My HVLP gun just died mid clear coat on a $4500 job

I was spraying a 2020 silver Accord hood last Thursday when my Devillbiss gun just stopped mid pass. No splutter, no nothing, just dead. Turns out the air valve stem snapped clean off inside the trigger assembly. Had to run to the nearest supplier 20 min away and grab a backup gun I barely trust. Took an extra hour to dial in the pattern and the clear flashed a bit funny in one spot. Anyone have a go-to fix for worn out air valves before they snap like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

sagejackson6d ago

Replace the trigger assembly every six months before it breaks.

taylor_wells6d ago

Oh boy, here we go again with the scheduled maintenance panic. I guess I'll just set a calendar reminder right next to my "change the smoke detector batteries" alarm. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for staying ahead of problems, but replacing a part before it even shows any sign of wear seems a bit much. Unless you're running a competition gun with thousands of rounds through it, I think most folks will be fine checking it once a year or so. But hey, if it makes you sleep better at night, knock yourself out.

alext525d ago

I actually read a review from a gunsmith once who said most trigger issues come from people swapping parts too often and introducing tolerance stacking. He recommended checking the sear engagement maybe annually on a range toy, but only replacing if you actually see wear patterns or get light strikes. Six months seems like a great way to create a problem you didn't have before.

kelly_rivera5d ago

Six months before it breaks"... that's wild. I'm with @taylor_wells on this, replacing something that's still working fine just sounds like asking for trouble. Most of my guns have factory triggers from years ago and they still shoot straight, so I'd rather wait until something actually feels off.