Spray Gun Cleaner

[Tony Bilello]

I just noticed on Harbor Freight's website a gun cleaner for $99. It supposed to clean the gun in about a minute. I shoot mostly nitro lacquer and pre-cat lacquer and usually clean up with lacquer thinner. The instruction manual for the gun cleaner states to not use anything flamable. I can read the internet and get lost in different products, but what I want is someone here with actual experience with a gun cleaning machine and non-flamable cleaner.
I attached a link to the spray gun cleaner. Basically, all this cleaner does is clean the parts and runs solvent through the gun for you. Recently I have been working for 2 decorators that use pigmented lacquer on everything. I strip the antiques and paint (colored pre-cat lacquer) them various colors. Later on this coming week I will be spraying at least 15 pieces of furniture 6 different colors. I went to HF and bought 3 cheap guns ($20 each on sale) to suppliment my existing 3 guns. This way, I can spray almost continuously with one color per gun without having to clean the guns other than a quick shot of lac thinner through them. Then only have to clean the guns good only once a day. With the gun cleaner, I can have my helper or the LOML clean the guns for me. I clean my guns all of the time but cleaning them from pigmented lacquer is neither fun nor fast. I spray something almost every day and this would be a good time saver. .......I think.

I shutter the thought of clear coating an expensive piece of furniture and having a short spit of color hit the surface.
I want to use lac thinner or acetone. The manual for the cleaning unit says only use non-flamable solvents. I was just thinking that they may say that just as a disclaimer in case of fire.

http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/94000-94999/94996.pdf

Thanks in advance.

[Phil Phelps]

Tony, I'd save my money and do what you do. If you spray mostly lacquer, you're in fine shape. Many times while spraying different colors of lacquer, I just wipe the siphon tube and run a little lacquer thinner through the gun and change cups. Depending on how much you spray, you can break your guns down once a week and thoroughly clean them. Sounds as if the machine runs a continuous cleaner through the gun, but it doesn't scrub them down. Just my thoughts.

[Conrad Fiore]

Tony,

Set-up and Operation

1. Tighten the Basin Lid located on the Basin. See photo on top of page 5.

2. Add 2.5 gallons of organic, nonflammable cleaning fluid into the Tank.

I would image that the unit is not explosion proof and the pumps and switches are not isolated to prevent fire or explosion when using a flammable solvent.

[Tony Bilello]

I called Tech Support this morning. The key factor is the pump. It is not able to withstand solvents such as lacquer thinner and acetone. So........thsi is a no go.