I'm thinking of getting some "non-disposable" expanding foam for
various insulation & sealing jobs. I've read the wiki article
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Expanding_foam
but I have a few extra questions.

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable, or is it important
to pick out a "reputable name" of gun to ensure a long-term supply of
foam for it?

The wiki says:

When using a gun, the gun can be left on the can for short periods
of disuse but must be taken off and cleaned if left for longer
periods. Cans of cleaner designed to fit the guns are available.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken
off the gun? Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use, or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Thanks.

On 09/06/16 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting some "non-disposable" expanding foam for
various insulation & sealing jobs. I've read the wiki article
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Expanding_foam
but I have a few extra questions.

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable, or is it important
to pick out a "reputable name" of gun to ensure a long-term supply of
foam for it?

The wiki says:

When using a gun, the gun can be left on the can for short periods
of disuse but must be taken off and cleaned if left for longer
periods. Cans of cleaner designed to fit the guns are available.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken
off the gun?

Yes

Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use,

Also yes if using again in the near future.

or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Only if planning to leave unused for a long time.

Thanks.


One more thing - I advise paying extra for the pink fire rated foam. The
ordinary stuff is a tad more flammable than I'm happy with having used both.

Adam Funk Wrote in message:
I'm thinking of getting some "non-disposable" expanding foam for
various insulation & sealing jobs. I've read the wiki article
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Expanding_foam
but I have a few extra questions.

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable, or is it important
to pick out a "reputable name" of gun to ensure a long-term supply of
foam for it?


AFAIK they are interchangeable. I've bought different brands of
foam and they have always fitted my gun.

The wiki says:

When using a gun, the gun can be left on the can for short periods
of disuse but must be taken off and cleaned if left for longer
periods. Cans of cleaner designed to fit the guns are available.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken
off the gun? Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use, or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Thanks.


I don't agree with the wiki on this point.

I leave the canister of foam on my gun, it's been many months
between uses sometimes and I've not had a problem with blockages
from foam drying in the gun.

I once tried to swap a part used standard foam for the low
expansion stuff, I just ended up with foam squirting out all over
the place. It stopped once I git the can off, but then the foam
set in the valve of the canister.

When I swap cans I usually run a bit of cleaner through if I have
it handy.

The foam sets at the nozzle, but it's easily cleaned off,
sometimes I need to scrape the ball in the end to free
it.

The are much better than trying to use the standalone cans.


--
--
Chris French

On 09/06/2016 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting some "non-disposable" expanding foam for
various insulation & sealing jobs. I've read the wiki article
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Expanding_foam
but I have a few extra questions.

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable, or is it important
to pick out a "reputable name" of gun to ensure a long-term supply of
foam for it?

I can't say I have tried all the brands, but they seem to be
interchangeable.

The wiki says:

When using a gun, the gun can be left on the can for short periods
of disuse but must be taken off and cleaned if left for longer
periods. Cans of cleaner designed to fit the guns are available.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken

It varies... they tend to seal slightly better than the non "gun" cans,
but not always perfectly - they will still lose pressure if you leave
them long enough IME

off the gun? Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use, or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

I normally rinse through with the cleaner from a can of cleaner, then
leave dry. Unless its going to be more than a couple of weeks, I just
leave the foam can on the gun.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Adam Funk wrote:

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable

Yes.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken
off the gun?

Err, usually!

http://andyburns.uk/test/foam_leak.jpg

Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use, or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

If I'm not leaving a can of foam on it, then I tend to leave some
cleaner in it instead, it's difficult to say how long is "too long" to
leave a part used can of foam on it, days is fine, weeks is fine, months
usually causes [me] problems.

On 09/06/2016 18:46, Andy Burns wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable

Yes.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken
off the gun?

Err, usually!

http://andyburns.uk/test/foam_leak.jpg

Looks like that VT320 came to a sticky end!




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

jim wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

http://andyburns.uk/test/foam_leak.jpg

Thassart that is :-)

It did have a certain Roger Dean quality to it

How long did it take for that to... er.. grow?

Overnight, the can sealed OK when I took it off the gun, but was left
quite near a radiator which I presume set it off...

