Angle Head Combinations

D's

I tried the Capt's trick on my last house too... 3.5 then a 2.5

On the plus side I didn't have to clean the blades on the second pass as often and there were hardly any scratches from debris. Noticed that it didn't gouge out joints that run into the corner as much either, which saved on touch ups.

Only bad thing I could say is that it may have taken slightly longer to dry.

Now that I've gotten the hang of my APLA setup I can't believe how easy corners are to do. I recommend it, at least while we're waiting to see what Rick comes out with.

On the sanding side... I tried another of Capt's tricks(can't believe he was right twice in a row) and used a Spear corner sander. I use burned out radius 360 discs, folded in half, and stuck to the corner sander. Sharpens them right up after a couple of passes making for an easier final sponge and light. Worked well and saved time on the stilts staring into corners.

Dare I ask how the Capt. picks his corners?

D'S

Capt-sheetrock

One of the hardest things, if not THE hardest thing about going from hand finishing to tools, is realizing that some things will be done differantly. Lord knows we are a hard-headed bunch that just hates change in any shape form or fashion.

One reason for running bigger than smaller angleheads is that by doing so, you don't pick up the trash from the edge that will build up on your head and make grooves in your finish coat. Anything that reduces trash in a tool is a good thing,,,NO ?????.

About picking corners,,, I guess I do like everyone else does. I use a 5" to pick with, mainly cause I don't own a 6. If you have a 5, you don't need a 4 and a 6. I used to run hand finish corners with a 4, but since I got tools, I quit carring them. I wipe tape with a 7" (old wallboard) they quit making em in 1976, so they are hard to come by, but you can buy an 8" and cut the blade down to 7" with a set of snips. The reason is this, a 6 will leave too much mud running off the edges of the knife and an 8 will span the bevel too far and leave the tape "proud" meaning you will have to "bust-out" many places after the bed coat cause your tapes to high. The size of the knife on wiping tape is really THAT important. Just try it, you can buy a stainless 8 at Blowes for around 8 bucks, what have got to loose, cept some old out of date pre-conceptions.

Heck, I'd bet 8 bucks on an elephant race.

SaskMud

Hey Capt, what do you mean a 5'' to pick with??

Mudstar

3 ways and and do it twice and do it tight on your final

Capt-sheetrock

Thanks, thats what I meant. Also, on the first pass, if you have a tape that is proud or whatever, add a bit of mud on the first pic, then as Mud says, wipe it tight then second time.

proficient Mudder

I personally always pull my final coat the opposite direction and covering the complete first pass tight for easier sanding and avery smooth blocked corner.

Bill

2buckcanuck

capt sheetrock
"The size of the knife on wiping tape is really THAT important."
it's not the tool it's in our strokes .If you ran a knife straight down the joint at 90 degrees you would be right,but we dont do that do we(mud would be on the floor). If I used a 12" knife,the top of the knife would start on the tape,then held at a 20 degree angle,you do a long curving motion to where the tape is at the bottom of knife.most of our hand work has a distinct curving or diagonal motion to it(think corner bead).Holding the knife at a certain degree and pressure causes more surface retention applied to the bevell (think bow and arrow)
where the tool could come into play is using a coating knife and not a wiping knife,wiping knife being those blue tempered knife's that flex like crazy,I could get desired results with either knife,just wiping knife requires less pressure .plus throw in runny bazooka mud.....so it's in your stroking

proficient Mudder

I agree with the stroking. I have seen guys tear some tape up pulling with a 6" and seen guys float the tape with a flexable 8".
it's all in the understanding of how much pressure to apply to having the tape recessed like it should be. I also like to pull my excess mud that i pull out of from under the tape, back through the bevel as I continue wiping down. That way the tape is recessed and the bevel is full beside the tape.

Bill

Capt-sheetrock

Doing that, you might as well hand tape,,, The WHOLE resaon for tools, is getting that tape down BELOW the bevel

Capt-sheetrock

Thats like the guys that say its the "size of the wave, not the motion of the ocean" to which I always reply,,,,, "thats what all you needle-**** bug****ers say"

The knife you are using is EVERYTHING !!!!!!!

Capt-sheetrock

I underatand that I just pee'd off a cpl cool dudes, but the truth will stand when the worlds on fire

proficient Mudder

I think you might have misunderstood what I meant. I definetly make sure the tape is recessed in the bevel and from one end to the other i just continue to pull the tape tight with pulling some of the excess mud with it to smooth out beside the tape even as it is still recessed. I couldn't think of my technique being the same as hand taping as I normally average around 500 board a 8 hour day when taping with 2 guys wiping down.

I really am enjoying this site as there are some true pros here and sharing ideas,tips and experience with everyone is really cool.

Bill

Capt-sheetrock

Yes, but you have to admit that you took acception to me saying that a 7" knife was the definiative answer to tapeing,,,, thats what I meant about we are a hard-headed bunch that doesn't want to learn anything new, if it differs from what we already think we know.

Capt-sheetrock

If you are using the excess mud to FILL the bevel on the tape coat,, you are defeating the purpose. Tape shold be below the bevel, not even with it.

Capt-sheetrock

Was I right twice in a row ???? Well I guess even a BLIND hog finds an acorn every once in awhile. LOL

I don't have all the answers, heck i ain't got 1/2 the answers.


But on picking,,, I find that if I let em set-up a bit, like do an entire floor before i pick, that the mud, being set-up abit, works way better and leaves a thicker coat than if I pick em immediatley. And when picking,, the more "set-up" the mud is, the better pick ya get.

Mudstar

That's what I do leave the 3 ways till after the angles are pumped in then jump on the stilts and wipe out the walls tight and coat the ceiling first time around

2buckcanuck

well ,I was going to state in my last post ,not to up set you.....
showed the kid that works with me your post on going ,8" box then 10"with out blinking a eye he said "yep that would work" ,2 tools on the market that could test your theory if anyone wanted .yes were a stubborn bunch ,especially the more experience you have, some on here are more teacher than student,some of us our just getting old and bored
But to state a 7" knife you purchased from 1972,that you fell in love with,and you CAN'T BUY NO MORE,were to modify our knife's to sevens ....come on
have you seen or tried the knifes that are only meant for wiping,the blue tempered long handle's yet???

proficient Mudder

The tape is pulled tight in the bevel and below the board surface, the excess mud that i pull over the tight tape is nothing but mud still in the recess but making a slicker tape job that will take a 1st coat from a box very clean.
I definetly think your 7" knife is a very good choice and with any professional like yourself it's great to have the experience to learn from.

Bill

2buckcanuck

what your doing we call it back wiping your tape,I got one taping buddy who back wipes,goes 8" then 12" box.he did it for the same reasons as you,there would be less filling with his 8"box,so I tried it,what I found is.......
your sorta wiping the tape twice (going over it again) I just want to get r done
faster to fill with a box than by hand,so u use a bit more mud using boxes...still faster
your mud is too runny to make that big of a difference,shrinks more
and this is where I could be wrong,seems to make the tape swell out

maybe try a half wall back wiped then one half not ,(on same joint)see if you notice a difference

taper71

I use an 8" richard knife to wipe wall flats with. This knife is so well used that the blade is not straight across anymore, but worn to fit the bevel and lets me go for alot longer before the mud starts making a mess and I got to wipe it off on my pan. I tried a 7" wipe down knife for ceilings on a pole but I have to wipe the excess off to often ( Iam an impatient sort ) so I use an 8" ( I can go further before wiping the excess ). I have never had any major problems with the tape not sitting in the bevel, except when I cant run my bazooka in a straight line