You've got your spray gun, compressor, and paint. Before pulling the trigger, one of the most important factors to get right is the spray pattern. Let’s examine how to determine the optimal spray pattern for your project and how to adjust your spray gun to achieve it.
Why Spray Pattern Matters
The spray pattern impacts several aspects of your paint job.
Coverage. The width of the pattern affects how much area is covered with each pass of the spray gun. A wider fan allows you to coat more surface area, while a narrow pattern may require more passes.
Overlap. The pattern shape and width control the overlap between passes. The right amount of overlap ensures consistent coverage without wasted coating.
Texture. The pattern imparts a texture to the coating. A vertical pattern lays down smoother coats, while horizontal patterns create a more textured “orange peel” finish.
Efficiency. Matching the pattern to the workpiece size optimizes the number of coats and gun passes needed for full coverage. Less passes equals greater efficiency.
Atomization. Pattern width ties to fluid atomization. Narrow patterns require less atomization than wider ones. Setting the pattern wrong can affect atomization quality.
So it’s clear that taking the time to adjust your spray gun for the right pattern for the job leads to better results.
Choosing a Spray Pattern Type
There are three basic spray pattern types to choose from.
1. Round Spray Pattern. Produces a circular pattern shape ideal for coating round or irregular shaped objects. For example, railings, framing, pipes, and decorative trims. The round pattern wraps around curves and reaches into crevices better than a wide fan pattern. The width can be adjusted from a fine point up to about 12 inches.
2. Horizontal Fan Patterns. This flattened, elliptical pattern is most commonly used for broad surface coating. Horizontal fans are used for side-to-side spray motions. The width can range from around 4 inches to over 2 feet.
3. Vertical Fan Patterns. Like the horizontal fan but flipped 90 degrees, this pattern is taller and narrower. Width ranges from 2 inches to a foot or more. The elongated shape makes it good for coating vertical surfaces.
4. Spot Spray Pattern. The spot spray pattern provides a small, concentrated circular area of coverage. Spot patterns allow precise targeting of the coating exactly where its needed. They’re perfect for small repairs, touch-ups, corners, crevices, and other tight spots that are difficult to reach.
Within these types, there are infinite variations in exact size and shape by adjusting spray gun settings. Whenever switching between different coating projects, take the time to spray some test pieces to get the optimal pattern settings.
How to Determine the Right Pattern Size
To select the optimal spray pattern, consider three factors:
1. Workpiece Size and Shape
Match the pattern to the surface you’re coating. For small or round items, a 6-inch round pattern may be ideal. For coating large flat walls, a 12 inch horizontal fan would work well. Adjust the width so that you can coat the entire surface in 1-2 passes.
2. Desired Finish Quality
Wider patterns require less passes but make keeping a wet edge more difficult. Narrower patterns allow applying thinner, smoother coats but require more passes. Choose based on the required finish quality.
3. Overspray Considerations
Take into account overspray that misses the workpiece. Larger patterns produce more overspray. In situations where you need to minimize overspray, choose narrower patterns.
Choosing the Right Pattern for Your Project
As you can see, each spray pattern has advantages where it works best. Consider what you’re coating and how you’ll need to maneuver the spray gun when choosing a pattern.
Fan pattern: Overall broad surface coverage on automotive, doors, floors, furniture, large items.
Round pattern: Curved, cylindrical, or irregular shaped surfaces. Reaching into crevices.
Horizontal/Vertical fan: Matching fan direction to spray stroke.
Spot pattern: Precision touch ups, repairs, corners, crevices.
RONGPENG R807 High Efficiency Paint Spray Gun with adjustable settings allows precise control of paint flow, pattern, and air pressure. So you can go from a concentrated round pattern to a wide fan spray. Unique flow path design improves delivery efficiency. The atomization is more stable, and the transfer efficiency is higher than 65%.
The atomization of R807 is more delicate and uniform, maximize surface coverage while minimizing material usage. The air guide ring distributes air to the air cap and also ensures a uniform and smooth spray pattern, it’s made of hard anodised aluminium, could be removed and cleaned seperately.
Adjusting pattern: Turning Pattern Adjusting Knob to the right until tight will make spray pattern round, or turning it left, will make spray pattern ellipse.
Adjusting volume of fluid output: Turn the Fluid Adjusting Knob, clockwise will reduce the volume of fluid output and counter-clockwise will increase fluid output.
Adjusting air volume: Turning the Air Adjusting valve clockwise will reduce the air volume. And counter-clockwise will increase the air volume.
Especially for automotive top coating & touch up, metal painting and furniture painting. Great for professional painters, contractors, maintainer and DIYers.
Type of Feed: Gravity
Standard Nozzle:1.3mm
Recommended air pressure: 2.0bar(29psi)
Recommended spraying distance: 200mm
Pattern Width:Width:50-70mm,length:260-320mm
Paint Capacity:600cc
Air Inlet:1/4''
Max.temperature of the spray medium:50℃
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