Need better understanding of Banjo taper

Furniturebldr

I purchased two types of banjo's, one from a company called Homax and the other from Walboard called Quick Load Drywall Taper.

I have only used the one from Homax, which I purchased from Menards.

Once I started to get the hang of it, it wasn't too bad, BUT.... It's not very easy to start the tape. the little pin wheels help dig into the drywall to get it started, but that has been a bit cumbersome. My biggest complaint is that cleaning the Homax is a nightmare and took me 20 mins. There are small pieces that come apart for cleaning, but the mud gets imbedded into the small crevaces that makes it almost impossible to clean.

How do you use the one from Walboard, since it doesn't have any teeth to imbed it into the drywall and get it started? Do you pull a couple of inches out, hold it with your taping knife, press it out for the first inch or so and then continue on and use the razor knife on it to cut the tape?

I found when using the Homax one, I ended up loading way too much mud using 45 min mud, so that made it even harder to clean. What consistancy of mud do you want to have when using these things?

Is the Walboard one a piece of junk too, or should i give it a whirl? What is that hooked looking thing on the adjustable blade at the end and what is it used for?

I like that with the Homax you can dial the amount of mud you want to come out in a second, but with the Walboard, you need to loosen the two wing nuts. If from a measuring standpoint, what type of opening do I want where the tape comes out on the Walboard one so the right amount of mud comes out? Do any of you have any ratios of mud to water consistancies that you use when using a banjo so it goes on nice and doesn't dry out too soon?

Thanks a million!!!

Darren@Partners

Never seen a Homax. If has lots of parts to clean, it wouldn't last long with my guys. The Wallboard one is the one I'd use: if it's a "Denver" box with a web loop on the cover and a wooden top handle. The web loop should adjust to fit over your hand. Holding onto the wood handle while taping will wreck your wrist & forearm.

I wear a rubber glove on my left hand as you do have to grab the tape and hold it in place until you play out a foot or two of tape. It will slide down the joint on you, but you catch on to that.

You have to play with the adjustment on the throat 'til you are getting the right amount of mud.

The hook thing? I use it to wipe mud off my finger.

The blade/teeth is/are for cutting the tape at the end of the pull.

Mud should be almost thin enough to pour but not quite, else it'll run out of the box. And be sure to use 250' vs 500' rolls unless you're a manly man. And the tape inside the box goes on top of the mud, not along the bottom. Maybe you knew this but you'd be surprised how many times I've since a newby pulling tape with mud on top instead on the bottom.

The Wallboard is probably the better box. The only Homax products I've ever seen were pretty much homeowner gear. And unless forced to, I would never run setting compounds(use All-Purpose - it has some glue in it) in a tool that I didn't consider disposable. For clean up, a hose spray nozzle works pretty good, followed by a tire brush on the stubborn stuff.

Banjo Lesson 101 Send tuition check soon!!

Furniturebldr

Yes,

The hormax appears to be a home owner type device. Neat concept, but like i said, the tape kept getting stuck and was hard to get it started, then, not so easy to trim your end. Ill be trying the wal board one today and ill let u know. I also found one video of soneone quickly showing someone actually using a banjo like the wal board one but didnt do really any start to finish on youtube. I wish someone would make a movie showing a plastic measuring cup of how much " white bag light weight compound to how much water and how the end result should look; along with how much mud they recommend a beginner put into the banjo so it doesnt end up drying out too soon and its the right thickness.

Whitey97

buy a bloomington, and you'll never look back

Darren@Partners

White bag lite weight? Are you using setting-type(quick-set)? Not saying you can't but I don't and I wouldn't recommend it to learn with. Go to an All-Purpose either bucket or box mud and thin it down to the consistency I described. The setting type has no glue and will be a real bite to clean if it goes off in your new banjo. This is your "drying out problem". I'm trying to be helpful and not repeat myself, you are new to this but please go back through my previous post. Also try USG.com and go to the Handbook.

Banjo Lesson 101A -- your tuition check is overdue

PS: If you tape with setting type, your joints will most likely crack out.

tapingfool

this guy shows how to do corners, just go from there..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWM05TMwm9s

Furniturebldr

YOU ALL ARE HYSTERICAL! Thank you for the tips. Yes, I am using a setting type compound through the banjo. 45 min. and yes, it's a P.I.T.A. to clean. I dread using it for that exact reason. Here in chicagoland, it's a bit chilly right now to run out and use the hose in 15 degree weather, so all I have is my trusty slop sink.

I also find that when I'm using it normally, it's drying pretty quick on me. I'm mixing it to a consistancy that looks like frosting on a cake. I'm using a metal double paddle that looks like a propeller on a boat in my plastic mud pan and it mixes it very well. I fill up the bucket with 3/4 of a liter of water and then I pour it in until it gets down to 150 ML and that's the consisitancy I've been using. One time I went too thin thinking it would just thicken up and I'd be fine. NOT!

When you have small areas to patch with tape, do you even bother to use the banjo? I would think it would be a huge waste of time to do so.

Is there a good, fool proof way of fixing structural cracks?

I will say that since I've joined this forum, I have learned a lot of stuff that I didn't know before and for that, I thank you.

Like I said, if any of you need woodworking/custom furniture assistance, let me know. I can take pics or make movies to show you how to do something. I'm a strong believer in One hand washes the other.

