Gun for foam: device, operation, repair

Performing work with foam foam requires care. For uniform application of foam on various surfaces there is a special tool that greatly facilitates this process. Outwardly, it looks like a pistol, so this name is commonly used in everyday life. Due to the simplicity of construction and low weight, it is easy and convenient to use a gun for polyurethane foam. But, like any other tool, he needs the right care, which is not difficult to provide. Enough to know the rules of operation and maintenance, and a few practical tricks.

gun apparatus foam

Professional gun foam is a mechanical device, all the details of which are equipped with seals and valves. This is necessary to isolate the foam from the interaction with oxygen until it leaves the tip. Upon contact with oxygen, a chemical reaction occurs, which leads to a significant expansion of the foam and its hardening.

Accessories for gun foam:

1. Tip. Mounted on the end of the barrel. Its diameter is 1/4–1/6 of the trunk diameter. Such a narrowing is necessary to create additional pressure foam at the outlet of the gun. The tip is removable, it can be replaced if broken.
2. Barrel. Pistols are equipped with two types of barrels: collapsible and non-collapsible. A collapsible barrel consists of two cylindrical tubes, which are located coaxially( one in the other).The main indicator of the quality of gun barrels is the degree of roughness of the inner surface along which the foam moves. Inside the trunk should be as polished as possible. This will facilitate the movement of the foam and the cleaning of the barrel at the end of work.
3. Adapter. The element connecting the foam bottle to the gun. In the process of recharging the cylinder adapter is often contaminated residual foam. It is located at the top of the gun. This is due to the need for balancing the tool in the loaded state. High-quality pistols are always perfectly balanced, so using them is very convenient. An adapter is a removable part that must be replaced when it fails.
4. Screw adjustment adjustment. This mechanism is designed to manually control the output of the rod, which limits the depth of the trigger. This is how the dosage of foam coming out of the cylinder is carried out( some installers call this part “foam supply”).
5. Barrel mounting nut. It has a fairly small thread pitch and allows you to tightly mount the barrel to the gun.
6. Trigger. The actuator, pressing on the rod and ejecting foam from the cylinder.
7. Handle. It is carried out from various materials. Professional models are equipped with handles of well-polished metal, which is easily cleaned from accidentally froth. High-quality plastic handles also cope with this task quite well, but cheap plastic wears out quickly and becomes dirty.

   The foam gun consists of standard components, some of which are consumable and can be replaced by

How to disassemble the assembly gun

If you need to repair or simply clean the gun for the assembly foam, you must first disassemble it. This is done quite simply - you must observe the following sequence of actions.

1. Smoothly and carefully remove the spent foam bottle. Bleeding residual pressure should be gradual - this is one of the rules for the safe operation of such equipment. After removing the balloon, the adapter is cleaned with an acetone solution or a special foam cleaner.

   Before disassembling the gun, it is necessary to remove the cylinder.

2. Remove the adapter. This operation is often performed with the use of available tools, such as a screwdriver. In doing so, care should be taken not to damage the surfaces of the parts of the gun.

   The adapter is pressed on the metal axis, so to remove it you need to apply a little effort using a screwdriver or some other auxiliary object

3. Disconnect the stem of the barrel with the tip.

   The barrel of the gun for mounting foam is unscrewed with a wrench, for which it has special slots

4. Remove the gun body cover. For this you need to unscrew the adjusting bolt.

   To remove the cover, unscrew the adjusting bolt

5. . Remove the cylindrical inner tube from the housing.

   In order to remove the inside of the barrel, it is necessary to press it a little from the side of the tip

. How to clean the tool for applying

foam. The best option is to clean the gun with the special tool .To do this, in place of the spent foam bottle install a cylinder with cleaner. Pressing the trigger causes a jet of fluid to move in the barrel, which washes away the foam. This procedure is carried out before the appearance of pure solvent at the outlet of the barrel.

To clean the gun, a container with a special agent is installed in place of the cylinder with foam.

. Fixing with solvent cylinders is standard, it is suitable for all types of guns.

Professional installers recommend purchasing a solvent from the same manufacturer as foam. This approach will provide faster and better cleaning. Different types of foam and solvent may differ in chemical properties and do not interact very well. Because of this, cleaning can be more time consuming.

