Originally Posted by Doug Fattic

Yes, my Iwata 300s are semi-mini guns. They just have regular size nozzles. They are certainly smaller than regular size guns and make it easier to get into the triangles. You also want a small cup. Mine are 150ml. They are also bigger than my Sata Mini-Jet (which only has room for one finger on the trigger - I like 2). They just seem like the perfect size for painting frames. They are more comfortable in my hand than a full sized gun.

I prefer the W to the LPH. It is less complaint but sprays better. Painters that have been around awhile know that HVLP guns don't spray as well as older versions. For example I kept using a non HVLP Sata Jet 90 as my clear coat gun because it put on clear coats better. However it is a full sized gun (somewhat uncomfortable in my hand) and I really like my smaller W-300s and I don't notice spray difference between it and my W-300. Because painting a frame uses so little paint, I don't think it much matters environmentally which gun I am using. I also spray at a higher pressure than recommended because it flows out the paint better.

While I think about it, a diaphragm air pressure regulator on the gun has better pressure control than the needle type. When I 1st pull the trigger, it doesn't have a little burst of paint like a needle regulator can have. The Iwatas are better than other brands. I also use disposable air filters where the hose attaches to the gun.

You understood me that the kind of primers and clear coats we use for painting bicycle frames, a bigger nozzle (1.3 + -) is needed to flow out the paint properly. There was a guy that used my shop and a 1.0 Sata to paint his frames. He could never get the smoothness that I could with my bigger nozzles. Like most framebuilders that have an independent mind, I couldn't persuade him to change but it is just an example of why a bigger nozzle is better. Smaller nozzles can work fine on the middle color coats (if using a base coat/clear coat system). That kind of paint is thin and goes on very thin so it isn't necessary to put out enough volume of paint so it flows out like a primer or catalyzed clear needs to do.

Today's paint jobs almost always require painting in and around masks. An airbrush with a small nozzle is almost a necessity so there isn't excessive paint build up on the edges of the mask. This is where a Iwata HP-TH2 would be perfect because it has a trigger similar to the other paint guns you will be using. It wouldn't be a mistake to get one unless you find you don't like/want to paint anymore.

Getting the right paint spraying equipment is a necessity if you want to do a good job. Its like if you had a friend that asked your advice about getting into bicycling and wonders about getting something cheap until he is sure he wants to do it for sure. You can finish the rest of my example yourself. However buying a 3m Accurspray for around $200 will be good enough to get you started and be the basis for figuring out what else you might need.