Compare Pavement Marking and Thermoplastic Equipment

Contractors involved in pavement marking couldn't have found a better place to compare and contrast pavement marking equipment than the 2009 National Pavement Expo Feb. 18-21 in Charlotte, NC. Most of the industry's equipment manufacturers brought units to the exhibit floor (and paint suppliers also showed up in force), so pavement marking contractors could get a great overview of what's available to help them succeed in their pavement marking businesses.

Whether contractors were looking for utility stripers to just get them into the market, small machines for touch-up and small striping jobs, high-production stripers, or thermoplastic applicators, contractors had a variety of equipment options to choose from.

Airlessco by Durotech attracted a good deal of attention with its two most basic airless stripers, the Sure Stripe 3650 and the 4050. Mike Gordon, Airlessco regional sales manager, describes the 3650 as an entry level machine designed and priced for contractors who stripe only a few times a week. Weighing 166 lbs., the 3650 features two 13-in. pneumatic tires, a front swivel wheel with Airlessco's Radius Memory system, and a piston-pump driven system with a max output of .7 gpm. Gordon says the Sure Stripe 4050 is a step up from the 3650, weighing the same but producing .8 gpm and featuring a foot-operated parking brake. Gordon says both stripers feature an externally adjustable packing system, enabling the operator to adjust both the upper and lower packing tension easily from outside the pump, reducing both downtime and maintenance costs.

Not on display but available for the high-production striping contractor is Airlessco's Sure Stripe 9500 which features hydraulics instead of a piston pump and is billed as featuring the "biggest paint pump on the market." Output on the 9500 is 2.7 gpm with annual usage projected as up to 30,000 gal. per year.

For contractors who like air spray, EZ-Liner exhibited its 583 Air Spray Walk-Behind striper. The 583 features a 2.5-gal. paint tank, a 5-hp Briggs & Stratton gasoline engine, and a 13.2 cfm air compressor. Two wheels on the front of the 583 help with stability and dismounting paint guns allow for hand spraying. If you're looking to do more with your striper, the 583 includes options such as a glass bead dispenser, a 5-gal. paint tank, a curb painting attachment, a 30-in. adjustable line guide, and a field marking configuration.

Also available from EZ-Liner is its Belgian Self-Propelled Walk-Behind striper which can be used in airport and runway striping, says Dick Bjork, Eastern regional sales manager. This unit, which is available in an air or airless model, features a 13-hp Honda gasoline engine with electric start and a 13.2 cfm air compressor with unloader valve. The self-propelled striper can go in forward and reverse with variable speed control and features a heavy-duty front swivel caster. One-, two-, or three-line configurations to paint up to 36-in. lines in a single pass are available.

The Fine Line Industries booth was buzzing with contractors stopping to check out the Lazy Liner 2, a sit down, ride-on attachment that can hook up to striping machines and turn them into self-propelled units. With electric start, 5-qt. hydraulic system, 5.5-hp Honda OHV engine, and one or two foot operation with fully adjustable pedals the unit was generating quite a crowd. The Lazy Liner 2 also features an impact protection bar behind the engine to protect the engine, muffler, carburetor, and valve cover from damage. A new adjustable seat allows the operator the ability to raise or lower the seat and move it to the left or right for visibility purposes.

Fine Line also offers the Lazy Liner 2econo model which is the same as the Lazy Liner 2 only with a basic pull start Honda engine and no rear engine protection bar.