Just got my foam gun!

Blackmirror said:
What do you think? Is it a good one?
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Yep, that's one of the good ones made by Gilmour.

So seeing how foam and suds really don't matter in washing as I am told, IE QEW, what is the purpose of this tool?
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There have been several threads on the subject, but this is the most recent:



http://autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52623



You'll have to read through it, and I think there are links to older threads in there also, but it should give you a pretty good idea on the theory behind them.
 
That thread was pretty good. I still have questions about it. How do I use the metering screw on top of the mixing head? I guess the more I tighten it the less water/soap come out? And what does the locking screw at the end of the stem do? I tightened it and I could still move the stem.
 
Blackmirror said:
That thread was pretty good. I still have questions about it. How do I use the metering screw on top of the mixing head? I guess the more I tighten it the less water/soap come out? And what does the locking screw at the end of the stem do? I tightened it and I could still move the stem.
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I have the same gun made by Gilmour (the Simple Green version), and the only adjustment that seems to do anything is moving the brass rod to a different hole to change the foam ratio. I just got mine for Christmas and have only played with it a couple of times so far, but they do come in handy.
 
That one is similar to the one I have (Butchers). You just want to move the brass rod back and forth. That changes the soap mix. Rotating the rod so the holes are not on top will give you straight water with out soap.
 
Spilchy said:
Is this the Gilmour you guys are talking about?



http://www.gilmour.com/Tank_Sprayers/Hose_End/default.asp
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No, that isn't it. That one looks like you'd use it for garden/lawn applications. There are various links in other foam gun threads for the "correct" Gilmour gun, but I can't really find them right now. Gilmour makes them for at least 3 different vendors with the only difference being the colors and size of the bottle. Here is a link to the Simple Green version I have, but I think you can find them cheaper. Maybe Blackmirror or OI812 will post the link where they bought their guns.



http://www.safetyplus.net/CandJproducts.html#56SG13291



I do like the Simple Green version because it has a 1/2 gallon bottle, and I found that I use more foam than I initially thought I would.
 
I don't care as much about how much foam is produced as I do the constant stream of flowing soap solution the foam gun affords. To me, its this constant stream of soap that makes a huge difference in eliminating wash induced marring.



I think some past threads hjere as well as one on Detail City show the right foam gun. Spilchy, I thought you already ordered one? If not, maybe the store in NJ might be your best bet: still decent pricing and probably next day delivery.
 
Quote: So seeing how foam and suds really donâ€â„¢t matter in washing as I am told, IE QEW, what is the purpose of this tool? DetailGirl



This is my understanding of the process-

A car wash concentrate contains a surfactant; this is defined as a material that can greatly reduce the surface tension of water when used in very low concentrations. The hydrophobic hydrocarbon molecule encapsulates the soils, which in turn are rinsed away.



By using it in foam gun the liquid is delivered to the surface (via the foam) and the soils are encapsulated by the surfactant and then rinsed away. The delivery of car wash within the foam avoids the need to agitate and lessens surface marring.



QEW also uses a surfactant, but it is contained in a very low foaming liquid, and it is correct that the amount of foam (suds) produced by a cleaning product has very little effect on its cleaning abilities.

JonM
 
I did a search on Ebay to see if I could find one cheaper.



I think I found a good one for WAY cheap.



Check it out HERE :xyxthumbs
 
Blackmirror said:
...what does the locking screw at the end of the stem do? I tightened it and I could still move the stem.
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It keeps the stem from falling out. See how the knurled locking screw is larger in diameter than the adjuster rod/stem that it screws into? The purpose of the screw is to keep the rod from falling out of the mixing valve. The pin keeps the one end from sliding out and the screw keeps the other end secure.



TOGWT said:
By using it in foam gun the liquid is delivered to the surface (via the foam) and the soils are encapsulated by the surfactant and then rinsed away. The delivery of car wash within the foam avoids the need to agitate and lessens surface marring.
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Yep, that's the theory, which seems to be borne out in practice. It changes the mechanics of the wash from "scrub the dirt off and let it stick to the mitt" to "dislodge and flush the dirt off the panel". My mitts and rinse water don't get *nearly* as dirty with the foamgun as they do with more conventional techniques.



With really nasty dirt (e.g., winter grime) I spray the foamgun through the bristles of a BHB. The risk of marring from the brush seems to be overwhelmingly balanced by the advantages of not rubbing the gritty dirt into the paint. It's pretty remarkable what you can wash off the paint *without marring* when you use a foamgun.
 
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