Is the expense of one of those professional foam guns worth the expense? I have always used the disposable straw style, and have gotten good and using all of the product. The gun itself is expensive plus the canisters are more expensive per ounce. I have a big project coming up and I am wondering if I will earn my money back if I purchase the gun. This kit is a good deal for whats included:  but I could buy a ton of disposable cans for that price

We have been very happy with the Wind-lock foam guns and foam.

Ouch, pricey foam! I assume the cans aren't interchangeable between brands?

I like the idea of being able to pick up a can or two at Home Depot if I need to. I just find it hard to believe that they fit more usable foam in those cans. I don't really waste much when I'm working. with the straws.

+1 for Wind=lock...didn't know they were still around. I had one that worked for a couple years. I left it sitting for a couple years and we had a project at work that we wanted to use the design for, except RTV, so I took it in and some one pulled the trigger, foam went everywhere so it still was working years later.

I am on my second Home Depot gun. My opinion is always leave a can on the gun even if empty, never use the cleaner, only use the screw on the back to shut the gun off if it is stuck on, and always leave the screw on the back in the full open position.

I found dipping the end of the gun in welding nozzle dip helps keeping the gun clean. I guess you could use oil or something similar.

The yield is almost twice as much as the all in one can. Because the foam expands in the tube and the bubbles are popped before they get out of the tube. The gun type expands the foam at the tip right as it exits.

Other notes, water helps this stuff cure and expand. So can get a spray bottle and spray it to help things. You can use it in the rain.

For small one-off jobs, Great Stuff works fine. For larger and many jobs, a nice foam gun is the way to go. I think Wind-lock still provides a free foam gun when you buy case of foam. Their guns last for many years. Even if you forget to clean them and store them for too long, you can still disassemble them and put them back in action. I don’t know if different brands are interchangeable as we have only used Wind-lock. Wind-lock had great customer support and we like their other products too.

OK, I have over 100 sheets of recycled EPS foam I am putting on a roof. since its recycled the edges are not clean and I will need to foam each joint, incuding filling some areas where electrical outlet sized holes where cut out for its previous use. It will take quite a bit of foam I am sure. If I can get double the linear foot with a gun, then it makes the purchase worth it. If not, then no lol.

Not just for that reason; being able to control the amount of foam coming out of the nozzle saves half the foam you'd use in a throwaway can. If you need to use a lot, or will have to use some occasionally, it makes sense to buy the gun. They're usually $35-40 at lumber yards and will last for years IF YOU CLOSE THE NOZZEL!!

Don't close the NOZZEL.....#NozzleGate....#FoamIsYourFriend

What is a nozzel )

All the guns I have had go bad had the nozzle closed....I believe it separates the end of the gun form the can and allows the nozzle to harden up....but do it how you want.

Yes, that has been our experience as well...don’t close the foam gun nozzle. Just leave the foam can screwed onto the foam gun if you don’t want to clean the foam gun and you will be using it again before too long. It will continue to work fine for a couple of weeks like this.

For longer term storage it is best to remove the foam can and clean the foam gun. However, even if you manage to lock the foam gun up by having foam harden within the foam gun, it can always be disassembled, cleaned and put back in action.

my guns have always frozen up (the foam hardens) when the nozzel is left open. (?) How does this not happen?

Bad Luck.....I don't know.....anyway

The home depot guns and my Wind-Lock gun can't be taken apart....wish they could be unless I am missing something....

To take my Wind-lock apart, I first unscrew the furthest aft black knob...the knob that some use to close the nozzle. Then I use a small wrench to spin off the nut/cap that is just forward of the squeeze handle. Then the long pin that normally seals at the tip can be pulled back and out of the nozzle assembly. I doubt these are the correct terms, but hopefully this makes sense.

Not a 100% sure, but I think using the black knob to close the nozzle results in the section just below the can getting closed which leaves foam in the section between that point and the tip of the nozzle. I suspect over time that this section slowly becomes unpressurized, air slowly enters this section and the foam hardens in this section.

Thanks, will try that....I still have my old Wind-Loc gun.

I've been using gun foam for years. It's much easier to control the flow than straw foam. I've always closed the needle after use and my gun works fine. If you are not going to use the gun for awhile attach a can of cleaner to the gun and shoot thru the gun. The guns are worth the price. I paid about $35 for mine and it's about 5 years old.

+1 on foam guns. I always keep at least two guns, one general foam and one window door. I never leave a can off and use cleaner between can changes after 3 cans or so. Yield is much higher than those diy cans, once you try a foam gun you wont ever want to use the straw cans again. The foam also comes out of the gun through a smaller diameter and with more force so the foam can inject into really small places for a really good bond. Store can upright.

Brands are interchangeable, touch n seal all weather is good, tried some hilti which stunk, osi was ok, dupont is good, dow is readily available but i think the window door is pretty crummy, dupont low expansion is way better. Cans expire, so make sure you get fresh stuff. i have great stuff pro 14 guns with those extension nozzles for little gaps which are also reusable, my guns have lasted years or they have lasted 6 months, it depends on how much foam you run through them, my current two have maybe 10 cases through them and no signs of wearing out. Always nozzle closed, mine get wrecked with the knob open. as you run lots of foam through they slowly gunk up until the flow is restricted.

I have brought some back to life by partial dissassembly and a little pick or leaving a cleaner can on for a day and let it soften all the buildup. I use a smear of petroleum jelly where the can meets the gun and around the trigger rod.

I once got a free, pur brand i think it was, expensive gun with a large foam order and it was a total pos. It lasted maybe a case before it went bad.

You can use acetone, available at any hardware store to break apart a frozen gun. That's whats in the pressurized gun cleaners.