Graco-Sharpe 288882 HVLP FX3000 Paint Spray Gun, 1.8 mm

I work for a custom painting and restoration shop and have been there for about 10 years. I paint some on the side and have been doing so since I was a young teenager. I have always used cheap spray guns on the side and when I go to work, I use Iwata spray guns. There is no doubt Iwata guns spray nice in my opinion. Lay a nice pattern and spread metallics and pearls evenly. Here was my issue...a buddy of mine asked me to spray his truck, the colors of choice, silver and tuxedo black(a lot of pearls and mettallics). Because of this, I didn't want to use a cheap, $50 spray gun. I started looking for some decent guns and came across this Sharpe. The reviews I read were excellent and the gun has a similar design shape to the Iwata guns so I decided to pull the trigger. (No pun intended) Upon arrival, I went over it, love the shape, love the feel, and really love the performance. This spray gun is far cheaper than that of an Iwata but in my opinion, sprayed just as nice. The pearls and metallics went on evenly and I have no complaints. This is a fantastic gun, not too expensive but works like a high end spray gun. The only issue I had was I accidentally ordered the wrong size tip. That was my fault but it still worked great. Fantastic product.

Pros -* adjustable spray pattern up to 12.5"* available in nozzle sizes 1.0, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.8mm* low cfm required - 9.5cfm @ 90psi* lightweight - 1 lb with 20 oz cupCons -No storage caseNo regulatorAvailable Tip/Nozzle size applications* 1.0 mm: hobby, spot repair, base coat, clear coat* 1.3 mm: Base coat, high solid, single stage paint, clear coat* 1.4 mm: Base coat, clear coat mixed with single stage paint, sealers, low solid clear, clear coat* 1.5 mm: Base coat, sealers, enamels, medium to high viscosity, clear coat* 1.8 mm: PrimerI purchased the FX3000 with the 1.4mm tip and it sprays base, base and clear mixed and clear coats flawlessly. For spraying primers, I thin primer by adding more reducer. The gun requires 9.5 cfm at 40psi. I have used the FX3000 with my Ridgid 9 gallon wheelbarrow compressor that puts out 10.6 cfm @ 90 psi, it works great except for when spraying large panels, the compressor has to run continuously under load to maintain pressure . Initially, I was concerned with the cfm requirement of the FX3000 and performance of the the spray gun but the end results were amazing. No matter what media I sprayed thru the gun, it laid down like glass. I like that the gun has a pressure adjusting knob located at the bottom of the handle which allows user to use a cheap airflow metering gauge should a true regulator not be in the user's budgetThis really is an amazing gun for the price, interestingly the price is still the pretty much the same as when the gun first came out in 2011... guess that is an indicator of a great product as it still maintains original value. I purchased the FX3000 as an used item at a greatly discounted price from seller " Fashion Place " with a no questions asked return option past the normal 30 day return policyI'll be purchasing the 3M PPS to accompany my FX3000. Very pleased with this purchase

I have been extremely pleased with the performance of this sprayer. I have sprayed professionally in a dedicated spray booth with professional equipment and this gun certainly does not match the quality of that equipment but it is not thousands of dollars either. I am currently using it in my small garage shop with a 40 gallon tank air compressor and it runs well above my expectations. I've used several other siphon guns and HVLP spray guns with very unsatisfactory results. The main issue that I have had in the past is not being able to get enough volume of spray out of the gun. This is directly linked to the thickness of the finish and the size of the orifice in the spray gun. Most spray guns have a 1-1.4mm tip which in my experience is not enough to spray water based polyurethane which is what I primarily use. The 1.8 mm tip on this gun handles water base polyurethane very well. I also have found that the air control capabilities of this gun are better than others that I have used. The only reason that I have given this gun four stars rather than five is because the gun came with a dent in the metal cup. It is still usable and not a big concern for me. Overall I'd highly recommend this gun for anyone wanting to spray water-based polyurethane.

This gun works very well and is great for the price. The spray quality is also really good! This is a great gun for beginners. The quality of the gun is decent I've used a Sata before so I cant say its the best engineered gun ever but it has been engineered well. This gun is also very easy to clean once you get the fluid nozzle to come off, I don't recommend using all your strength on the fluid nozzle with the supplied tool it hurts, I had to use a 19 mm socket on a 1/2 inch drive ratchet to break it free make sure you squeeze trigger while you use the ratchet and socket so you don't damage the needle...This was the only con I had with this gun. I hope this helps future buyers. As a side note the Amazon support team was great and helped me with any issue I had also the Graco-Sharpe support was very helpful in helping me solve the nozzle sticking issue without damaging the gun.

Amazing gun used it as my base coat gun and im very pleased with thw results very light weight great automization precise adjustments for the air and fluid easy to clean and disassemble and my favorite part is how great it looks with the chrome finish highly recommend alot of people think you need a iwata or some of the top line guns that are ridiculously priced you can get the same results with a lower priced gun if you know how to properly adjust and use the gun