The Item in My Kit
I bought Graco Project Painter Plus Sprayer as part of my camper van equipment.
Spraying the exterior was only one stage after masking, sanding and cleaning the van. This Graco sprayer is part of the painting equipment I purchased around that broader coating work.
Comparing the Pump and Storage Format Beside the Coating Work
- I taped the paint boundaries and covered the areas I was leaving unpainted.
- I sanded, removed dust and cleaned the exposed surfaces before coating.
- My painting-equipment purchases included an airless pump-and-hose sprayer.
Camper Van Project Applications
An airless paint sprayer and an air-compressor-fed gun use different delivery systems. The Graco's pump moves paint through its hose; the spray tip controls the fan and fluid opening. Painting removable wooden panels or storage parts also involves masking, access around the workpiece and a complete cleanup at the end.
For a wider view of the build kit, see my van conversion tool checklist and budget versus professional tool comparisons.
Manufacturer Specifications And Instructions
| Specification | Manufacturer Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum Fluid Working Pressure | 2,800 psi |
| Maximum Delivery | 0.24 US gallons per minute |
| Maximum Tip Opening | 0.015 inch |
| Power Requirements | 110–120 V, 9 A, single phase |
Graco manual 3A6430 covers priming, tip selection, flushing, storage and troubleshooting. Its specifications distinguish Project Painter Plus from the X5 and X7 models included in the same document, so their higher delivery figures should not be substituted for this model.
Graco Project Painter Plus Technical Manual
Download Graco Manual 3A6430 (PDF) — priming, spraying, cleaning, storage and model specifications.
My Experience with This Tool
After struggling with the inexpensive AEROPRO gun, I moved to the more expensive Graco. For my painting work it was far superior: it delivered much more paint, helped me finish faster and was much easier to clean.
I have used Graco products over the years, including full-size sprayers for painting homes, and they have been reliable tools for me. Sometimes I can get away with buying an inexpensive tool; for the painting jobs I was doing, spending more on the Graco was worthwhile.
My Takeaway from This Job
The coating job involved substantial preparation before spraying began. Among these airless packages, the Project Painter Plus and X5 keep the pump separate from the handheld gun, while the X7 adds a wheeled cart for moving and storing the pump.
