Customer Reviews

Pro 13 Dispensing Gun

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I seldom write reviews but this is an outstanding product and deserves a writeup.
I bought this dispensing gun after I saw it used by a contractor who worked on my house. I am adding insulation in my attic myself and was debating whether to get this for the big job of sealing all the cracks and gaps in the attic. I tried using the normal Great Stuff foam cans from HD and made a mess. The foam came out in globs and shot all over, not exactly the straight lines that I was looking for because I used some rigid foam boards around a knee wall in the attic.
What a wonderful product this is and worked as I have imagined. I think it only works with the Pro Great Stuff foam cans so make sure you buy some online as well since I can't find them at HD. It is simple to use, just shake the foam can for about a minute, screw it onto the gun, open and adjust the dispensing knob on the back of the gun and you won't believe what a difference in the ease, control and accuracy you get with this gun versus the floppy straw that you get with the consumer Great Stuff cans. I spent the last two days sealing every gap and crack inside the attic and got professional results and still have not finished one can of the professional foam. I think the professional foam, which is orange vs. yellowish white, acts also as fire stops, so it is really not expensive and lasts much longer with the precision and no waste of this gun. If you have a decent size project or just want to do a good job sealing up any cracks to make the house more comfortable, I would definitely recommend getting this. Make sure you also buy the cleaning fluid in a can and get some Acetone from HD for general cleanup after using the gun, otherwise, I can imagine that you will get clogs. I think I will insulate the basement next!

I like this gun but if you have high usage go with the pro 15 (teflon coating and more)
otherwise I really like the fine adjustments

For DIY this is great, finally I have control over GreatStuff. I've left it over two months between uses and with a little scraping the gun + old can still work. Be sure to buy the yellow cleaning can though as I've it dry up in the tube when leaving it way too long between uses.

Don't expect this to be any cheaper than the cheap disposable cans, but you will do a much better/cleaner job.

How many half-full cans of spray foam have you gotten rid of (hopefully responsibly) because the tip or the tube or something clogged? Here's an inexpensive spray foam gun that lets you spray a little now, and then again tomorrow, or a week, etc. without wasting everything still in the can. While you can't get every kind of spray foam, for most homeowners/DIYers the availability is likely adequate. I highly recommend (as does the manufacturer) to buy the cleaner for when you change cans, it will save you in the long term. Very nice product.

I purchased this gun to insulate my second house. What I like most about it is that you can store the partially used can on the gun and if you keep the screw closed it will last forever. The store bought cans with the plastic hose don't last very long once open. For all around use, use the door and window insulation. The crack insulation gets harder and expands more making it better for the large openings.

I've used this model gun about 2 years ago, and just recently bought another 2. While overall these guns make the job of applying spray foam MUCH easier, with far greater control, compared to the "plain old cans with the plastic straw", there has been a decrease in the quality of the gun. The ones I bought 2 years ago looked like the picture shown (partly metal). The new guns I received are ALL plastic, and seem to jam up more easily. I am very careful about cleaning them out using the recommended cleaner and process, and have come to expect that the guns have a limited life (# of cleanings) before becoming useless. The new all-plastic guns seem to have a much shorter lifespan than the old.

I still would recommend them compared to the plastic straw cans, but not as highly as I would have rated the older model gun. I do not know if the (significantly) more expensive guns would have a longer life that would cost justify them. Would be interesting if anyone has any experience along those lines.

This an awesome dispenser. I wish I had found this years ago. It works sooo much better than the stock can dispenser. Ultimate control of the bead. It's more economical, it's easier to dispense. I foamed the spaces between the exterior boards of my house, when I resided. I was able to control the bead so that there was very little excess expansion. I really love this thing!

I rarely write reviews, but I often use them to reach a decision when making purchases, so I figure it's time to pay it forward. I purchased this gun for my husband after he spent several days doing research and had decided he had to have this gun. We debated between this one and a more expensive model, but ultimately decided the reviews for this product seemed reasonable and we'd rather spend the extra money on other home projects. He wanted to use the gun to seal our basement and fireblock our half bath. He was so excited when the gun arrived, but the first night he tried to use it, he had trouble correctly attaching the Great Stuff canister to the gun and then could not get it loose to straighten. Refusing to be defeated, he read up on the gun that night and tried it again tonight, using vaseline to attempt to help things along. He went through 3 canisters of Great Stuff (which is NOT cheap at $12 a can), wasting most of each can as the gun misfired and leaked out all over the place. It kept cross-threading and try as he might, he couldn't get the thing to work correctly. Not sure if maybe we just got a faulty gun, but my husband is a handy guy, and this gun has gone from a source of excitement to a source of extreme frustration for him. My recommendation to anyone considering purchasing this product would be to pass on this one. It is DEFINITELY not worth the money or the frustration.

The gun that I purchased is uselss now. I do not recommend this to anyone. Maybe if the cleaner was mandatory it could have survived more than one day. After the first use it clogs up a little. After the second use it was nearly useless. I never made it to the "after the third use" results because the third can is still completly full and mounted on the gun. I can't even get a dribble to come out of the applicator. I don't give too many bad reviews but this one gets it.
I have always cleaned my expanding foam with acetone. It didn't matter much here. The acetone disolved what it could but that was not enough. The very tip of the gun seems like it is clogged up. Even though the acetone pushes through all the way it does not clean out the tube enough to make the unit function. Keep working on it DOW. I have faith in you.

One comment I hear is the cost of the gun is expensive. When I started using guns instead of straws I will never go back.
You can control the amount of foam there is very little mess and there is no waste. the valve can be closed and the foam stays usable for at least 30 days. The cans are meant for one use (in very fine print) as for mess, I haven't found a manageable way to keep the spray cans from wrecking something and removal is difficult if not impossible.
It is easy to use plus easy to work within a half hour you can shape, compress and work the material. The 7 inch nozzle is adequate for most situations. I have also gotten a 26.5 inch tip because being a top loader the inverted can makes it difficult to get into or reach some spaces. an example I was adding foam to seal the ribbon banding on an older balloon frame foundation. This area is allows a lot of air slip in. Because of pipes the way the foundation sits on the field stone I could not access with the seven inch nozzle and it will not spray if turned downward. the longer nozzle resolved this. If your on a ladder it also helps to not have to stretch.
The 13 works very well and the 14 and 15 offer a few more features some folks may or may not need. It can have a long life just follow the directions, put Vaseline on the 0 ring and always keep a canister on the gun. On Occasion use the cleaner as directed and use something like a wooden shim to wipe off the tip.