AIRLESS TIPS

A small part with great importance

In this brochure you will discover why choosing the

right tip is so essential, how to choose the right tip for
your application and how to get the best out of your tips.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TIP

This may only be a small part of your sprayer, but your tip is of vital importance.
We will explain to you briefly and concisely why this is true.

What is the purpose of a tip? Why is the choice

An airless paint sprayer pushes the paint under high pres- of a tip so important?
sure (up to 350 bar) through the small orifice of the tip. The
The correct tip ensures less overspray and therefore better
tip tells the pump how hard it must work in order to maintain
control and finish. Consequently, not only will you use less
the required pressure. The tip ensures that the paint atomises
paint, but you will be spending less time on the job.
under a certain fan width and flow rate – an effect similar to
placing your thumb on the end of a garden hose.

The right tip:

• Increases your performance
• Improves the quality of your work
• Keeps your costs under control

The pump produces the The tip determines the spray

pressure of the paint. angle and spray output.

Why are there so many

! different tips and sizes?
You can compare this to choosing the right bit for your drill.
There are bits designed for wood, others are made for metal
or concrete. Every bit is available in various sizes. If you use
the wrong bit for the wrong surface, you won’t get the result
you want. The same applies to airless tips.

02 I Airless tips
WHAT DOES A TIP TELL YOU?
CRACKING THE CODE!

Not all tips look the same. There’s a good reason for that.
Discover below how various tips differ from one another.

The first number indicates

the fan width of the tip

The first number stands for the width of the spray

distribution (the fan width). It matches the angle
The colour tells you which application you are spraying at. If the number is 5, then you
you can use the tip for are spraying at an angle of 50°. Multiply that
number by 5 and you have a fan width if you hold
There are four types of tips. Each type the pistol 30 cm from the surface.
is used for a specific application. Each
type has its own colour, so you’ll be 5 x 5 = 25 fan width
immediately able to recognise them.

guarantees the best possible finish under

lowest pressure for fine finish and wall paints

for painting walls, suitable for paint

spraying in general

for thin plastering and less fluid

materials

for marking roads

The last two numbers indicate

the spray orifice of the tip

The last two numbers of the tip show the size of

the spray orifice, indicated in one thousands of
an inch. The higher the number, the greater the
flow with which you can spray. For example, a
‘517’ tip enables a greater flow than a ‘515’ tip.

You have to take these three factors into consideration ‘17’ matches an orifice of 0.017 inch or 0.43 mm.

when choosing a tip. On pages 4 and 5, we’ll go into this

in greater detail.

Airless tips I 03
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TIP
IN 3 STEPS

Choosing the right tip is done in three steps. First, you determine
which application you need the tip for (that is, which material you’ll
be spraying) and then the fan width and flow rate you need.

STEP 1

Which application do you need the tip for?

Tips were developed for specific applications. Materials used for a fine finish (such as staining or varnishing)
require a tip with a smaller orifice. For heavier materials (such as latex), the orifice must be larger. Based on the
colour of the tip, you will know immediately which tip is suitable for your application.

Interior and exterior paint jobs Interior and exterior paint jobs Marking parking spaces, roads
Interior paint jobs in homes and in commercial and with high production and airless and warehouse floors, pedestrian
and residential projects industrial projects plaster applications crossings and sport fields

Professional Heavy Duty Road

Low
Airless and Texture Marking
Pressure
Applications Applications Applications

Choose a green tip Choose the blue airless tip Choose a brown tip Choose a yellow tip
for optimal finish under for maximum productivity and for heavy-duty work for airless marking
the lowest pressure where overspray is not an issue

For your convenience, on page 6 you will find an

overview of the most common tip sizes per material.

04 I Airless tips
 STEP 2

How wide do you want your fan width?

