On most airless tips, the first digit times two is the fan width in inches at 12 inches from the surface, and the last two digits are the orifice in thousandths of an inch. A 517 is a 10 inch fan with a 0.017 inch orifice. This is an industry convention, so confirm it against the tip's own listing.
The three-digit code
Airless tip numbers follow an industry convention that Graco's tip guidance describes, and dealer listings for the Titan 517 agree with it. Take the first digit and double it: that is the fan width in inches, measured with the gun 12 inches from the surface. The last two digits are the orifice, the hole the paint leaves through, in thousandths of an inch.
Three Titan examples read with the convention
| Tip | Fan width at 12 inches | Orifice in thousandths of an inch |
|---|---|---|
| 517 | 10 inches | 0.017 |
| 311 | 6 inches | 0.011 |
| 619 | 12 inches | 0.019 |
Calculated from the convention above, not read from a Titan size chart.
The convention has exceptions. Titan's line striping page reads the number differently: a 421 striping tip is a 4 inch stripe, with the tip 6 inches from the surface, and a 0.021 inch orifice. Do not apply the rule to Brilliant Flat Tips either, because Titan publishes a chart for those. When a tip family is a specialty one, use the manufacturer's chart for that family.
Orifice controls delivery, fan controls width
These two numbers do different jobs. The orifice controls how much material is delivered, and the fan angle controls how wide the pattern is. A 317 and a 517 share an orifice but have a 6 inch and a 10 inch fan. The wider fan spreads the same material across more surface, so it gives a thinner film.
That is why you do not fix a thin finish by jumping to a wider fan, or a heavy one by dropping to a narrower fan. Change the orifice for delivery and the fan for the width of the surface you are working on.
Picking a size
- Check the coating manufacturer's tip recommendation first. It is the most reliable starting point.
- Thicker coatings generally need larger orifices, and fine finishes use smaller ones.
- Check the largest tip your sprayer's manual allows. A bigger orifice asks more of the pump.
- Choose the fan for the work: narrower for trim and small areas, wider for large surfaces.
We do not publish a size for every coating, because that depends on both the coating and the sprayer. If you are not sure, call (713) 931-0006 with the coating and the sprayer model.
How wear changes a tip
As a tip wears, the orifice grows and the fan narrows. The pressure falls, the pattern gets coarse or streaky, and you use more paint to cover the same wall.
Some dealers quote a fan about a quarter narrower than a new tip as the replacement signal. That is a dealer rule of thumb, not a Titan rule. The simpler test is the pattern: when it has degraded and a cleaned tip and filters do not bring it back, replace the tip.
Reversible tips and clogs
Reversible tips can clear a clog by rotating the handle as the tip's instructions describe. As an example, the RX-Pro manual says to rotate the tip 180 degrees so the handle arrow points opposite the spray direction, then pull the trigger once, and never more than once in reverse. Treat that as an example and follow the manual for your own gun.
Which family to browse
Titan's tips are grouped by family, and all of them are reached from Airless Spray Tips:
- TR1 Reversible (695 series), for example 695-517 and 695-313.
- SC-6+ Reversible (662 series), for example 662-515 and 662-319.
- SC-6+ Fine Finish (671 series), for example 671-312.
- TR1 HEA (330 series), for example 330-517A.
- TR1 High Pressure (696 series), for example 696-517.
- Line striping, for example 697-421 on the TR1 Line Striping page.
One tip from each family, to compare numbers:
The Short Version
Double the first digit for fan width in inches at 12 inches, read the last two digits as the orifice in thousandths of an inch, and treat that as a convention with exceptions, such as line striping and flat tips. Pick the orifice by coating and sprayer limits, and replace the tip when the pattern degrades.
Need a tip matched?
Call (713) 931-0006 with your sprayer model and the number printed on the tip, and our parts team will confirm the part.
(713) 931-0006Order by Parts Diagram