# How do you teach



## Tony Plain (Mar 2, 2012)

You can be the fastest in the world all on your own, but teach another and you've doubled your production. Teach 10 now thats productivity? How did you learn? Anyone use a training system, or school?


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

Tony Plain said:


> You can be the fastest in the world all on your own, but teach another and you've doubled your production. Teach 10 now thats productivity? How did you learn? Anyone use a training system, or school?


 I was self trained chief! Servred my time as a painter with my dad then we got into tapin by hand then he bought a set of tapeworm tools that were f*cked:blink: But i never knew the dif as i had not even seen a tapin gun before or the boxes Looking back i realy would not like 2 c my work,that would b sh*t but i never knew the dif so i have came a lot since then:thumbup:


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## Jordan Const. (Dec 10, 2010)

Learned on own, lots to trial and error. No place to learn from around where I'm at. Watched a lot of you tube vids. Just got first set of tools last year. Still getting hang of them, but will never hand tape and finish again! :yes:


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## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

I joined a Commercial outfit out of high school as a extra hand. they decided for me i was going to be a taper. Hooked me up with a journeyman, he taught me for 3 years, did a lot of jobs on the side to learn/figure out a few of my own tricks. When was with journeyman, it was his way, or no way. Which was fine he was really good.

after 3 years struck it out on my own and opened up shop. He still teaches me a thing or two now and again, but he mostly just repeats himself over and over and over and over again.

...... but he mostly just repeats himself over and over and over and over again.


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

There is only one way to learn, And thats go to Collage, The Collage of out there doing it :thumbsup:


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

cazna said:


> There is only one way to learn, And thats go to Collage, The Collage of out there doing it :thumbsup:


:laughing: ........Collage


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## P.A. ROCKER (Jul 15, 2011)

MacDry said:


> I joined a Commercial outfit out of high school as a extra hand. they decided for me i was going to be a taper. Hooked me up with a journeyman, he taught me for 3 years, did a lot of jobs on the side to learn/figure out a few of my own tricks. When was with journeyman, it was his way, or no way. Which was fine he was really good.
> 
> after 3 years struck it out on my own and opened up shop. He still teaches me a thing or two now and again, but he mostly just repeats himself over and over and over and over again.
> 
> ...... but he mostly just repeats himself over and over and over and over again.


He wouldent have to repeat himself if you'd listen, would he?


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

The year my company joined UBC I was 2 1/2 years into taping, so I was considered a 7th stage apprentice. Took a few mandatory classes over the next year to "journey out"... CPR, scaffold settup, blueprint reading, steel stud layout, and welding :blink:.... These were the classes for tapers LOL. The kids today get to play with all the tools though... they like the $1300 portable wash stations 

Only true teacher is on the job, running your tools and being yelled at :whistling2: daily... I had a real hardass of a boss... terrific finisher and zooka man, but he'd try to make ya feel like a worthless POS for minor stuff. Taught me well though and from him was running small jobs with small crews before I finished those off classes


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

When I was in the green ..My dad told me..I don't care if it takes you all day to run that angle ..I want it right!
I know he didn't mean I had all day to run that one angle.. His point was don't walk away till it's right. 

I was maybe 12 [spotting nails ] my dad walked up to two hangers that were standing there shooting the breeze ,,Pointed at one and said ...you go to that end of the house..Pointed at the other and said you go to that end of the house.. From that moment on I knew If I was going to work for this guy It would be balls to the wall or nothing.. 

I went to work for the old man full time at 16 ..was trained for hanging ,,and ,,finishing ..after about a year I asked him for a raise ..He says ..A RAISE !!! For what ? your in training led zeppelin..[ that what he called me then] you should be paying me for teaching you a trade!!!!

How to teach 10 tapers at once :blink: not sure... but I have helped to train a few guys ..Stick them up your a$$ for the first couple weeks..You won't make no money those first couple of weeks cause teaching doesn't pay. Have them watch you!! after that .. it's like DWT...I do this ..to keep this.. from becoming a call-back..

[ There are average finishers..There are above average finishers ..
It's all in the detail boy!!] ....Roy.L.Moore...


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## mudslingr (Jul 18, 2010)

I'd be kinda like this guy !:blink: You wanna learn ? Sure. Come on !


