Saving Expansion Foam!

G@PC

I think that I have tried it all but can't seem to find a steadfast way to save a partially used can of expansion foam for later use. Does anyone have a tried and true way?

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Celtic

Buy 2....then you'll always have an "extra" can

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Michaeljp86

I do it alot, I just cover the end of the straw with duct tape and sometimes you have to cut the straw off later or take a wire and push a hard chunk out but It works for me.

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Chris Johnson

Celtic...always a smart a$$

Buy the pro cans, the ones you screw onto a foam gun, once your done and foam is left in the can it will survive 30-45 days without any help, beyond that buy gun cleaner and wash it out that way. The foam guns are much better than the straw cans, you can actually control the flow and amount of foam a lot easier.

Two pies for the tip thank you, apple for me and throw one to Celtic for his comic entertainment...perhaps hair!!!

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Chris

Celtic

I prefer "comedy relief".

Had I not chimed in with my 1/2 cents worth of humor, the thread might have died leaving the OP with several million cans of foam in various stages of distress.


3 hours and no one replied?
Selfish bastards!

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neolitic

Clean out the straw with a pipe cleaner.
The kind Grandpa used on his briar pipe.

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Tom M

I saw these at a supplier, I thought about picking one up. Its definetly the way to go.

savant

Buy a can of brake parts cleaner. Poke the red straw all the way down the glue straw, and blow it out. no tape necessary.

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troubleseeker

Blow the foam residue out of the straw with a blast from an air nozzle, then rinse the straw with some type of aerosol solvent; WD40, electrical contact cleaner, automotive degreaser, etc. I get the latex based (DAP for one brand) because then all you need is to stick the straw under a faucet. If you are just filling air leaks, you really don't need the hardness of the solvent base, and the softer latex based is much more idiot proof because it remains spongy and will not deform door or windows like the other stuff.
I agree, if you need the polyurethane often, one of the professional kits is the way to go.

Michaeljp86

I hate the DAP stuff, I never seen it hold up well. Great stuff has a poly foam now that is made for doors and windows, it expands but wont put pressure on anything and bow the frame, its in a blue can and works great. My uncle used tons of the tripple expanding foam on his doors and windows then none of them would open.

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I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

Chris Johnson

Guns start at 8 dollars and go up from there, foam is 4 dollars a can cheaper without the straw attachment, 2 cans pays for a cheap gun. I'm cheap, and of the thing gets broken...so what, grab a new one from the truck.

Windlock and Nudura both have pretty decent foam products

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Chris

silvertree

I bought 2 guns, way more control, the straw doesn't pop out on you and you can save the can for a month. Cheaper in the long run, I'll never go back to the straw and can. $40 each for the guns and worth it.

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troubleseeker

Will look for the poly great stuff. I don't LIKE the DAP stuff, I always think it is not cured yet, but it block air leaks just the same, is easy to reuse, and mainly doesn't bow everything within six feet of it.

So obviously, I used to work around your uncle years ago. That is why I came to despise seeing a can of Greta Stuff orunnd a job site, I knew that I was going to have to spend 30 minutes cutting foam from around window and door jambs, so I could get the unit to work before installing trim .

Michaeljp86

I love the tripple expanding foam on concrete, that stufff sticks like crazy and seals it up real well.

I spent 30min digging that dap stuff out and then using the great stuff. I dont know if the stuff I had was junk but after days the foam still felt wet and would just flake apart if you touched it.

At the bates motel its block wall and I put in 2 new windows in the bathroom. A vinyl basement window fit in the opening with about 1/4" gap top and bottom and about 1/2" on each side. I just made little 1/4" fillers for the bottom and foamed the window in and it worked great. Opens and closes fine and I shoved as hard as I could with no movement at all. And it makes it easy to remove with a sawzall.

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Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

remster

A spray some wd40 down the tube will keep it from curing in the tube. Also spray some wd40 in the short stem.

BCConstruction

Def buy a gun. I just changed to a gun and it was a lot less messy and more controled. Got Hilton on3 on eBay well cheap. Can last much longer too

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Inner10

Or buy a case and get the gun for free.

noahweb

I stick a coat hanger down the tube

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remster

How do you keep the guns clean?

mickey69125

If I'm using more than one can, I take off one tube and put it aside, then use the other tube for both (or however many) cans. Then throw the used tube away and screw the unused tube onto the can that still has foam in it. Always have a new tube that way and don't have the hassle of cleaning an old tube.

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