# Angle Heads with or without wheels



## Laker74 (Oct 31, 2021)

So I've new to this site but honestly been reading and laughing at your posts for years. I've decided to move up to angle heads from flushers and after a lot of research I'm still unsure of what angle head brand to go with. After a lot of reading on this site and others I'm unsure if I should go with angle heads with wheels or without. Im really interested in NorthStar, Tape Worm, and Columbia heads. Mainly due to personal experience, country of manufacture, access to parts, and cost I've ruled out other brands. I'm mainly leaning towards the NorthStar but wonder if the Wheels on the Columbias will make a big difference. The posts I've read concerning the wheels were from years ago when manufacturers were first adding the easy roll wheels on the wings. What are everyone's thoughts on this?


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## Tonydif (May 8, 2021)

I've never seen wheels on angle heads In the.field, first time I heard of them is during this post. I don't see what advantage is because filler is slippery.

I'd stick to TapeTech or Columbia because parts are readily available. The nose clips wear out , and break , rendering device useless until repaired.


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## gopherstateguy (Apr 8, 2012)

Tonydif said:


> I've never seen wheels on angle heads In the.field, first time I heard of them is during this post. I don't see what advantage is because filler is slippery.
> 
> I'd stick to TapeTech or Columbia because parts are readily available. The nose clips wear out , and break , rendering device useless until repaired.


Absolutely. The only maintenance on my NorthStar angle heads is nose clips. Only on the 3.5" about once a year.


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## Tonydif (May 8, 2021)

In the beginning I didn't realize nose clips broke, and I had tip of the wing blades poking through and causing damage to tape....what a blunder that was.


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## Laker74 (Oct 31, 2021)

I think they've been putting them on angle heads for ten years or so. Starting with tape tech and then other companies following. I was just curious because by adding wheels to my columbia nail spotter I went from thinking it was a pain to loving it.


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## Thepelletier (Nov 27, 2021)

I don't like angle heads. Or i call them gambling heads. Sometimes it comes out perfect sometimes they don't. 50/50. They are not as forgiving as flusher heads. But what I do like. Columbia's new flusher heads with wheels. I was running those And guy's thought I was running the automatics. Get 3.5 Take scary of that factory joint.


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## Yunggranmassa (Oct 9, 2021)

Drywall Master. No wheels.

Take caution: 
Double check your corners and make sure there are no screws that need to be turned. You snag a screw, the blades will crack, & cost something like $40 to replace... but the tool will never be like it was. They're not cheap but you'll see where the extra money went once you break it in. I ran a dining room & a kitchen to break in my 2.5". I ran the dining room, & the first 3 or 4 angles had a lot of mud left in them standing a hard edge, but it started to soften as I worked my way into the kitchen. Then I took the wheels off, and by the time I worked my way out of the kitchen my head was leaving a nice tight & crisp sheet of glass in the corners. I'd start with a 2.5". When I use hotmud, most of the time, I can get away only plowing angles once with no edges or anything left behind to sand. Regular mud I plow twice, & I brush off & kill the edges in between. 

~Yes-- I said I like run my $400 angleheads through fast set.... & yes, it turns out beautifully!~


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## Laker74 (Oct 31, 2021)

Thepelletier said:


> I don't like angle heads. Or i call them gambling heads. Sometimes it comes out perfect sometimes they don't. 50/50. They are not as forgiving as flusher heads. But what I do like. Columbia's new flusher heads with wheels. I was running those And guy's thought I was running the automatics. Get 3.5 Take scary of that factory joint.


I love my columbia flushers w wheels as well. I just noticed after a couple uses that I can already see a lot of wear on the trailing edges of the flushers so wanted to give angle heads a try for longevity.


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## Shelwyn (Apr 10, 2015)

I like wheels myself, the little bit of money you save up front isn't worth the labor costs in the long run. You're guys will get tired faster running an angle head without wheels.

Edit: This doesn't apply to new guys getting their first set of tools who are just starting off. You guys can offset up front costs with elbow grease until you save up enough money for better tools.


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## Tonydif (May 8, 2021)

Ok, broke down and purchased the 3 1/2 Angle Head with wheels from Columbia, and it doean fit my Columbia Tube. . Is there a trick the the spring/sliding mechanism that secures head to ball on tube?

Ive used all flusher/anglehead manufacturers on the tube with no issue. Never modified the adapter, it's stock Columbia.


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## Shelwyn (Apr 10, 2015)

I'm not sure what you are talking about. Fitting an angle head to a pump? You put the angle head onto an angle box then fill the angle box with mud using the drywall pump.

Are you putting the angle head onto a compound tube? I'm not 100% sure but at least in your explanation you missed a step.


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## Tonydif (May 8, 2021)

Shelwyn said:


> I'm not sure what you are talking about. Fitting an angle head to a pump? You put the angle head onto an angle box then fill the angle box with mud using the drywall pump.
> 
> Are you putting the angle head onto a compound tube? I'm not 100% sure but at least in your explanation you missed a step.


Attaching head to compound tube. I've been using angle -,heads for 30 years, I got the technique down by now...lol

I've never had an issue with Tape Tech to Columbia, Can-Am to Columbia. But i can't get the Columbia angle -head to snap on the Columbia tube.

Yes,


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