Airless guns atomise paint with fluid pressure alone and suit high-volume and heavy coatings. Air-assisted airless adds a little air for finer atomisation at lower fluid pressure. HVLP uses turbine or compressor air at low pressure for fine finishes with less overspray. On Titan's range that is the RX, S and M guns, the GM 3600, and the Maxum II and Maxum Elite.
Three ways to atomise paint
All three gun types do the same job: break liquid coating into a fine mist and lay it on a surface. They differ in what does the breaking.
How each gun type atomises
| Type | What atomises the paint | Titan examples |
|---|---|---|
| Airless | Very high fluid pressure through a small tip orifice | RX-80, RX-Pro, RX-Apex, S-3, M-4, M-8 |
| Air-assisted airless | Fluid pressure plus a small amount of air, for finer atomisation at lower fluid pressure | GM 3600 |
| HVLP (high-volume, low-pressure) | Air from a turbine or compressor at low pressure | Maxum II, Maxum Elite |
General descriptions of each method; check each gun's manual for set-up.
Airless guns
Airless is what most contractors mean by a spray gun: a pump pushes coating through the hose and out of the tip at very high fluid pressure. Pattern and delivery come from the tip. The orifice size sets how much material comes out, and the fan angle sets the width of the pattern. Thicker coatings generally need larger orifices, while fine finishes use smaller ones.
Titan rates its airless guns by maximum pressure. The RX-80 and RX-Pro are rated at 3600 psi, the RX-Apex at 5000 psi, and the S-3 at 3900 psi. Our RX-80 0538006 is one example of a complete gun. Because airless pressure is very high, the injection hazard applies. Keep the tip guard on and follow your manual's pressure relief procedure.
Air-assisted airless: the GM 3600
The GM 3600 sits between the two. Titan lists it at 3600 psi (24.8 MPa) with a maximum air input pressure of 115 psi. It has a reversible tip system, works with standard reversible tips and with Brilliant Flat Tips, and has an inline filter and a stainless steel fluid passage. Titan's Brilliant Flat Tips are described for high-production fine finish.
The GM 3600 needs both a fluid supply and an air supply. The site lists it on the GM guns, accessories and tips page, for example 2412194, the GM 3600 with a flat tip guard. Tips such as the 517 Brilliant Flat Tip are on the Brilliant Flat Tips page.
HVLP: Maxum II and Maxum Elite
HVLP guns use air to atomise at low pressure. They are used for fine finishes where you want less overspray. Titan's Maxum Elite comes as 0524027 with a siphon cup, and the Maxum II as 0524041, a gun with cup.
Two things decide how an HVLP gun sprays. First is the air supply: the Maxum II manual says standard air caps need 15 to 25 SCFM, so the turbine or compressor has to be able to deliver that. Second is the needle, nozzle and air cap set, which has to suit the viscosity of the material. Titan sells these as numbered projector sets. Clean an HVLP gun immediately after use.
On our diagrams the Maxum II appears in both compressor and turbine versions, so there is more than one air source possible. Match the gun's diagram page to the way yours is fed.
Choosing between them
- High-volume work and heavy coatings: airless is the usual route. Hydraulic-drive sprayers are built for heavy and protective coatings.
- Fine finishes: HVLP and air-assisted airless are the types aimed at them. Titan lists its SC-6+ Fine Finish airless tips for cabinetry, woodwork and metal with stains, lacquers and light-bodied clear finishes, so a fine finish is not exclusively an HVLP job.
- Different coatings: latex, oil-based, stains, textures and protective coatings may need a different tip size, and sometimes a different class of sprayer.
We do not rank them or claim one wastes less paint, because the right gun depends on the coating, the surface, the volume and the equipment you already own. Pick by the job first, then match the parts.
Parts for each type
The starting point for Titan airless guns and tips.
GM 3600 guns, kits and the test air cap kit.
The Maxum II series and its diagram pages.
The Maxum Elite gun and its parts list.
One example from each type, with current prices.
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The short version
Airless uses fluid pressure and suits volume and heavy coatings. Air-assisted airless, the GM 3600, adds air for finer atomisation. HVLP, the Maxum guns, uses low-pressure air for fine finishes. Pick by the job, then call (713) 931-0006 with the gun model to match parts.
Not sure which gun type fits your work?
Describe the coating and the job and we will help you find the matching gun parts.
(713) 931-0006Order by Parts Diagram