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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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expanding foam guns
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. |
#2
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expanding foam guns
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 |
#3
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expanding foam guns
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. |
#4
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expanding foam guns
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? |
#5
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expanding foam guns
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... |
#6
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expanding foam guns
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. |
#7
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expanding foam guns
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. |
#8
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expanding foam guns
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 | \================================================= ================/ |
#9
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expanding foam guns
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). |
#10
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expanding foam guns
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. |
#11
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expanding foam guns
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 | \================================================= ================/ |
#12
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expanding foam guns
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 |
#13
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expanding foam guns
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... |
#14
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expanding foam guns
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 |
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