Info on goldblatt tools

ineedno.id

My question; Are goldblatt mud boxes and their other taping tools any good versus other brands? I ask this because ebay has a set of goldblatt tools (

A+ Texture LLC

Dude. Ebay ALWAYS has a set of goldblatt tools. Just stay away from them. Get a respectable brand.

ineedno.id

Okay... I can dig that answer without info on it, but what is a respectable brand then?

JustMe

From what I've come across so far, I'm thinking 2 of the brands would be Tape Tech and Columbia. The Columbia Fat Boy boxes are nice, for their extra mud carrying capability.

ineedno.id

Thanx alot for your input. You just saved me from a 2 grand mistake and will look into those other brands...

JustMe

You're welcome. I've only been taping since last December, but a few things I've come across that might also help:

What will work best for you will also likely depend on the type of jobs you're doing. We're doing mostly medium to quite large new commercial construction jobs, with some small to medium size commercial renos thrown in. Board is usually laid horizontally; small to very large rooms/areas; usually 10 to 14' high hanging ceilings, although there's often some 8-10' high boarded ceilings; and the odd 30' and higher wall thrown in. Most of the tapers I'm working with, who've been with the company for awhile, are running the Columbia Fat Boy 10 and 12" boxes.

I picked up a 10" TapeTech 'Power Assist' box the other week, because I thought the power assist feature would allow me to do some things their boxes wouldn't. None of the other tapers I work with have run one, so mine's the first. It worked well on the horizontal 8' and 12' high 'flats' (the bevelled edges) in a large area we just did, working off of a rolling scaffold. Not so much 'push' effort needed. The more experienced taper who I let run my TapeTech at the time wouldn't later do the 12' high flat with his 12" Columbia Fat Boy - situation a little too difficult/unsafe for him. He ended up finishing it by hand.

A couple of days ago I jacked up the power assist on the box a little by adding a couple of extra smaller springs to it. I tried it on 8' ceiling flats and ceiling butt joints today. Physically, I found it much easier to use than a regular box. Not having to push so much also allowed me to focus on controlling the box better - eg. my box runs were straighter. I didn't have to go back over any runs, either, because of things like not having applied enough mud in some spots.

Boxing upper wall butt joints with it went well, too. But I found the bottom 4' butt joints difficult, because of the way the box's power assist mechanism is designed to work. Once I get onto using the box a little better, I expect they should go quite well, too.

I'm looking forward to trying to box corner bead with my TapeTech. We use mostly all paper covered metal corner bead, so one has to be a little easy on it, or the paper on the bead's edge can get damaged. Everyone I'm working with is coating them by hand right now. I'm hoping the power assist feature built into the box will help prevent paper damage, by my not having to push so hard to get the mud out in sufficient quantities.

The one thing I don't like about my TapeTech is that I can't carry as much mud as a Columbia Fat Boy, so have to refill more often. I'd say it does carry a decent amount of mud, though, when compared to most other boxes - possibly a little more than, say, a regular size 10" Columbia box. (The company's got one. I think mine goes a little further than I remember it going.)

A+ Texture LLC

I didn't go into why because there's a few threads here and at contractortalk on the subject. Do some diggin. But I agree with JM. My set is columbia, I like them. I think I will try tapetech next time around, plus their mudrunner is pretty slick.

ineedno.id

Thanks for your input. I'll be shopping around to find the best tools at reasonable prices from here on out. I do have some home work to do on this because of my inexperience on using these pro tools and don't want to get screwed on prices because this is my only real work i've ever done and will do until I'm pushin' daisies! If anyone knows any deals on a set of good pro tools (new that is) I would highly appreciate some help in getting a good deal. I live in Chicago subs and really want to get these tools to ease my carpel tunnel pain and make more $$$ a lil' faster too. So thanks again and hope to hear some more good advice in the near future as well...

