Using automatic taping tools

Capt-sheetrock

I agree, I have a col 2 1/2 that I dropped off a baker scaffold onto concrete, broke both frames,, so till I git it fixed or re-placed, I'm done with it. Can't have too many back-up heads, when you need em ,,,ya need em.

Adjusting them is tuff, till ya figure it out. the blade needs to be a c' hair over the skid, just barely able to feel it with your finger-nail. Lay your angle-head on a mirror when you are working with it, that tells you way more than you can see or feel. If you can pull back on the wings, and the blades open up,, you have broke frames (like I'm looking at right now), nothing you can do to fix that cept replace them or the head. One thing that needs to be checked when buying used heads.

Kiwiman

Where do you find those c' hairs, thats one feeler gauge I don't have in my tool box.

proficient Mudder

The C' hairs are usually kept on the outside of the tool box under the apron.

Mudstar

My tool box don't have C' hairs and I like it that way anyways.

Scott_w

Getting better! I have been really taking my time, playing around. The 2nd floor will go much faster I think.

Played with one of the flat boxes today... I LIKE! Pretty easy to run.

I bought some nail spotters, but they won't be here in time. So I will have to hand spot. That sucks!

Once I am done, I will shoot a little video before sanding so you guys can tear it apart!

Thanks...scott

proficient Mudder

The flat box can sure test your muscles and your driving skills down a straight line,lol.
Glad you had a good day and look forward to seeing your video.

Bill

Scott_w

Things went ok today. I am taking things really slow so I can try different ways of holding the tools. You guys would have been done this house in a day or so!

I am MUCH better with the taper. The angle heads are still giving me trouble. They seems hard to move and I can't get a good finish with either of the 3 1/2's or the 2 1/2 (all northstar, and all newish). The old 3" columbia seems to run ok though. I went back and grabbed my BTE flushers and wiped everything down. The flusher ran much better than the heads. WHAT am I doing wrong? I read in the other thread about sharp blades, could this be it?

All in all I am getting better everyday. Just the angle heads frustrate me. BTW, I am running them with a mudrunner.

Oh another thing I figured out. I thought I would have to change the goose neck to fill the mudrunner. It actually will fill using the goose neck as well!

scott

Capt-sheetrock

Bout the gooseneck, ya know it probbly would, never tried it. I always run my mudrunner SO thin, it won't run in anything else, had the tube going and the mudrunner going together a bunch, but since the tube mud will STOP UP and not work for CHIT with runner mud, I always mix a batch of SOUP for the runner.

About the mudrunner. Pay attention here, please,, put the mudrunner into the angle at knee-level, twist and go down to the bottom. Then turn it over, place it at the BOTTOM and come all the way up to the top (full twist). Its the only way to git it to run the way you want it too. If you start at the top, you will have probs with the first two feet down, if you start at the bottom, you will have probs with the first two feet up.

Just try it

Scott_w

THANKS! Makes sense.

What do you guys do to prep brand new heads for use?

thanks...scott

proficient Mudder

[quote=
About the mudrunner. Pay attention here, please,, put the mudrunner into the angle at knee-level, twist and go down to the bottom. Then turn it over, place it at the BOTTOM and come all the way up to the top (full twist). Its the only way to git it to run the way you want it too. If you start at the top, you will have probs with the first two feet down, if you start at the bottom, you will have probs with the first two feet up.

Just try it[/quote]

I sure would like to find a used mudrunner to buy, the company i work for use to rent one but got away from renting, so now i am back on the hockey box. I have 2 jobs coming up with a total of 2,000 board and ALOT of cubicles, which means alot of angles. The boss man is too stubborn to buy one, but I sure will just to help save our backs,lol.

Bill

2buckcanuck

wow ,you guys just convinced me not to buy a mud runner
and whats a hockey box,and I'm Canadian??????

2buckcanuck

nothing,but if it's ripping and tearing tapes file the point down a bit,rub against a brick or concrete floor a TINY bit,repeat if necessary ,use runny mud for mechanical heads too

proficient Mudder

Around here alot of guys refer to an angle box as a hockey box,.

Capt-sheetrock

Why is that???? after I bought a mudrunner, I never, ever used the corner-box again.

ColumbiaTechSupport

Don't know the exact problem you're having but to get the head to move well you don't want to press to hard and you wand to stay out in front of it and pull it along, let it do all the work. If the heads are brand new the blades should be pre-softened and ready to go, at least that's the way all of ours go out. If they are tearing the tape or drywall try running the blades face down lightly over a sheet of sand paper. Are you using a corner roller first?

2buckcanuck

start from middle go down,start from middle go up ,too many strokes

2buckcanuck

scott use a angle handle /pole to lay tapes ,makes a world of difference ,pole applys more pressure

Capt-sheetrock

Agreed, I "touch" my new ones to a grinder to knock the burr of the point, just another one of them c-hairs tho. If you rub your finger over the point and can feel a burr, its too sharp, it should be smooth to your finger when you run it over the point.

If you are running over wet tape, you will tear it if you haven't dulled the point. If you tape, let dry and then first coat, it don't matter, even tho you are doing an extra step.

Capt-sheetrock

Huh??? a pole applies more pressure than a mudrunner??? Have you run a mudrunner?

BTW, how do you adjust how much mud you put on the tape with a pole???

Scott_w

I had no luck with the Northstar heads today. They seem to be "scraping" and tear the face of the drywall the odd time on the outside edge.

I am going to try the old columbia head (3") tomorrow. I had better luck with it the first day.

I had to resort to the flushers to keep moving ahead. They ran WAY better for me!

scott