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Author	Comments
jay cronin Posted: Aug 29, 2008 09:45 PM	new machine hey guys im new hear so bear with me. I run a small construction buisness and want to get into foam spraying. I have hired the local guy several times and he was great. But I would like to get the cost down and offer it to customers that I do addations for etc. I was ready to buy the E-10. I like the portablity of it. the tanks seem like they will work well when its a small job. But if I ever needed to do an entire house I'm not sure it will do it. It seems like the A-20 might be the best choice for me. I don't find much mention on this forum about the A-20. Am I missing something? Thanks for help and advice
Linerman Posted: Aug 29, 2008 11:25 PM	I think you'll find that if you're serious about it most would recomend the E-30 or it's hydraulic equivalent. Most contractors don't use air driven proportioners such as the A-20 due to the requirements to run the pumps, they're air hogs. With an E-30 you'll be able to take on even the largest jobs. E-10's-meant more for touch-ups and small jobs E-20'-small to medium sized jobs E-30's-all of the above and then some, they have higher heat watt rods, so temp drops won't be an issue, you can have longer hose lengths(though most only get 150') hope this helps
jay cronin Posted: Aug 30, 2008 07:32 AM	Thanks for info. cost of the E-30 is the issue. Do you think the e-10 could handle an addition that is 25' x25' w/ 9' ceilings? I'm thinking the e10 might be best if it can handle jobs about that size. Any new house I'll hire the local guy. Does 15k sound about right for the e10 includes everything, chemicals,gun,hose,fresh air?
quentin Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:21 AM	You may also want to look at the Glascraft Guardian A5. I did a ton of looking and am just starting out. After doing the research it looked to be the best for small and larger jobs including full houses. It is an air driven setup but the requirements for it are not much more than for an E series Graco. I know they were bought out by Graco and I did a lot of thinking on that issues. After thinking and tons of calls to them it looks like Graco is going to keep the Glascraft line for the air driven ones and the rest will be the Gracos. That means the air driven Graco machines will be going goodbye and the support on them may be an issue then.
jay cronin Posted: Aug 30, 2008 05:26 PM	I look at the a5 I like it but again the price. I think that gets me close to $25K I was hoping to make it as portable as possible by just putting everything in my truck when I need it then storing it till next time. The A5 needs a big compressor the gamma also seems nice but the price jumps. The more I read the more confused I get. The E_20 and 30 don't need a compressor? Has anyone ever run two smaller compressors? or even three?
jay cronin Posted: Aug 30, 2008 06:11 PM	Been reading the forums and the Heated Raider seems good. Does any one know of problems with it?
quentin Posted: Aug 30, 2008 07:43 PM	ALL machines need a compressor since that is how the guns spray the chemicals. Some need more than others but it all depends on your needs. I think Olger tried out a Raider. Here is what he had to say when he got it. Just paste the link or click to the side. https://sprayfoammagazine.com/mnps/fullthread.cfm?threadid=4293&mnboardid=1&mnforumid=2&startat=1
Arville Brown Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:15 PM	Why dont you look for a used machine FF1600 or E20. Im spraying with E20 had it for 4 years good machine for lagre or small jobs I've sprayed 100 sq. ft to 20,000 sq.ft 48amps & 14 cfm compressor all you need. FF takes a little more cfm I think
JohnPeters Posted: Aug 31, 2008 10:13 AM	JJMELT, I happened to stumble across this posting and decided to add my two cents. I have seen a hand full of GC's in my area try to develop their own internal spray foam application divisions. In almost every case it ends up in disaster. Spraying foam is no difficult task. For open cell, I have seen novices pick up the technique within a couple of days. For closed cell, it typically takes a whole heck of a lot longer. Then of course there are those handful of people out there who just do not have the rhythm or awareness to spray foam. The attention to details is where I have seen GC's fail in trying to spray on their own. Equipment maintenance and application design are where I have seen the biggest issues develop. Unless you can have dedicated employees to spraying foam and tending to upkeep of equipment, I do not recommend trying to get into this industry. Your just going to add another used rig to the many that are on the market and make 'Jose' think he can compete with me because he purchased his rig for half of what you paid for it. Sometimes its best to leave it to the dedicated tradesmen of an industry. It might seem like a monkey can spray foam, but I can assure you that a whole lot more goes into it then you think. With my personal opinion on GC's trying to spray foam aside, I recommend going with a hydraulic proportioner. Leave those electric systems alone. Remember - you get what you pay for. jp
jay cronin Posted: Aug 31, 2008 10:36 AM	JP In no way do I think it is going to be easy. And your right it looks easy from the guys I have hired in the past. I find that the local guys price is fine on big jobs (and I would still hire him for the big jobs)but on small additions its way out of the budget for most blue collar guys. I tried it already and it was a disater. All equipment related. Cost me close to $10k for that F up. I knew more then the guy tring to train me. He didn't listen to me and the chemicals crossed over and he wouldn't stop. He Said "the pressure will even itself out" I'm sure you can all guess the rest. The whole machine, the hoses and it started to go into the 55 gal drum was all foam. Anyway which hydrolic would you recomend?

