Getting the Spray Gun Cleaned Up

Okay, so finished up a job today and the spray gun was looking pretty rough. Time for its bath in the cleaning machine. It’s become a standard part of my cleanup routine now, saves a lot of hassle compared to doing it all by hand.

First things first, I get everything ready. Got the dirty gun, my trusty cleaning machine, a jug of cleaning solvent, and my gloves – definitely need gloves for this stuff. Safety first, right?

Next, I start taking the gun apart. This is super important. You can't just chuck the whole thing in and expect miracles. I usually break it down into the main parts:

• The air cap
• The fluid nozzle
• The needle

I lay these out carefully so nothing rolls away. The gun body itself also needs cleaning, of course.

Then, I load up the machine. I place the gun body and the smaller parts into the cleaning tank. Gotta make sure they're positioned so the cleaning jets inside the machine can hit all the nooks and crannies. I pour in enough cleaning solvent to cover the parts, following the machine's fill line. Close the lid, latch it tight.

Time to let the machine work its magic. I set the timer – usually give it a good 10-15 minutes depending on how gunked up the gun is. You can hear it whirring and spraying inside, doing the messy work for me. It's way better than scrubbing endlessly with brushes and getting solvent everywhere.

Once the cycle is done, I pop the lid open. Carefully, using my gloves, I take out the gun body and the parts. I give them a quick look-over. Most times, they come out sparkling. If there's a stubborn spot, maybe a quick wipe with a small brush, but the machine usually gets 99% of it.

After the wash cycle, I often give the parts a quick rinse with some clean thinner, just to make sure all the dirty solvent is off. Then comes the drying. Compressed air is your friend here. I blow air through all the passages in the gun body, dry off the needle, nozzle, and cap thoroughly. You don't want any moisture or leftover solvent in there.

Reassembly is next. Put the needle back in, screw the fluid nozzle on nice and snug (but not overtight!), and then the air cap. I always double-check everything feels right.

Before I call it done, I usually pour a little clean thinner into the cup and do a quick test spray into a rag. Just to make sure the pattern looks good and everything is flowing smoothly. Peace of mind, you know?

Last step is dealing with the machine itself. Need to handle the used solvent properly, usually filter it for reuse or dispose of it according to local rules. Give the inside of the machine a quick wipe down too. All part of keeping the tools in good shape for the next job.

So yeah, that’s my process using the spray gun cleaning machine. It’s straightforward and makes a tedious job much quicker and cleaner. Definitely worth having one if you spray regularly.