Airless Paint Sprayer Pneumatic Hose and Gun Cleaner

After cleaning out an airless sprayer a couple of times. I figured that there had to be a better way to clean out the hose and gun. Then just pumping water through the system to flush it out. Since the fittings on the hose and gun are 1/4" NPT, I thought that it would be easy to make a small pneumatic connector. This way I could use air instead of water to clear out the hose, and reclaim the paint in the hose.

Parts and Tools

To make the device you will need the following parts:

1 - 1/4" FIP x FIP Brass ball valve
1 - 1/4" x 3" Brass MIP
1 - Pneumatic quick connector (either automotive or industrial style depending on what you use)

Tools

a length of PTFE thread sealing tape
2 Crescent wrenches

Put It All Together

Wrap PTFE tape clockwise on the nipple and pneumatic fitting, this will help to prevent any air leaks. Then basically screw it all together with the crescent wrenches, making sure to have the ball valve oriented so that when opening the valve the handle the points to the brass nipple. This is to prevent the valve from opening accidentally when in use.

Use

Connect the sprayer hose to the brass nipple with the ball valve closed. Connect to an air line. Open the ball valve. Pull the trigger on the gun to clear it out. * Remember to close the ball valve before disconnecting from the air hose, or you will have paint blow back out of the pneumatic fitting.