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Techniques for CollectorsLife expectancy of spot spray guns?

1st Dec 2015 11:35 UTCReinhardt van Vuuren

How long can I expect a spot spray gun to work? and for interest sake how often do you use yours and how long have you had it?

1st Dec 2015 11:46 UTCBob Harman

REINHARDT, I bought mine in 2009 at the Tucson show; a "made in China" type.

I was told to buy a few extra springs @ 10 cents each (I never have used them). I was also told to often put a few drops of sewing machine oil into the small labeled hole. I do that regularly.

After a considerable amount of initial use, I now use it about 2x per month for 5 to 20 minutes at each use and have never had any trouble since my purchase. CHEERS.....BOB

1st Dec 2015 11:50 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

After a while the spring goes rusty and then either the spring breaks or else bits of rust come loose and clog up the very tiny water orifice. Either way it stops working. Why the springs aren't made of some more stainless steel alloy I've no idea. Some users run alcohol or oil through the machine after each use, to get rid of internal rusting and prolong its life. I have not done that and am now on my 4th gun (in about 15 years). The amount of time the previous 3 lived was very variable, from just a few months to over 5 years.

1st Dec 2015 13:10 UTCWayne Corwin

I got my GNC Mystic cleaning gun in 1999, it has never failed on me, not even a spring, I still have the spair parts it came with.

I always make sure to use very clean water, run pump till dry after each use, then pump a few drops of penitrating oil thru the gun (not WD-40, as it has a wax in it that will clog the nozzel after a while)(as some friends have found out), be sure to spray the first few seconds of the next use away from your rocks to drain the oil from the gun before cleaning your rocks.

I use my gun almost every month, often several days a month.

I also use Cold water to help keep the gun cool.

1st Dec 2015 16:35 UTCDoug Schonewald

I bought a 'Babs' gun and used it for hours on end when I first got it. I kept it oiled and used it, at times, until it was so hot I had to let it cool off. It finally quit working after about 4 months. After disassembly it was obvious it required a spring replacement. After replacing the springs, and a thorough cleaning, it worked fine and has been working since.

I now use only distilled water, I disassemble and dry the gun and internal parts after every use, and then reassemble it after everything is cleaned and dry. The new springs have been in the gun for about 6 month of hard use and pretty much look like they did when I installed them. I ordered a new set of springs and a new nozzle, just in case, but so far no further trouble.

2nd Dec 2015 06:37 UTCReinhardt van Vuuren

Thanks for the feedback guys.

The reason I was asking is because I am considering getting a spot spray gun for myself a little from me to me Christmas gift and was just worried about spending 1000ZAR on a gun that won't last a year.

2nd Dec 2015 17:30 UTCDoug Schonewald

Make sure you buy a spare set of springs and a spare nozzle. They are 'tippy' and tend to fall on the nozzle which immediately breaks. I try to be careful, but I've still tipped mine over and broke the nozzle once. Should you need to replace anything save all the little gaskets because they can also wear out and lose their seal.

3rd Dec 2015 06:23 UTCReinhardt van Vuuren

Thanks for the tip Douglas, I think I'll visit the local spring manufacturer they custom make springs perhaps they can make me a few from a non corrosive or at least less corrosive material. Knowing my general rate of clumsiness I should get an extra nozzle too.

3rd Dec 2015 13:28 UTCJean-Yves Lamoureux

Hi all,

Yes, these spray guns do have a tendancy to easily get clogged, and have to be disassembled and be cleaned quite often !

Sigh.

Found the following exploded view of the Arrow CM-11 on the manufacturer's site, it might be of interest to owners of that equipment :

http://www.jaygroups.com/arrowcm11partslist.html

3rd Dec 2015 13:57 UTCWayne Corwin

Jean

If your gun keeps clogging, rinse the inside and outside of the water container between each fiilling, then add your water thru a coffee filter. ;-)

3rd Dec 2015 14:08 UTCHarold Moritz 🌟 Expert

I've been using the Mystic 1B spray guns for 20 years of heavy use, each lasted years when properly oiled (use a light sewing machine oil - WD-40 is not a lubricant, it is a water displacer). Probably on my 3rd. The folks at American Niagara that sell them are great, will do repairs for you if need be, send you extra parts at no charge. Cost about $100. It doesnt tip over if you leave water in the reservoir and there is a hook at the top so you can hang it on a bungee when in use, saves a lot of hand/wrist fatigue! You can adjust the spray from a fine mist to a schist/calcite-chipping "drill". My first go-to tool for cleaning off field dirt/lichens/moss to just lightly rinsing off the fine accumulated ick that builds up on specimens displayed at shows.

