Finishing machines

Brownie

Hey i have a few sets of boxes. The first and latest are tapepro 8 10 and 12 inch. I also have an identical set that must be 20 years old. Im a 3rd generation plasterer and my father says these are the exact same as the boxes they leased in the 70's. All i hear about on here is northstar and tapetech and these tapepro boxes are like neither. These boxes are my fathers and im looking to buy my own set just for the sake of calling them my own. I have been runing these machines for 9 years and even the old dusty set run perfect. I have been looking at marshalltown, tapetech and northstar and im wondering how these size up to my faithfull tapepro. I have a tapetech bazooka but for no good reason i simply dont like the look of the tapetech boxes. I guess my question is what brand should i go with and are my old boxes tapepro or another copy of the original box used in the 70's. The 3rd set i think are tapetech but have a spring that pushes the mud out. They only got used a couple of times. I never ran them but i think he said they didnt hold enuff mud. Ill see if i can post some pics. What brand were the original that tapepro copied? Sorry if some of this doesnt make sence its hard writing a novel off an iphone

Muddauber

Ames were the original tools that everyone else copied .

Ames tools were, and still are rent/lease only.

TheToolDr

Bob and Stan Ames worked with Carl Raff to develop the original automatic taping tools, beginning with a nailspotter and flat box in 1951, and the first automatic taper in 1953.
By 1974, they decided they could [arguably] improve on the original design and started Premier Drywall Tool Company, which has now become Blue Line in the USA and TapePro in Australia. These are quite different from the original design.
The 3rd set of boxes you describe are most likely Power-Assist style from Tapetech (gold), or Premier International (silver, not related to original product name). The trick to using them is to forget your instincts about applying pressure as you would with traditional boxes, and let the box and handle braking system do the work. I've effectively trained on their use with a 10" box, using only a one-handed 6" box handle.
Most tools available for sale these days are generally good quality, with personal preference and availability playing a large portion of the final decision.
A good reference for the greatest number of choices can be found at www.all-wall.com

Checkers

I highly suggest Northstar High top boxes man!
Pull the springs off when you get it, and run with the best box ever!

McDusty

All boxes are sort of created equally. There are small differences, that make the difference.

Mainly you want to look for sizes, Columbia & Northstar have the best extra capacity boxes hands down. Columbia's 'Fat-Boy' holds just a bit more than the Northstar Hi-Tops. I just recently bought a 12" High Top and was sad to see it didn't quite hold as much as my old Fat-Boy. About 1 less pump. The northstar model comes with a 1 piece seal on the 12", my columbia had a 2 piece. Tape-tech makes a power assist which i have never used so i can't comment on that.

Brownie

I just had a look at my 3rd set and they are premier. Silver with a brown ruber.Spring loaded to force the mud out. Ill have to give them a go one day. I always take the springs off my tapepro boxes i use every day, i cant see the point of them especially when your filling by hand. Im thinking ill go with the columbia/marshalltown fat boy. The only thing im not sure of is the dial blade ajustment. My tapepro's have the sawtooth style but i guess there is no problem with the dial

Bazooka-Joe

They do run nice

2buckcanuck

you could almost do a poll on this,but if I was to guess ,it would go,(from what I have read on this site)
Columbia - they back up their product,they are good
northstar - good product,but they went bankrupt or something(does anyone know if their still in business)
drywall master - hear their good also
tape tec - from what they say on here,product going down hill,being made in china now
blue line - tough tool,clumsy to run,but dependable

I own north star......this is the consensus that I see,from the reading I have done on this site

McDusty

after talking with the All-Wall rep & B-T-E rep, northstar is definitely out of business.