22032 118SG Siphon Gun

I've been using the same Critter 118SG Siphon Gun for 13 years straight and love love love it! OK, yes, you have to be careful of the gasket between the spray gun and the jar. Yes, it won't stand upright on its own. Outside of that, it does a wonderful job of laying down all sorts of paints. It has greatly decreased the time and effort it takes me to paint a variety of projects, mostly refinishing furniture, doors, and decorations. I would strongly recommend this product to anyone looking for a spray gun that just simply works!

Just recently painted a metal bed frame. It worked great for that with the pattern sprays. I would not use it on large areas. I like the easy cleaner and that you can close with regular jar lids. I think they could’ve done a better job at stopping it from leaking between The gun in the jar you can’t really set it down when you’re painting either you have to hang it.

I bought this specifically to spray glazes onto pottery. I've used it a few times and it works very well. It provides a nice even spray, and it's easy to clean and fill. There's a slight bit of dripping at the nozzle, but it doesn't get into the spray.The negatives are that the lid gasket ring is a separate piece and falls off and that you can't really set it down when it's attached to an air compressor.So far, I'd say it's a good value for someone like me who does occasional spraying.

Best spray painting tool for beginners like me. I bought a $99 pancake air pressure 6-gallon to go with it. It just takes a little practice and boom. I keep the nozzle halfway or a smidgen lower. The thicker the paint, the higher the pressure. For instance, something as thin as stain would need 30 psi but something as thick as latex oil primer, I went as high as 90 psi even after adding Penetrol. I used Floetrol for my latex water based semi-gloss with great success - I used 2-4 oz for every 12 oz of paint. Found out later that for white paint, I should have thinned with water because floetrol may slightly yellow the paint over the years but it looks bright white now. Also when I thinned with water, my results were not as good, but it probably was my distance and pressure combo.You really have to pay attention to distance. If 6" away is giving you a nice finish then be sure to keep that distance otherwise some areas will drip and pool and others will be sparse, The floetrol really helps there making your work very forgiving.TIP: have a hook nearby on the wall or wherever where you can hang the critter. I had to hang it often even in the middle of pieces and if you just lay it down, it may clog your hole - for that I had a tiny wire ready to unclog if needed too.My top coats I used Ultimate Poly water based not thinning at all and only needed 70-80 psi. Really nice for that - no brush marks and a perfect finish. I didn't even clean the jar or critter over three nights and it still sprayed great each morning and cleaned up easily when all the pieces had their final coats.Clean up for me was easy but time consuming because I care. For oil based I used the old-fashioned mineral spirits in the big can- not the ones that are white and thick - they did a horrible job. For water based I used water and a little dawn rinsing well. I was careful with the thin cork rim thing. I took the screws out each time fully disassembling to wash. I used a pipe cleaner for the metal straw part. and I kept all the pieces in a glass bowl on the window ledge to dry so I wouldn't lose the tiny parts.I got so into it after doing a dresser and book shelf, I built a tent in my garage using those huge rolls of cheapest plastic from HD and stapling long sheets to the rafters and letting it hang down. Went around in a square and had clothes pins to hold door closed - Worked great to keep my garage clean and keep painted pieces out of the way of piece being sprayed. I had my pancake outside the tent at a corner, where I could pull apart the plastic to adjust the pressure etc but not have the machines air mess up my paint job. I just had the tubing going under the tent plastic. I used a small ladder to which I attached a hook for hanging my critter and rigged up lights to shine on my piece. I also had a handheld light which helped me see as I sprayed. White on white is really hard to see otherwise.Go for it! I love mine.

I bought a brand new Wagner HVLP sprayer months ago hoping it would help me get closer to a factory finish on cabinetry and other woodworking projects. I was amazed by how much overspray there was, even with the detail nozzle. I don't recommend spraying indoors unless you want fine paint mist covering your entire room or worse. That, and cleaning the unit was a nightmare. I had to do a complete teardown every time and always forgot which order the parts went back together. Not to mention, it was impossible to get paint from the inside walls of the paint container. Long story short, I sold it for a loss just to be rid of it. After a bit of research, I ended up picking up this Critter Siphon Gun and a DeWalt pancake compressor as a replacement. After some quick adjustments, I had this thing spraying like a dream. I'll admit, my finishes aren't exactly factory smooth, but they're getting there. I would definitely recommend thinning the paint more than you think is necessary. In some instances, I've had better luck with water than I have with Floetrol, so don't be afraid to experiment. The small round spray pattern is perfect for smaller projects and minimal overspray. If you're painting long runs of fencing or an entire house, this probably isn't the sprayer for you. For the price, this sprayer can't be beat--especially if you already have a compressor. One often overlooked benefit of this gun is its use of standard size mason jars. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to quickly switch between finishes and store unused paint for later use. The only reason I'm giving the sprayer 4 stars and not 5 is that it doesn't stand upright, especially with an air hose attached. I learned that the hard way after it feel from my bench and spilled a jar full of paint on my garage floor. That said, there is a hook at the top so do yourself a favor and pick up a stand/holder.