[dataway]

Has anyone ever used the Milwaukee M12 cordless caulk gun with windshield installation urethane?

I'm trying to find out if the M12 will handle the thick urethane .... it's $100+ cheaper than the M18 model and lighter, easier to handle.

Thanks

[MUSLCAH]

Planning on a new career..?

[dataway]

Well ... bought one, found some reviews where people mention using it for installing windshields. Wish I had it when I did my Onyx shower last summer.

[roger1]

For an occasional installer, I like using these 3/8" ribbons.



Unlimited shelf life, no mess, little waste and inexpensive.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by roger1

For an occasional installer, I like using these 3/8" ribbons.



Unlimited shelf life, no mess, little waste and inexpensive.

Could this also be used for sticking the stainless windshield trim down?

I tried the liquid applied urethane and the trim popped back up.

K

[roger1]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Could this also be used for sticking the stainless windshield trim down?
I tried the liquid applied urethane and the trim popped back up.
K

I don't think either is designed to do that.
I think it's best to get the trim to fit well enough that it can be held in place with the factory clips alone.

[dataway]

I wanted to stick (no pun intended) with the Urethane because that is the type of product that they were originally installed with. Already have the urethane kit for front and back anyway, comes with the 3/8 dam, blocks, primer etc.

I think GM stopped using butyl rubber around 65? The urethane advocates say it was done because they new body designs required the glass to use an adhesive instead of a sealant to help maintain body integrity.

It's a subject with lots of controversy

[n20ta2]

If you can get that to work for you that would be great! I used the urethane once and it was a nightmare for me. I tried it by myself and that was a huge mistake. If you don't do it alot definitely get a second set of hands.

[dataway]

I've got the wife as my assistant for most of my work

Job is scheduled for this weekend ... so I'll be finding out soon.

Going with a power gun as my caulk guns skills are not the best. They say it's all in the way you cut the nozzle. I've got the suction cups and all that too.

[Entropy11]

I love those M12 tools. I bought their stubby impact gun (not impact driver) and never assumed I’d use it almost daily (in place of a ratchet as well as an impact). It’ll pop the lug nuts off my truck even. I had to cheap out and go the caulk gun route lol. Amazon warehouse deal on a 26:1. Just showed up today.

It’s funny how we’re still progressing along together on identical tasks Dataway. I’ve been back into the windshield install articles all over agin the past week or so. I definitely know what you mean about the controversy around the various install methods. I know our cars have a frame so I’m not too concerned with structural integrity in that area, but I do have another uni-body car in the garage that’ll need a windshield too so I’d rather play it safe and devise a good method now.

My current plan is to use this:
CRL1303 - CRL 5/16" Square Autoglass Butyl Tape - 1 ROLL https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002CXKP26...ing=UTF8&psc=1
as a dam of sorts and do urethane behind it. It’ll also give me a good resistive height so I don’t have to use spacers. Even if I go lighter on the urethane I’d still have the sealant benefit of it outside of the butyl. Who knows, I’m still a few weeks out from that maybe so I’m just brainstorming and bouncing ideas around.

Roger- do you find the 3/8” gives you a good height for your trim install? I read some things referencing 5/16” so I was going to try that 5/16 square butyl I referenced above. Still new to me. Sorry if I’m shifting focus away from your post Data!.

[dhutton]

5/16 for original windshield, 3/8 for repop windshield in my experience.

Don

[Entropy11]

Originally Posted by dhutton

5/16 for original windshield, 3/8 for repop windshield in my experience.

Don

Oh that’s right! I remember reading something about that difference now. Thank you Don.

I’m almost positive the one I removed was a replacement but I wonder if a replacement from the 80’s was closer to original thickness. I’ll have to measure and sort that out I guess.

[roger1]

Originally Posted by Entropy11

Roger- do you find the 3/8” gives you a good height for your trim install? I read some things referencing 5/16” so I was going to try that 5/16 square butyl I referenced above. Still new to me. Sorry if I’m shifting focus away from your post Data!.

I've installed several windshields on Chevrolets and have always used 3/8" and they were perfect. I've trial fit trim on my '69 GTO and there's no doubt the 3/8" was the better way to go for that too. There's still a little gap between the w/s and the glass.

[400 4spd.]

I use 3/8" on everything GM.

[dataway]

Entropy ... that sounds like a good plan ... best of both worlds. No reason to waste the potential adhesion offered by using butyl as a dam.

I've learned recently that with replacement glass they say to keep the urethane off the outside edges of the glass as it can cause delamination.

I'm using all original glass so far ... still have to get the front out of storage and see if it's good enough, or can be polished well enough.

Love the M12/M18 stuff, have a ton of it ... that shorty impact is on my get list. Would come in real handy running down all the suspension components before torqueing.

Keep the info coming, like you I'm doing a refresher course on all the info I looked up a year ago.

[TAKerry]

I think you said you bought the caulk gun? Can the same tool use both the 12 and 18 batteries? I have a ton of the milwaukee stuff as well and love it. My go to in the shop is the right angle die grinder. My scant supply of air tools now collect dust.

When the guy did the windshield in my T/A he used the milwaukee battery caulk gun. He had a deep v groove cut in the tip to lay a heavy bead. It was a new piece of glass though and def. thinner than the old stuff. I will see if I still have a pic of the install.

I had a ryobi battery caulk gun that was lost in my fire and have yet to replace it. They do come in handy especially when using epoxies.

Good luck! Hope all goes well with the install.

[dataway]

The M12 gun can only use M12 batteries .. but will accept the high capacity M12s. Evidently battery capacity isn't a problem at all. The M18 gun offers about twice the pressure for the very high viscosity stuff. Good chance your guy was using the M18, kinda of why I was asking people if the M12 would do the job ... but found reviews that say the M12 will do it without issue.

I know what you mean about the die grinder ... it basically sits out on the bench all the time, with my case of different rol-lock stuff, use it for everything.

I've put a lot of study into that notch These urethane cartridges have a very thick, stiff nozzle they use ... 3M shows how to cut a deep notch with a tail that hangs down and follows the outside edge of the glass ... so you just sit the nozzle on the edge and start the gun. I've got some old silicon I'm going to practices with.

Worse case scenario ... I have a nice caulk gun for using around the property

[TAKerry]

2022-04-01_08-29-01 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

I thought I had a better picture. If you can see from this view he had a pretty high 'bead'. If I recall it was probably at least 1/2" or more.

[dataway]

I'm going to be using the ... apply to glass method. Tested my nozzle cutting and bead laying last night and it went well. Still, like your photo, it requires a bead about 1/2" tall, just on the glass instead of pinch weld.

Sunday will be the day, I'll try to take some phots .. if I can, as it will be a tense operation

[Entropy11]

Any advice on suction cup holders for placement? Just standard Amazon stuff or is it worth searching for some particular type/brand? Thanks.