CLEANING THE BASECOAT GUN
When you are done spraying basecoat or topcoat, the spray gun should be cleaned right away using lacquer thinner. A squeeze bottle (purchased at Wal-Mart) is an ideal tool for dispensing lacquer thinner when cleaning.
As mentioned in the Basecoat Mixing Procedure section, using the Spectrum Universal Paint System (UPS) from Harbor Freight or the Disposable Paint Cup (DPC) system from Sagola makes cleaning much easier; saving a lot of time and lacquer thinner.
To begin cleaning, the Universal Paint System attachment is removed and lacquer thinner is squirted through the top of the gun using a squeeze bottle. This dissolves and cleans the leftover paint; forcing it through the fluid chamber and out the gun nozzle. When the lacquer thinner coming out of the nozzle becomes clear in color, the gun is sufficiently cleaned. It can now be stored for use the next time, or immediately prepared for topcoat application. Some customers choose to purchase two guns – one for basecoat, and a second gun for topcoat.
To maintain the best spray performance of your gun, we recommend taking it apart and cleaning it thoroughly at least once a week. A thorough cleaning involves disassembling the gun and soaking its parts in lacquer thinner. A bristle brush and other tools are used to loosen and remove paint material built up on the internal parts. The parts are then wiped clean and thoroughly dried before re-assembly. Refer to the manufacturer’s maintenance manual for further details and for information on replacement parts when needed.
The videos below demonstrate the differences in cleaning procedures when using the stock paint hopper versus the Universal Paint System.