When using the solvent should be aware of its easy flammability.

1. It is strictly forbidden to smoke near the solvent and in the process of cleaning the gun.
2. The balloon should not be left under direct sunlight and near heat sources.
3. When working with a solvent, the jet should be directed away from you, and in case of contact with the skin or mucous membrane, immediately rinse this place with running water and take first aid measures according to the manufacturer's instructions( usually it is contained on the bottle).

If the work is finished, and there is no proprietary solvent and the foam on the gun began to polymerize( freeze), the cleaning process will take more time and require some effort. In such cases, you can use any construction solvents( acetone, solvent, etc.) to remove foam residues.

The time it takes for the foam to cure completely after contact with air is indicated on the cylinder. This indicator is greatly influenced by the level of humidity. With sufficient humidity, the five-centimeter layer of foam hardens within 2-3 hours, but the final polymerization of the foam can last from 7 to 12 hours. In case of frosty or dry weather, the polymerization period increases to 24 hours.

A building( stationery) knife is suitable for rough cleaning of a pistol from dried foam. With its help, the outer surface of the gun and its nozzle are cleaned. Care must be taken to cause minimal damage to the polished parts of the tool. After removing the foam, wipe the surface with a soft cloth moistened with any solvent.

. If there is no special solvent on hand, coarse cleaning can be done with an

After machining the exterior surfaces, the valves of the gun must be cleaned of foam. Practically any construction solvent is also suitable for this.

1. The adapter is carefully removed.
2. A few drops of solvent( 10–20) are poured inside the gun.
3. By smoothly pressing the trigger, the valve opening mechanism is actuated, due to which the solvent passes on. In the process of pressing the trigger, the solvent can be added in the same amount.
4. The gun is turned downwards with a nozzle to allow the solvent to flow inside the barrel naturally. You can leave the instrument in this position for 15–20 minutes. A subsequent inspection of the nozzle will show whether these actions were successful. If the solvent reached the exit of the barrel, the gun can be restored. To do this, you still need a cylinder with a solvent, which is used in the same way as in the first case.

   In order to clean the assembly gun, you can pour solvent into it and blow it through the barrel

You should not use solvents not designed for cleaning foam through . Frequent handling of the internal parts of the gun with such substitutes will lead to faster wear of tool parts.

In case of complete freezing of the foam and long-term storage of the gun in this state( more than three days at any humidity), you can also try to restore it. The most problematic is to remove the completely polymerized foam. This can be done with the usual solvent, for which it is necessary to disassemble the entire gun to clean every part of the foam by mechanical means. Wire and acetone are used to clean the barrel. All actions are carried out carefully, without sudden movements.

If the foam inside the gun has polymerized, it can only be cleaned after complete disassembly.

It is rather difficult to clean the gun from the frozen foam and not damage its surface. This method is an extreme measure. It is much more efficient to timely buy a cleaner and use it for its intended purpose.

There is also a “folk” method of removing foam from a gun and various surfaces. It provides for the use of the drug Dimexide( dimethyl sulfoxide), which is sold at any pharmacy and is inexpensive. When applying it, care should be taken that the contact of the drug and the skin of a person is minimal, so it is better to work in rubber gloves. The drug is applied directly to the foam and aged 30-40 minutes. After that, the foam can be removed with a cloth. Using this tool, you should remember about the specific smell of Dimexidum - some simply do not tolerate it.

When using the drug Dimexide, you need to be careful - the product causes skin irritation and smells very specific

If foam gets on your hands and other skin areas, it is better to wash it off with vegetable oil, which needs to be applied to the surface to be treated, soak for 30 minutes and then wipe off with a rag. This method is the most painless for humans.

Video: how to clean the gun from

foam How to choose a gun for mounting foam

A professional gun must be made of high-quality metal elements. Every detail must have a polished surface with a Teflon coating and reliable hermetic fastenings. It is very important that the gun had a collapsible design. This will help in caring for him and make it easier to clean. When choosing, you should pay attention to the usability of the tool. A balanced pistol is more ergonomic, fits well in the hand, it is easier to manipulate in the process.