chasleem

I hope no one rips me for this. But I talked to Eric from All-Wall and he was telling me that tapetech has really lowered there standereds. I asked him what he meant and he told me that tapetech has started sending there stuff over to china to be built. Well he told me I should buy Columbia. Well I was curious on this (thinking mabye coulmbia is giving them a kickback or something). Well anyway My boss bought a new Tapetech Pump, box handle, 7 and 10 inch box from a Ames dealer. Eric had told me before he bought them that he has been getting complaints on that no matter what setting the box is on they cannot get them to put the right amount of mud on. Well it was all true, the boxes suck, the handles brake slides and lets go, and the pump is so cheap feeling i dont know how to explain it but it just "feels" cheap. OH and I studied the boxes compareded to my older fat boy tapetech. the rods that hold the sides together are no longer there they just use screws. I can see those strip out real quick. So I called eric and asked why that tapetech had done this. He told me that there thinking on it was based on the fact that last year 80% of all Ames rentles (Ames owns tapetech for those that didnt know) had been returned and people were buying. Well what he told me is that ames is thinking if they cheapen the tapetech to make them break quicker that people will think that it is cheaper to rent than to own. He told me a horor story of a guy buying a new bazooka and in less than 6 months it needed $700 in repair work. He went back to renting. So I hope tapetech gets back to the way they were. I love my boxes, but if they fail until tapetech gets there act together I wont be buying

A+ Texture LLC

Hey there was a guy 2 weeks ago on contractor talk said there was a set of columbia stuff for sale. As for chas's post, that would not surprise me, however tapetech is sort of the standard. I would consider which is more readily available, even though I didn't follow this rule. Indeed, as for good deals on sets, check all-wall, and als tools. If there is an ames dealer near you see if they will price match. I got a rtx1500 for like 1800 this way thru all-wall because ames was havin a sale.

1wallboardsman

Well, there isn't anything wrong with the Goldblatt taper, but their re-design of the other pieces have left them wanting for workability.

Always ask the sales clerk, whether at all-wall or not, how many miles of tape they have installed. Interupt them with this while they are telling you how great all of the tools they have are.

The best set goes for around $2,600, has a 5 year warranty, is compatible with AMES, and has reversible shoes on the box. They are also made in Illinois, so it wouldn't take a long time to get them there.

One other thing that the best set comes with, if you desire. Within 600 miles of Knoxville, TN, I will bring you the tools, and give you 40 hours of training in using them, for $3,600.

jdl

JustMe

Thanks for that, chasleem. After reading your post, I did a quick comparison between the new 10" power assist TapeTech box I picked up recently and an older 7" TapeTech box the company I work with has. It looks like the rods in the 10" are hollow shafts, with screws tapped into the ends. The older 7" looks to have solid rods, threaded on the end and self-locking nuts put on. If the screws do strip, we'll likely replace the hollow shafts and screws with solid shafts and locking nuts. Or maybe I'll just thread some longer screws into the tubing before they do strip.

As far as laying the right amount of mud down, the new 10" has been doing a good enough job of it so far. But maybe we got lucky?

If true, I can understand their reasoning. Well, sort of. Doing such may have worked better in the old days, before the internet. But now with the net available, it really helps to get things like this out there more quickly. The company I'm working with has tapers in a number of cities. If what you say is true, they'll get to know about it. And their taper friends who don't work for the company will get to know. And so on. If I was a company like Columbia, I'd be taking advantage of the situation in my marketing, and pointing out the changed quality difference.

ineedno.id

Thanks for the heads up chas! Ironically I went into an ames store in chicago the other day to buy or look at buying a set and as I was standing there talking to one of the spanish guys there (out of 6 only mexicans that were employed there) only 1 spoke fluent english and a spanish younger guy walked in from the street with a defective 10" mud box and a defective handle that wouldn't open all the way and one of the guys there stood by to try to fix the box handle in a very clumbsy way! I looked at the way the guy was trying to fix it and I got an ill feeling from watching that action! So i proceeded to ask the guy what their warranty was and he told me only a year versus other companies that have 3 or 5 year warranties and I decided to just walk out without any further questions. I'm still at a confusion state on what to look for in sets of new toys/tools. I've read lots of info on here and I still am not able to decide with so many opinions flying around on what's good or not. I will continue to look before purchasing but also am leary on columbia being that their in canada and don't want to spend months getting parts from them in the event that a tool goes bad on me. Any further suggestions would be highly appreciated on tools and what to look for is where I'm at right now, but thanx for your consideration and I look forward to more info...

tapingfool

Nowadays for getting a good set of tools, go with the proven tools. Tape tech and drywall master are very good, can-am and the "best" set that jon sells are excellent as well..MAke sure when you buy you get a company guy to set them up and run them for you..and make sure the warranty is for 3-5 years..good luck..Ive been running the same tape tech set for a solid 10 years..I maintain them and they run great still..

