Foam Gun? What? Are you kidding?

B

Below Reality

Polisher of Shiny Things
Well I took the plunge and bought the quart sized Gilmore Foam Gun.

I'll have to admit that when these "foam guns" started becoming popular among detailers, and after I saw what they were; my only thought was "You've got to be joking.... a garden sprayer being sold for a heck of a lot higher price. This has to be a scam."

So yes, I was extremely skeptical from the get go.

Today my foam gun arrived and it was warmer out, so I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss was about.

After fitting the gun with a brass quick-connect, I filled the quart bottle with 4 oz of Meguiars Gold Class, and the rest with warm water.

I've had really good luck with Gold Class and tons of suds, so I was eager to see what would happen with the foam gun.

The test victim - my 95 Thunderbird. Paint is in 8.5 out of 10 shape, and the car is regularly detailed and maintained. Today, the car was mildly dusty. No major dirt.

Here's where it goes down hill.

I have no clue at all why it's being called a foam gun. Even with the gun running wide open, I did not experience anything close to thick foaming suds. In fact, I normally can apply more suds with the two bucket method.

I thought my mixture may be a little weak, so in went another 4 oz of Gold Class, making 8oz total. Still no foaming crazy suds action. My Pressure washer with soap solution does far better. A coin-op does far better. And still, my two bucket method does far better.

Frustrated, I flooded the vehicle with water, rinsed the gun out, and switched over to 8oz of Duragloss Auto Wash and the rest warm water.

I repeated the same process, trying different settings on the gun, and still no improvements at all. Sure it was shooting the soap solution on the car, but not in any mannor that I'd call impressive or "foaming."

I proceded then with my sheepskin wash mit and clean water buckets to see if the vehicle surface was at least more slick as many with foam guns have boasted.

BIG MISTAKE

I got more marring on the paint than ever!

At this point, I'm pretty well beyond upset with the "foam" gun, so I rinse the car, and return to my two bucket method of washing, where I actually had thick sudsing action, a slick surface, and great cleaning ability.

No thanks at all to the Gilmore Foam Gun.

It's a complete waste of money, overhyped, worthless pile of junk.

Thanks to it, I'm out the cash, and have my hood to de-swirl this evening.


That's my honest take on it.

I'll stick to two buckets, still achieve good results, and save the extra time.

No way in h*ll I'll ever recommend this thing.......

My original thoughts about the Gilmore Foam Gun were correct.
 
What setting did you have multi-ratio stem set at?

I use Gold Class exclusively and have nothing but awesome success with tremendous amounts of foam. I use it in conjunction with the traditional 2 bucket method with a soapy wash mitt from the bucket.

There are many pictures of folks with their foam guns creating mass amounts of suds. Look at Autogeek's website too.

Instead of calling it an overhyped, worthless pile of junk, you should first relax and see if you were using it properly. If you were, you would have foam. Unless your water is super hard.

Or return it and get your money back.
 
Sorry that you had a bad experience. Am not sure what to say. I certainly get more suds to the paint using my foam gun than anytime using a bucket solution.

The only thing different between what you said and what I do is I used SS&S. I guess I also used Z16. Both produced good suds for me. Another thing that I do not do now is premix. I use strait soap and let the gun do the mixing.

Do not doubt your results. Just am sorry that it turned out that way for you!!
 
philsnyder said:
I'm getting the same lame results at all of the settings!!!
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How are you using it? Again I've used it with only 2oz of SS&S and no dilution and it was like a foam party...my water is also faily hard but not real hard.
 
philsnyder said:
I'm getting the same soapy water as the picture in the autogeek ad.
not thick foam.
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that's not the question...are you using the soap straight or diluting it?
 
philsnyder said:
straight
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are you on the smallest dilution setting? if yes..try another soap, if no try the smallest setting...the less water mixed with the soap should create more foam and suds...if neither works and you get more foam and suds in a bucket, then there must be something wrong with your gun.
 
You could have a defective gun as some say :rolleyes: I wouldn't use one of them things if it was given to me for free. ""IMO"" It's a freakin garden sprayer being sold for 10X what you could buy it for at walmart. I'm like you i'll stick to the good ol' bucket method.

All it takes is a few people on this board to praise a new product and then everyone thinks its the greatest thing since sliced bread. Its all how its marketed.
 
I think more step by step guides will help out for sure. But since this is a fairly new product it may take some time. There are a few good links out there with procedures and pictures, but there arent any central guides like OCDetails or blkyukons posts on how to use a PC.

I will be getting a foam gun in the future and I'm sure I won't be using it right at first but with some practice, just like everything else I think it'll get better with time.
 
