Strain and stir the coating, match the tip to its thickness, then set the lowest pressure that still atomizes well, which is the advice in Titan's MultiFinish manual. Hold the gun square to the surface at a steady distance, start moving before the trigger, release before you stop, and overlap each pass by about half the fan.
Most of what separates a smooth finish from a textured one is decided before the first pass: the state of the coating, the tip and the pressure. The checklist below follows that order. It applies to Titan's fine finish equipment in general, from the MultiFinish 440 and AirCoat to the ED655 Plus and the handhelds, and it points to the parts that matter at each step.
Before you spray: coating and tip
Strain and stir
Strain the coating and stir it. Dried lumps and skins are what clog small orifices and filters.
Thin only as the coating maker allows
Use the coating's data sheet for any thinning. Some coatings on Titan's lists are meant to spray with minimal or no reduction, so do not thin by habit.
Match the tip to the coating
The orifice size controls how much material is delivered and the fan angle controls the width of the pattern. Thicker coatings generally need larger orifices and fine finishes use smaller ones. Start with the tip the manual or the coating maker suggests.
Start with a clean, unworn tip
A worn tip has a wider orifice, so pressure falls and the pattern turns coarse or streaky. If the tip has been used a lot, fit a new one before you start a finish job.
The tips you will most often want to hand: the 695-415 reversible tip for the reversible GM 3600 gun, the 0526209 AirCoat tip ACF 9/20 for the flat-tip GM 3600, and the range on the SC-6+ fine finish tips page. Titan lists an SC-6+ Synergy fine finish tip with the ED655 Plus.
Set the pressure low
Titan's MultiFinish 440 manual describes its MultiFinish mode as a low-pressure fine finish mode and advises using the lowest pressure that atomizes well. The same logic applies to other fine finish systems. Test on a scrap surface and raise pressure a little at a time until the pattern atomizes well, then stop. Pressure cannot fix a worn tip.
On an air-assisted machine, atomizing air is a second control. The MultiFinish manual lists air pressure set too low among the causes of poor atomization, so if the pattern is coarse at a sensible fluid pressure, check the air regulator before raising the fluid pressure. Any replacement hose, gun, tip or fitting must be rated for the machine's maximum pressure, which your manual states.
Hold and move the gun
- Square to the surface. Keep the gun square to the surface instead of angling it across the pass.
- Steady distance. Keep the same distance from start to finish of every pass. We do not quote a figure, because the right distance depends on the tip and the manual for your model describes it.
- Move first, then trigger. Start moving, then pull the trigger, and release the trigger before you stop moving. That avoids a heavy start or end to each stroke.
- Overlap by about half the fan. Each pass should cover half of the one before, so that no light stripe shows between them.
- Steady speed. Keep the same pace through every pass, because speed is one of the things that shapes the pattern.
Reading the pattern
Pattern problems come from tip size, wear, pressure setting, distance and speed, so change one at a time and spray a test piece each time. A coarse texture points to coating that is too thick, a worn or oversized tip, or too little atomizing air. Streaks and uneven stripes point first to distance and speed. If a pattern still looks wrong after those, our fine finishing parts page has the filters, seals and valves behind the next checks.
Keep it clean as you go
Clean the gun immediately after use, because coating that dries in a small passage is hard to clear. Partly blocked filters cause pressure loss, pulsing and spitting, so check them between coats on a long job. The filters to know are the 0089959 in the GM 3600 gun, the 730-067 on the MultiFinish fluid section, and for the corded FlexSpray Handheld, the 0529916 fine suction tube filter. Before you open anything, follow the pressure relief procedure in your manual.
When it still looks wrong
Replace the tip first, then check the filters and seals. If you are still stuck, check the manual for your model on our manuals page, or call (713) 931-0006 with the model and serial number and describe what you see.
Tips, filters and seals that keep a fine finish pattern clean:
The Short Version
Prepare the coating, choose a tip that suits it, use the lowest pressure that atomizes, keep the gun square and steady with half-fan overlap, and clean up right away. Change one variable at a time when something looks off.
Need a tip or filter for your fine finish gun?
Call (713) 931-0006 with your model and serial number and our parts team will confirm the part before you order.
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