Hi Joey, I am having a hell of a time not getting black speckles whenever i do colors.  I have a parker ionics gun with a box vibrating machine and as you taught us in class i have new hoses for every color.  I take the gun apart as for as i can and i even take the wand apart as far as i can, and i blow them both out for a good 10 to 20 minutes, but yet i still have black speckles whenever i do color.  They are hard to see, yet they are still there. is this normal, or should i shoot myself?

Thanks Joey,

Jeff, Huntington Beach 

Jeff,

  I'd ask you how it's been going, but I think you've already answered that question .   Let's see if we can talk you down off the cliff and solve the problem.

  Black specs in your powder?  I'm assuming it's showing up in all colors since you mention that you are changing hose.  Although it could be particles flying around in your oven, those most often appear as "trash" and not "specks".

  I'm going to assume as well that the part is clean.  Unclean parts are going to have more problems than simply specks.

  Even though I haven't been to your shop, I'm gonna take a stab in the dark here.  I want you to take a very close look at your compressed air supply.  Do you have an air dryer located very close to the gun?  Is it working properly?  Are you 100% sure?  If very small particulates of oil are getting through your air line, they will cause very small, dark colored specks throughout your powder.  I've seen people chase that problem for months only to find out it's the air.  Clean your gun VERY well, put on a new hose, and attach to a small portable compressor and see if the problem disappears.  Just remember to REALLY - REALLY - REALLY clean ALL your gun parts if you do determine this to be your problem.

   Let me know if my crystal ball worked or if we need to go back to the drawing board!

Joey