# Looking for help testing new tools...



## rhardman

Gentlemen,

We will be launching 18 new drywall and plastering tools in the next year. The products are great and we want to get some feedback so we know how to better address our marketing campaign before we hit the streets.

We will send a new tool to you to test for 30 days. Then we will ask for your opinion(s). After the first tool is evaluated we'll send another...and so forth.

We will send an NDA for you to sign and ask that you not comment on what the product is until we launch it officially.

We would like to work with one contractor from each of the following geographic areas, NW, SW, Central, NE, SE and Western BC.

Most of the products are for drywall but we also have a couple of fantastic tools for guys that do thin wall plaster.

Let me know if you want to participate and let us know what sort of projects you specialize in.

Thanks for your consideration.

Rick


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## brdn_drywall

a new brand or an existing?
more details about the tools 
any benefits from guinea piging them for you?


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## rhardman

New brand and a new kind of tool(s). Later we will offer knives and such but now we want to differentiate ourselves through brand new technology.

You get to keep each of the tools you try.

The first few items won't change the world but will make your job a little easier. We have some real wild things down the pier but can't talk about those for a while.

I can say that the first is a new kind of mixing paddle and another item bolts onto the bazooka (and its knock offs) to make it run smoother and easier...early reviews have been very positive.

Our products will range in price from about $15.00 to around $6000.00. We're currently in the "designing for manufacturability" process on the big ones to help secure the most economic pricing levels possible. We will not have the cheapest tools on the market but they will certainly be of the newest technology and highest quality.

We have a new kind of texture machine that won't go through this process but if the "testers" are interested, I'll give them a fantastic discount on everything we will sell for an indefinite period of time. If satisified with the tools, we want to use each guy as a reference in their geographic location.

These tools have been in development for over 10 years. Our management team includes very high level professionals having international experience with start up companies*. Patents have and are being filed.

In our initial market tests we've had interesting feedback. A couple of the older guys have been very insulting calling some items sh** while the younger guys have jumped all over the tools. Upon trying our biggest system the young guys were ecstatic. 

Anytime something new is brought to the market you have 10 % that will always reject it because it's different than what they know and they find it threatening. 
10 % will jump on it simply because it is new and the remaining 80 % tend to wait around to see what happens.

We are requesting your help and feedback so we can better target the 80 %.

I don't mean to talk too much, just want everyone to know where we are coming from and what our intentions are.

Thank you for your consideration vrdn_drywall.

Rick
*I have over 20 years experience in Drywall and designed each of the new tools we are talking about.


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## brdn_drywall

wow rick sounds off the charts pick your guys and lets get em on the market can't wait.


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## rhardman

This is why "Drywall Talk" is so attractive to our efforts. Here we have a group of guy's that are already accustomed to using techology so we're thinking the companies represented here are the perfect group to get feedback from.


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## brdn_drywall

you'll find that this place is full of the kind of guys that'll give ya the input your looking for no b.s. just the straight-up feedback your looking for.


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## Sir Mixalot

I'm in. Alway's looking for better tools of the trade. 
Here's my email [email protected] 

Paul


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## [email protected]

Am especially interested in your texture innovations, especially if something similar to Wagner wrist mount, it only has 3 tips.


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## rhardman

*Saturated with responses.*

Thank you for all of your messages.

We will get back to everyone tomorrow, Wednesday.

Best regards,

Rick


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## LadyFinisher

Sounds great. I like anything that make jobs run faster or easier. Here's my email [email protected]


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## rhardman

We're all full up with "testers".

Thanks for all the input from everyone.

Rick


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## A+ Texture LLC

Hope your stuff is good, cuz these guys will surely tell us if it's not. And it will be here for all to read F O R E V E R !!!!!!! :shutup:


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## rhardman

"Livin' on the edge!"

I love it!

Rick


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## R.E. Plaster

Hey , Rick what about the plaster tools. Drop us a line I would like to see what you have. 
[email protected]
www.replasteringinc.com


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## joepro0000

Hey Rick,

Send me an email at [email protected] - www.procopiofinish.com - I have over 45 drywallers, and a huge family of drywallers. We run South Florida!


