Our Devilbiss Tekna ProLite Review will now put on the table the best spray guns from this prestigious brand. A quality spray gun is a must-have item when it comes to small and medium-scale surface painting. Because who doesn’t want a fine and smooth top coat finish? Among dozens of choices out there, we will focus our review effort on Devilbiss Tekna (for all good reasons).
Most Worth-Noticing Features On A Spray Gun
Knowing what to expect in a spray gun will set relevant criteria for your buying decision. So here are the features that you should look for.
- Sprayer Type
Devilbiss Tekna offers both airless cup and HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) options. While cup sprayers extract pain from the container and are plugged into an outlet, the HVLPs use a high volume of air to move the paint in the fluid nozzle then a stream of low-pressure air to topcoat the surface. - Air Cap
There is a precision-drilled hole in the air cap from which the air can enter to atomize the spraying pattern and decide the shape of the fan. More time in your hand or in a forgotten corner in your garage, the performance of the air cap will decide. - Fluid Tip
Such numbers as 1.0, 1.2, 1.4 in the product specs of a spray gun tell you the size of the fluid nozzles in millimetres. The rule of thumb is that the bigger the size is, the thicker the paint’s viscosity is.
Sizes under 1.2 mm work best for touchup and spot repair. Medium sizes from 1.3 to 1.6 for body shop painting, and bigger sizes for automotive primer. - Design
A spray gun’s design should be solid and easy-to-manipulate. Quality flow adjustment trigger and mix system will facilitate all spraying tasks, giving a robust feeling on hands. The material should also be lightweight while still being able to stand the test of time. - Gun Control
The location of the gun control can decide the level of comfort you have when using a sprayer. It should be near the front end of the gun to provide enough flexibility, especially for right-handed users, to navigate the sprays. - Filtering
A proper filter will do a good job preventing the fluids and dust particles from being blended in. It ensures the smoothness of the paint application, giving consistency to the surface texture.
Devilbiss Tekna ProLite Review
Devilbiss Tekna ProLite leaves its mark on the market with 2 product lines – Tekna ProLite Premium and Tekna ProLite Pressure Feed. Each of them has its own edge over one another. Let’s take a closer look!
1. Devilbiss Tekna 703567 ProLite
Editor Rating: The 703567 ProLite is a silhouette product of Tekna. It is the classic of all the classics, a safe choice for users of all levels. Even though it does not come with an HVLP air cap, Tekna 703567 ProLite can still spray clear like glass.
The two air cap options that go with it are T10 and T20, which fulfil almost all smooth texture expectations. Even the clear coat is not going to be a hard task. And a word of praise for the T10 air cap, as it has a smaller hole, there will be less paint in the air, and more paint on the project.
This spray gun is one of the most Tekna lightweight and compact. The weight (without cup) is only 2 pounds with the dimension (in inch) of 10×7.2×2.5. The on-hand feeling is confident and ergonomic.
Maintenance for the Tekna 703567 ProLite is also not a problem. All ProLite sprayers are protected both inside and outside with non-stick properties. The cleanup work would be a breeze.
With a Tekna 703567 ProLite, professional finish quality is achievable. Solvent-based coating performance is quite impressive, and it’s a go-to for a waterborne paint.
Just one note for the air regulator, the quality is only at a decent level, and you may be more interested in the aftermarket alternatives.
Pros
- Easy to handle
- Material saving
- Versatility for most painting/coating purposes
Cons
- Not-so-good air regulator
2. Devilbiss Tekna 703517 ProLite
Editor Rating: Putting the Tekna 703517 ProLite and the 703567 version side by side, the difference is not quite considerable.
One thing that makes the Tekna 703517 ProLite stand out is its air cap option. It comes with both T20 High Efficiency and HV30 HVLP caps – a big plus for painting tasks that require more air pressure.
It’s fair to say that the Tekna 703517 ProLite is a little bit of an upgrade from the 703567. Still, its popularity is quite behind.
It seems that the 703517 tries to cover more surface than the 703567. The fluid tips line is bigger with three sizes – 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5, while on 703567, the three tips include the 1.2 instead of 1.5.
This should not be a disadvantage after all. In fact, its tip line is ideal for all small and medium-scale surfaces. The 1.2 and 1.3, well, you won’t notice the difference.
But having a 1.5 tip in the set is quite big of a deal. With a larger surface for each trigger, it can save your time and effort on the project.
Pros
- Better at base coating
- HV30 HVLP air cap for easy-to-adjust air pressure
- Versatile coverage
Cons
- T20 air cap leaks more air and paint than the T10
3. Devilbiss Tekna Prolite Pressure Feed
Editor Rating: Its presence on the market is not so long as compared to the two Premium models. Still, it is one of the most worth-spraying options, especially for the experienced.
The most common Tekna Prolite Pressure Feed is the 703624 version with two fluid tip sizes – 1.0 & 1.4, and 2 air caps – TE40 & HV40. This sprayer is an appeal for those having more touch-up or medium-scale works.
One prominent feature of Tekna Prolite Pressure Feed 703624 is that it has a scratch-resistant coating. Its prime appearance will stay a bit longer than a Tekna Premium.
