Striping Machine Manufacturers Are You Listening?

Hey this is a shout out to the Striping Machine Manufacturers, hopefully they listen up. From my point of view many striping machine manufacturers who have not made refinements or who have not updated frames, handle bars and gun mounting systems or added useful features that have been field tested by people in this business, you companies are losing out and holding back this trade, not to mention many other features that are useless or ridiculous. All of this complaining with exception of Graco, whom I believe is on top of the game, produces a good feeling machine and is willing to make changes to better the equipment, which furthers the industry in the long run. And I don't work for them, know anybody personally who does and until recently did not even own one. Yes I finally broke down and bought a used one. (GM3500) I have had the opportunity to use many other brands and models also. I am a well rounded user but do not claim to know it all, but if there is a chance to make opinions heard I believe this is the place to start. You manufacturers need to listen up, the days of designing a walk behind machine and producing it for umpteen years unchanged are over. Titan has a great machine, I love it, although it is in need of refinements. EZ-Liner, M-B, K-C and JCL can listen up too, and any others I have not listed. It is pretty obvious who cares and who doesn't. Many of the formerly listed are selling another brand airless right from their own websites. Did they give up on the effort of design and manufacture? And if so why? Is it because the Lion's share of the market went to Graco who has what is obviously the better product? I can't wait to see opinions from the people who use this equipment to earn a living. Hopefully there are more ideas and wants, than a freaking cup holder...

Example: Titan 12 gallon paint tank. Nice try, it needs to be a little bigger to keep from spilling out. I know this from running over 1000 gallons of paint thru it. It may not leak in the manufacturing plant or design center but it leaks on jobs where the surface is not smooth, or in the trailer if it is full enough. The lid fits tight too, tight enough to be a real pain to get on but I am not complaining about that. The extra paint capacity is wanted and needed. Saves on non-production time, re-filling etc. Probem: It leaks when you put 10 gallons in it. Solution to the problem: Re-design it to allow for 10 gallons, plus extra space so it doesn't leak out even with the lid on properly. I will not buy another 12 gallon hopper from Titan again unless it is re-designed (larger). NEVER.

Ross, Here's the main downfall of most striper manufacturers. They are still designing/redesigning stripers for the old school walk behind folks that don't know about (or who fail to realize the value of) pusher machines. I have found that with a little effort/ingenuity you can completely lose the front wheel and stripe straighter lines while using a Lazy Liner. I showed how it works to three striper manufacturers at both east and west EXPOS. .... the idea was also presented in the striping tips seminars. Seesh! PS You do realize we sound a lot like your buddies from weird world.

I realize the design/engineer as walk behinds mentality. I wonder what the percentage of walk vs ride is? It is still better for everyone to get ideas and opinions voiced outloud anyway, and frequently. PLP's forum reaches far and wide and I was hoping to get people to post any modifications they would like to see right here in this post. Gripes and rants welcomed. If it is the cup holder or lack of, or the need for a better caster wheel, I think even a pusher could benefit from either of them, and I'm sure there's more.

well said sdstriper, we have used speeflo 6900 and 8900 the oldest pump being 3 years and we have never had a problem with them in that three years, and we use the machines heavily our production is 7 days per week in the summer and some weeks its 24 hr shifts, in the winter we are out as soon as the weather will permit and they stay out until it rains again. We probably have a max of six weeks stand down over the year and that isn't in one stretch. So although they are not old machines they are used intensively. On the other hand the carts!!! In the oldest factory cart is 14 months the list is as follows Problem The handle bars are already rusting around the joins so they will need to be re galvanized Solution Make them out of stainless steel Problem Hydraulic Fluid cap/dipstick has broken because it's way too flimsy, the gasket has come off, the dip stick has fell off and the cap has to be tapped down, it's very easy to have things knock it. Solution Make them out of a more durable product i.e steel Problem The bolts on the clamp assembly are not stainless steel so they tend to rust, then you have plastic wing nuts to tighten the clamps up. The plastic wing nuts wear very quickly and come away. This has happened twice. Solution Our work is mainly out door with all sorts of elements, Use stainless steel on all nuts and bolts, have steel wing nuts. They have one stainless steel wing nut on the whole cart where the engine can be removed and replaced with an electric motor, how many striper's use electric motors that wing nut never gets touched yet it's the strongest on one the cart. Problem The main support bar that is welded to the cart, is too far back from the front wheel, this means you have to have the gun support bar stretched out to reach to or past the front Axel. Or have elaborate gun holders to stop any line variations when you pass over an uneven surface. Solution. Have the main support bar welded as close as you can forward and a complete separate one welded on the back to so you can have your gun mounted directly in line with the center of your back Axel. Or front with out it bouncing. Problem. The main gun support bar and the gun support arm is square shaped. This means that if your only a couple of mil off your desired spray width you have unscrew the gun arm clamp and move it up or down then screw it up to adjust it. Solution Make the main support arm that is welded to the cart out of a rounded stainless steal tube and the gun support arm out off a rounded stainless steel rod. You only need to nudge that bar slightly and you will get your width you want with out having to loosing and tighten up every thing, thus causing more wear and tear. Problem Bucket holder too small or not adjustable, some 20 liter tins don't fit in them Solution Widen the bucket holder or have one you can adjust to your width of bucket Problem Balance on the heavier pumps, the front end is too light. Solution. maybe need some refining on this one If your lazyliner or linedriver broke down I know they don't but if they do, you still need to get paint on the ground and they are heavy enough the last thing you want is more weight, I think that if you had a longer pulley belt on the speeflo and mount the motor nearer the front end this may add extra weight down there with out having to put on more weight from else where, but it will also make the machine harder to lift the front end to line up if your pushing so, I am wondering would it be possible to make a weighted attachment to fit on the front end if you wanted to have it there. My thoughts are a stainless steel tool box with a false bottom where you could add as much weight as you require, the top you could have your tools in etc? What ever way you look at it this problem needs addressing urgently as much heavier pumps are comming out all the time. Having said all that I am really happy Oh nearly forgot! Make a steel gun with a in built gun filter, !!! Where was I ! having said that I love my speeflo 6900 and 8900s pumps, I know nothing about the mechanics, but I do know they have served and are serving me well. both are too heavy to push for me and I know some of you lads struggle as well. We should get together and get a cad 3d drawing up of the perfect cart. I can quite honestly say those of you buying speeflo 6900 through to 9900 you would be far better off buying the bare unit and welding up your own frame untill they sort it out, you'll be saving thousands and it will encourage them to look into why it is happening.

by the way where are these carts manufactured? are the graco and titan carts manufactured by the same people with but with different specs?

Come on Wend, don't hold back. Tell us what is really giving you problems with the carts.

lol den!

I would like to see the 50ft hose somewhere where I am not banging my knees on it, of course this is only a problem if you ride. Has anyone tried one of those hose reels?

The hose reels wind the hose too tight so you will get more hourglassing because of it.The hose needs to move to prevent the pulsing you will get. Jim

The hose rack should be on the front of the bars rather then the back.