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## rhardman

R.E. Plaster,

We're a little too soon to talk about the first plastering tool. We've been through 4 prototype variations and are currently waiting for a plastic mold to be completed. The patent is solid and we will be sure to send you a sample once it's ready. I can tell you that the 2nd prototype was shown to a Plaster Local President and his exact words were, "This is the best tool I've ever seen! I can sell 10 of them right now." In fairness I should say this particular tool was first built in the mid 90's and reviewed (by the President) in about 1996. As I said in a previous post, we've been working on these tools for over 10 years.

Joepro0000,

You may want to hear back from the reviews before thinking too much about the tools. I can say they are great but many people trying to promote something will say what they think the potential "customer" wants to hear. 

Don't go by what I am claiming...wait to hear the reviews.

As I told one of the testers, we want to establish a 100 % reputation for reliability and consistency. No fluff and no false promises.

Thank you both for your consideration.

Rick


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## Mudstar

To bad your not testing them n Ontario I'd be interseted in seeing the out come


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## rhardman

Prototypes have been shipped out.

I'll send the tracking numbers so you have them Monday.

Thanks again for your help.

Rick


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## Whitey97

Rick, I haven't received anything as of yet, is all good?


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## rhardman

All is great!

I sent a (shipping) follow up email you should have received Monday morning. Please let me know if you did not and I'll double check the (email) address I have for you.

Everyone should be receiving their protoypes beginning Wednesday with Friday being the last delivery date.

The message I sent you...

*From:* Blocked in respect for DrywallTalk's rules and guidelines
T*o:* xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com 
*Sent:* Monday, July 27, 2009 7:01 AM
*Subject:* Prototype shipped Friday.


Hi XXXX,

I had your prototype shipped out Friday. Unfortunately UPS won't ship to a P.O. box so it had to go out regular mail.

As such, I don't have a tracking number for you, but it should be delivered mid this week.

Please let me know once you have received it.

Thanks again for your help.

Rick


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## Whitey97

Yeah, I got that after I posted, I appologize for the PO box. I just have little trust for people and live on a busy street, where I wouldn't put it past anyone to take a box sitting on my porch, if you know what I mean  as long as I have a date to look for it, I can make sure there's any extra set of eyes watching for it.


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## rhardman

P.O. box is usually the best way to go...


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## Sir Mixalot

I received mine today. Looks to be very promising. I hope it works as good as it looks. Can't wait to try it.  I will post up my results when I do.

Ps. Thanks Rick


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## Whitey97

not yet today


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## rhardman

*To the paddle testers....*

Thanks for the early input. Please post your impressions and reviews. My patent attorney said "Go!" so pictures are okay.

I should have mentioned, I received one note about cleaning. The paddle is much more powerful than any other you've used and mixes so fast that if it's put in water alone, it will send the liquid flying EVERYWHERE!. The fastest way to clean premixed mud is by holding the paddle like a stomper and "stomp" it through clean water a few times. This will only take a few seconds and will usually clean it up just fine. With powders like plaster or hot mud, you can do the same thing but you may need a hose to clean it completely. If the mud goes hard on the blade, let the mud set completely and then use a hammer to break it off the blade. Then take a broad knife or a similar tool to remove the remaining mud. This is similar to the old style paddles but will go much faster. Try not to let the mud get hard though.

This paddle uses the UHMW, a powder coat and the anodizing to protect it. At the base of the shaft we filled the threads with a potable material to prevent water from rusting the steel. After extensive use you may see a small bit of rust on the stainless steel bolt but it will be miniscule and not bother anything. We went to (powder coated) steel for strength. Nothing else held up for long under the rigors of heavier mixing.

The stainless bolt can be tightened or loostened to fit your style of work. There are different advantages at both ends of the tightness level.

Go "chew it up" with your tests, but try not to scratch up that anodizing. We spent a lot of research time and money trying to make that thing a tool you can be proud to own.

Rick


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## drywallnflorida

Got mine yesterday, looks good so we will see how well it works:thumbup:


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## Sir Mixalot

I checked with Rick and he said I could post some pictures of the prototype. This is what it looks like.


