How to use a sealant gun

Construction adhesives and sealants are produced in special tubes. It is possible to squeeze the mass out of them only using a special tool - a sealant gun. With its help, the insulating compound is applied evenly and quickly. Various designs of pistols are produced, which are intended for specific working conditions.

Tool description

The tool is a kind of large syringe with a plunger... One side of it is open or represented by two frame strips. The piston works when the trigger is pressed, it presses on the bottom of the inserted tube. On the reverse side, the sealant comes out through the cut-off nose of the cartridge.

Pistol device for sealant:

• frame or body where the tube is placed;
• a rod with a piston is of a gear section, smooth or in the form of a hexagon;
• trigger handle;
• safety lock to fix the piston and stop it at the desired level.

Included sell nozzlesto define the shape of the overlay seam. It is convenient for them to simultaneously apply and level the mass.

The pistol is made made of high-strength plastic or painted metal. Case models are made of tool steel, which contains aluminum, vanadium and chrome.

The sizes of pistols are made for common standard tubes with a volume of 600 and 310 ml, respectively, the dimensions in length are 44 and 22 cm. The weight of the pistol varies in the range of 250 - 450 g.

Appointment

Tubes with silicone, acrylic are inserted into the tool, cartridges with liquid nails and other adhesives are placed. Bulk formulations can be installed in soft packaging.

Modern models provide additional functions:

• illumination of the working area;
• adjusting the tempo of the sealant patch;
• protection against leaks;
• cleaning needle and punch for pushing the dried mass;
• rotary nozzles for supplying the composition to hard-to-reach areas.

The mixture from the pistol is used for gluing details, sealing gaps between piece elements, waterproofing seams when installing plumbing fixtures. The compositions are used for the installation of plastic, siding, installation of window sills, window and door fillings, arrangement of the roof, repair of floor surfaces, walls.

Varieties of sealant guns

Reinforced, skeletal, semi-case, cylindrical models are produced.

Features of the species:

• Skeletal made of steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm or high-strength plastic, the rod is made of a hexagonal, circular section with a diameter of 6 mm. Frame support bars ensure smooth movement of the rod and hold the tube.
• Reinforced the design option does not differ from the previous pistol, but the metal thickness is increased to two millimeters, and the stock is made with a section of 8 mm.
• Half-shell characterized by short duration of work, low cost. The design uses parts with a thickness of 1 mm, the body is made in the form of a half cylinder. During operation, the stem sometimes skews, it can jump off.
• Cylindrical the body model is referred to as universal options, since you can use the sealant in tubes, soft packages, sausages, or without containers at all.

Mechanical

A practical pistol is used more often in everyday life. A tube is placed in the pistol, the composition is squeezed out of it by periodically pressing the trigger.

Description:

• the syringe gun is available with a rotary or fixed body, versions with a closed sheath are excluded;
• the swivel version involves the rotation of the holding part to work at different angles;
• there are prototypes with a counterweight, in which the force on the hand is evenly distributed due to the handle shifted to the center.

The user applies muscle force to advance the stem. The mechanism is reliable and simple. The maneuverable and compact device can adjust the feed rate.

Pneumatic

Expensive pistols are used in everyday life and for industrial use. The sealant and adhesive is applied evenly and the work is progressing quickly.

Description pneumatic pistol:

• used for significant volumes;
• the tool is connected to a pneumatic line with the required technical characteristics, a portable compressor can be used;
• a muffler is placed on the unit, the tool works silently;
• the pistol weighs little, has good performance;
• the magnitude of the pneumatic pressure, the output speed is adjusted by the regulator.

Pneumatic models are inexpensive compared to electric guns, but the price is higher than mechanical ones. The supply of the sealant does not require muscular effort, the work takes place with a weak pull on the trigger.

Rechargeable

They are used for different volumes of sealing, gluing, sealing. The tool allows intensive use on large construction sites. Outwardly, it looks like a combination of a cordless screwdriver together with a semi-closed or open-type sealant gun.

Description tool:

• provides adjustment of feed and uniformity of application;
• the high cost is due to the built-in electric motor, the possibility of using autonomous batteries and a charger;
• works on a single charge for up to three hours of continuous application.