517

The fan width is determined by the angle when spraying 30 cm For example, if the fan width is 25 cm, then
from the surface. The wider the spray distribution, the faster you the first number of the figure must be 5 (=5x5).
The number 5 matches a spray angle of 50°.
paint larger surfaces, but the consumption of paint is greater. With
By the way, if you want a fan width of 35 cm,

WALL

25 cm
a smaller distribution, you work more slowly, but you use less paint then the first number must be a 7 (7x5=35).
50°

and you have more control. Determine your fan width and divide The angle in this case is 70°.
that number by 5. That will tell you what the first number of your tip
should be.

STEP 3

What is the maximum flow rate of the sprayer?

The size of the tip orifice determines the quantity of paint sprayed In the table below, choose the flow rate of your tip and check
by the tip. The maximum flow rate of your sprayer must always be whether the flow rate is appropriate for your machine. Never
greater than that of your tip. The actual flow rate depends on the use a tip size greater than your machine can handle. Your
spray pressure and the type of paint used: a higher pressure results machine must be able to pump at a minimal flow rate.
in a greater flow rate and heavier paint types reduce the flow rate.

FINE FINISH APPLICATIONS PROFESSIONAL AIRLESS APPLICATIONS HEAVY DUTY APPLICATIONS

Inches 0.007 0.009 0.011 0.013 0.015 0.017 0.019 0.021 0.023 0.025 0.027 0.029 0.031 0.033 0.035 0.037 0.039 0.041 0.043 0.045 0.047 0.051
l/min (in paint) 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.2 2.5 3.0 3.4 3.9 4.4 5 5.6 6.2 6.8 7.5 8.2 9 10.67
RANGE MODEL
GX™ 21
GX™ FF
CLASSIC 390
ST MAX™ 395
CLASSIC S/STMAX 495
STMAX/FINISHPRO 595
ULTRA MAX II
®
695
795
1095
MARK IV (only with paint)
V with paint
V with plaster
VII with paint
VII with plaster
X with paint*
X with plaster*
GMAX™ 3900
5900 HD
7900
DUTYMAX 200 - 300
BIG RIGS 2075 - 5030
ROOFING 1015

* max. tip size 0.051" Airless tips I 05

TIP SIZES PER APPLICATION
AND MATERIAL

The table below will help you choose the right tip for specific applications and materials.

Green tip for optimal finish Blue airless tip Brown tip Yellow tip for
under the lowest pressure for maximum productivity for heavy duty airless markings

Brush and roll quality Fine Finish paints 008 - 010 Block fillers 027 - 031 Paint for airless
Varnish 010 - 014 Fire-retardant markings 013 - 055
Stain 012 - 014 materials 029 - 035 Top-quality outdoor
Oil based paint | Urethanes 012 - 014 Airless plasters 029 - 041 paint 015 - 021
Latex 015 - 019 Elastomerics 027 - 033
Acrylic paints 015 - 019 Mastics 041 - 047
Silicate paints 015 - 019 Epoxies 043 - 061
Emulsions 017 - 021 Asphalt with fibres 047 - 053
Silicone 021 - 025 Asphalt 031 - 071
Multi-colours 023 - 025 Silicate/mineral 027 - 033
Block fillers 023 - 025
High production projects 025 - 031

Ask your dealer or Graco representative for advice about which tip is most suitable
for your situation and for more information about all the available tip sizes per tip series.
material for spray
Enamels (Airless)

NEW WORN
high viscosity
Intumescents
Block Fillers

applications
Emulsions

1st digit time to

Urethanes

Texture &
Lacquers

Enamels

Acrylics

x5 change!
Stains

Latex

= fan
width*
FFLP-XXX (FF)LP / PAA*-XXX LP** / HDA-XXX
108 110 110/112 112 115 5 cm 3 cm
208 210 210/212 212/214 215 217 219 221 225 227 231 235 10 cm 7 cm
308 310 310/312 312/314 313/315 317 319 321 323 325 327 329 331 335 15 cm 10 cm
410 410 410/412 412/414 415 417 419 421 423 425 427 429 431 433 435 439 441 443 445 451 455 20 cm 15 cm
510 510 510/512 512/514 515/516 517 519 521 523 525 527 529 531 533 535 537 539 541 543 545 551 555 561 25 cm 20 cm
615/616 617 619 621 623 625 627 629 631 633 635 637 639 641 643 645 651 655 661 665 671 30 cm 25 cm
721 723 725 729 731 735 35 cm 30 cm
819 821 827 831 833 835 40 cm 35 cm
WA-XXXX 1221 1223 1225 1227 1229 1231 1233 1235 1237 1239 60 cm 55 cm

*at 30 cm spraying distance

* Even numbers are (FF)LP. Odd numbers are PAA.