Author

Comments

jay cronin

Posted: Aug 29, 2008 09:45 PM

new machine

hey guys im new hear so bear with me. I run a small construction buisness and want to get into foam spraying. I have hired the local guy several times and he was great. But I would like to get the cost down and offer it to customers that I do addations for etc. I was ready to buy the E-10. I like the portablity of it. the tanks seem like they will work well when its a small job. But if I ever needed to do an entire house I'm not sure it will do it. It seems like the A-20 might be the best choice for me. I don't find much mention on this forum about the A-20. Am I missing something?
Thanks for help and advice

Linerman

Posted: Aug 29, 2008 11:25 PM

I think you'll find that if you're serious about it most would recomend the E-30 or it's hydraulic equivalent. Most contractors don't use air driven proportioners such as the A-20 due to the requirements to run the pumps, they're air hogs. With an E-30 you'll be able to take on even the largest jobs.

E-10's-meant more for touch-ups and small jobs

E-20'-small to medium sized jobs

E-30's-all of the above and then some, they have higher heat watt rods, so temp drops won't be an issue, you can have longer hose lengths(though most only get 150')

hope this helps

jay cronin

Posted: Aug 30, 2008 07:32 AM

Thanks for info. cost of the E-30 is the issue. Do you think the e-10 could handle an addition that is 25' x25' w/ 9' ceilings? I'm thinking the e10 might be best if it can handle jobs about that size. Any new house I'll hire the local guy. Does 15k sound about right for the e10 includes everything, chemicals,gun,hose,fresh air?

quentin

Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:21 AM

You may also want to look at the Glascraft Guardian A5. I did a ton of looking and am just starting out. After doing the research it looked to be the best for small and larger jobs including full houses. It is an air driven setup but the requirements for it are not much more than for an E series Graco. I know they were bought out by Graco and I did a lot of thinking on that issues. After thinking and tons of calls to them it looks like Graco is going to keep the Glascraft line for the air driven ones and the rest will be the Gracos. That means the air driven Graco machines will be going goodbye and the support on them may be an issue then.

jay cronin

Posted: Aug 30, 2008 05:26 PM

I look at the a5 I like it but again the price. I think that gets me close to $25K I was hoping to make it as portable as possible by just putting everything in my truck when I need it then storing it till next time. The A5 needs a big compressor the gamma also seems nice but the price jumps.
The more I read the more confused I get. The E_20 and 30 don't need a compressor?
Has anyone ever run two smaller compressors? or even three?

jay cronin

Posted: Aug 30, 2008 06:11 PM

Been reading the forums and the Heated Raider seems good. Does any one know of problems with it?

quentin

Posted: Aug 30, 2008 07:43 PM

ALL machines need a compressor since that is how the guns spray the chemicals. Some need more than others but it all depends on your needs.

I think Olger tried out a Raider. Here is what he had to say when he got it. Just paste the link or click to the side.

https://sprayfoammagazine.com/mnps/fullthread.cfm?threadid=4293&mnboardid=1&mnforumid=2&startat=1

Arville Brown

Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:15 PM

Why dont you look for a used machine FF1600 or E20. Im spraying with E20 had it for 4 years good machine for lagre or small jobs I've sprayed 100 sq. ft to 20,000 sq.ft 48amps & 14 cfm compressor all you need. FF takes a little more cfm I think

JohnPeters

Posted: Aug 31, 2008 10:13 AM

JJMELT,

I happened to stumble across this posting and decided to add my two cents. I have seen a hand full of GC's in my area try to develop their own internal spray foam application divisions. In almost every case it ends up in disaster.

Spraying foam is no difficult task. For open cell, I have seen novices pick up the technique within a couple of days. For closed cell, it typically takes a whole heck of a lot longer. Then of course there are those handful of people out there who just do not have the rhythm or awareness to spray foam.

The attention to details is where I have seen GC's fail in trying to spray on their own. Equipment maintenance and application design are where I have seen the biggest issues develop. Unless you can have dedicated employees to spraying foam and tending to upkeep of equipment, I do not recommend trying to get into this industry.

Your just going to add another used rig to the many that are on the market and make 'Jose' think he can compete with me because he purchased his rig for half of what you paid for it.

Sometimes its best to leave it to the dedicated tradesmen of an industry. It might seem like a monkey can spray foam, but I can assure you that a whole lot more goes into it then you think.

With my personal opinion on GC's trying to spray foam aside, I recommend going with a hydraulic proportioner. Leave those electric systems alone. Remember - you get what you pay for.

jp

jay cronin

Posted: Aug 31, 2008 10:36 AM

JP
In no way do I think it is going to be easy. And your right it looks easy from the guys I have hired in the past. I find that the local guys price is fine on big jobs (and I would still hire him for the big jobs)but on small additions its way out of the budget for most blue collar guys. I tried it already and it was a disater. All equipment related. Cost me close to $10k for that F up. I knew more then the guy tring to train me. He didn't listen to me and the chemicals crossed over and he wouldn't stop. He Said "the pressure will even itself out" I'm sure you can all guess the rest. The whole machine, the hoses and it started to go into the 55 gal drum was all foam.
Anyway which hydrolic would you recomend?

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