The advantage is that with high performance, no connection to electricity or pneumatic equipment is required, you can work in the field.

The disadvantage is the heaviness of the case.

Electric

A pistol of this type has one drawback - the range of its use depends on the length of the carrying. The user presses the trigger and the piston is driven by an electric motor.

Features of the device:

• consistently high performance;
• there is a possibility of coordinating the flow rate by decreasing or increasing the feed rate;
• it weighs little in comparison with the battery version;
• there are different models with additional useful functions;
• the cost is lower than the cordless pistol.

The devices have a stop-drop system to immediately stop squeezing out the composition. Provides quick and easy replacement of the sealant due to the new fixing design. The material is fiberglass plastic, which increases reliability and durability. When stopping in work, there is a stand for storing the tool.

Recommendations for choosing a quality pistol

Expensive battery, pneumatic and electrical options are used in large facilities.For home repairs, furniture or surfaces restoration, a mechanical model is purchased.

Instrument selection rules:

• for home use choose a case that supports the installation of a small container of 280, 310 ml, ideally, take into account the installation of soft packs;
• inexpensive models use for one-off work, and in the arsenal of a home master there should be a reinforced version;
• if a two-component sealant, no packaging, self-priming prototype needed.

Pay attention to weight and comfort in the hand.

How to use a sealant gun

Mechanical devices are simple, so there are no problems with use, just read the instructions.

Prepare for work additional items:

• Putty knife for the formation of a seam, leveling, cutting off residues. It is purchased one at a time for the selected seam option, you can buy a set immediately.
• Container with diluted soap solution for processing a spatula and the surface around the future seam. The soap solution prevents the sealant from sticking.
• Paper scotch (painting)... They are used for gluing the boundary planes so as not to stain them with glue and sealant.

For the convenience of cleaning, use rags, foam sponges.

How to insert the sealant

Prepare the tube by cutting off the tip of the tip, the cut is made at an angle of 45 °... The feed tube is cone-shaped, so the hole is chosen so that the feed rate matches the seam width. It is better to cut off a small tip first, try the exit, then increase if necessary. On the tube itself they do puncture in the place where the tube is wound.

Installation features:

1. A sealant in a plastic tube is placed in a tubular or skeletal pistol.
2. Loosen the fixing plate, pull the rod with the piston back until it stops.
3. A plastic cartridge is placed in the vacant gap.
4. The stem with a round nozzle is brought to the bottom of the tube until it stops.

After that, open the lid on the cartridge spout, push the trigger several times so that the mixture from the tube comes out into the tube.

How to squeeze out the composition

The application surface is cleaned from dust and dirt. Adhesive and sealant do not adhere well to wet materials, so the assembly joints must be dried.

The mixture is squeezed out when rhythmically pulling the trigger. The pressure is distributed evenly so that the sealant comes out of the tube continuously. The tube is positioned at a 45 ° angle.

If it is necessary to stop the flow of sealant, loosen the retaining plate. The composition will be released for some time if this is not done. It is not necessary to remove the rod with the piston - this will not affect the mixture output.

How to replace a sealant

For replacement, the fixation plate is loosened, then the rod with the piston is pulled back until it stops (pulled out by hand). In this position, the cartridge will no longer hold in the barrel, so it will not be difficult to get it out.

You need to charge a new cartridge according to the old principle with the preparation of the tube, a puncture at the exit point and cutting the spout.

How to clean a pistol

The design of the power tool is designed so that the sealant does not come into direct contact with parts of the device. The gun does not need to be cleaned of sealant. As a regular maintenance, it is recommended to lubricate the rubbing parts to increase their operating time.

For self-priming guns that work with sealants without packaging, there are special washessold in the store. They are connected as a suction tube, the body is flushed.

Specialist recommendations

Better to buy models proven manufacturers and brandsthat produce good quality tools.

Other tips:

• masking tape on adjacent surfaces is removed after the composition has completely dried;
• it is better to use gloves when working;
• unexpected drops of sealant or glue on a hard surface are removed mechanically or dissolved with white spirit, gasoline, a professional cleaner (depending on the type of composition).

The gun is stored in rooms with normal humidity so that the paint layer does not break down, and corrosion does not develop on the parts.