DIY question - caulking/sealant gun

[IrritableVowel]

We are doing some bits around the house and I was going to do some sealing but I find the guns we have too hard to use. I can't squeeze the trigger hard enough to get the selant flowing. It's a new tube, new nozzle. DH can use it so I think it is my lack of strength/smaller hands

Has anyone got a gun they find easier? I googled if there is a powered version but all the results cost £££

This is the kind we have, we have a few like this. I have same problem with all of them.

Unfortunately I assume they were another thing that was designed by a man for men to use. I struggle with them too but haven't found a good alternative. Hopefully someone else will pop on and post an alternative solution?

I replaced my ancient ancient gun with a newer one, and that made a difference.
Also, I don't cut too small a hole. That makes the most difference.

Grip strength REALLY varies from female to male. Also, women's grip strength falls off a cliff in middle age whereas men's declines slower.

The caulking tubes are sealed at the end to prevent drying out. You must either snip off a bit at the tip or use a paper clip to pierce the seal.

If you've already done that, take it back to the shop where you bought it and ask them to show you what's going wrong. It shouldn't take massive strength to operate.

Thanks for the replies. I had a feeling it might just be because I am not strong enough, but hoped there was some sort of affordable, powered version I hadn't spotted.

It was a new tube and DH was fine with it, so I don't think it was a problem with the tube.

I’ve got small hands and weak wrists/poor grip - I can manage a sealant gun, just about. Make the cut ‘angled’, with the point at the farthest, well, point. Ime, you have to squeeze it a LOT of times to get it started. A flat, nicely curved spoon handle about the width of a magnum ice cream stick is the best thing for smoothing out, I’ve found.

They've started selling some with an inbuilt 'trigger' for want of a better word. I've small hands and my grip is going and they've been a game changer for me.

I had the same issue and bought a more expensive one with gears/leverage. Much easier, but tends to ooze out after you stop squeezing so I had to learn new technique. About 20 quid on Amazon.

Oh this looks like an option! Thank you

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013SVXL5I?th=1

I bought myself this one last year. Squeezing it out wasn't an issue, behind the taps was 😑

Cut more off the tip for you? He's probably got a man sized tiny tip cut off.

That looks great! I am going to order one now, and I have the perfect excuse not to do the sealing today.

Mine looks like yours OP and it is really quite hard to use. I can squeeze it but it really hurts my hands - it’s easier with an old teatowel round it.

It's really worth paying a bit more for a heavy duty application gun. I used to have one similar to what you've pictured OP, and my hands used to shake when I tried to squeeze some particularly stiff adhesives, etc. I've bought this one from Screwfix a few years ago, and the difference is massive (it seems to have gone up in price since though! 😕)

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-heavy-duty-sealant-applicator-gun/136fr

I have put some really heavy duty rubber bands encircling both the trigger and handle on mine, you have to faff a bit to get the tension tight enough but not so tight that it squeezes on its own. It adds its own tension so I dont have to squeeze so hard myself

It shouldn't be so hard, OP. I haven't got strong hands, but I can use them easily. I think it sounds as though you need to cut a bit more off the end of the tube - having only a tiny bit cut off does make it very hard. (As an aside, the best tip I have for smoothing it out is to use your finger, with a bit of Fairy liquid on it - messy, but great results.)

I find these much easier to use, but also easy to break. (Maybe I'm just clumsy.)

I'm interested, too! My hands aren't exceedingly small but some guns, my fingers won't even reach round the trigger - and my grip strength's fallen down a canyon in recent years. I've been using overpriced products in small tubes that I can squeeze out like toothpaste, and you have to chuck it out after one job because of the small nozzle.

The rubber band trick's a good idea, @SeaToSki.

Drill batteries are another bugbear! Instead of wrapping one hand round the housing and squeezing both sides as intended, I have to use one hand each side while holding the bastard thing between my knees.

Would be a good Dragon's den idea to design tools that women can comfortably use.

Love MM for this...similar issue and definitely need DIY kit for women's sized hands.

I find petrol pump handles really difficult too. They are just too big for me to reach the lever on the handle with one hand. And I don't have particularly tiny hands.

I bought the Wolfcraft MG 550 Caulking Gun I 4358000

It also has a 'no drip' feature (so the caulk stops coming out as soon as you release the trigger).

Everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to share. Not sure yet what caulking jobs are on the list for this weekend, but I have a DIY store 5 mins from the house, so going to go there to see what alternatives they have.

I will report back!

A very late update and thank you, I haven't done much DIY recently.

Anyway I spent yesterday with the caulk gun and cut the nozzle on the tube much further down than normal. Thank you to the posters who suggested that, I had no problems at all and was able to use the full tube, without needing DH to squeeze out the dregs. Used the gun that usually causes me problems.

I am so glad I asked here before shelling out on some sort of battery powered gun.

I bought the Amazon gun upthread, on the back of this thread, and it was amazing. Used almost whole tube on various bits in one go with no problems.

So thanks to you OP for starting the thread!

You can buy a grip strengthened thing that acts as another force. Don’t know what called but Google will.