Comparison Pro-Craft PSE950 vs Stavr KE-800

The power consumed by the operation of an electric tool (see "Type").

Most modern spray guns, even performant ones, have a rather low power: for example, models with more than 1 kW are extremely rare, and in most cases, power consumption does not exceed 500 W at all. So when connecting such equipment to sockets, there are usually no problems; only single units of high performance, requiring 3.5 kW or more, have to be connected according to special rules (directly to the shield). In other cases, data on power consumption is most often not needed for normal use and may be required only for specific tasks — for example, to calculate the load on an autonomous generator.

Consumption of paint or other material (for example, mortar for plaster) when the spray gun is operating in normal mode.

The higher the flow rate, the more material the tool can apply per unit of time, the better it is suitable for processing large areas and for applying thick coatings. On the other hand, not all types of work require high productivity, and sometimes relatively low consumption is optimal. Detailed recommendations on this subject for different situations can be found in special sources.

The maximum viscosity of the paint or other working material at which the spray gun is able to work normally. Specified in DIN units; a certain DIN in this case is the number of seconds it takes for a standard volume of paint (usually 100 mL) to pour out of a funnel with a strictly defined pour hole diameter (usually about 4 mm). Such a funnel (viscometer) can be supplied with the spray gun, but if necessary, it can be purchased separately.

Thus, the larger the DIN, the more viscous the composition is. And the larger the number indicated in the characteristics of the spray gun, the wider its capabilities, the thicker liquids can be poured into it without fear of clogging and breakage. At the same time, it should be taken into account that in fact it is not so often necessary to work with thick liquids — on the contrary, excessive viscosity worsens the quality of the coating, leads to streaks and increases the drying time. For example, most enamels and oil paints are used at a viscosity of about 20 DIN, latex paints up to 45 DIN, etc. General recommendations on this matter can be found in special sources, and specific ones can be found on the packaging of a particular brand of paint or other composition.

The diameter of the nozzle at the outlet of the spray gun.

It is from this nozzle that paint or other working material comes out. And the productivity and spot size at the exit depend on the diameter. Accordingly, larger nozzles are better suited for processing large surfaces, while smaller nozzles provide greater precision and accuracy. Thus, this parameter is directly related to the type of device (see above). There are also spray guns with a replaceable nozzle, when more than one nozzle is provided in the kit, which expands the possibilities of using the device.

The type of spray system used in the device. Different spray systems differ in the format of work and, as a result, in individual practical nuances of use:

— HP (High Pressure) / CONV (conventional). One of the most famous and popular spray systems. The air pressure at the inlet and outlet of such spray guns is approximately the same. The advantages of HP systems are the simplicity of design, large working width, high paint application speed and relatively low air consumption. At the same time, the percentage of paint transfer in such sprayers is very low — more than half of the applied material bounces off the surface due to high speed and settles on surrounding objects. Another disadvantage is that the flow from the HP atomizer picks up fine dust and other "flying debris" heavily; because of this, additional grinding and polishing of the painted surface is often required.

— RP (Reduced Pressure). Modification of conventional (HP) atomizers, characterized by a slightly reduced outlet pressure. This allowed for some improvement in the transfer coefficient and reduced debris levels while maintaining the advantages of good performance, uniformity and low air consumption. Nevertheless, according to these indicators, such devices are still inferior to low-pressure models.

— HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure). Spray system with reduced outlet pressure (a...pprox. 0.7 bar) and large air volumes. One of the key advantages of such devices is a high ink transfer coefficient of at least 65%. In addition, the low speed of the paint supply reduces the level of debris: there are relatively few turbulences that “pull” debris along with them. The main disadvantage of HVLP systems can be called high air consumption; not every compressor can handle such an atomizer. In addition, they require additional filters to protect against oil and moisture entering the air during high compressor loads; and you can work with such a device only at a short distance (usually up to 15 cm), and in order to avoid drips, a certain skill is required.