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## Tony Plain (Mar 2, 2012)

Mr. Mudslinger that is awesome. I fell over laughing.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

I was taught by a lot of masters:yes:

At least I hope they were masters:blink:


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

2buckcanuck said:


> I was taught by a lot of masters:yes:
> 
> At least I hope they were masters:blink:


Master Baiters?


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## bmitch (Dec 10, 2011)

you can learn as much from a bad taper as you can from a good one,so i think the more tapers you can work with in the earlier yrs. ,the better off you;ll be.you just grab alittle info from all of them and apply your own system that you're going to be confident in.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Tony Plain said:


> Teach 10 now thats productivity?


Or competition? 



Tony Plain said:


> How did you learn?


Mostly self taught, with a little watching and copying some of the tapers I considered real pros.



Tony Plain said:


> Anyone use a training system, or school?


I was training some the shop teacher at a high school I was working at the other week. He happened to be teaching his class(es) drywall finishing at the time, and wanted pointers. Took my phone # as well, just in case.

Our field supervisor was telling me a bit ago how he went to our local tech school at their invite, to see a graduating class doing some drywall work. He wasn't overly impressed.


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## harvey randall (Nov 23, 2010)

its hard to argue, perfection.


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## aaronthetaper (Nov 24, 2011)

my dad tried to teach me by yelling at me constantly so i told him to f o and taped and coated garages for a company and evolved into a master. its amazing how quick u can learn to run a bazooka and trowel when it doesnt matter what it looks like


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## harvey randall (Nov 23, 2010)

the only way to teach someone, is to learn from them, period


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

*my ole man*

MY ole man...There are hangers @ finishers here in VA that have worked for him then moved on to do very well..some of the men he's trained are in Florida/Carolinas/... His brother was a Drywall contractor in the 50s @ 60s [Indiana/Georgia/Florida /Virginia/Boston/ One of his sons is a d/c in Washington state [machine finisher] 

47 + years of pushin mud,and still pushing mud .That little boy is my son Matthew...Matt took these pics ...:thumbsup:


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

So are you going to teach your son Moore, or are you going to keep him away from it.

Guess there's pro's and con's either way. In one way, I wanted my son to learn, but at the same time I didn't,,,,,, have you thought about it yet ??????


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> So are you going to teach your son Moore, or are you going to keep him away from it.
> 
> Guess there's pro's and con's either way. In one way, I wanted my son to learn, but at the same time I didn't,,,,,, have you thought about it yet ??????


 MY daughter has been a honor roll student the last 5 years ..In fact she may graduate with collage credits ..Top of her class... The boy?? He tries hard , He really does... 3hours every night home work /study..still bad grades..my daughter NEVER studies ,And is a straight A student...I hope his grades will turn ..NO!!! I do not! Want my son In this trade. ,,but if it comes to that then so be it. I quess we all want are sons to follow in our footsteps no matter how lousy our jobs are... Mabey the next generation will make the trade stronger ??? That's my hopes...:thumbsup:


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## PrecisionTaping (Feb 2, 2012)

moore said:


> MY daughter has been a honor roll student the last 5 years ..In fact she may graduate with collage credits ..Top of her class... The boy?? He tries hard , He really does... 3hours every night home work /study..still bad grades..my daughter NEVER studies ,And is a straight A student...I hope his grades will turn ..NO!!! I do not! Want my son In this trade. ,,but if it comes to that then so be it. I quess we all want are sons to follow in our footsteps no matter how lousy our jobs are... Mabey the next generation will make the trade stronger ??? That's my hopes...:thumbsup:


I find around these parts its the opposite. The next generations just seem to be lazy!! Real tradesmen are few and far in between. Kids now a days are just raised on computers and cell phones. Nobody knows or likes doing physical work any more. I mean don't get me wrong, I spend my fair share of time on my computer, and my cell phone.....I'd pretty well die if I didn't have it for a day. My business would suffer. Allot of my business is conducted from my cell. Its my only number to be reached on. I often bid jobs or look at plans of my cell phone, almost every contractor I work for texts. Its one of the first things I ask when I meet or start working for a new contractor. You text? So much easier. I make appointments, collect money, bid jobs, e-mail, all from my smart phone.
So they do have their places. But I only started doing this in the last 3-4 years now. Technology has really become a pivotal role in today's society. Luckily, I was taught the values of working hard and having responsibilities before I started utilizing all these new advances. So now I can incorporate both in my business. :thumbsup: 
I look at kids now a days. 15-16 years old, and the only thing they know how to do is use a cell phone. nothing else! It's sad...they know ipods, cell phones and computers like the back of their hands. But actual work!? nothing.... :no:
Real tradesmen are dying...at the hands of technological advances.
Why lift a 12ft sheet of drywall over your head when you can just text or sit at a computer all day?! 

I say train your kid Moore. There won't be many others like him in his generation. It's like me around here, im the youngest one. Just turned 24. And I know what I'm doing! My jobs are 100% all the time! Thats because I care about what I do. Nobody else does. Teach him the right way Moore! And he'll never have to look for work. :yes:


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## Tony Plain (Mar 2, 2012)

I strugled in school like your boy Matt. I think the education system doesn't compleatly facillitate different learning styles. Success can be found in many other diciplins. I accelled in sports where i learned to work hard, work with and lead others. His nich could be communication and sales, or computers etc. I didnt grow up wanting to be a drywaller but i love this business that feeds my family and keeps me healthy. There is so much oportunity, I'm reely trying to convince some young guys that i can help them do it faster, better, and with an easier learning curve than i had. Problem is they know evereything.


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

I started out spotting nails when I was 7, running angles when I was 8, doing joints when I was 9, bead and butts when I was 10-11. Was like this every summer of my life. Was a pro finisher at 15 and now I'm 22. Don't do too much finishing anymore, but me and my dad run around and check jobs and do patches. Also got a college degree, but my dad needs the help to keep the business going. :thumbsup:


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## mudman46 (Jan 11, 2012)

Tony Plain said:


> You can be the fastest in the world all on your own, but teach another and you've doubled your production. Teach 10 now thats productivity? How did you learn? Anyone use a training system, or school?


to teach someone is very expensive and hard on your nerves
so make sure you pick one who is worth it
cause their is no good school for this trade 
as i can almost bet once they do learn enough
and you invest thousand's of buck's in them
and then you try to recoup some of you investment
some get;s in his ear
that their working for nothing
then he is working against you and not with you
has happened to me with a half dozen guy's
and i only should have trained my son
as he was the only one who stayed loyal
and i could tell you the many dirty trick's they have done
but am sure you can guess
keep our numbers low and our pay high is our only way to go


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## Virginia Beach (Dec 23, 2011)

My wife has been finishing since the early 80's and was a foreman for a local drywall company. I came off the road (trucking) and hired on at her company. She and some of the other veteran finishers were really easy to learn from. They used me as the "runner" for materials......mud, tape, bead, coffee, etc. etc. The hangers at this company were absolute "butchers" of sheetrock..... So as a starting point, they would have me prep the walls before they would move in for finishing. I would prefill all blow outs around electrical boxes, screw in clickers, and any other areas of damage left by the butchers. Once I had prepping down pact, they started me on taping and beading, and the dreaded fire taping. The veterans hated fire taping. :yes: I didnt mind it at all. After I gained thier trust with the basics, they would let me finish smaller areas like closets and utility rooms. It took a while before I was pulling broad knives in large open rooms.
I was really lucky to have been placed around older veterans who had the patience for a newbie like me. I ended up working for a couple of drywall companies after that, but do my own thing these days. I found a niche in the repair/remodel area of drywall.


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## OliverKBell (Mar 31, 2012)

my brother-in-law got me a job with a drywall company and I have had the opportunity to work with several finishers and its a very good experience to learn from the other guys that have been doing this year in and year out. You can really take all the experience and develope your own.:thumbsup:


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## OliverKBell (Mar 31, 2012)

I have supervised beginner finishers (the basic know-how) but, havent had the chance to train someone from the very beginning, yet, my bosses are wanting to stick someone with me soon. So I gotta come up with an plan\outfit soon to begin training.


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## Tony Plain (Mar 2, 2012)

I agree as a supervisor for a large out fit I got to work with 100s of tapers. when i finally went out on my own I started with the attitude that I didn't need to be the best I just needed to make $. I was so wrong. I struggled so I worked for the best taper for 2 weeks and the fastest for 2 weeks. Spent a tone of money on different tools trying to reinvent the wheel. It wasn't untill I settled into a method and really perfected it that the money started to roll in. Now the only reason I change something is to carry less tools in and out of jobs.


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