Wasted $400 on a cheap paint gun that bubbled everything

Bought one of those no-name HVLP guns off Amazon for my side work. Figured it would save me cash for a few quick jobs. First use on a Honda hood, whole clear coat came out orange peel city. Stripped it, tried again, bubbles everywhere. Tossed it in the trash after that. A buddy at the NAPA counter finally told me to just get a Devilbiss. Anyone else get burned by cheap spray equipment?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaret991mo ago

Oh man, that's like when I tried to save money by buying a $30 air sander from Harbor Freight and it literally caught fire in my hand. Not kidding, it started smoking and I dropped it on my driveway. My wife still brings it up every time I mention buying tools. The worst part is I knew better, I had a buddy who bought a no-name spray gun and it glopped paint all over his classic Mustang like it was a Jackson Pollock. I just keep falling for the "this time it'll be different" trap when I see those cheap prices. At least you only wasted time on a Honda hood, I had to repaint my whole fence after a cheap sprayer decided to just spit chunks of paint everywhere. Some lessons you gotta learn the hard way I guess.

hart.mark2mo ago

My buddy Tyler bought the exact same kind of spray gun off Amazon. First job on a friend's truck, paint fisheyed like crazy. He threw it straight in the dumpster and swore off cheap tools forever after that.

-1

phoenix3312mo ago

Funny you say that, I used to be all about saving a buck on tools but seeing stuff like that go sideways changed my mind pretty quick. Your buddy's story is exactly why I stopped gambling on cheap spray gear.