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Im looking at sprayers on line such as the Graco 3400 and speefloo 2800. The problem is no one including local dealers caries line stripers in stock. I would like to at least look at one nan put hands on before I spend 3500-4000$. Not saying I have to out in the lot and paint with it but would like to at least look at one . The price is fairly close on each are you just paying for the Graco name? If any one can give me a trade show location or any other info on the brands I would very much appreciate your input thanks . 
        Dean

Hey Dean
Google this… National Pavement Expo.
There are 2. One is in Las Vegas…I believe this December…3-5…?
And the other is in Nashville…Mid January…?
That’s where you’ll see the machines.
That said…you and I may have talked before. Are you close to OH? Swing by.
Dan
P.S. Someone said Sun Belt Rentals = the old Nations Rent company…may rent them. But…probably a select locations.
P.S.S I have both Titan and Graco. I also use a conventional…that I love…well…for certain jobs.
Keep in touch.
Dan

I know…I’ll set up a seminar…well I’ll try.
Would you attend?
Dan

Sir

The PAVEMENT WEST SHOW is around the corner. December 4-5 in Las Vegas at the convention center, You should try to attend. Graco will have a booth there and if you have questions we will be more then happy to assist.

The pavement west show in Las Vegas Dec 4-5. Graco will have a booth there to showcase the existing and new equipment. Booth # 610

I have the Kelly Creswell HDC and have been working on it this winter. I have all the air leaks fixed and would like to try it out, but the weather probably won’t allow it until April. The gun on the striper is supposed to shoot both latex and alkyd. I had to overhaul the carb, and the compressor is in good shape. I have no hoses or gun for stencils. They did not come with the machine.(as bought on Ebay) Would a HVLP gun work for now? I don’t think I could make it shoot latex, but maybe alkyd.

Secondly, your book does a good job of pros/cons on airless/conventional. I’m currently out of work, so am struggling on whether I should just go ahead and buy the 2800M. I can get one delivered for under $3000. Maybe I could save money on buying a stencil gun/hoses for the Kelly?  I’m looking for some input. Do you think that I could get by with just the conventional, and buy a stencil gun/hoses, or do you think I should just bite the bullet, and get the Titan here and ready.

I would like to make it a fulltime adventure right away this summer, but would have to put a pile of customers onboard in 3 months.

Thanks.

Hello Arcee
I did see this post come into my email account. I’m sorry I waited to answer. I thought someone else may have an idea or two.
Anyhow…I have a few things to offer…
I almost sold my Conventional. I use it…but…I also use my Airless machine so much…I just get into a groove.
Selling my Conventional may still happen. ( Now that I’ve cleaned and played with it…I kinda like it again. We’ll see. )

But…when my Titan broke…I would’ve been down to just my Graco…if I didn’t have the Conventional. For me…that was a bit scary.
Having a “back up” or “second” machine is alway a good idea.
When I first started…like you…I had a few jobs, here and there. One machine was fine. AND…these were “Retail” jobs. SO…I could schedule whenever I wanted…such as…malls in the middle of the night…or…a Bank on Saturday. Now however, I also have “Commercial” work…where I follow a paving crew…and I’m on their schedule. I must be there. So…one machine for me…now…isn’t cool.
When I started all I had was the Conventional. I switched back and forth from Oil Based Paint to Latex in 5 minutes. It didn’t bother me. And now…with different plumbing…it’s even easier.
Here’s something though…if I’m striping a Latex job “Over Seal”. I cannot use both machines. The Airless give a very distinct line…differing from the Conventional. BUT…maybe I could stencil with the Conventional and stripe with the Airless. I just want you to know that the lines are different. 
Last…here’s the hard part…I know you got a nice deal on your Conventional. DON’T be sorry you bought it.
a) There is always a market to Re-sell.
b) It’s a great machine. You may end up lovin’ it. I still love mine…but hardly use it…but that’s me.
I just feel more comfortable recommending an Airless to a “start up, first time, new striper”.
Again…it’s not an easy choice.
Here’s what I can recommend.
1) On a nice day…go put water in the machine and spray on your driveway. Practice. See how it feels.
2) Always know that the Titans are 2900.00 and the comparable Graco is 3400.00. No tax…because you’re buying from out of state. And…Free shipping. Those deals are always there. You can always get those. So…if money is tight and a new venture is just around the corner…no one can blame you if you wanted to wait and see.
I’m a Titan Distributor…that Titan deal is always there. It may vary 100.00. But it’s there.
Next…I use a Binks 2001 Gun to stencil. I have two…in case on fails or needs rebuilt. But, I had just one for my first few years. And…it sprayed both Latex and Oil…no problem. BUT…tell the seller what you’re spraying. There are different Air nozzles, needles and Fluid nozzles to match up.
Keep in mind…the Airless uses the same gun to stripe and spray stencils. You won’t have the extra cost of buying a second, different gun.
Bottom line…I don’t think it matters which way you go.
Practice with your Conventional. If two months go by and you have more work…by the Airless…then.
Sell the Kelly. Or keep it. There’s a market for them. Buy two Titans…blahblah. You can’t make a bad decision here.
God I hope I helped. I know you’re struggling. I’ve been there.
Keep in touch.
Dan
P.S. I’ll be wandering around the Nashville Show, coming in February. If we meet, I’ll show you the Titan and Graco. We’ll visit their booths. ( And if you buy a Graco…we’ll still be friends! Hell, I’ll encourage you. Keep in touch. You’ll do fine…no matter what your decision. I’ll help.)