Go to http://americanniagara.homestead.com/MysticGun-4Page-2009.pdf

20th Dec 2015 07:35 UTCJohn Oostenryk

I have had a Mystic 110V (USA) for 5 years I guess? Seems longer!
Can't imagine NOT having it.

Best accessory for all geology folks- I do think.

Hammers and chisels first if you field collect- but you have to clean specimens!

Non field people~ still. Clean. stuff. :)

You will look back at not having one and grimace/laugh at the past!

Mine has been run for literally whole days many times. Also weekly occasional, constant use. Bottom line-Still hits hard as ever ~ouch;)- or soft. Sweet!

Do run dry and oil~ I would avoided most issues if I was rigorous about that I suspect. Still love it for sure!!

What Harold said!

What Alfredo said on springs. My biggest issue- I trash the (bigger/inner), return spring by leaving water in it. Forget to empty as distraction etc :( My fault.

Pretty regular use- more/less- so that is biggest issue for me

Have never had to replace little/front spring.

There are NO 10cent parts- also plus shipping.

I get a couple months out of spring with no maintenance- $6.50 at Mystic plus shipping.

http://www.american-niagara.com/SPRAY-GUNS-PARTS_c_155.html

If at Tucson Show- they are $8 kit from John Cornish.

I got 6or7 at once, per last year, to run two guns, I think I have 2 left...

I had dumped over unit for various reasons-no problem.

One bad drop onto concrete bent angled nozzle. This IS malleable brass. I carefully bent it back.

At a different time, I bent again. I was not as SLOWW and plus prior stress~ cracked it off base. I had purchased unit off ebay- got best replacement price via Mystic.

Customer service is very nice folks!

I have had a spring rust crumb partially plug tip. I shot it out with friend's unit. Could try air pressure too~

It is TINY orifice. I doubt needle tip thin enough-is also long enough. I have seen copper wire in some applications very thin- not sure if resilient enough to poke?

Also- if you have to remove nozzle end- be careful in unscrewing. There is a lock ring inside nozzle that must be run past threads- rather stiff. Leave ON gun, hold in place with wrench on nut that holds nozzle assembly on. Do not grasp thin neck with tool while turning off nozzle. That neck can be compressed by over squeezing. I just soldered a rupture mistake by self.

to accomplish that- strip neck down-Use flame on neck, (not 'solder gun') apply rosin core solder to heated neck. EZ- no prob.

About that captured lock ring inside nozzle- that needs to be pulled out- before replacing nozzle. lil tricky- it must be bent a tad with a screwdriver to clear and fall out. Throw out. If you don't remove it- you run risk of it catching the machined tip of that nozzle neck and messing up slits... also fixable but pain in butt.

Last detail- due to LOTS of use- thus lots of flex of cord at base, I have suffered a broken wire within cord twice. (2nd time was last night ironically).

NO problem again (it lets you know by intermittent cutout stutter when spraying with side to side motion. Take off side plate, wires are screw connected- mark each for proper reconnect. then disconnect, cut off cord outside of boot. replace boot over remaining cord. strip back wires and reinstall. Easy 15 minutes.

http://www.american-niagara.com/assets/images/Catalogs/SprayGunRepair-JimMcNeil-2009.pdf

http://www.american-niagara.com/assets/images/Catalogs/MysticGun-4Page-2009.pdf

Save those two documents to your computer for reference.

I'd make a copy with a Word.doc of the parts list from Mystic (at 1st link I included)- just for reference. prices will vary a bit at some point...

Have fun!

JO:)

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