ineedno.id

This is a set i seen on drywallzone.com for $2957.19

Tapetech Most Popular Complete Set
Includes:
1- TapeTech Automatic Taper
1- Corner Roller w/ Handle
1- Angle Head Handle
1- Corner Finisher (2" or 3")
1- Corner Box with Handle (7" or 8")
2- Flat Boxes (7" 10" or 12")
1- Flat Box Handle (34",42",54" or 72")
1- Easy Clean Pump
1- Gooseneck
1- Box Filler Fitting
This Tapetech set is the most popular and comes with a 5 year warranty but the guys at ames in chicago only said they have a 1 year warranty? I am still unsure on what to purchace after hearing their tools are getting shoddier and being made in china? I ALSO SAW YOU SAID A GOOD SET GOES FOR 2600 HUNDRED? What set would that be and where can I get that set? I also have a fear of buying online because if I have to get parts or repair is it going to cost a limb to send in tools or wait for weeks to get them back?

1wallboardsman

I have the set for $2,600, for another $1000, I'll bring them to you and work with you with them for 40 hrs.

Contrary to Ames mythology, taping tools are nowhere near fragile, the only real way to break them is by using them poorly. Don't use them as hammers, or to jack up the truck, and don't put them in the back of the truck from the 4th floor balconey, and they will serve you for many years.

Except for the Goldblatt taper, which is completely compatable with TapeTech parts, which are available everywhere... just expensive, all of the tools in this set are made in Illinios. Some in the Chicago area.

In 34 years and 1500 miles of tape, I broke 3 cables and 1 brake on an Ames box handle in normal use. I dropped a Premier angle head off a scaffold by accident, and one of the welds came apart on the frame.

I consider Premier/Blueline as sub-standard in design and workability, still, I owned and worked a set of Premier tools for 9 years in the Atlanta area. I paid too much for them... $3400, but I still made over $400,000 with them in that time. Along the way, I wore out the barrel on the pump, and had to replace it at a cost of $60.

Contrary to what many may believe, taping tools are not expensive, granted some are overpriced, but all are quite cheap to own, if you are doing some work with them.

A good tool finisher could work with a set of TapeWorm (the worst), held together with garbage bag ties and glue, and be more productive then the average hand finisher.

jdl

ineedno.id

Is this set you have brand new for 2600$ How much also to send them without the thousand attached and I didn't understand what you were getting at with the goldblatt taper ? I need to take care of some IRS stuff in the next few days so I won't get back on here for a few 24 hours to respond so please let me know your site info and answers to my quests, thanks... back real soon..

1wallboardsman

Yes, that set is brand new. It includes the Goldblatt taper, and that is what I was saying, all other pieces are made in Illinois, some by Amish machine shops. The price includes domestic shipping.

While I was working a management job in Louisiana, my wife managed to lose the domain name that we've had for 3 years. Don't worry, I apoligized to her since everything is my fault.

The new domain is - http://NewTapingToolsStore.com

jdl

ineedno.id

I found a lil' time to post again. First of all I seen you on youtube and I like your vids! About this set your talking about that is 2600 dollars you are selling a goldblatt taper instead of an ames taper could you tell me why? Also can you tell me a list of all these tools you are selling for $2600 and I believe they are all ames if I'm correct? I appologize for being so inquisitive but this is a bit of stamps we're talkin' about for these tools so I think you understand my point. Also how does the warranty work and consists of what? I don't understand why ames in chicago only has 1 year warranty but you have a 3 or was it a 5 year warranty? I'm almost sold on this too, so your info is getting me closer to purchasing your tools.

1wallboardsman

Goldblatt's repair center for warranty work is in Olathe, KS, and Precision is there in central Illinios, for parts, repairs, and/or warranty repair on Precision tools.

Ames/TapeTech like to get more rich on parts so they want to keep warranty for TapeTech short, they also know through Ames that the tools don't break or wear prematurely without some level of abuse.

And all warranties exclude the wear parts, and are void if they can see that regular maintenence of wear parts has been too lax.

Actually, if any manufacturer had some kahoneys, they would offer a lifetime warranty, but only Ames has enough experience to be confident that the tools will not fall apart in your hands, and they have always been about big profits.

jdl