** Bold sizes are also available as Low Pressure LP tips.

06 I Airless tips
GET THE MOST
OUT OF YOUR TIPS

Based on the general information from the previous pages, you can choose the tip best
suited for your application. We will provide you with some additional tips & tricks for this.

Adjusting to the right tip Replacing the tips on time

By experimenting with various tips, you become experienced By remembering the comparison between tips and drilling
and can easily decide which tip is the best one for your bits, you’ll also be able to understand how tip wear &
application. tear can affect your work. Have you ever tried to drill into
concrete with a worn-out bit? If you have, then you must
know that it takes longer to drill a hole, that it takes more
effort and that the result looks less professional.
TOO MUCH PAINT?
This is also the case if you continue to spray with a worn-out
tip. What is more, by using a worn-out tip, it’s quite possible
517 0.017"
517 =
that you’ll exceed the sprayer’s maximum flow rate. At the
1.2 litres/minute
25 cm
WALL

50° end of the day, the worn-out tip will cost you more than a
new one.

515 1) Use a smaller tip orifice

15 instead of 17 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A TIP GETS WORN OUT?
WALL

35 cm

717 2) Increase the spray angle 70°

7 instead of 5 Piston work pressure and abrasive material are the two main
causes of worn-out tips.

The fan width decreases: Greater tip orifice:

More spray movements are More paint comes out
NOT ENOUGH PAINT? necessary of the piston
= more work = more costs for materials
517 0.017"
517 =
1.17 litres/minute
25 cm
WALL

50°
twice as much work
+ 30% more paint for the same surface

519 1) Use a larger tip orifice

23 cm

14 cm
28 cm
30 cm

19 instead of 17 NEW WORN-OUT

WALL

15 cm

317 2) Decrease the spray angle 30°

3 instead of 5

Airless tips I 07
SMARTTIP Discover the latest
generation of Fine Finish Tips

Graco is always innovating, so you can tackle your tasks even more efficiently.
The new RAC X LP* Tips are a perfect example of this. They offer the same basic advantages as the ‘old’
™

FFA or PAA RAC X Tips, but when using the new RAC X LP* Tips, you spray with 30 to 50% less pressure.
™ ™

Tips with lower pressure provide additional advantages.

* FFLP and LP

BETTER FINISH LESS OVERSPRAY HIGHER RELIABILITY LONGER LIFESPAN

The paint atomises easier without The softer and more controllable The RAC X™ FF LP Tips allow you Less pressure also means less
creating stripes on the side of the spray fan ensures less overspray. to spray on all materials; the result tension on the sprayer. Your pump
tip fan. You have better control of This prevents you from using too is always tip-top. In addition, these and tip don’t get worn out so fast,
the layer thickness and it is easier to much paint. tips perform a lot better at cold and therefore you can use them
eliminate ‘runners’. temperatures. longer.

More information about our tips?

Surf to graco.com or drop by your Graco distributor

All written and visual data contained in this document are based on the latest product information available at the time of publication. Graco reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice.

Graco is certified ISO 9001.

GRACO DISTRIBUTION BVBA Industrieterrein Oude Bunders • Slakweidestraat 31 • B-3630 Maasmechelen

Tel: +32 (89) 770 700 • Fax: +32 (89) 770 777 • http://www.graco.com

©2017 Graco Distribution BVBA 300666ENEU (rev.D) 02/18 Printed in Europe.

All other brand names or marks are used for identification purposes and are trademarks of their respective owners.