 Safety Tips You Can Follow When Priming Your Paint Sprayer
- While spraying, keep your distance from the sprayer. If you stand too close to the paint sprayer, the extreme pressure it produces can easily penetrate your skin, which is very harmful. Therefore, you cannot ignore this risk. When spraying an object to test the sprayer, keep the nozzle away from you and the people around you
- Use a full-face respirator throughout the procedure, and make sure there is enough airflow in the space. It would be ideal if you arranged the work of priming in an open area to prevent the impact of harmful paint fumes.
- Some primers for paint are pretty explosive. That’s why to keep electrical devices, gas, stoves, and other surrounding heat sources off to avoid any potential untoward incident.
Conclusion
With the proper setup, you can consistently apply a clean coat and keep your paint sprayer operating correctly for a more extended period of time. Using a sprayer, priming procedures can vary. Actually, it depends on the kind of model you use. The majority of paint sprayers are made with a secondary priming hose in addition to the central painting hose.
An easy-prime button is used by sprayers that have a priming hose. Thanks to your regular priming methods, your pump will always feel brand new and prepared for the next project. Always put on your safety equipment before priming.
Travis is a painter by profession. His valuable painting tips help customers know how to do painting hassle-free. He is an expert in handling painting tools and loves sharing his experiences with customers. Travis has been in the painting business for the past 20 years. He is now on the verge of early retirement, passing on the secrets.