Needle Gun

Kroll

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Dec 23, 2012
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Morning guys,I read Macks post on restoring American Pacer and he had mention that he use a needle gun for removing rust and paint.I never heard of a tool so this morning I check Harbor Freight and I be dang,they have them.Over the last few yrs I have strip paint and rust off using a sand blaster(terrible) wire wheel on an angle grinder,just old fashion sandpaper,of around 10plus machines,guys I am so slow.Now what I'm wondering is if this tool is worth the purchase,I can see that its probably noise as a long freight train behind the house laying on the horn,but is it worth putting up with the draw backs.I do have an 80gal 18cfm compressor but I don't want to wear it out.Guys any thoughts on using a needle gun?????Tks----kroll
 
Morning guys,I read Macks post on restoring American Pacer and he had mention that he use a needle gun for removing rust and paint.I never heard of a tool so this morning I check Harbor Freight and I be dang,they have them.Over the last few yrs I have strip paint and rust off using a sand blaster(terrible) wire wheel on an angle grinder,just old fashion sandpaper,of around 10plus machines,guys I am so slow.Now what I'm wondering is if this tool is worth the purchase,I can see that its probably noise as a long freight train behind the house laying on the horn,but is it worth putting up with the draw backs.I do have an 80gal 18cfm compressor but I don't want to wear it out.Guys any thoughts on using a needle gun?????Tks----kroll

I used to run one hours on end when I sailed as an AB years ago. They're not really THAT loud but of course louder than a grinder. I have a feeling if you give a try you'll find yourself using the grinder less and less. They take it down to bare metal pronto.
 
Yes they make noise but they are so much faster I don't care. Wear hearing protection if you want to hear when your older. They have two sizes and I have both. Buy the extra needles too,just so you have them on hand for later. They will make a mess too,chips of rust and old coating goes every where. Prepare accordingly. After the needles I use a wire brush to remove the very finestuff and then a good blow off with an air gun. Mask and paint......
 
don't forget to oil it liberally, everytime.
 
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Here's a quick vid I made before.

[video=youtube;eRcZzTLWANs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRcZzTLWANs[/video]
 
a few years ago I sold a handful of them to a painting outfit for de-rusting a bridge. biggest problem they had was keeping all the scale out of the river below them and of course out of their lungs. they make dust.

I also have an attach for a plain muffler gun that uses a handful of fine wires. still have it but cannot for the life of me remember who it came from. if I do, I will forward the info. it did not hammer near as ruff as the needles do. . . nicer final finish.
 
Positive feedback on the needle gun,Steve love your video it and the other comments makes me want one but going to hold off till we hear back from Dave.Steve that thing is fast removing paint and rust,I'm just tired of the wire wheels using them for most of the stripping.Lots of good info here guys so thanks----kroll
 
Yes, they are inexpensive.
Yes, they are very fast.
Yes, they are noisy.
Yes, they are messy.
No, you cannot have mine!

:fingerwag:
 
I used these some when I was in the Navy years ago but hadn't thought about them for machinery paint stripping before seeing this thread.
I'll get one this week.
Thanks for the great idea.

Don't they make a dust collection apparatus for these? Although I'd still wear a respirator, reducing the amount of (possibly leaded) paint in the air would have to be good right?
 
Like every tool in your shop, it has a place. The needle gun has a place in my shop, but it’s used with caution. That thing can peen the heck out of anything it touches! Warp/stretch metal with the blink of an eye, I KNOW the hard way! So, I would get one, but don’t sell your sand blaster, wire wheel and sand paper…Good Luck.
 
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