What Are the Parts of a Spray Gun?

Although there are several varieties of paint spraying equipment, the most common are built around the same system of compressor or pump, tank and applicator.

Tank

Hand-held paint sprayers are mounted on small plastic tanks that hold the paint to be applied. Larger paint sprayers may use the paint container itself as the holding tank, connecting to it through a supply hose, while sprayers powered by independent compressors could use either tank setup.

Compressors

Sprayers powered by air compressors may have a dedicated supply or simply attach to an existing compressed air system. Airless paint sprayers use hydraulic piston pumps to force a thin stream of paint through an atomizing nozzle.

Applicators

Compressor-driven sprayers use applicator guns that channel paint and compressed air through a trigger-operated valve and spray nozzle. Larger airless systems may be similar, but hand-held sprayers use triggers to activate the pump itself.

Filters, Hoses

To prevent clots of paint from entering the spray system, the suction tube opening is fitted with a filtering screen. Larger systems require special supply side hoses as well as output hoses connecting the pump to the applicator.

Gaskets

Every fitting in the high pressure paint sprayer requires a gasket to prevent the leakage of paint. Failure to clean the sprayer correctly or maintain and replace gaskets when needed can ruin the machine.

Resources

• Choosing and Using Paint Sprayers