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Expanding foam - gun or plastic nozzle?


Vijay

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I haven't used expanding foam for quite a while and then only the normal cans with plastic nozzle. I need to order some to help me level up the first course of ICF but don't know whether to get the gun type or plastic nozzles? What's the big advantage of buying/using a gun?

 

 

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Can totally understand if you're doing around windows etc. but do you still think it's worth it for general filling when you take the extra expense of the gun and cleaner?

 

Does the cleaner instantly dissolve the foam?

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Gun for deffo!

 

I always have two cans of cleaner at the ready for when I do a can change. One with the spray nozzle on and one without. As you undo the "empty" can some foam will splurge out. Straight away spray to clean if off then screw the other can on and give it a blast through the gun. Have a chunk of wire wool too handy for cleaning the nozzle of dried foam.

 

Cleaner will only remove wet foam. You can if you think to, keep the nozzle clean with the occasional spray of cleaner. 

 

Many years ago I ran out of the then first house I was doing up and as I slammed the door my Workmate fell perfectly onto a can of foam. It was like something from Ghostbusters when I came back with a B&D Workmate in the centre!

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No question gun!! 

 We used our gun a wee bit different. Before we changed the can we would completely empty the can then we changed the can as quick as possible and use the can rite away. Only time we used foam cleaner was when I made a mistake and set of the new can before the can sealed to gun, without the cleaner the gun would have been a rite off. In the morning/or after a few hours of no use we would have to spend a minute and cut off the dryed foam from around the nozzle with a knife. 

Used over 60 cans on various stuff and still on the same gun. 

Edited by Alexphd1
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I killed a gun once when I finished a can and intended storing the gun. I screwed the cleaner can on, gave it a quick squirt through and took the can off straight away. You're SUPPOSED to leave the can on with cleaner in the gun for 5 minutes or so according to the instructions.

 

Another gun started to leak around the rear adjustment screw. Easy enough to strip but the long shaft up the centre is coated in black Teflon and that can wear away.

 

 

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Do you have to clean the gun after every use or can you store it? A YouTube video said you can leave it on the gun for 30 days???

 

Also, are all guns the same or is there a specific one to get?

Edited by Vijay
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Our gun was part of a pack with 12x cans. Can't say if it's a good or bad as it's the only gun we have ever used. Yeah we have left our gun for about 30 days between use with the foam can still attached and never had any problems. 

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17 minutes ago, Alexphd1 said:

 

Yep, same gun here and the one that's lasted the longest. Or maybe it's 'cos I've learnt my lesson and look after it better. I switch between Soudal low expansion and "normal" Soudal foams. Two guns would be the ideal tbh.

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@Vijay, as everyone else says: gun every time.  If you use a gun, then you'll never go back to the use-once plastic nozzle.  If is just so much more precise.  The Screwfix No-nonsense stuff is fine, IMO,  and you can leave the can on the gun for a day or so.  After that you might be building up a decent decoking job.  Once cracked (or even if left on the shelf for long enough) then the foaming agent loses its vigor, that's another reason to go to a high turnover supplier like Screwfix.

 

Also, don't make the mistake of putting in too much on the first pass.  It expands a good 3× unless you get the low expansion stuff.  You can always go back and put in a second layer if needed.

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Gun every time! Best £7 I ever spent on eBay.

Have no idea how long I've left it between uses, can on, and it's been fine.

Did bugger up my first two guns in quick succession by cross-threading a can. Stupidly tried to use that same can on the new gun cos it looked fine, but obviously it wasn't. D'oh!

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I think i've had the same can of foam on my gun since my build finished over 2 years ago in Dec 14, and i've used it for a couple of little jobs here and there since, certainly this year and the foam has still come out no problem, so the cans can be left on waaaay more than 30days without the gun blocking up.

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Screwfix low expansion foam is very good, pretty sure it's really made by Soudal.  Screwfix No Nonsense standard foam is not so good, in my experience, it tends to have big voids internally and varies a fair bit from one can to the next.  Generally I try and stick to Soudal, as it seems to perform consistently well.  This is based on having used around 50 cans of the stuff in two guns.

 

As others have said, just leave the can on the gun, with the valve right off, and it will last for ages, certainly several months.  One thing to watch is to avoid damaging the end of the gun where the nozzle fits  It's coated with Teflon, like a non-stick pan, and once it gets scratched the foam sticks to it and you ended up with a jammed needle valve at the nozzle end.  When this happens, the gun is really toast, as it will need very regular cleaning from then on, pretty much every time it's used, and the effort of doing this becomes more than the gun is worth.  I found that taking the plastic tip off and cleaning it with acetone, and wiping the tip of the gun with a rag soaked in acetone, before putting it away keeps it working well.  It's also much cheaper to buy 5L cans of acetone that buy gun cleaner, which is just acetone anyway.

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