# Sorry how this sounds but anyone have experience with sausage caulk?



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

I have a very large condo painting job right around the corner and I have to seal about 600 windows with urethane. I found a waterproofing supplier that sell it in either sausage packs or tubes. The tubes are more expensive but Im more concerned with what it going to do a better job and be labor saving. 

Who here has experience with the sausage type caulking guns in particular the battery operated. Dewalt and Milwakee both make one.

Im just concerned with how one goes about changing out the sausage packs. If it is messy or has the potential to be messy then I don't think I want any part of it. 

Please if anyone has REAL experience with these caulk guns then please share your knowledge and experiences. Thanks.


----------



## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

What you wanna caulk sausages for?


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

Awesome man! Appreciate it. Don't quit your day job.


----------



## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Seriously. The gun, alone, weighs nearly four pounds, costs almost $400, and the batteries are close to $100 apiece. Not to mention the awkwardness of that huge battery laden handle always in the way.

That's Pasco thinking....... or at least Pinellas Park. :thumbup:


----------



## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

What about a pneumatic one? Check out the Cox brand.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Never heard of a sausage pack until now, but I've used a battery powered gun before. Great for mass application like gluing down sheathing or drywall, but you just don't have the fine control for a really nice looking job around trim and such..


----------



## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

I have never used a pneumatic or cordless sausage gun but have used quite a bit of sausage caulking..esp urethanes. A manual gun will give you results...I use a good gun from crlaurence. There is little mess when changing sausages. What brand of urethane r u going to use?


----------



## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Never used "sausage caulk", but almost trashed the thread for content on title alone.:blink:


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

The sausage guns are AWESOME! We used one when we were doing the sips walls on a passive house. They work smooth as silk. During liading, we greased the cartridges with a little liquid detergent and they loaded and unloaded sweet.


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

Warren said:


> The sausage guns are AWESOME! We used one when we were doing the sips walls on a passive house. They work smooth as silk. During liading, we greased the cartridges with a little liquid detergent and they loaded and unloaded sweet.


Thanks man, what kind of caulking gun the manual or battery or pneumatic?


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

overanalyze said:


> I have never used a pneumatic or cordless sausage gun but have used quite a bit of sausage caulking..esp urethanes. A manual gun will give you results...I use a good gun from crlaurence. There is little mess when changing sausages. What brand of urethane r u going to use?


Thanks.

I found a bulk brand that is equivalent to Vulkem for a lot less. I have not purchased it yet, I need to run it buy the Paint supplier make sure they are ok with it since they did the material spec sheet and Warranty. 

I was hesitant on going lower cost on caulking till I found Dynamite Siliconized Elastomeric 7000 for $1.25 a tube works just as good if not better than the Crap HD sells for 3x's the cost. I use it on inside windows and mouldings.


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

Willie T said:


> Seriously. The gun, alone, weighs nearly four pounds, costs almost $400, and the batteries are close to $100 apiece. Not to mention the awkwardness of that huge battery laden handle always in the way.
> 
> That's Pasco thinking....... or at least Pinellas Park. :thumbup:


Have you used the battery Gun? I know the extra weight would be tiring but squeezing urethane all day would seem to be more tiring. 

But that's not the real reason. I've never used a automatic caulk gun before and Im not sure if they would apply a more even bead. I know that squeezing a trigger can give a slight variation in amount applied esp. when your hand gets sore. 

Truth is I don't know which is less fatigue and/or better quality of application. If anyone has direct experience please chime in. Thanks. This goes for NON-sausage caulk guns too. I think I heard from two guys that say the sausage type caulking goes very well. Next I would like to know if the battery guns are worth it? Thanks everyone, much appreciated.


----------



## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

I've used the sausage guns for years now. Way better than standard tubes. I use a manual one for control. And you can cut the bead to what you need.

Don't forget to get lots of tips. Another thing - what two surfaces are you caulking to? You can contact Dow Corning and they will advise you on the correct caulking you should be using.

There are all kinds of caulking made for specific applications.

Anyway, I'd definitely go with the sausage.


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

We used the manual one. Great control and very consistent.


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks, anyone have thoughts on the battery vs manual?


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

Also, what about tooling? I notice some applications appear to not be tooled, others do, any thoughts here.


----------



## detroit687 (Sep 4, 2008)

I use the Hilti gun with the fs1 fire caulk tubes all the time, and it works great. You need to buy some caulking knives a 3/8 and 1/2 to tool your caulk. and I carry some foaming glass cleaner with me spray your caulk and then tool, a tip a glazier taught me. I think the sausage tubes hold allot more and provide a smooth consistant bead


----------



## Ashcon (Apr 28, 2009)

I don't have experience using the sausage type guns but I know if I were recaulking 600 windows, i would want a battery or air driven gun.

I think that the additional weight would be offset by the automatic delivery.

My concern would be the extra caulk that will leak out after you release the trigger. I think there would be a learning curve on it.

Good luck
Chad


----------



## StPete727 (Jul 8, 2008)

detroit687 said:


> I use the Hilti gun with the fs1 fire caulk tubes all the time, and it works great. You need to buy some caulking knives a 3/8 and 1/2 to tool your caulk. and I carry some foaming glass cleaner with me spray your caulk and then tool, a tip a glazier taught me. I think the sausage tubes hold allot more and provide a smooth consistant bead


Thanks, that's some good info. I like the foaming glass cleaner technique will definitely try this.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Ashcon said:


> My concern would be the extra caulk that will leak out after you release the trigger. I think there would be a learning curve on it.


Most guns automatically retract the plunger a bit when you release the trigger. But yes, there's a learning curve (not too bad) to using them.


----------

