Different methods of feeding paint into a spray gun.

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Feeding paint into a spray gun is defined by where the paint cup sits relative to the nozzle. The two main methods are suction (siphon) feed and gravity feed. In suction feed, the cup is below the gun and the airstream helps pull paint up into the nozzle. In gravity feed, the cup is on top, so the paint flows into the nozzle by gravity, often giving better control and visibility of the paint level. These two configurations cover the standard ways automotive refinish guns are fed, making them the primary methods you should know. The other terms describe less common or ambiguous cup positions and aren’t the standard categories used for describing feeding methods.