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## rhardman

Don't let it's mild mannered appearance fool you, this thing is a mixing BEAST!
Rick


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## Sir Mixalot

One of the things I find most interesting is how the paddle pivots. Maybe Rick could elaborate a little bit on this for us. :detective:


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## rhardman

I designed the paddle to pivot; along with the beveled bottom and sides of the blade to glide along the bottom and side of the bucket as a natural part of the mixing process. It's pivoting angle and twisted curvature "cyclones" the material up from the bottom to mix faster (regardless of the shaft's angle to the bucket). Also, I had the top of the shaft machined specifically to that depth so it best fits with a drill chuck. Please let me know how well it grips for you... 

The specific hole pattern was computer modelled to best break up solids during a clockwise rotation while at the same time providing a flow pattern that pulls water into the raw powder(s) that tend to be centered during the mixing process. 

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
There is some grumbling that I'm mis-using the site for advertising. I'm going to step back for a week and let you guys give your opinions. I want to respect the views of the other readers and Nathan so I think it best to get out of everyone's way for a while...

I will be watching and will use the feedback received to help tweak the final design and to make appropriate ammendments to our patent.

Thanks to everyone for your help and please feel free to send me a private message if I can be of assistance.

Rick


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## A+ Texture LLC

Awe man his is blue. I got green. I have paddle envy. LOL, Wish I knew the cleaning trick, before mixing mine in my bucket which was sitting on the tailgate on my lifted truck. I had a shower for my help to see and laugh at.
Hey Mixalot, could you post a couple pics on the paddle thread for me so people know what I'm talkin about.


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## rhardman

First a note to A+, Green is good too...kinda like all the money you'll save using this thing! _(sorry... couldn't resist...but that really is the reason I added green)_

We actually played with a polished aluminum shaft which looked great but got real weird when it was left in mud for a while. It starts a chemical reaction with something in the mud and begins pitting and get's just plain ugly. We tried clear protective coatings, but they all eventually chipped off.

>>>>>

In a patent application there is a section where you can offer alternative designs. We have several other blade configurations covered along with a couple that are made to minimize the amount of air being pulled into the mud. Size alone isn't generally patentable (which really doesn't matter anyway) but it's something I honestly hadn't thought about during my testing. I just wanted the meanest mixer I could think of. There was one paddle we found during the patent search that had some similarity to mine but wasn't strong enough to hande the tough stuff. Our first effort was to take a regular paddle, drill holes in it and string 1/8 inch steel rods through it in a cross pattern. Talk about throwing mud!!! It would nearly empty the bucket.

Our paddle was designed to mix with a 650 rpm Milwaukie drill. A faster speed will accentuate the "throwing" issue. But if you give it a little time, by using the drill a bit differently, the current size will work for most people.

I say all that, to say that because of the reviews we've received, we will definitely offer a smaller blade as an accessory.

Later on I'll see if we can offer a refund for the larger blade but right now I just can't get to that. At the moment, I'm researching new vendor's to get the pricing down as much as possible. Those prototypes were horribly expensive to make. 

I'll stay off the "Mixing Paddle Prototype" thread so it will continue to be straight feedback from the testers. There are still a couple of people we haven't heard from so I'm looking forward to thier input.

So everyone knows, this site has helped us tremendously. We're on a budget and it has confirmed which tool to "take to the streets" first.

In appreciation and with Nathan's approval, we're going to be adding the "DrywallTalk.com" logo to our brochures (and probably a poster) as well as other sales literature going out to new potential customers (i.e. distributors). 

*No offers for sale here though...*

Humbly appreciative to everyone,

Rick


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## rhardman

*An embarassing apology...*

In the "Mixing Paddle" thread, a former "tester" submitted a comment that was exaggerated. I want to apologize for his contribution and have contacted Nathan offering to repectfully discontinue my participation with DrywallTalk if he concludes we have broken the rules.


Rick


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## rhardman

*Apparently ****** broke the paddle...*

Not sure what he did yet... update on the "Mixing Paddle Prototype" thread.

