Gravity-Cup Add-On Option for Air-Assisted Airless Setups

Here's a look at an accessory gravity-cup arrangement that makes it convenient to occasionally apply small amounts of special finishes. July 17, 2008

Question
I am having a Kremlin setup demoed in my shop next week. What should I be asking, what model, what options, etc.? I normally run two guys full time in the finish area. They do not do prep sanding, only sealer sanding, glazing, etc.

Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor P:
Kremlin makes a machine (Cylclomix) that mixes the catalyst and finish automatically, but with the pumps to run it, it costs as much as a nice car. Not sure if that's something you're interested in. But if all you spray is catalyzed finishes, and production is high enough, it will reduce costs from waste and time spent mixing your finishes.

The 10-14 pump is probably what the rep will demo and it's a very nice piece of equipment. It sprays very well with minimal overspray. I added a gravity cup option to mine (see picture below) which comes in really handy any time you're only spraying a small amount at a time (a pint up to a gallon). That way you can mix up just enough finish for the task at hand and there won't be any waste. Using the 5 gallon pail siphon hose makes it difficult to mix and spray small quantities without a fair amount of waste.

For tips, you get an 09-094 with the gun and it sprays 10 oz per min at 500 PSI with a 9" fan width. After getting comfortable with using the pump, I switched to the 12-156 tip, which sprays 12 oz per minute with a 13" fan. There's a wide range of tips to choose from to match the material you're spraying as well as the speed you want to spray at. If you're doing a lot of large flat work, a wider tip with more fluid flow will allow you to move faster.


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From the original questioner:
Thank you. I had read about the gravity cup and I always assumed it was referring to a spray gun with a gravity cup on top. This makes the setup even more attractive. We do spray CV (Valspar), but the Cyclomix setup would be unaffordable right now. The information on the tips is also helpful. I have read a lot of great reviews on the Kremlin, from people I know and respect, so I was already sold. I did not know specific details, so it is getting better.

From contributor J:
Ditto on what contributor P said. My Kremlin setup is exactly like his, except the manifold valve at the bottom has a third gate valve pointing straight down. That's very convenient for emptying the residue from the gravity cup. If you get set up like this, be careful not to open both of those valves at the same time. Whatever is in your gravity cup will end up in your lacquer bucket. Don't ask me how I know that :-).