Samantha Reed

Finding the best gas powered air compressors for a remote framing site changed how I run my crew. I spent three months rotating ten units through a 40-acre property with no power, running framing nailers, roofing guns, and a sandblasting cabinet. The difference between a Honda GX-powered wheelbarrow unit and a no-name piston pump is … Read more

If you want the short answer right away: the ARB CKMA12 and the VIAIR 450C Constant Duty OBA are the two best onboard air compressors our team has used over the last year, with the Air Lift 25980EZ WirelessONE taking the top spot for air-bag-suspension setups. We have run all three across desert runs, mountain … Read more

Last summer, I aired down my 35-inch tires at the trailhead of the Rubicon, dropped to 14 PSI for the boulder sections, and finished the run with a dead compressor halfway through my fourth tire. That moment sent me on a two-month deep dive into every portable air system worth owning for off-road work. After … Read more

After testing 12 low volume low pressure (LVLP) spray guns over six weeks on cabinets, car parts, and furniture, I can say one thing with confidence: the best LVLP spray gun is the one that matches your compressor, your coating, and your hand. LVLP technology atomizes paint at 2.0 to 3.5 bar (29 to 50 … Read more

I still remember the first time I picked up a gravity feed spray gun. I had just spent an entire weekend hand-painting a set of kitchen cabinets with a foam roller, and the orange-peel finish looked like cottage cheese. A friend loaned me his Iwata LPH-400, and within twenty minutes I understood why professionals never … Read more

Choosing the best automotive paint gun is the single biggest decision you’ll make before spraying your project car, motorcycle, or panel repair. I learned this the hard way on my first paint job, where a cheap gravity-feed gun left so much orange peel in the basecoat I had to sand the entire hood back down … Read more

Picking the best primer spray guns used to mean borrowing whatever your local body shop had lying around. After two months of spraying 2K primer, high-build surfacer, latex drywall primer, and shellac sealer across furniture, cabinets, and three car panels, our team learned that the wrong tip or wrong gun type costs you hours of … Read more

If you want factory-blend results on chips, scratches, motorcycle tanks, or firearm finishes, the best touch up spray guns deliver atomization that no brush or paint pen can match. After spending three months putting ten models through real-world automotive and Cerakote work, our team found that HVLP and LVLP mini spray guns consistently produce 60 … Read more

Anyone who runs an HVLP, LVLP, or airbrush setup eventually learns the same lesson: a clean gun is the difference between a glass-smooth finish and a costly do-over. After spending weeks putting 12 kits through real paint sessions and color changes, our team put together this guide to the best spray gun cleaning kits you … Read more

I tested 10 paint spray booths over three months in my garage, my buddy’s body shop, and a friend of mine’s furniture restoration studio. We sprayed cars, motorcycles, cabinets, and scale models, tracking dust intrusion, airflow, setup time, and how each booth held up after a full season of use. This guide breaks down the … Read more