Video: Comparison of Guns for

Polyurethane Foam How to use a gun for applying polyurethane foam from an

cylinder For a good installation of polyurethane foam, you must follow a number of rules:

• clean the surface on which you want to apply the foam, it is advisable to moisten with a spray( suitable for any household water spray);
• you need to test the foam feed rate in an inconspicuous place. If necessary, the feed rate can be controlled using the adjusting screw;
• in order for the assembly seam to be equal and tight, the tip must always be in foam. If it is periodically lifted, the seam will become intermittent and of lower quality;
• it is not necessary to release the finger from the trigger unnecessarily. Similar actions also lead to seam breaks;

  In order for the seam to be straight and level, the gun must be led continuously, evenly pressing the

• trigger on the vertically located surfaces, the foam is applied from the bottom up. Each previous seam is a support for the next;
• during prolonged operation, the balloon must be shaken periodically;
• Some experts recommend wetting the finished seam with water. A sprayer is also suitable for this;
• cylinder replacement is carried out similarly to the process of its initial installation. If the adapter is soiled with foam, it must be cleaned.

At intervals in the work, it is necessary to clean the nozzle of the gun from the foam residues using a solvent, a damp cloth or a clean rag. To do this, tighten the gun trigger adjustment screw to prevent the foam from dispensing. The barrel must be removed, washed with a solvent and set back. A pistol with an unworked balloon can be stored for no more than 7 days. After this period, the foam begins to harden.

If the work is finished, and the foam is still left, you need to tighten the trigger adjustment screw on the gun and remove the cylinder from the adapter. It can be unscrewed with confidence, it has a built-in valve that will not allow foam residues to fly around. Then the external surfaces of the gun are rinsed with a special solvent. Cylinders of solvent foam are equipped with a special nozzle, which is used for spraying onto the washed surface.

The cleaner tank is equipped with a spray nozzle that is attached to the plastic wiring of the

When cleaning the inner surfaces of the gun with a pressure cleaner, you need to ensure that there are no people or open sources of fire in the direction of the jet exit. It is best to clean the gun by sending it to the garbage bag.

If the foam in the tank has ended, and work continues, the empty cylinder is removed from the gun, and a new one is installed instead. In this case, it is advisable to rinse the gun from foam residue with a cleaner.

How to charge the gun

Attaching the cylinder to the gun adapter must be performed in a vertical position. Remove the protective cap from the cylinder nozzle. Next, it is installed in the slots of the adapter and rotates until it stops. One hand holds the gun, and the second is screwed capacity with foam. In this case, a short hiss is heard, which indicates the depressurization of the cylinder. After that, the gun is ready for operation.

The cylinder must be wound on a pistol in an upright position.

For safety, a few rules should be followed:

• should not use a cylinder that is below 15 degrees. Before use, it must be warmed to room temperature. You can use warm water for this( no higher than 40 oC);
• if the ambient temperature is above +35 oC or below zero, it is advisable to wind the balloon with a clean cloth for thermal insulation and safety;
• is necessary to wind the balloon on the cleaned adapter - this is necessary to ensure the normal sealing of the connection;
• Shake the bottle several times before connecting to the gun;
• after installing the cylinder you need to pull the trigger and wait until the barrel is completely filled with foam. It takes a second or two. Excess foam coming out of the nozzle can be removed with a cloth.

Video: how to use a gun for

polyurethane foam Why does not the gun for applying

In the course of working with the installation gun, the following problems may occur:

• filling the nozzle of the gun with frozen foam. For cleaning the nozzle used purge gun with a solvent or mechanical cleaning of the nozzle from the outside;
• clogged valve at the beginning of the barrel. In this case, solvent purging is also used, as well as disassembling and cleaning the parts of the gun;
• clogging adapter. Before cleaning the gun assembly, remove the adapter and rinse it with acetone;
• mechanical damage. Worn or broken parts should be replaced.

The best method for preventing a pistol is its timely flushing with a solvent under pressure( using a can with foam cleaner).

Any novice builder can choose and learn how to use a gun for foam. But to properly maintain and prevent breakage will help understanding the design and processes that occur when working with this tool. Adhering to the above recommendations, you can significantly extend the service life of the gun without the risk of reducing the quality of his work.