When a worker needs to use an epoxy to complete a project there are many ways he or she may apply it to the work piece. If the worker is only working on a small project the container the epoxy comes in is likely to work well enough. In order to apply epoxy to many work pieces over the course of a day, however, it may be better to use specialized dispensers. These allow the worker to work quicker and more efficiently.
Sometimes epoxy may be applied by hand. It can be poured out from its container and spread across the work piece with a paintbrush or similar tool. This is generally done by people working on projects at home. For larger scale uses, a specialized epoxy dispenser can be very effective.
The simplest form of epoxy dispenser is the manual dispenser. These are handheld devices shaped similar to a gun. A worker will insert the tubes of epoxy into the top portion of the manual dispenser. He or she will then put the tip of the dispenser against the work piece and squeeze the trigger. Squeezing the trigger mixes the two ingredients of the epoxy and forces it to come out of the tip of the dispenser and onto the work piece.
In addition to the manual form of epoxy dispenser, there are a number of different kinds of automatic versions of epoxy dispensers. The most common of these are similar to manual dispensers and called pneumatic dispensers. They do not require hand power to dispense epoxy. Most often this type of dispenser uses electrical energy to apply epoxy to a work piece.
There is an even more advanced form of automatic epoxy dispenser on the market currently. This kind is shaped more like a milling machine, featuring a head that can be directed in multiple angles positioned over a work table. The work table may be movable depending on the design. An epoxy dispenser like this is capable of drawing specific shapes with the epoxy and is capable of depositing epoxy with considerable precision. These dispensers may be automated to varying degrees depending on the model in use.
The price range of these three kinds of epoxy dispenser varies somewhat. Manual dispensers are affordable and easily found at hardware stores and on the Internet. Pneumatic dispensers and automatic dispensers are each more expensive, with the latter sometimes costing over $1,000 US Dollars (USD). Due to their cost, automatic epoxy dispensers are typically found only in industrial settings and in the most advanced home-based shops.