# Best Hopper Gun



## andrew07

Just wondering what you guys use and like or recommend for a hopper gun, I will be spraying down a concrete product as an overlay on a set of exterior stairs, Wal-board Spraying Mantis, Marshalltown Company 693 etc... Thanks for the help.


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## rhardman

The Mantis is a much better unit. The older styles with that rotational wheel and frictioning nut (to keep the wheel in place) catch mud and can cause goobers to be "lofted" onto the wall. 

I've sprayed a lot of cement products with hoppers matching stucco textures. Be sure to do a test area first and it's usually best to start at the top and move down the wall. 

Good luck.

Rick
Check out Harbor Freight. Right now they have a hopper unit similar to the Mantis for $20.00. I have one and it works fine. Link below.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=texture


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## andrew07

rhardman said:


> The Mantis is a much better unit. The older styles with that rotational wheel and frictioning nut (to keep the wheel in place) catch mud and can cause goobers to be "lofted" onto the wall.
> 
> I've sprayed a lot of cement products with hoppers matching stucco textures. Be sure to do a test area first and it's usually best to start at the top and move down the wall.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Rick
> Check out Harbor Freight. Right now they have a hopper unit similar to the Mantis for $20.00. I have one and it works fine. Link below.
> 
> http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=texture


Thanks for the HF tip, I picked one up today, I was also looking at this one it has an adapter that can spray up to 1/2" stone http://all-wall.com/acatalog/Goldblatt_Diana_Gun___Hopper.html


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## rhardman

Andrew07, Did the HF hopper work out for you?
A short (3 inch or so) piece of radiator hose between the handle and the hopper will give you some helpful flexibility.

Rick


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## Whitey97

you actually use the hose? interesting.

I use a goldblatt hopper from 1912! lol They're the ones with the interchanging orfice, and the small hopper. I'm just a little guy! can't have all that weight above my shoulders


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## rhardman

The hose needs to be short or it causes a problem. With the hose it's a little easier at times.

FYI...Harbor Freight still has those hoppers for sale for $20.00.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=texture+gun&Submit=Go


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## rebel20

I had 2 marshaltowns Orifice type had them sent over in 1990 was beech with customs they actually thought I was bringing Guns over. ie. Hoppergun on the forms. Had to go pick them up myself. Still have one of them, sold the other to a colleague they had never heard of a hoppergun here before I brought them over. Used them to spray stucco wild design. Must have done about 40 jobs in 2 months ceilings, hallways, partyrooms, basements. By the way the Stucco is already mixed here just add water. 1-5mm stone.

rebel


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## FixitmanArizona

Harbor Freight, disposable tool! works fine for a few times but then falls apart. Great value if you don't intend to be using it a year from now.
Spraying Mantis is the best for drywall texture, though, that's for sure. The one I have is over 10 years old and still works great. The plastic hopper needs replaced, as it's started to fall apart at the top, but some Gorilla tape is holding for now. 
The replacement hopper is more than the harbor freight gun complete, which tells you something about quality, though.
Both came with 3 interchangeable orifice discs, I've only ever used the middle sized one, as I simply control how the material sprays by thinning and pressure.
The larger one is probably useful for popcorn material, and the smaller for orange peel, but I don't do a lot of either. I haven't attempted to spray stucco or cement based products.
Hope this helps.


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