I don't know man, Ive seen garden sprayers and the gilmour isn't one. The garden sprayers actually produce some foam but nothing nearly as thick and rich as the foam gun. Just from the looks of it, you can see all the extra brass fitments and such...

I just used mine today (got back from a trip) and I am nothing but happy.

Try returning it or maybe play around with it..
 
TrueDetailer said:
"IMO" It's a freakin garden sprayer being sold for 10X what you could buy it for at walmart.
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I bought a sprayer made by Ortho from Target a couple years ago. It isn't a foam gun. They are two completely opposite tools. There isn't even a comparison. Not to mention the build quality of the cheap plastic sprayer and the brass fitted foamer.

One is a sprayer (like you said) - what you buy at WalMart to mix chemicals and water to spray your garden with.

One is a foamer hence the name "Foamaster" - what you use when you want to create thick foam from chemicals mixed with water. Website

I'm assuming you've never used a foam gun. A comment like that would indicate you haven't.
 
As I've mentioned before, I use my foamgun as a supplemental tool to my 3-bucket wash. Maybe the descriptions of copious amounts of "foam" are a bit misleading. There is a thread, I searched but couldn't find it where I thought it was, by (IIRC) user NORAHCRV which shows how much "foam" she gets. IIRC, it is in no way what I would describe as copious.

FWIW, I've used several soaps including: 4* (pro version), AM's W&W, DP's Auto Bath, and Pinnacle's Bodywork Shampoo. I get suds, not foam (there is a difference IMO). The suds from the foam gun are less than what I can get from the same soaps in my wash bucket. The inclusion of the foam gun into my wash routine has not decreased the time spent washing, rather the opposite. BUT, at this point, I am not disappointed in my purchase.

I agree that you might re-visit this tool before you give up.
 
I can only assume this is a case of incorrect usage or possibly even a defective product. I can attest to using both GC and Duragloss,especially the Duragloss, via foam gun with fabulous results. On occasion, I even use the foam gun attached to a flat hose and I still get plenty of soapy mixture. My solution in the cup is about 60:40 car wash:water. I generally keep mine on the second most diluted ratio setting. Joyride and Seth are absolutely correct about the two significantly different devices.

The foam gun remains one of my favorite tools. I enjoy no longer having to fill buckets with water. I just use two simple pails to transport clean and dirty mitts and my rolling cart with WW MFs is off to the side on standby for the drying.
 
Mr. Clean said:
As I've mentioned before, I use my foamgun as a supplemental tool to my 3-bucket wash. Maybe the descriptions of copious amounts of "foam" are a bit misleading. There is a thread, I searched but couldn't find it where I thought it was, by (IIRC) user NORAHCRV which shows how much "foam" she gets. IIRC, it is in no way what I would describe as copious.

FWIW, I've used several soaps including: 4* (pro version), AM's W&W, DP's Auto Bath, and Pinnacle's Bodywork Shampoo. I get suds, not foam (there is a difference IMO). The suds from the foam gun are less than what I can get from the same soaps in my wash bucket. The inclusion of the foam gun into my wash routine has not decreased the time spent washing, rather the opposite. BUT, at this point, I am not disappointed in my purchase.

I agree that you might re-visit this tool before you give up.
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That pretty much sums it up (good post Mr C) :yes:

I can only presume that "Beyond Reality" used the foamer tip on his one quart Gilmour Gun :confused:
 
I have not used a foamgun as of yet. But is it possible that people simple are expecting to much from it? I mean from what i have seen as far as pictures go it does not seem to me that it is going to be a foam batch in the sense of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Ride. But is merely a tool that supplies a nice film based foam to the surface of the vehicle similar to what many of the Chevron Touchless Chemical Car Washes have. Not sure if anyone has ever seen or been in one of those before.

Richard
 
I have the Mr. Clean gun/kit from Costco's and it's a shame to call it a foam gun. The Gilmour gun is in a different league. I get THICK suds on my paint that provide a very slick and noticeable barrier between my mitt and paint. If you're not seeing that then there is a problem. It's not something that you have to convince yourself of.

I haven't used Gold Class wash with the gun, but I'll say this... If you're getting good suds from your bucket wash, and not from the gun, then IMO there's either something wrong with your gun, or you don't have the mix/settings right. I've tried several washes with the gun and there is a difference in products -no doubt about it. IMO, SS&S is hard to beat. If you want, I can send you a sample. PM me.

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, and can understand your frustration. The foam gun isn't cheap. I sat on the sidelines for 5-6 months thinking about one. FWIW, I've been very happy with it, and I'm pretty sure you will be too once we figure this out.
 
Obviously from the beginning it seems that you didn't even want the foam gun to succeed.

Just return it for your money back.
 
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