I've had one of these Wager painters for a couple of years and used it again today, figured I'd share my thoughts.
http://www.wagnerspraytech.com/portal/wagner_paint_crew_spray,43225,747.html
Mine looks like the one in the photo, and I'm pretty happy with it, but it is probably not good enough for a pro. Still, for the few times I've used it, it has paid for itself in time savings. Today I went to one of my little retail stores that is under construction. The store is about 1800 square feet with 14' walls in the showroom area, 10' tall walls in the back storage area. Basically the store is divided in half, so there are 4 perimeter walls and then one dividing wall that bisects the store (there are also a couple small areas/bathroom/closet). But for the most part I had to prime & paint 2 large rooms.
Starting about 8:30 am this morning, I sprayed a coat of primer over the entire store, using up 10 gallons of primer (needed 9.5 so I just kept spraying until the hopper was empty). Then I sprayed 10 gallons of paint over the primer (quick drying primer) and was packing up the car before 12:30pm this afternoon.
Most brands of primer that I have used need to be thinned or the Wagner won't spray it. It clogs the spray tip and shuts down the sprayer.
Depending on the model, some have 3/8th hp motors, mine is a 1/2 hp. The sprayer comes with a 25' hose, which I find is long enough for interior work. If I was spraying outside walls I think I'd prefer a longer hose, at least 35' or maybe even 50' long.
The handle/nozzle portion of the sprayer has a locking cam, I can't figure out why it is a feature, it occasionally gets accidentally engaged and really is just a pain in the rear. But maybe someone finds some use in a trigger lock on this sprayer? The trigger itself is a full hand trigger, not a 1 finger trigger. I really like that feature because it is easy to use, and is not fatiguing, even after hours of use. The nozzle itself is a small piece held in place by a guard. I really don't know the purpose of the guard it doesn't seem to do anything.
The main body of the unit contains a gravity fed hopper that holds about 2 gallons. The paint filters through a rough plastic screen down into the pump. There are 2 settings plus a power switch. The settings are PRIME and SPRAY. When set to PRIME the pump simply primes and recirculates the paint. When set to SPRAY the paint is pumped through the hose to the handle/nozzle.
As for performance, I have nothing to judge it against. Its the only brand or type of sprayer I've ever used. What I know is that it beats the heck out of rolling paint. The unit is fast. It is easy to operate. It is easy to control the spray and within a few minutes of used you get the hang of spraying without dripping. The volume of paint delivered requires that you make 2 smooth passes over each area to get full coverage.
For under $200, I think anyone who hates to paint, but has a few larger projects in their future will find this a very useful tool.
http://www.wagnerspraytech.com/portal/wagner_paint_crew_spray,43225,747.html
Mine looks like the one in the photo, and I'm pretty happy with it, but it is probably not good enough for a pro. Still, for the few times I've used it, it has paid for itself in time savings. Today I went to one of my little retail stores that is under construction. The store is about 1800 square feet with 14' walls in the showroom area, 10' tall walls in the back storage area. Basically the store is divided in half, so there are 4 perimeter walls and then one dividing wall that bisects the store (there are also a couple small areas/bathroom/closet). But for the most part I had to prime & paint 2 large rooms.
Starting about 8:30 am this morning, I sprayed a coat of primer over the entire store, using up 10 gallons of primer (needed 9.5 so I just kept spraying until the hopper was empty). Then I sprayed 10 gallons of paint over the primer (quick drying primer) and was packing up the car before 12:30pm this afternoon.
Most brands of primer that I have used need to be thinned or the Wagner won't spray it. It clogs the spray tip and shuts down the sprayer.
Depending on the model, some have 3/8th hp motors, mine is a 1/2 hp. The sprayer comes with a 25' hose, which I find is long enough for interior work. If I was spraying outside walls I think I'd prefer a longer hose, at least 35' or maybe even 50' long.
The handle/nozzle portion of the sprayer has a locking cam, I can't figure out why it is a feature, it occasionally gets accidentally engaged and really is just a pain in the rear. But maybe someone finds some use in a trigger lock on this sprayer? The trigger itself is a full hand trigger, not a 1 finger trigger. I really like that feature because it is easy to use, and is not fatiguing, even after hours of use. The nozzle itself is a small piece held in place by a guard. I really don't know the purpose of the guard it doesn't seem to do anything.
The main body of the unit contains a gravity fed hopper that holds about 2 gallons. The paint filters through a rough plastic screen down into the pump. There are 2 settings plus a power switch. The settings are PRIME and SPRAY. When set to PRIME the pump simply primes and recirculates the paint. When set to SPRAY the paint is pumped through the hose to the handle/nozzle.
As for performance, I have nothing to judge it against. Its the only brand or type of sprayer I've ever used. What I know is that it beats the heck out of rolling paint. The unit is fast. It is easy to operate. It is easy to control the spray and within a few minutes of used you get the hang of spraying without dripping. The volume of paint delivered requires that you make 2 smooth passes over each area to get full coverage.
For under $200, I think anyone who hates to paint, but has a few larger projects in their future will find this a very useful tool.
