Graco airless tips: all you need to know

The tip is the part of the sprayer that tells the pump how hard it has to work in order to maintain the necessary pressure, ensuring that the paint is atomized according to a certain fan width and flow rate. The nozzle has a similar effect to placing your thumb on the hose. A suitable tip ensures less overspraying. Having more control, the quality of the finish will improve, saving time and paint.

Benefits of choosing the right tip:

• Increases your performance.

• Improves the quality of your work.

• Keeps your budget in check.

Choose the right tip

Not all tips are the same. For example, if we want to spray with a wide fan we will have to use the WRLP tip, instead if the area that we are going to paint is thinned the tip that should be used is the LL5, while qeu to obtain a high finish at low pressure we will use the FFLP tip. We also have to take into account that the flow rate will not be the same if we choose the PAA 215 or 417 tip. To choose the right one, you have to know how to differentiate them.

The first thing to consider is the three digits on the mouthpiece. The first of all represents the width of the fan and corresponds to the angle of spraying.

If the number is 3, spraying shall be carried out at an angle of 30 degrees. If we multiply this number by 5, the fan width (provided that the gun is cm away) would be 15 cm.

The last two digits of the tip (19) denote the size of the spray hole in the form of thousandths of an inch. The higher the number, the greater the spray rate.

For example, a tip «519» allows a greater flow rate than a tip «515». «19» refers to a 0.019 orifice.

Color is another essential indicator to consider when choosing a tip. The color indicates the application to be performed with said tip as each has been developed for a specific application. High-finish products (such as dyes or varnishes) need a nozzle with a smaller hole. On the other hand, heavier products (such as plastic paint) require a larger hole. Depending on the colour of the tip, you will immediately know which is best suited to your application.

As important is to choose the right tip as the tip guards. In the image, 3 tip guards with their compatible tips are shown.

- The blue tip guards is compatible with RAC X tips: FFLP, LP, HDA, PAA, WRLP.

- The orange tip guards is compatible with RAC V and LL5 tips.

- The grey tip guards compatible with the XHD tips.