Extra cups for the Craftsman sprayer?

[DanM]

A PC newbie here. I just ordered one of the Craftsman PC gun kits. The supplier has extra powder cups available for $10 each. Price seems a little high, and I don't yet know how useful the extra cups would be. Just getting started here. How useful would a couple extra cups be for different colors? I am really getting ahead of myself here, but can't help wondering if I should get the extras while they are still available....DanM

[bangerjim]

I have only one. They are very easy to dump. And I do not care if there is a little carry-over from one color to another. After all, these slugs are just going splat on the other end of the range! And the color mixes can creat interesting pixel patterns.

But get one or two, just incase you break one. I have the HF gun also and do not worry about not having an ESPC gun.

bangerj

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Dan,

Which "kit" did you buy on ebay? If you got just the gun, please post a report on how it works after you receive it.

Thank you,

Dave

[DanM]

I got this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321548132487...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Yep, I will post details after it arrives.

[bangerjim]

I do NOT have the "C" brand, but the one that used to be on Amazon for $50. Craftsman dropped their design of this compresser-less gun several years ago due to ?????.

The one I have works perfect. Others on here have the same one and have had generrally good results.....a few problems with broke-in-the-box stuff, but performance has been good.

I cannot report on the referb "C" brand guns on evilbay. The technology looks the same as mine.
But Sears dropped it for some reason.

Let us know how these "newer" Craftsman guns work.

banger

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I got this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321548132487...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Yep, I will post details after it arrives.

That's more expensive than the Harbor Freight gun. There is another that's only $59.99 I think. It doesn't come with the tape and other various doodads.

I don't think these are refurb guns. I think the chinola factory that makes them just doesn't care what's on the outside of them or doesn't realize it's a brand name.

These guns are rising to a price point the HF gun is getting to be the better value again. When you get to 60 bucks, you're within ten bucks of the HF gun and the HF gun may be the cheaper if you get a 25% off coupon to go with it.

[bangerjim]

I wish I knew of someone locally that had a real Craftsman gun so we could compare the two units side by side. Pictures tell us nothing.

I know my Amazon-sourced gun works very well and I am quite happy with it. Hope the evilbay guns work as well for you!

bangerj

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I wish I knew of someone locally that had a real Craftsman gun so we could compare the two units side by side. Pictures tell us nothing.

I know my Amazon-sourced gun works very well and I am quite happy with it. Hope the evilbay guns work as well for you!

bangerj

Jim,

I wish they still sold the Amazon gun, I'd be all over it. As it is, this situation is delaying my PC gun purchase.

[bangerjim]

Dave............do you own a compressor? Most guys have one around the garage/shop/farm to pump up tires. That is all you really need to use the HF gun which is very reasonable with the 20% coupon! Not much air needed.

I bought one of their cheepee pancake 'pressors just for my back loading shop. ( I think <$40 with coupon?) It works GREAT with the HF gun. Also pumps up the wife's garden wagon tires and wheel barrow tires (good excuse!).

My big double lung 'pressor stays in the main shop.

Hose and reg are only a few $$. And you are ready to go with the HF gun. With that evilbay thing going for $70+, you can get the HF gun for about that price.

banger

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Jim,

In red in the quote,

Dave............do you own a compressor? Most guys have one around the garage/shop/farm to pump up tires. That is all you really need to use the HF gun which is very reasonable with the 20% coupon! Not much air needed. I have an 60 gallon in the garage with cast iron piping to cool the air and reduce water.

I bought one of their cheepee pancake 'pressors just for my back loading shop. ( I think <$40 with coupon?) It works GREAT with the HF gun. Also pumps up the wife's garden wagon tires and wheel barrow tires (good excuse!) How happy are you with it? Those small compressors are really loud, but really handy.

My big double lung 'pressor stays in the main shop.

Hose and reg are only a few $$. And you are ready to go with the HF gun. With that evilbay thing going for $70+, you can get the HF gun for about that price. That's kinda where I'm at. At the price you paid for your amazon sprayer, it was a good deal. But if a guy already has a compressor, the evilbay price of 60 to 80 bucks depending on wether or not you buy some not needed baloney with it, the compressor-less sprayer isn't such a great deal. I was hoping to avoid the slightly more complicated and less portable HF sprayer, but the ability to return the HF unit easily if it has problems and an equivalent or better price outweighs any potential price benefit.

banger

[DanM]

While reading all the way through the stickies I found some positive references to the Craftsman sprayer. No formal reviews, but some members said they had one and liked it. That is why I bought this one. Obviously, I wasn't just looking for the lowest cost alternative. I also ordered two pounds of powder from Smoke4320. One each of flame red and jet black. Now I need to find an oven. Will be visiting Goodwill stores for that and maybe get a few 'new' shirts while I am there. BTW, the unit I ordered is brand new, not refurbished.

[Ken73]

$10 for extra cups is a steal. I'd jump on that offer if you can - at least get one, if not two. I bought 3 or 4 extras for the heck of it.

Sears "dropped" them because at $180 and still requiring an oven to bake your coated part, no one was really buying them. They were manufactured overseas and Sears merely slapped their label on them and put them in a fancy box with their name on it. It's a hairdryer and tazer combination - pretty clever actually.

The HF gun works great too - I've got both but lent the HF gun to a buddy to do his coating until I get my shop put back together (I moved a few years ago and my building has a dirt floor; not conducive to auto work or reloading!)

[bangerjim]

Jim,

In red in the quote,

Yes those little pancake direct drive dudes are loud. But get the job done. After 5 years of use, the diaphragm in the pressure switch went soft. I bought an Amerian-made (well,sort of) Square D from Granger down the street. Paid more for the switch that I did the stupid compressor! And I have a commrecial account with them. But the switch will now outlast the compressor! Mine is inside the shop and I spray outside. Have it plumbed to a quick connect on the outside wall. MOST compressors are loud, no matter who makes them or the size. My double cylinder 90gal one in the big shop is loud too. Nice thing is those little dudes run only a couple minutes on initial fill-up and cycle on and off for about 20 seconds as you use (medium) amounts of air. I also use it (semi-portable) for all my many pneumatic tools around the place. NICE!

In my company, I sell a small compressor for ULTRA-QUIET specialized lab use. It is NOT one of those sillly little airbrush diaphragm things. You cannot even hear it run unless you are right next to it and listening. Bad thing is, it costs $1,800.

The HF gun does a very good job. Some complain about it, but you have to consier it IS HF and quality can vary on those ChiCom things. I have seen that same unit on-line (and NOT HF) for as much as $140! I am seriously looking at getting a semi-pro system this spring.

Hope you can find what you need!

banger-j

[DanM]

Ken, thanks for the lowdown on the sears unit. Some people assume that sears dropped them because they gave trouble, but everything I have heard about them has been positive. I will go ahead and get a couple of the extra cups. Thanks....DanM