Dan, thanks for your reply. I have played with the Kelly in my driveway a couple months ago. I couldn’t get a 4 inch stripe. I am looking forward to trying again. I had several air leaks, and a paint leak also. I am hoping that fixing these will fix the problem.  I have taken everything apart except the gun, itself. I like the way the Kelly rolls, but it is definitely heavy. Is it the Binks 2011 that I should pickup, for a stencil gun? How long do you think the hoses should be? I think there may be a market for other kinds of painting that the Kelly make work for.

Why the $500 difference between Titan and Graco? It looks like you can add a line driver to the Graco, but not the Titan? Right now I have 3 different places that are offering the Titan 2800M for between $2899 and $2999. That is a delivered price, so freight is included. One place gives you a teeshirt, another gives you 2 different tips, and the closest is in the Twin Cities, so would be next day delivery. You can sell the Titan for a similar delivered price? If so, I’d probably go with you. You’d probably be 3-4 days away.

I am thinking that I should probably just bite the bullet, buy the Titan, AND the Binks gun/hose for the Kelly.
I haven’t considered the trade show, but it may not hurt to get out of this cold weather for a day or two. It hit 25 below zero, in South Dakota last night.

Hello Arcee
The 4” wide topic bothers me. It should easily produce a 6” line.
Have you contacted Kelly? Xenia OH. 1-800 number?
I’d get the type of gun and tip info ready.
Next…I use around 25-40 lbs on the paint and 40-50 on the air.
Are you getting good atomization? ( Is it a good spray…or slobbery? )
And remember…paint is thicker than water.
No…it’s the Binks 2001. ( I’m not sure if it has anything to do with the year. )
Next…hoses…I had 15’..?..once. But…they draped all over the handle bars…in my way…kinda.
I also had 6’ hoses. AND…every time I sprayed a stencil…I had to move the machine. Too short.
I think I now have 8’? 10’?
Next…Titan vs. Graco. I have a letter from Graco explaining that they have 90 Engineers compared to their competitor’s assumed 5…( I forget the rest of the email ). It sounded like overhead. That said…there are loyal Graco followers. And…I tried to become a Graco Distributor…twice. And…I own a Graco, I would still become a Distributor if “all the stars lined up”...etc…etc…but…I also have many people loving their Titan. Keep this in mind… you won’t outgrow the Titan 2800 or the Graco 3400. Neither will become a boat anchor. You decide. Either decision is fine.
Next…all Titans…and I’m guessing ALL Gracos get shipped from the plant. Unless the Distributor has one in stock.
(But, then you may have to pay sales tax if you’re in that state…and his shipping to get it there…to him…maybe. Check me on that.)
So…it kinda depends on where you are from the MFG plant…WI or MN…not the distributor…unless again he or she has one in stock. Either state is still close to you.
Next…as odd as this sounds…I refer my sales to another guy. I don’t mind being a Distributor for someone but, then I’d like them to be a Distributor for me. Many times it’s not a two way road. And that’s ok. Anyhow…He owns a big site. He sells a lot of stuff. And maybe he’ll throw in a stencil.
And…even at 25 below, South Dakota sounds too cool. ( No pun intended. ) You have the Badlands, right?...and MT. Rushmore. It’s beautiful country.
Keep in touch.
Dan

Thanks, again, Dan. The outlet in the Twin Cities is Al’s Taping Tools. He doesn’t have a 2800M in stock, but I guess Titan has a warehouse right in Minneapolis. As far as not getting a 4 inch line with the KC, it may have been the cheap latex I was trying to use. Ace Hardware had a franchise close up, here in Watertown. I picked up something like 30 gallons of latex and oil paint of 3 different colors. (y, w, Blue). I only tried white latex. (I have some 2-3” stripes in my driveway) I may stripe the inside of the garage. The garage is heated, and the floor needs painting anyway. Now with all leaks fixed, it may work better. I also, may not have had the gun high enough up the pole. I only paid $5/gallon and figured, if push comes to shove, I might just roll the paint on a couple of poles or stencils, to use it up. Who knows, maybe it will spray now. There were a couple of lines that spattered, and a couple that dripped. I can’t remember now, whether the machine would hold enough pressure to keep moving. I’ll try again. The gun I have is supposed to shoot both types of paint, and the tank is a 7 gallon stainless steel tank. I had talked a couple times with Kelly Creswell. The guy is not there anymore, the replacement isn’t nearly as good to work with.

I see Binks 2001 on the internet ranging from $230 to $432, all new. That is quite a range. I’m leaning more towards, just biting the bullet and getting a new machine. Heck I’ve already invested in an enclosed trailer. Business cards should be done this week, and I’ll finish with the contractors license and sales tax license.

Yes, South Dakota does have Mt Rushmore, and the Badlands, but they are on the western side of the state. Watertown is 35 miles from Minnesota. Walleye and perch fishing are good on this end of the state, along with pheasant, dove, partridge, duck and goose hunting. OK deer also. Mostly farmland this on this end.

Going to the expo sounds like a good place to go, to get out of this cold for a while. I’ll need to think hard on it. It’s in Nashville?

Arcee
Yes…it’s in Nashville TN.
That said…you could pass. I hate to say that but…if money is tight and you’re thinking of spending more…?
Also…if you go…you’d look at the machines and maybe take a small class.
1) The machine shopping seems to be done.
2) I’ll help you.
3) I may very well throw my hat into the ring and attend and or speak at the same show in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas show is smaller…and it’s in November or early December. It’s over for 2010. It’ll be back in 2011.
Next…go to a small Airless Repair Shop. Try the Yellow Pages fore your city. They may carry a Binks 2001.
And…let me know if you’d like another price on the Titan. No worries.
Dan