This spray gun should be a choice for the pro or for those seeking more quality in metallic control as the air cap can be quite tricky to manipulate.
Pros
- Durable coating material
- Better at spot repairing or medium surface coating
Cons
- Prior spraying experience needed
How To Set Up A Spray Gun
A spray gun like Devilbiss Tekna ProLite combines air and fluid in such moderation that gives you a perfect mist storm of paint. The must-know term explaining this mechanism is atomization.
To set up a spray gun, there are three things you need to get them right.
Settle The Air Supply
Attach the regulator on the end of the handle, connect it with the hose by a female plug. For the regulator to settle stronger on the handle, stick one round of plumber tape on the joint/ handle thread before the attachment. Same with the joint between the hose and the regulator.
The regulator will tell you the amount of PSI (Pound per Square Inch). To set it up, pull the trigger of the spray gun (which will release the air) until it says around 90PSI.
Do A Test Run
A test run is essential to minimize the trials and errors when actually painting on your project. You probably don’t want those ugly paint curdles or drippings on the surface. Prepare a scrap piece of lumber or a draft area to do a test on it; you can make necessary adjustments on each knob.
Configure the Knobs
Now here’s the tricky part. You want a perfect storm of air and paint coming out from the fluid nozzle; you have to get the settings just right. So what’s the plan with the knobs?
The regulator should now run from 40 PSI from 60 PSI. Set it with the trigger pulled so that every time you spray, the indicator needle will go down.
The fluid control knob can adjust the back-and-forth travelling distance of the fluid needle from the tip each time you pull the trigger. Turning it more open will allow more fluid to get through the nozzle, and vice versa.
The fan control knob can increase or decrease the amount of air to different drillings and passages in the air cap. The more you close this knob, the more air you will restrict.
How To Maintain A Spray Gun
Frequent cleanup is necessary for a Devilbiss Tekna ProLite’s longer life. To unclog and thoroughly clean the spray gun, you should have a cleaner kit and nitrocellulose lacquer.
- Clean The Cup: Fill half the cup with nitrocellulose lacquer, wrap it with a tissue paper, and close the cap gently. Now shake it so that the lacquer absorbs into the towel paper. Half screw the cap onto the cap, and the threads on the cup will be cleaned as well.
- Clean The Nozzle, Air Cap, And Fluid Tip: Spray a few times to get the lacquer inside the gun. Screw out the nozzle and dip it in the cup with lacquer. Use a brush in the cleaner kit to remove all the dust and dirt in the air cap and the tip. All the holes in the air cap should also be picked and cleaned with a toothpick.
- Let Dry And Assemble: Wash all the components again with water and as they are completely dry, set them up again. Do a run test again to configure your knobs to your preference.
Pro Tips For A Smooth As Glass Paint Finish
Here is what you should keep in mind to get the most out of your Devilbiss Tekna ProLite.
- If your regulator comes with an adjustment valve, use it after setting other knobs to refine the air pressure
- The gun should be 6 inches away from the surface; the fan will then be 6 inches tall.
- Before applying paint, start moving your spray gun and try to keep it at a constant speed and motion.
- While spraying, lock your wrists, move your arm and come across the project until you clear a straight line then pull off the trigger. Make a path, come back, and overlap (within the edge of the 6-inch-wide area).
- Never tilt the spray gun, keep it perpendicular with the surface. Moving it in an arc will give you comfort, but the result will be compromised with a bow-tie effect.
- The spraying test does not turn out good? Look at the shape, and you will know why.
- If it is too much airflow, the painted area will look like two big dots separating from each other.
- Not enough airflow, there will be one big dot in the centre and many speckles around it.
- Not enough material, there will be speckles everywhere.
- Too much material, there will be big droplets.
- A good finish should have a consistent amount of fluid in a cigar-shaped area and just a little bit of speckles on the edges.
FAQs About Tekna ProLite
Does It Come With An Air Regulator?
Yes. The kit includes a digital air regulator with gauge.
Does It Come With An Adapter?
Tekna ProLite Premium kits provide a disposable cups adapter, not in the case of Tekna ProLite Pressure Feed.
Does It Come With The 900c Aluminum Cup?
No. It is not available in the kit.
Is it an authentic brand-new sprayer from Devilbiss Tekna or a knockoff?
It is 100% from Devilbiss Tekna.
Is it necessary to put a high flow fitting on the ProLite Premium?
No. But it can be helpful because the sprayers use the air volume, not pressure.
What set the ProLite apart from the Copper?
Tekna ProLite is more lightweight and versatile. Copper is more for heavy duties.
A Good Overall
A Devilbiss Tekna ProLite spray gun is a good deal – professional-grade finish quality, compact design, easy maintenance, you have them all. This writing also just pushed forward all the details of the buying choices, hopefully giving more logic to your decision. Thank you for spending your time on our Devilbiss Tekna ProLite Review. Time for your take!
Peter Levick
ArchitectI am a licensed architect who is passionate about all things home improvement industries, I have been doing DIY painting projects and have developed lots of experience around home improvement over the 10 years.