Rick


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## rhardman

*Update:*

All is well with the paddle, Whitey97 has been very diligent with his attempts to destroy the thing which is very appreciated and has also been a great source of entertainment! Costs to build are still higher than we would like, we're doing what we can to further reduce them. Have spoken with the attorney for ammendment(s) to the patent so the testing has been VERY successful. *Thanks again to everyone for their help*. There are still 2 guys we're waiting to hear back from for evaluations so we'll see how those go.

*What we've learned (with your help) that we didn't know:*
We need to offer different sizes of the blade.
The specific length of the shaft fits most everyone.
The self lubricating UHMW is the best material for the blade. 
An injection mold must be purchased to reduce mfg costs (UHMW is not typically "moldable" so we have to do more research on this).
Strength of the yoke is adequate though may be used in counter clockwise direction at times (perhaps a reverse direction blade is needed).
Computer model for blade (configuration) borders on too aggressive.
Machined depth of the "chuck" grooves are okay.
3 improvements to the patent were issued.
Painters may be a viable market.

We had a comment from someone that caused me to change the order of testing for the next prototype; we're finishing those up and will be able to send them out in a couple of weeks.

We will start contacting potential distributors this week.

Rick


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## Whitey97

:whistling2:


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## drywallnflorida

Rick, 
Sorry its taken so long to post my opinon of your new mixing paddle. I have used it with both pre mix and powder. This thing is a mixing machine, :thumbup:. It works really well and seems like it will definitelyhold up well for a long time. When I got it, it had little peices of plastic shavings by the holes, but it was nothing a lil piece of sand paper couldn't take care of. If the blade was a diff. color it would be easier to see if you got it all clean. A option to have a smaller blade would also be nice too. I have a 20 gallon plastic hopper for my mark V pump and don't like sticking a metal mixer in it to remix the contents because I don't want the sides tore up.

This thing gets a :thumbup: from me.

Thank you for the opportunity to test your products and I can't wait for the next one!! 

Kevin


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## Taped Crusader

I'd be interested in trying out new products. I'm constantly buying new tools to try and find something I would use. I think I fit the profile: 29 from SD and been taping for about 15 years. I primarily do remodel, custom homes, and light commercial.


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## rhardman

*Regarding A+ "Mixing Paddle Prototype" thread suggestions.*

Here's what we're going to do...

Costs to make the paddle are still high so we're going to have a 2 part solution. We will offer the shaft for one price and then allow the buyer to select from several different blade configurations (ranging in price). We have more than a few computer models of different blades already designed so there is no issue with the powder "small lump" issue A+ referred to in the "Mixing Paddle Prototype" thread. 

The contractor will be able to choose between a low profile "short" blade for plastic hoppers or a larger blade with a choice of different patterns (best suited to the type of materials they mix most often). 

This way they can get the exact configuration they need without expending any more cash than absolutely necessary.

The next prototypes for review are being made right now. I'm heading to Portland Wednesday for another meeting with the patent attorney.

Rick


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## R.E. Plaster

Hey , Rick

Thanks for the paddle my guy's seem to really like it they are sayig that it pulls the mud down to the bottom of the bucket and so it seems to mix the mud better and a little faster.
I havn't tried on any plaster material yet lokking to see how it holds up with heavier material, but I will let you know. Thanks for the tool.


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## rhardman

*Invention for alleviating muscle strain...*

Ran across this doing some patent searching.
Thought you all might find it interesting...though maybe not too practical.

On second thought, maybe Whitey97 might want to use it next time he mixes real heavy mud!!!

Circa 1965...


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## Whitey97

Ha ha ha.... funny guy!

I think that's a little extreme for anything that I'm doing.
Not only that, but I don't have enough room in my trialer to keep that, I'll stick with my "super paddle"


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## [email protected]

******, you meant "trailer", right?


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## Tim0282

Whitney, did you break the mixer on purpose? Jeepers, do you destroy everything just to be macho? What's up with that? What did you think of it? It looks like a great mixer! I would buy one today if available. I am always looking for a better mixer. Bought one recently you had to be just about on your knees to use it. It was like 21" long. Who do they think mixes mud. A ten year old that is under four feet tall. The pictures I see of it look like the best one out there.


