Planning to pull the trigger for a "gun"

[DetailedByPrecision]

Haha had you guys there for a second eh? I'm planning to step my game up and buy a foam gun and have some questions before I get the Gilmour Foamaster. First off, is this one of the guns that requires a high pressure washer or do I just attach it to my garden hose? Second, do I need the Gilmour brass connector shut off valve? What does it do? Lastly, do I need the Gilmour brass quick connector set as well? What does this do? Thank you for everyone's input in advance. Don't be afraid to write a long paragraph because I will read it. Im the MAN

[Shane731]

The foam gun just connects to your hose. As far as your other questions go, check out this video:


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro9wVJuGcuI]‪Two "Must Have" Car Washing Tools - The Brass Shut-off Valve & Brass Quick Connector‬‏ - YouTube[/video]

[BobbyG]

There are two breads of guns available; Foam Guns and Foam Canons.

Foam Guns connect to a standard garden hose and use household waster pressure.

Foam Canons connect to a pressure washer.

A foam gun uses a mixture of car wash soap and water. This concentrated solution is placed in the cup then the cup gets attached to the main head unit. Once the unit is connected to the garden hose and the water turned on it will supply a foamy layer of suds all over the car.

It's a nice addition and the foam tends to soften and dissolve surface contaminants. Bear in mind that you still need to wash the car as you normally would with a separate bucket of soapy water and wash mitt. Some are under the impression that a Foam Gun replaces the manual wash step but that's simply not true...

[PA DETAILER]

love my foam gun! i have the one that just works off the water hose. as bobbyg mentioned, it does not replace your bucket and mitt. purpous is to dwell off the heavy dirt before your mitt touches the paint. AG bonus is great. you get a bonus DP xtreem soap with your new foam gun. one word of caution...first time use get yourself aquainted to the gun. if the quick dissconnect is not seated firmly at the gun, the pressure will make it fly off crashing down right on your ride! (i have seen this happen). great tool. get ready for your neighbors to stare at you first time you use it!!

Foam Wash Gun with FREE BONUS (http://www.autogeek.net/foam-gun.html)

the quick dissconnect set i got last weekend. not needed but what a great addition. it lets you quickly put on and take off your hose at the water source. one part on the spigot, the other on the hose end. no other connectors are needed. your gun comes ready to use.

Brass Quick Connector Set (http://www.autogeek.net/brqucoset1.html)

[Cat ji]

I can't see from the pictures whether or not I can use it with normal standard Gardena quick-release fittings or I'd have to get these fittings and change them over every time I used the foam gun.

[DetailedByPrecision]

thank you very much everyone for your input. ty cieraSL the video was very informative just what I needed to ease my worries.

[Jenn1270]

I can't see from the pictures whether or not I can use it with normal standard Gardena quick-release fittings or I'd have to get these fittings and change them over every time I used the foam gun.

Any of the quick connects will work.

Once you start with a foam gun you will never go back to just a bucket and mitt.

Jenn

[kevin39208]

There are two breads of guns available; Foam Guns and Foam Canons.

Foam Guns connect to a standard garden hose and use household waster pressure.

Foam Canons connect to a pressure washer.

A foam gun uses a mixture of car wash soap and water. This concentrated solution is placed in the cup then the cup gets attached to the main head unit. Once the unit is connected to the garden hose and the water turned on it will supply a foamy layer of suds all over the car.

It's a nice addition and the foam tends to soften and dissolve surface contaminants. Bear in mind that you still need to wash the car as you normally would with a separate bucket of soapy water and wash mitt. Some are under the impression that a Foam Gun replaces the manual wash step but that's simply not true...

I have a question about this Foam Gun/Cannon. You say the Gun does not replace the manual wash step, but what about the Cannon? If this doesn't replace the manual wash step then what is the advantage of using either the gun or the cannon? I've always thought that using high pressure water ( as high as you can get with a garden hose or higher) was enough to loosen the dirt. Just asking. Thanks

[kevin39208]

I apologize BobbyG. I just found this on another thread from you. Now I can see where you're coming from. Thanks anyway

"Same here....:props:



I rinse the car down with a hose then foam it up and let it sit. This allows the foam to soften and dissolve surface debris and contaminates and then rinse the bulk of the crap away without ever touching the finish...
Wash as usual... "

[Setec Astronomy]

I have a question about this Foam Gun/Cannon. You say the Gun does not replace the manual wash step, but what about the Cannon? If this doesn't replace the manual wash step then what is the advantage of using either the gun or the cannon? I've always thought that using high pressure water ( as high as you can get with a garden hose or higher) was enough to loosen the dirt. Just asking. Thanks

Unless you have some ungodly water pressure at your house, the garden hose is not going to get the dirt off...it will get some off, but for instance, winter salt/grit/road film is just not coming off without a pressure washer.

