A High-Thrust Caulk Gun

Kent Lewis

The foil-puncturing tool pivots in and out of a recess in the red frame. The cartridge-tip cutter is the circular hole to the right of the spring.

For years we used the common caulking guns that go for a few bucks at hardware stores; we assumed one caulking gun was like any other and accepted that dispensing thick caulks and adhesives just takes a lot of effort. That was until we starting using the Newborn High-Thrust Model 250 caulk gun.The 250 has an 18:1 thrust ratio, compared to the 6:1 or 8:1 thrust ratios of the cheap caulk guns from home-improvement stores. The 250 takes standard 10-oz cartridges and has a heavier feel and the construction is higher quality; the powder-coated frame and zinc alloy handle should hold up well. As with most caulk guns, it has a cartridge-seal puncture tool so you don’t have to go looking for a nail long enough to get to do the job, and a built-in tip cutter that will cut a cartridge tip off square or at a slight angle. If you need an angled opening at the tip, a utility knife is the tool for the job. The 250 has a handy ladder hook on the tail end of the plunger, which we use to hang the gun on our tool shelf so it doesn’t go missing during a project. The hand grip has a nice ergonomic design to it, making it easier to hold and squeeze. The 250’s revolving frame allows the cartridge and its tip to rotate as needed for ease of application at different angles to the work.