Andy Burns Wrote in message:
Adam Funk wrote:

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable

Yes.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken
off the gun?

Err, usually!

http://andyburns.uk/test/foam_leak.jpg


Thassart that is :-)

How long did it take for that to... er.. grow?

--
Jim K

On 09/06/2016 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting some "non-disposable" expanding foam for
various insulation & sealing jobs. I've read the wiki article
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Expanding_foam
but I have a few extra questions.

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable, or is it important
to pick out a "reputable name" of gun to ensure a long-term supply of
foam for it?


AFAIK, the 'gun grade' foams are standard.

The wiki says:

When using a gun, the gun can be left on the can for short periods
of disuse but must be taken off and cleaned if left for longer
periods. Cans of cleaner designed to fit the guns are available.


I've kept the same can of foam on for more than 6 months. I find it a
really useful source of sticky expanding stuff on tap. In fact, I
wouldn't fancy taking the can off in case the foam set right inside the
nozzle. That said, the gun I got from screwfix has started to leak
around the trigger/pin. Doesn't impair use, yet.

I squirt through with cleaner each time I change cans - seems worthwhile.



--
Cheers, Rob

On 2016-06-09, Tim Watts wrote:

On 09/06/16 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:

Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use,

Also yes if using again in the near future.

or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Only if planning to leave unused for a long time.

Thanks.


One more thing - I advise paying extra for the pink fire rated foam. The
ordinary stuff is a tad more flammable than I'm happy with having used both.

Were you the one who posted some test results here recently?

On 2016-06-09, John Rumm wrote:

On 09/06/2016 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting some "non-disposable" expanding foam for
various insulation & sealing jobs. I've read the wiki article
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Expanding_foam
but I have a few extra questions.

Are the cans & guns standardized & interchangeable, or is it important
to pick out a "reputable name" of gun to ensure a long-term supply of
foam for it?

I can't say I have tried all the brands, but they seem to be
interchangeable.

The wiki says:

When using a gun, the gun can be left on the can for short periods
of disuse but must be taken off and cleaned if left for longer
periods. Cans of cleaner designed to fit the guns are available.

Do the foam cans seal themselves well (like gas cylinders) when taken

It varies... they tend to seal slightly better than the non "gun" cans,
but not always perfectly - they will still lose pressure if you leave
them long enough IME

off the gun? Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use, or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

I normally rinse through with the cleaner from a can of cleaner, then
leave dry. Unless its going to be more than a couple of weeks, I just
leave the foam can on the gun.

Thanks (to everyone else too).

On 14/06/16 12:03, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2016-06-09, Tim Watts wrote:

On 09/06/16 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:

Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use,

Also yes if using again in the near future.

or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Only if planning to leave unused for a long time.

Thanks.


One more thing - I advise paying extra for the pink fire rated foam. The
ordinary stuff is a tad more flammable than I'm happy with having used both.

Were you the one who posted some test results here recently?


Yes...

On 2016-06-14, Tim Watts wrote:

On 14/06/16 12:03, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2016-06-09, Tim Watts wrote:

On 09/06/16 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:

Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use,

Also yes if using again in the near future.

or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Only if planning to leave unused for a long time.

Thanks.


One more thing - I advise paying extra for the pink fire rated foam. The
ordinary stuff is a tad more flammable than I'm happy with having used both.

Were you the one who posted some test results here recently?


Yes...

Thought so. Interesting stuff.

On 14/06/16 14:42, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2016-06-14, Tim Watts wrote:

On 14/06/16 12:03, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2016-06-09, Tim Watts wrote:

On 09/06/16 15:57, Adam Funk wrote:

Do you leave a can of cleaner on the gun when it's not
in use,

Also yes if using again in the near future.

or just blow cleaner through the gun & then leave it open?

Only if planning to leave unused for a long time.

Thanks.


One more thing - I advise paying extra for the pink fire rated foam. The
ordinary stuff is a tad more flammable than I'm happy with having used both.

Were you the one who posted some test results here recently?


Yes...

Thought so. Interesting stuff.


Well, for some definition of "interesting". Personally I was a tad
****ed off that at least one brand of foam was insanely flammable after
curing, especially as another brand of non fire rated stuff appeared to
be a lot less so.