More directly, there is no "magic bullet" to replace the manual wash step. Foam guns, foam cannons, are techniques used to reduce marring of the vehicle during washing, not to replace manual washing.

Even if you blast everything off with a pressure washer, there will still be some oils etc. that you will need a detergent (car wash) for. I've been using a foam gun for a long time, and I'll admit that (IMO) it's not the be-all, end-all of wash accessories. Does it help break down the dirt before you mitt it? Yes. Does it help to get the wash solution on vertical surfaces? Yes. Is it night and day vs. the 2BM? No.

A foam cannon is getting you a thicker, clingier wash mix to the surface, but beyond that, it's not much different.

[Buckskincolt]

Even if you blast everything off with a pressure washer, there will still be some oils etc. that you will need a detergent (car wash) for. I've been using a foam gun for a long time, and I'll admit that (IMO) it's not the be-all, end-all of wash accessories. Does it help break down the dirt before you mitt it? Yes. Does it help to get the wash solution on vertical surfaces? Yes. Is it night and day vs. the 2BM? No.

:iagree::iagree::iagree: Could not agree more, mine just sits on the shelf, the 2BW is my method of choice:props:

[poweraid]

foam gun/cannon yes only helps loosen the dirt. help reduce wash induced swirls. still need to hand wash . some people foam vehicle then rinse , then foam again and do traditional 2 bucket wash, some just foam and wash . no foam gun/cannon , pressure wash, will remove the grime off u vehicle . don't even think of towel drying u vehicle with just a foam cannon/gun wash with no traditional wash . u ever see people at u local wash bay they just pressure wash and then towel dry ? omg bad news . might as well dry u vehicle with sandpaper . ok not that bad .
foam gun/cannon - cannon much better lays lot more foam down . it's basically an extra step but it can help reduce wash inflicted marring . kinda the same as u do a pre-rinse before u actually wash , to loosen up , rinse away ,as much dirt as u can. it's also a cool factor !

[Setec Astronomy]

Could not agree more, mine just sits on the shelf, the 2BW is my method of choice:props:

Oh, I use mine every (conventional) wash, it's just not magic or anything. Once in a while in a bad pollen year, you can do a "touchless" and foam the car, rinse, then dry, if your LSP is fresh enough. IMO the effect of what Bobby was suggesting, foam, then rinse, then either foam again and wash or 2BM, is not nearly as effective as a pressure washer, I don't know that a foam/rinse is really going to get anything more off than just the rinse.

I'm just saying...I use the foam gun because in my head it seems like it has to be better (than a straight 2BM), especially on the vertical surfaces, I mean, on the trunk, you can squeeze out your wash media onto the surface before you touch, but on the side of a door? No way to really wet it with the wash solution before you touch. So in my head, theoretically, the foam gun is better, in the real world, well, I sometimes wonder if it's worth the hassle. It's not like it's impossible to get wash induced marring when using a foam gun, it's just another tool, you still have to be careful.

I've been doing a lot more rinseless and even waterless washes recently because there are so many good products now, the DG rinseless dries a lot easier for some reason than the version of ONR I have.

[Buckskincolt]

Oh, I use mine every (conventional) wash, it's just not magic or anything. Once in a while in a bad pollen year, you can do a "touchless" and foam the car, rinse, then dry, if your LSP is fresh enough. IMO the effect of what Bobby was suggesting, foam, then rinse, then either foam again and wash or 2BM, is not nearly as effective as a pressure washer, I don't know that a foam/rinse is really going to get anything more off than just the rinse.

I'm just saying...I use the foam gun because in my head it seems like it has to be better (than a straight 2BM), especially on the vertical surfaces, I mean, on the trunk, you can squeeze out your wash media onto the surface before you touch, but on the side of a door? No way to really wet it with the wash solution before you touch. So in my head, theoretically, the foam gun is better, in the real world, well, I sometimes wonder if it's worth the hassle. It's not like it's impossible to get wash induced marring when using a foam gun, it's just another tool, you still have to be careful.

I've been doing a lot more rinseless and even waterless washes recently because there are so many good products now, the DG rinseless dries a lot easier for some reason than the version of ONR I have.
I used to do the same as you, rinse, then foam, then wash. Seemed like all I was really accomplishing was using a lot of car shampoo! Finally I just went back to a good prewash rinse, then pretreat bugs and such, then two bucket wash with the Car Pro wool wash mit and found it to be just as good or close to it. About the only time I use my foam gun now is on my motor home to get the high areas. Other than that it just gets pushed around on the shelf!:autowash:

I suppose your theory is right but IMO just not worth it. Besides, if get a few swirls it gives me an excuse to try new polishes and techniques!:props: