# banjo vs tube



## ns005 (Dec 23, 2010)

is there anyone else besides who prefers a banjo over a tube. I am usually working by myself taping and wiping down and i think its easier. I just all around like a banjo better. I understand in commercial setting doing stand ups how a tube is nice, one guy on stilts one guy on the floor wiping down but in residential i prefer the old banjo. especially if you have 2 guys running banjos and 2 wiping down. what are your thoughts??


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## Saul_Surfaces (Jan 8, 2010)

Hmm. . . You must be faster with the banjo than I am. I find even working on my own things are faster with a bazooka. If a job is particularly small I prefer the banjo for ease of cleaning. How much tape can you run on one fill with your banjo? I only get about 35 feet, but admittedly, my pan collects mud when I wipe, so the banjo could be set tighter.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

ns005 said:


> is there anyone else besides who prefers a banjo over a tube. I am usually working by myself taping and wiping down and i think its easier. I just all around like a banjo better. I understand in commercial setting doing stand ups how a tube is nice, one guy on stilts one guy on the floor wiping down but in residential i prefer the old banjo. especially if you have 2 guys running banjos and 2 wiping down. what are your thoughts??


 How about 1 with a tube and two wiping down if they can keep up , eliminate the 4th on the payroll and use his wages to increase the others wages or just pocket the money.. I am sure at least 2 employees would go for the extra money...


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## ns005 (Dec 23, 2010)

how do you tape the lids and wipe them down in a house by yourself using a tube? maybe a dumb question but ive never tried it. seems like you would have to get up and down on stilts especially if they were 9 ft. I just tape out all the tops including angles on stilts and hop down and do the bottoms.


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## ns005 (Dec 23, 2010)

honestly the most efficient way i have ever taped was with 2 guys on stilts doing the lids (1 taping and 1 wiping) and another guy ( usually me ) taping and wiping the bottoms. by the time they had the lids and top angles pulled i would have the bottom flats taped and we all ganged up on the bottom angles and we were done. Did this for a number of years and we would tape out an avg sized home in about 2 hrs. I understand how a tube is faster in commercial setting and having guys to wipe down. I am talking residential, more specifically by yourself.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

ns005 said:


> how do you tape the lids and wipe them down in a house by yourself using a tube?


 A long handled wipedown blade does the trick nicely. Or an 8" knife taped to the handle of your sandpole. On 8' lids no long handle is necessary unless you're a shorty:jester:


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

Man I bought a banjo a few years ago used it acouple of times and thought," Man this is very straining on my arm why would anyone go through this pain , it is way easier on my arm and way faster for me using the can am method of taping let alone the tube." then I sold my banjo and never looked back lol. I figure when I get to old or tired to use the tube I will just go back to the Can-am taping system. Honestly I really don t know how you guys can use a banjo without some serious conditioning on whatever hand you use it with. That is one tool that I will never give the time to try and learn.


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## Muddauber (Jan 26, 2008)

ns005 said:


> how do you tape the lids and wipe them down in a house by yourself using a tube? maybe a dumb question but ive never tried it. seems like you would have to get up and down on stilts especially if they were 9 ft. I just tape out all the tops including angles on stilts and hop down and do the bottoms.



I'm taping alone now with the tube. I don't even bring the stilts in for 8' or 9' lids. 

Like Slim, I use a long handle 7" wipe down knife for 8', and for 9' I stick an old Ames aluminum glazing pole in the end of the knife. SHHHHHHHHHHHH, don't tell Ames I still have their pole.:whistling2:

To pick corners on 8', I just kick a bucket around. On 9' I'll either use a double bucket setup or a 4' ladder.:yes:


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

ns005 said:


> how do you tape the lids and wipe them down in a house by yourself using a tube? maybe a dumb question but ive never tried it. seems like you would have to get up and down on stilts especially if they were 9 ft. I just tape out all the tops including angles on stilts and hop down and do the bottoms.


 I used a banjo for 20 years before I got a tube. Some of the guys that are railing on you don't rreally know how to handle a banjo. By myself, I prefer the banjo(and I have two tubes and the ames handle and the facory wipe-down knives). If you are working by yourself, just get a little scaffold, like they sell at blowes,,, put your mud up there and a bucket of water, and go for it.

To answer your question about "how do they do it", they wipe em from the floor with a knife taped or screwd to a pole. I know, and YOU know,,,, that don't work as well as someone on stilts.

A banjo is every bit as fast as a tube,, it just don't hold as much mud, therefore making it "slower" in the end result. But as a consoalation prize, the banjo allows you to adjust the mud,,, a bazooka doesn't.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I used a banjo for 20 years before I got a tube. Some of the guys that are railing on you don't rreally know how to handle a banjo. By myself, I prefer the banjo(and I have two tubes and the ames handle and the facory wipe-down knives). If you are working by yourself, just get a little scaffold, like they sell at blowes,,, put your mud up there and a bucket of water, and go for it.
> 
> To answer your question about "how do they do it", they wipe em from the floor with a knife taped or screwd to a pole. I know, and YOU know,,,, that don't work as well as someone on stilts.
> 
> A banjo is every bit as fast as a tube,, it just don't hold as much mud, therefore making it "slower" in the end result. But as a consoalation prize, the banjo allows you to adjust the mud,,, a bazooka doesn't.


