The Graco JetRoller is a popular airless accessory on the market. Due to lack of knowledge or training, the JetRoller is often not used and handled incorrectly.
In this article we show you what you need to pay attention to in order to make the most of the advantages of the Graco JetRoller. In addition to setting the pressure correctly with the JetRoller, we show how to adjust the spray jet to the width of the paint roller and how to set the joint to the right angle.
What is the Graco JetRoller?
Before we start, a few words about the JetRoller itself, for those who have never heard of this airless accessory before. The JetRoller is a tool for airless spray painting equipment and is a combination of the classic paint roller. The paint is sprayed onto the wall from an airless device, via the high-pressure hose and a lance.
At the front of the lance is a bracket to which a conventional paint roller can be attached. Any paint roller can be used, whether it is short or long haired. The application of the paint can be controlled and dosed by means of a gun at the end of the lance. The paint is sprayed with low pressure and then distributed evenly with the roller.
Benefits of the Graco JetRoller
The Graco JetRoller makes it easy to distribute materials on the job site. So when a façade is sprayed, there is no need to haul the paint onto the scaffolding. The paint is at the bottom and the airless pump sucks the material up the façade.
In addition, there is no need to dip the roller into the paint can, as the material is simply sprayed onto the wall. By working with a lower pressure, there is less overspray, which also allows the facades to be well coated. Compared to conventional airless spraying, it is possible to work with much less pressure, as the paint is distributed evenly by the roller.
Despite this, spraying allows good penetration into structured surfaces such as coarse-grained plaster on facades. In indoor applications, the JetRoller offers advantages to users who have to carry out spot repairs with a roller and therefore prefer the structure of the roller. Overall, the JetRoller allows for more economical work and a higher surface yield.
The advantages of the Graco JetRoller can be summarised as follows:
- No transport of paint buckets
- Little overspray
- Good paint penetration on structured surfaces such as coarse plaster on facades
- High working speed
Disadvantages of the Graco JetRoller
When using the airless technique, a little more preparation time is required. But this reasonable extra time is quickly compensated by the higher surface yield. In addition, the weight of the JetRoller is slightly higher than that of the conventional paint roller.
- Preparation time for the airless pump and surfaces
- Slightly higher weight of the JetRoller compared to the conventional roller
Structure and operation of the Graco JetRoller
The Graco JetRoller consists of the Graco Contractor InLine gun, the handle with this extension and the bracket for mounting the paint roller. Any paint roller can be chosen (not supplied with the JetRoller).
The Graco CleanShot valve is mounted on the front of the JetRoller, a joint to adjust the correct angle of the paint spray. This CleanShot valve is also known as an anti-spitting valve, as it has, in addition to the joint function, a valve function that prevents paint spitting when working with long airless extensions.
In addition to the JetRoller, this valve can therefore also be used for spraying with extensions mounted directly on the airless gun. Here is a video to learn more about the Graco CleanShot.
The delivery includes a 50 cm Graco HD lance, but some projects require a longer working range (e.g. flooring or high ceilings). In these cases, it may be useful to use a longer extension or an additional lance to extend the Graco JetRoller. For this purpose, reinforced lances such as Graco HD lances should be used.
These extensions are available in the following lengths:
- Graco Extension HD, 25 cm
- Graco Extension HD, 50 cm
- Graco Extension HD, 100 cm
- Graco Extension HD, 150 cm
- Graco Extension HD, 200 cm
Pressure adjustment of the Graco JetRoller
On the Graco JetRoller, the pressure setting can be significantly lower than with conventional airless spraying. In most cases, 60 to 80 bar is sufficient. In this case, the paint is not finely sprayed and evenly applied to the wall or facade, but the pressure is sufficient to spray the material onto the wall.
If you take a closer look at this spray pattern, you will notice irregularities in the distribution of the material. This results in a somewhat uneven distribution of the paint on the surface. This is a disadvantage when working with too little pressure. However, this disadvantage does not play a role when working with the JetRoller, as the paint is distributed evenly immediately after spraying with the roller.
On the contrary, working with low pressure even has an advantage. Less pressure = less overspray
Adjust the spray jet to the width of the paint roller
A Graco RAC X size 721 nozzle is included in the delivery. This nozzle allows a spray pattern as wide as the paint roller to be set. This means that the product can be sprayed across the width of the roller and is distributed evenly over the surface and the roller.
The roller bracket can be fixed in different positions on the JetRoller by means of a locking mechanism. If the roller is positioned closer to the nozzle, the spray width is reduced. Conversely, the spray pattern widens when the paint roller is positioned further away from the nozzle. It is therefore easy to position the paint roller at the right distance from the nozzle, so that the paint jet corresponds to the width of the paint roller.
Adjusting the JetRoller CleanShot correctly
The valce should be oriented so that the paint jet reaches the wall just below the paint roller. This has the advantage that the overspray, which is very small anyway, settles between the wall and the paint roller and is largely absorbed by the wall or the roller.
On construction sites, however, we often see that the paint jet is directed directly onto the paint roller or onto the wall above the roller. This poor setting compromises the benefits of the JetRoller and leads to more paint misting than necessary.
Correct use of the Graco JetRoller
When should I spray with the Graco JetRoller? Ideally, you spray downwards. This means that you place the paint roller against the wall and roll downwards. The trigger of the gun is then pulled and the paint is sprayed onto the wall below the paint roller.
Immediately afterwards, the paint roller touches the sprayed surface, distributes the paint evenly on the wall and carries away the excess paint. In the upward movement, only the roller is used and not the spray, which reduces the formation of paint mist. The JetRoller can be guided at 50% overlap.
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