what kind of spray gun should I get for small jobs?

[e9999]

I don't know much about spray guns. But I have the occasional small paint jobs to do that brushes are not great for. Things like bumpers, roof racks, basically smallish narrow things.
I have a big gun but the spray is pretty big when used with 40 psi or more. Like maybe a foot high one foot away. Not sure. And I don't think I could get that pattern smaller playing with flow rates. Also can't imagine it's OK to spray 1" away. So, doing narrow parts like the above would mean a lot of wasted paint and worse a big cloud of extra paint floating around to deal with. And also a lot of cleaning the gun.
So, unless there are tricks to using a big gun for very narrow patterns (pray tell), I'm thinking it might be good getting a little gun, something intended for detail work. Maybe not quite airbrush size but close. Spray width of an inch or 2 wide maybe. I can deal with the extra time needed. Would also be good to use on stuff still on the truck if the spray is controlled and narrow enough.

Advice on what to get / not get or what to do or not do? Tricks to doing narrow stuff? Am I dreaming?

 

[Texx]

Harbor freight has a suction type spray gun that holds maybe a half pint. Exactly what you need, they're around twelve bucks.

 

[e9999]

I saw this. Is that what you mean? Good?

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

what kind of sprays do those things give?

they also have a couple of HVLP and gravity fed guns for detail work. Are those kinds better? like these:
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices and Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[Dave-T]

Check out this site and their forums a bit, you may find some useful info.....

Welcome To Autobodystore.com

 

[Texx]

The first one is the one you want. Infinitely adjustable for pattern and volume. While the other two SHOULD be, also, I've tried both, and the pattern is approximately the same as rearing your head back, holding one nostril, and heaving forth. I ended up throwing the purple one away.

 

[e9999]

The first one is the one you want. Infinitely adjustable for pattern and volume. While the other two SHOULD be, also, I've tried both, and the pattern is approximately the same as rearing your head back, holding one nostril, and heaving forth. I ended up throwing the purple one away.

good to know.
thanks

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Preval makes a very small, reusable aerosol sprayer that will spray automotive quality paints surprisingly well. Hardware stores, would have 'em.

 

[e9999]

thanks


well, I got the little HF one just to play with. Can't go wrong having fun for $10. If this has potential, I may get a good one down the line.

 

[e9999]

well, I tried the little guy. Seems to work fine. Nice finish with rustoleum despite my thinning it out with paint thinner rather than ethanol. Got just 2 or 3 largish drops sticking out (out of an entire trailer hitch assembly). Does that mean I ran too low a pressure? (I did try to go low (about 30-40 psi to minimize overspray.)
How do you know when you are at the right pressure (mist vs large drops)?