If you have decided to coat your pond with Pond Shield and have determined that using an epoxy paint sprayer is the way to go, there are some equipment aspects that you should be aware of. Not all spray machines are the same and if you rent or purchase the incorrect one, it will cause problems during the application process. When you are in the middle of spraying, the last thing you need is problems caused by the equipment.
Machine Pump Size – It is important to look into the machine pump size because a epoxy paint sprayer with a pump that is too small will do nothing more than struggle the whole time the coating is being applied. That is not to mention the fact that a smaller pump may not even move the material to the spray gun. Machine pump sizes are usually a standard specification that can be found on any spray machine label.
Normally, the machine output should be as close to 3000 psi during normal operating. In some cases, the machine label will state this pressure as a range such as 250 – 3000 psi. This means that the normal operating pressure might really be somewhere in the middle of that range. In this example, the normal operating pressure might be about 1375 psi. That could be too little and the machine could struggle.
Spray Gun Tip Size – Because Pond Shield is thick, it is essential that the orifice in the spray gun tip be big enough to accommodate the flow of material. Just like the pump size, bigger is better. Most spray gun tips will measure at about .017 to .021 which is fine for lacquers and some latex paints. However, those materials have a much smaller viscosity that Pond Shield epoxy to the orifice should be bigger. A good place to start in regards to spray gun tip size is .023 – .027. Of course an even bigger tip up to .038 or .040 will assist even further.
Fluid Hose – Normally the hose on a machine will have an inside diameter of 3/8 inch. On occasion, a machine will come with a hose that has a ½ inch inside diameter. This is a lot better in regards to moving more material at a time. In some cases the hose size will also be an indicator that the machine can handle a larger volume as well, which may mean the pump is bigger and the spray gun tips are bigger.
If you have any questions about a particular epoxy paint sprayer that you are considering using, please give us a call. We would be happy to assist you with that and get you moving forward with your project.