I went to Menards and saw all different types of mud.

What do you think of Proform B lite blue. Rapid coat joint compound? Pros/cons? what is it typically used for?

Anyone elses pre-mixed or mix yourself mud that you recommend?

Thanks

In that youtube video, it doesn't even appear as though he has any mud on the back side of the tape. I broke down and bought one and maybe I'm adding to much mud, but I remember seeing on this Romax instruction book that is also a Banjo, but made out of mostly plastic to where it said you want anywhere from 1/8' to 1/4" of mud to be coming out of each side of the tape and then you take your knife and smooth it out from there. Is that true? Should the same rule apply for a banjo like he's using?

Thanks a million!!

Just FYI, the Romax brand that I bought at Menards is a P.I.T.A. to clean as it took me over a half hour. Do you have any cleaning suggestions for one like one shown in the video?

Darren@Partners

Well the top side of the tape should be dry, and the wall side should have a continuous layer of mud. If you are still taping with quickset do not ask again about how to clean or mix. Either switch to an All-Purpose or figure it out.

That Pro-form is okay if you STRICTLY adhere to the directions on the box with regard to the amount of water you can add to thin. If you exceed the amount on the box, it will crack like a BIT**.

And retire your plastic banjo to the museum or toss it hard and far.

In respect to having to wait to clean a banjo later in the slop sink---IF YOU USE ALL-PURPOSE TO TAPE WITH you can put it down in a tall bucket of water until you get home and it will stay moist and be a breeze to clean. That quickset however like concrete will set up underwater.

No one gets out a banjo to patch with.

On different muds, you can read the box directions for one. But there are ALL-PURPOSE primarily for taping, it has a little bit of glue in for that very purpose. There is Lite-weight primarily for filling and skimming, some brands shrink more than others. I hesitate to mention Topping compound, it is used only for skimming, is generally more expensive but sands very well and not all homecenters will have it. The quickset is primarily used for prefilling joints and repairs in one trip. (or mesh tape).

Intro to Mud Types and Their Uses 100 -- Tuition check is now past due and your account will be turned over to collection in 3 days.

Darren@Partners

Structural cracks? On plaster or sheetrock? Whole other lesson.

Is crack due to movement of stucture? Is structure done moving? Or do you suspect it is recurring? Location of crack ie: over a door or window or straight up a corner?

Whitey97

good luck collecting, I've already sent him into collections for mud thinning 101

Darren@Partners

He's gonna get expelled if he keeps on with quickset and banjo clean-up

Whitey97

"I'm sorry, you've been expelled, you are in fact........just a tool"

Furniturebldr

ROTFLMFAO!!! HAHAHA

In regard to the All Purpose, I use the dark blue top lid stuff. Good/Ok? I then add water little by little until it's like frosting on a cake.

I returned my plastic banjo and am now using one I got from Menards, which is very similar to the Walboard one from Depot. I'm still curious to know what those curved cutouts are near the end of the blade. Clever idea to use it to wipe your fingers with, but what's the REAL PURPOSE?

When I say structural crack, its where you go from one room to another and there's a wall on the right and on the left. If you look up at the top "header" of the area you're passing through, it starts at the top left corner and goes on a 45 degree angle, 15" up to the celing. I question structural because this header runs from front to back, but being that it's a pass through, I'm assuming it's needed to help support the floor above, but the opening is only 6' wide, so :/

I'm too embarassed to show you my repair job so far, because i know I'd never live it down! It's on rock, not plaster. The house is 30 years old.

Darren@Partners

Okay, now you're learning, Grasshopper.

The curved cut-out is to see if you're getting mud on top of the tape (I think). If you are, the mud is too thin or too thick and pulling down inside the box.

Frosting -- that's probably a little too thick. More like pancake batter. Too thick too pour quickly but thin enough you have to be quick if loading box with a 6". Some guys cut out bottom of a bleach jug and use for a scoop.

The crack going diagonal up from opening--we'll call this a header crack. There is a header over the door/window. Lots of reasons for this, but settling is short answer for now. If it is "done" moving and ready to fix: Vee groove the crack with a key or similar pointed tool and brush away loose material. Different guys use different meathods, but at this point I'd tell you to fill the groove with a thin bead of caulk and wipe ino groove. Then mesh tape and NOW use your quickset, then coat with lite weight once or twice as needed. Sand. Enjoy.

Header repair 103 -- tuition past due

Whitey97

that cut out is for you to pinch the tape with your fingers and pull.....

Darren@Partners

Come to think of it, that's right. I stand corrected.

muddymen

You guys are nuts........the cut out is a beer bottle opener.

Furniturebldr

I have to hand it to you giys, this is the first forum ive been in a long time that people have made me laugh so much. I use to to to forums all the time before i suffered a moderate right temporal stroke at the age of 33, and i was fortunate enuf to get all of my motor and function back. Took me a few months to get back into feeling comfortable enuf to do any type of home improvements and its been hard to keep my spirts up and get back my tradesman "charm", so i really appreciate the laughs. :-)

Al Taper

Here is a video on some great banjoing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyKvD-4IxOY


Just dont take a walk in the woods with these guys.

Darren@Partners

They might take you snipe hunting!!!