— HVLP-II (New High Volume Low Pressure). The second generation of HVLP (see the relevant paragraph), which has a number of improvements compared to the original, but is generally similar.

— LVLP (Low Volume Low Pressure) / Trans-Tech. Spray systems developed as an improvement to HVLP. With the same advantages (high transfer coefficient, minimum debris), they consume much less air and have softer requirements for compressors and hoses. In addition, LVLP systems are less sensitive to pressure drops, and the effective spraying range in them reaches 25 – 30 cm. Of the notable disadvantages of this option, one can only mention a rather high cost.

— HVMP (High Volume Middle Pressure). Spray systems with high air flow and medium outlet pressure. Compared to HVLP, due to the higher pressure, they give a slightly lower ink transfer efficiency, but greater uniformity and range.

— LVMP (Low Volume Middle Pressure). Spray systems with low air consumption and medium pressure; a kind of modification of LVLP, characterized by higher pressure. Due to this, the cost is somewhat reduced, productivity, uniformity of application and capture width are increased; however, paint consumption is higher and the finished surface is rougher than original LVLP.

— HTE (High Transfer Efficiency). This marking is used in spray systems for which a high transfer coefficient is claimed by the manufacturers. In terms of characteristics, they are most often similar to LVLPs (see the relevant paragraph) — in particular, they have a rather large effective range. However, specific features in each case should be clarified separately.

— EA (Excellent Atomization). The main feature of such systems, in accordance with the name, is a very high degree of atomization of the material. Other performance characteristics in such systems may be different, these points should be clarified separately.

— HEA (High Efficiency Airless). Proprietary airless spray technology (see "Spray") used in the Wagner brand technique. Reduces paint wastage by more than 50% compared to more traditional systems, as well as more even material distribution, according to the creators. Suitable for water and oil based coatings.

MP (Middle Pressure). Transitional option between the HP and RP described above: it provides a slightly lower working pressure compared to HP, but not as low as in RP. For a number of reasons, it did not receive distribution.

HD (Heavy Duty). A marketing designation used on individual sprayers, typically high-capacity, high-volume sprayers. The specific characteristics of such systems should be clarified separately.

The material from which the complete reservoir of the spray gun is made.

— Plastic. Plastic is characterized by a combination of low cost with lightness and reliability. It is somewhat inferior to metal in strength, however, in the case of tanks for spray guns, this is not critical; in addition, the plastic tank can be made transparent, which makes it easier to keep track of the paint level. Thanks to all this, plastic is found in devices of all types and price categories. Among its shortcomings, sensitivity to certain types of solvents can be noted; however, there are resistant varieties of plastic that are practically devoid of this feature.

— Metal. The main advantage of metal tanks is high strength and reliability. On the other hand, they are noticeably more expensive and heavier than plastic ones, and besides, they are not transparent (at best, a built-in indicator in the form of a window can be provided). Because of this, the metal is less common.

— Glass. The glass reservoirs are transparent and allow you to easily control the amount of remaining paint. In addition, this material is chemically inert and compatible with almost any working substance. However, glass has a serious drawback — fragility, which is why it has not received much distribution and is found only in some models of airbrushes (see "View").

The length of the hose supplied with the tool.

This indicator has two meanings. On the one hand, the long hose provides more freedom of movement, allowing you to work farther from the compressor; this is especially important when used with powerful, heavy compressors that are not designed to be carried around often. On the other hand, in some cases a relatively short hose is more convenient; a typical example of such a situation is the presence on the farm of a compact compressor that can be constantly carried with you.

Actually, if the compressor is initially included in the delivery set, then the manufacturer chooses the length of the hose, taking into account its features. But if the spray gun is bought without a compressor, you should pay special attention to this parameter. As for the specific length, the shortest hoses found in modern spray guns do not exceed 2 m, but this is often quite enough; a length of 2 – 5 m can be called an average, and in powerful models (mainly paint stations) you can find hoses and more than 5 m.