Choosing the Right Spray Tip or Guard
Graco RAC X SwitchTips for the Graco airless paint sprayer family: Magnum, Ultra, Ultra Max II, FinishPro GX, industrial GX 19 / 21, King, Merkur and the wider airless range. Reverse-a-clean atomisation, FFLP fine-finish variants, WideRAC for wide flat areas, XHD for protective coatings, LTX for intumescent, Tungsten heavy for abrasive material, FNS integrated guard, TrueAirless for Magnum DIY, AX / AXM for air-assisted PerformAA, LL5 for LineLazer line marking, and electrostatic nozzles for the Pro Xp85.
How to read a RAC X tip number. The first digit is half the fan width in inches at a 12 inch (305 mm) target distance. The last two digits are the orifice in thousandths of an inch. A RAC X 517 = 10 inch fan at 0.017 inch orifice. RAC X 411 = 8 inch fan at 0.011 inch orifice. Match orifice to paint viscosity and wet film thickness target; match fan width to line width target.
Tip families and what they do. RAC X LTX is the standard contractor airless line for water-based acrylic walls, ceilings, exteriors. RAC X FFLP (Fine Finish Low Pressure) drops operating pressure 25 to 40 percent below standard RAC X for cabinet, trim and door work. RAC X WideRAC for wide flat areas. XHD (Extra Heavy Duty) for protective coatings and high-build materials. LTX tips (different from RAC X LTX - confusingly named) for intumescent / fireproofing at 25 to 27 thousandths orifice (LTX527, LTX327). Tungsten Heavy for abrasive materials, longer tip life, 25-degree available. FNS Fine Finish has tip and guard integrated. TrueAirless for Magnum DIY range at low pressure. AX / AXM for air-assisted PerformAA range (AXM409 = 250 mm / 0.009 inch). LL5 for LineLazer line marking. Electrostatic nozzles 1.5 mm (24N616) and High Wear 1.5 mm for Pro Xp85.
CRITICAL: FFLP tips use a smaller seal. RAC X FFLP tips use a SMALLER seal than standard blue RAC X tips. When switching between FFLP and standard RAC X LTX on the same gun, swap the OneSeal too, or the tip will leak. Single most-common cause of tip leaks on the Graco airless platform is operators swapping tip families without swapping the seal. Carry a 5-pack of each OneSeal variant (RAC X FFLP OneSeal + RAC X LTX OneSeal) on the truck.
CleanShot Shut-Off Valve. Graco CleanShot Shut-Off Valve sits between the gun and the tip and lets the operator stop fluid flow at the tip without releasing the gun trigger. Reduces tip-clog risk on stop-start cabinet and trim work, improves cut-in line definition, and stops the wet-tip drip when moving between stations. Standard kit on cabinet and fine-finish setups.
Tip selection by application. Trim and woodwork: FFLP210, FFLP310, FFLP312 (4-6 inch fan, 0.010 to 0.012 orifice) for Dulux Max Adhesion, Tint Trim, Haymes Trim, Resene. Walls / ceilings residential: FFLP514 (10 inch fan, good output for exterior weatherboard). Doors and trim Aqua Enamel: TDS recommends 21 / 411 (NOT 514 as customers often try). Exteriors large area: 517-521. Structural steel 6-10 inch fan: 617-621, 817-821. Interzone 954: 0.023 minimum tip, 6-10 inch fan, requires Mark V or GMAX II 3900 minimum unit. Membrane (Topps): 631. Intumescent / fireproofing: LTX527, LTX327. GH 833 Big Rig heavy coatings: 643, 645. Always cross-reference the coating TDS for the manufacturer-recommended tip size.
Tip wear. Worn tips increase orifice size, increase material consumption and produce a poorer spray pattern (tails on the edges, heavy centre). Replace tips when pattern starts to tail. Tungsten Heavy tips last significantly longer for abrasive materials but cost more upfront; per-square-metre cost works out lower on commercial abrasive work.
New to airless tip selection? Read our blog: Airless Spray Tips Made Simple.