banjo brands

carpentaper

the two brands most easily available to me are diamond wall and kraft. the kraft banjo looks better to me. i'm getting tired of having a sloppy bucket of wet tape around my waist. thinking about getting a banjo before the next job. i'm also thinking i might get a cleaner looking tape job from a banjo. anyone have any input on banjo brands. i know this topic has been discussed before but whatever.

Masterpiece

I'm not familiar w/either of those so can't help you there but is all-wall.com an option? They're shipping is pretty fast and well packed/shipped as well...

I'm considering a M'Town unit myself...

DSJOHN

Mine is so old I dont know the brand,its faster than hand taping,slower than a bazooka, and only a small learning curve. I actually tape most houses out of a hopper,faster than banjo,and comparable to bazooka,but you do more stilt work. Make sure the mud is soupy or you wont pull the tape through, get used to washing your hands!!!!!

Saul_Surfaces

I've had a couple, and the Marshalltown was by far the best. never had a Kraft or Diamond wall though

Capt-sheetrock

I tried most of em. I prefer the Marshalltown Sharpshooter. I think its head and shoulder above the rest. JMO tho.

carpentaper

by hopper do you mean the funnel with a couple gates on it. we call those hoppers in BC too. thats what i have been using. its basically the same as a super taper method just a different unit to pull the tape out of. i am very used to washing my hands by the way. i always have a bucket of water close by. do you really find the hopper faster than the banjo? is it because you can string way more tape before refilling the bucket? also how are you wiping your corners? i was wiping them by hand until my last job. i just got a 2.5" flusher and i was able to wipe them with that without the roller. it worked pretty good but did not wipe it as tight as by hand. i'm not sure if it was much faster but it sure felt like it.

DSJOHN

It,s actually a 5 gl bucket with an attachment I added to pull tape through[homemade hopper] ,been using since 1981. I roll my corners with corner roller then glaze with 3" immediately then I only have to coat my corners once with 3 1/2 next day.Yes the hopper is faster for me,I can hold about 35-40 ft of tape in my left hand and apply to wall and ceiling much faster than banjo. staging work tho,I do use banjo. In closets on tops and door wall when you wipe your tape coat it at the same time,you wont get your mudrunner or aplatech cannon or boxes in there,atleast I find this works for me.

Capt-sheetrock

Ya know, the term "slop-box" originated from the oldtimers that made a "box" from wood, to do the very thing that your bucket does. Its kinda a shame that the origin has become somewhat obscure. I guess that comes from being around too long,,,LOL. Seems like anytime I mention "slop-box" I get reprimanded. It ain't a judgement call, just a trip down memory lane. I learned on a "slop-box" and yes it was made of wood,,, GEE I am getting too old....ROTLMAO... I made myself crack up that time.

Maybe I need to go the "retired old drywallers forum" heehee

DSJOHN

I think by labor day I will be officially retired from drywall---I havent slept in 3 weeks 31 years and changing careers.. alls I can say is"why"

Muddauber

Sounds like a FREAKIN mess to me.

I don't like to get mud on my hands.

Capt-sheetrock

Yeah its a mess, but its super fast. When I train a guy on a banjo, the very first thing I do is have him stick his hands (both of em) down in a bucket of mud. If he can't do that and be cool about it,,, he needs to stick to hand-finishing.

Me, I like to make money.

Capt-sheetrock

Man, you have the chance to teach others that really want to learn,, go fot it !!!!