The cheap paint gun I swore I'd never use now does my clear coats

I've been spraying for about 9 years, mostly at a shop in Akron, and I always told my apprentice that anything under 200 bucks is a toy. But last month my DeVilbiss took a dump mid-job on a Chevy Silverado, and I had a $140 Harbor Freight gun in the cabinet for a backup I never touched. Desperate, I ran it with the same 1.4 tip and 2025 clear, and honestly the finish came out flatter than some of the jobs I've done with my good one. I think the trick was dialing the fan pattern way down and slowing my passes, not trying to lay it on like a production gun. I still wouldn't trust it for a metallic base coat, but for clear over a solid color in a pinch, I'm not throwing it out. Has anyone else had a cheap gun surprise them, or am I just getting lucky on low-humidity days? Also, what psi are you guys running on those to avoid runs on vertical panels?

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