Summer Care

This summer looks to be a hot one.  It looks like we are back to the Sacramento we knew before the last 5 years of mild weather.  We have had mild summers and warm dry winters (which led up to the draught).
Remember to clean out your pumps as soon as possible!  Any material left in the pump will skin up and clog the works.  All material needs to be strained.  Do not wrap the strainer around the siphon screen, it will just plug up and starve the pump.  This will glaze the packings and take them out.  Float a cup of water on the top of the paint.  Do not stir it in,.  This will keep the paint from forming a skin on the top.  Never leave paint in your pump overnight!
Low boy pump have a black siphon hose. If left in the sun, these will get really hot.  This skins the material inside of the hose.  Keep your pump in the shade but DO NOT cover the pump with a tarp.  That will restrict the air flow and overheat the pump.
If you have a gas engine, throttle it down.  Slower is better.  It should only run fast enough to output paint to your tip size.  If you have only 1 gun on the pump, most should only run at half speed.  Change the engine oil at least 3 times a year.  Change oil every May and August.  This will extend the life of the engine.