Many styles of handheld sealant applicators are available for the vast number of adhesives available on the market today. Guns are available in manual, pneumatic and battery variants, and they range in style, shape, price, and features.

Single-Component

Cradle-style caulk gun with a rotating barrel.

Single-component applicators, commonly referred to as caulk guns, accommodate cartridges, sachet (sausage) packs and bulk packaged materials. The two most common sizes of cartridges in the U.S. are 10.3 oz. and 29 oz. Depending on the project, a manual variant may be available with a skeleton or cradle-style frame. COX model 41001 is one example of a skeleton-style caulk gun, while model 41004 offers more support to the cartridge with a rotating cradle barrel.

Sachet packs are often a soft foil packaging that requires a solid barrel applicator, such as the COX model 51001. The most common sachet sizes are 10 and 20 oz, though others are conventional for specified industries and materials. For bulk materials that are usually drawn from a pail, the COX line of tools also includes a set of follower plates. The plates enable clean and efficient loading from either a 2- or 5-gal bucket.

Manual dual-component applicator.

All models in the single-component line also have pneumatic and battery-powered equivalents. Pneumatic tools, such as model 61001, come standard with a built-in adjustable regulator, silencer and instant dump valve for rapid and quiet dispensing. Battery guns, currently available as 14.4 volt in the COX line, offer 745 lbs of force, as well as variable speeds for exceptional control and efficiency.

Guns can also be used to simplify or accelerate a project for specialty applications. The COX Tuck Point model can be used for tuck pointing as well as grouting, and it comes standard with the Turbine mixer. Spray systems, such as the 61006-20SP for 20 oz sausage packs, are popular for spraying seam-sealing materials.

Dual-Component

Sachet pack with a solid barrel applicator.

Dual-component applicators, often referred to as bi-mixers, are used for dispensing two-part epoxy systems. These systems are typically packaged in cartridges, but they also come in sausage packs. Many people mistakenly believe that an adhesive system dictates the dispenser; in reality, there are only a handful of cartridge manufacturers. This factor, along with the system’s capacity and mix ratio, is what specifies the tool.

Applicator for a mini-cartridge system.

Other variables, such as viscosity, the static mixer, cure time, and even the weather, should be considered when choosing the best dispenser for the job. As with the single-component line, there are manual variants, such as the PPM-300XL (a lighter-weight alternative for a high-viscosity 300 x 300 ml system); pneumatic variants, such as the PPA-1500 (which holds a 750 x 750 ml system); and battery variants, such as the 80200 (which accommodates a 200 ml total system in various mix ratios and offers 745 lbs of force). Other models, like the COX MPD, hold a mini-cartridge system (50 ml).

For additional details, contact COX North America, Inc. at 8181 Coleman Rd., Haslett, MI 48840; (800) 822-8114 or (517) 339-3330; fax (517) 339-3806; e-mail sales@cox-applicators.com; or visit www.cox-applicators.com.