We can all go back and forth what is faster. You say if your not fast with a banjo you do not know how to use it, I disagree had close to twenty years with one and to this day I still use it sometimes, but a tube will win hands down every time put into someones hands that truly does know how to handle it... Kinda like you and your instruments that you play, put into the wrong hands it would not be music. As far as reach no need to jump up and down on stilts, either kick a bucket around for some short runs use your little scaffold ,or just strap on a short pair of stilts like a 12" pair, for me filling a tube I use a pneumatic pump so this is no problem... besides that who likes to get mud all over their hands ? Even wearing gloves for stringing they still get slimy slippery then dry and crumbly, a tube 0 mess... Use whatever you are comfortable with It is no big deal whatever makes the most money and makes it more easier on your body go for it. Personally if you are going to run automated tools run them all...


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## Bill from Indy (Apr 26, 2010)

silverstilts said:


> We can all go back and forth what is faster. You say if your not fast with a banjo you do not know how to use it, I disagree had close to twenty years with one and to this day I still use it sometimes, but a tube will win hands down every time put into someones hands that truly does know how to handle it... Kinda like you and your instruments that you play, put into the wrong hands it would not be music. As far as reach no need to jump up and down on stilts, either kick a bucket around for some short runs use your little scaffold ,or just strap on a short pair of stilts like a 12" pair, for me filling a tube I use a pneumatic pump so this is no problem... besides that who likes to get mud all over their hands ? Even wearing gloves for stringing they still get slimy slippery then dry and crumbly, a tube 0 mess... Use whatever you are comfortable with It is no big deal whatever makes the most money and makes it more easier on your body go for it. Personally if you are going to run automated tools run them all...


very true...i still use a banjo for the right application...not sure i can say one is easier than the other on the body...but after slinging mud for 20yrs, i try to stay off the stilts as much as I can...and I am anal about lapped tape joints..so kicking a bucket around to string standups blows....other than that..both great tools for what they do..you can't tape topout with a bazooka...YOU can but I wont...if ya know what I mean


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## betterdrywall (May 4, 2010)

Who Care's the most about SPEED?????????

The Dayum Builder,,, 

If you adjust a banjo and get the material right,, you can lay on some super nice tape ,,, clean and easy.. without all the excessive material going into your pan.


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## Bill from Indy (Apr 26, 2010)

betterdrywall said:


> Who Care's the most about SPEED?????????
> 
> The Dayum Builder,,,
> 
> If you adjust a banjo and get the material right,, you can lay on some super nice tape ,,, clean and easy.. without all the excessive material going into your pan.


although your right, your off a bit...my pocket cares at the end of the week or job..for me, that doesn't punch a time clock


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## betterdrywall (May 4, 2010)

Bill from Indy said:


> although your right, your off a bit...my pocket cares at the end of the week or job..for me, that doesn't punch a time clock


But BILL!!!!! I'm only trying for a 20 hour work week with the same Pay,,, Now if everyone would just think the same way!!!! 
I know wishful thinking,,,


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

betterdrywall said:


> But BILL!!!!! I'm only trying for a 20 hour work week with the same Pay,,, Now if everyone would just think the same way!!!!
> I know wishful thinking,,,


Thats a good goal :thumbsup: I average about 30 on the tools , but the buisness side of it is ongoing.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

betterdrywall said:


> But BILL!!!!! I'm only trying for a 20 hour work week with the same Pay,,, Now if everyone would just think the same way!!!!
> I know wishful thinking,,,


A 20 hour work week , are u just a part timer? Not to many jobs only demand 20 hours (in the drywall industry that is). I honestly think if word got out that you only want to work a few hours a week not too many people would take lightly with that idea especially if you had a 4-5 hundred sheet home to get done. General Contractors & homeowners want stuff done and they usually want it done yesterday not a month or two of coming and going. It would be like you hiring a full time employee but he only wants to work 20 hrs a week how would you feel about that? You would laugh at the very idea and find someone else. You would probably only end up with all the throw back jobs nobody else wants to do, maybe you only take on very small jobs don't know your situation but it is no way to make a living especially if you want to do more than just make a living what about stashing some of it away for a rainy day or retirement, or just to buy some toys for yourself... I could see it if you were near retirement or are retired just to keep yourself busy, like i said don't know your situation ...


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

silverstilts said:


> How about 1 with a tube and two wiping down if they can keep up , eliminate the 4th on the payroll and use his wages to increase the others wages or just pocket the money.. I am sure at least 2 employees would go for the extra money...


and if that 4th person on the payroll turns out to be your wife,,,,even better:thumbsup:


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## jmr (Mar 22, 2010)

If you have a cart to roll mud while your taping uppers and your skilled, a banjo is very fast... also cheap, easy to clean... just plain simple.


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