Caulking Guns

LeeandRick

LeeandRick

.
Apr 26, 2015
663
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
I'm sure that I'm the last one to figure this out after 67 years, but caulking guns have different thrust ratios. I've squeezed a lot of 5200 and 4400 at 50° with the local hardware store caulking gun using both hands and slow progress. I just recently purchased a 27:1 thrust ratio gun that my arthritic hands can handle with ease.

Why didn't you folks mention this before?
 
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jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,746
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
No one asked the question “Is there a easier way”?

You know there are air pressurized caulking guns.

1613883639327.png

about $22.
 
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D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
12,700
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
There was a time when I used the cheapest caulking gun I could buy. They are OK for general use household caulk, but they suck for everything else, especially thickened epoxy.

I now use the $10 ratcheting guns, a great improvement.

A pneumatic gun would be great, but there is no room on the boat for a compressor. :)

And for setting a lot of rivets, a pneumatic riveter (amazon link) can't be beat. The new furler I installed last year required about 80 rivets to be set. This made it easier.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
4,096
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
An alternative to manual guns and the pneumatic ones, are electric battery units. I have the Ryobi model pictured below and I bought it to caulk 19 replacement windows in my home. Each window required 3 complete caulkings plus the caulk to set the window. I went through about 30 tubes of caulk.
I was invested in the Ryobi 18V series of power tools so this choice was easy for me. Other manufacturers also offer battery caulking guns.
The Ryobi gun, and I imagine others, offer a speed control separate from the trigger and an automatic speed "bump" to get the caulk started. Without the effort to squeeze a handle at a uniform rate, it is easy to concentrate on the travel speed of the gun to apply a uniform size of bead. I bought this figuring that after my window job I could just eBay it, but it was so useful I decided to keep it. That was a good decision- I have used it many times.
Ryobi Caulk Gun.jpg
 
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justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
8,048
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Somehow I ended up with 7 caulking guns.
4 for free to anyone! :biggrin:
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,670
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Yeah, I noticed that when I bought a better gun. Maybe I need an even better gun!

I keep sealants in the fridge and they get some stiff.
 
Allan12210

Allan12210

.
Jan 22, 2008
1,661
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
dlochner said:
A pneumatic gun would be great, but there is no room on the boat for a compressor. :)

And for setting a lot of rivets, a pneumatic riveter (amazon link) can't be beat. The new furler I installed last year required about 80 rivets to be set. This made it easier.
Click to expand
I got around the compressor limitation with a regulator I found on Amazon.

Amazon.com : Interstate Pneumatics WRCO2 CO2 Regulator - Solid Aluminum Body 0-125 PSI : Compressed Air Regulators : Sports & Outdoors

It accepts CO2 cylinders for paint ball guns. A 20 oz tank is about $5.00 to refill to about 1800 psi and when connected to my pneumatic caulking gun from Harbor Freight it will dispense at least 10 tubes. I just have to remember to bring it from home when I will be doing a project.

It would work great for the riveter too I believe. I use it with my finish nail gun and have installed baseboard in an entire house with less than one bottle of CO2.

regulator.jpg
 
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capta

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,905
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Rich Stidger said:
An alternative to manual guns and the pneumatic ones, are electric battery units. I have the Ryobi model pictured below and I bought it to caulk 19 replacement windows in my home. Each window required 3 complete caulkings plus the caulk to set the window. I went through about 30 tubes of caulk.
I was invested in the Ryobi 18V series of power tools so this choice was easy for me. Other manufacturers also offer battery caulking guns.
The Ryobi gun, and I imagine others, offer a speed control separate from the trigger and an automatic speed "bump" to get the caulk started. Without the effort to squeeze a handle at a uniform rate, it is easy to concentrate on the travel speed of the gun to apply a uniform size of bead. I bought this figuring that after my window job I could just eBay it, but it was so useful I decided to keep it. That was a good decision- I have used it many times.
View attachment 190597
Click to expand
I'm also incredibly happy with my Ryobi tools, especially since I purchased their 12 volt rapid charger. It charges one much faster than I can deplete one.
 
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