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## A+ Texture LLC

No, ******'s a good speller. I'm sure he meant trialer. And i'm sure he has one, sounds fancy.


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## rhardman

*Next tool is nearly out...*

I sent an email out to our testers showing them a photo of the item discussed in the "Is China ever okay?" thread. This version is a consumer tool and I explained to them the professional version isn't quite finished up yet but will be available very soon.

It helps with stocking board and while every response was encouraging, not everyone thought they would need it.

We're sending one of each version to one of the testers for an evaluation. As soon as the attorney says it's alright, I'll post the picture.

We're also getting the accessory finished up for the automatic taper. One of the top tool manufacturers wants to take a look at it.

These are good tools and will accentuate our reputation for new technology, but these two are probably not something that everyone will need. For those that do, I'm sure you'll like them.

The fourth prototype is something everyone can use. There's one piece that wants to bend a bit during testing so we're working to get that solved. It's an easy fix with thicker stainless, but that also adds to the weight...

And to confirm, smaller sized paddle blades and different configurations designed for mixing thin mud will be available.

*I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone for your support. It's helping with the tool development and marketing plans better than we had hoped.*

Rick
We've begun some direct marketing (on a very small scale) with the DrywallTalk logo featured in the ad(s). As we fine tune the brochures we'll add more elaborate graphics with testers comments and pictures. We'll progress with the advertising by region and everything we do will have the DWT logo.


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## rhardman

*Flying solo...*

To update everyone on our current situation...

We've been in touch with a few distributors regarding our paddle. One had a customer that tried a sample and hit it so hard on his bucket that he bent the shaft and gave the distributor a negative review. This distributor is a good guy but I was reminded that sales people not familiar with our products just don't know the difference between one item and another. We can do all we can to inform them of our advantages but if a customer uses a tool incorrectly and calls the distributor to complain, the rep has probably never taped a seam and just doesn't have the proper understanding of the trade to respond correctly. Also, as they want to maintain the relationship with their customer, they might think it best to just accept the complaint. Then the negative report is registered (unfairly) and that particular office may he hesitant to offer it to other contractors in the future.

An online distributor I spoke with was all complimentary and "chewing up" the competitions paddle saying no body wanted it after hearing our plans for the future and reading your reviews here on DrywallTalk. He said he wanted to work with us. After speaking for a few minutes he told me he didn't want to purchase any stock from us, but to only act as a sales office. Any orders he received he would forward to us expecting us to ship to his customer AND pay the postage. He wanted a couple of samples but when I asked for his UPS acct number to ship them*, he said, "I don't know if we have one...." Last I heard he was praising the benefits of the competition's paddle saying how wonderful it is (admittedly they are a fine company with a good product but this guy totally did a 180 when I refused to pay the shipping for the samples he wanted).

A few years ago I went into a large internet Drywall tool company with a prototype of one of our larger tools and they seemed to really like it. I told them I would be back when we were able to start selling things and it seemed like a positive business introduction was made. However, I've tried to get an appointment to speak with them a couple of times about the paddle (I didn't mention the bigger tools) and have been met with total silence.

After I fell down some stairs on my stilts I had to leave the trade and got a degree in electronics. For the past 15 years I've been involved with NPI (New Product Introduction) throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Brazil. I left last year to start selling my drywall tools as I've finally been able to solve a 20 year technical problem that kept hounding me.

I've dealt with a lot of distributor's over the years and as fun as they are (usually being great people and happy to have a beer with you after work) they just aren't geared toward a start up effort.

The quality of the paddle is something we won't sacrifice. As such, the cost of the thing (in quantity) is extremely expensive. After the distributor adds their 30 - 40% the street price would be around $75.00. 

Frankly, that's just too much. I remember buying tools and I know where the prices need to be. 

In addition, when our texture machines are introduced, more technical questions are going to arise. Then (with distributor's) we would run into a slow response time for the end customer.

For instance, say you have a question and you call a distributor and ask about the Hardman Systems *XXXXX *texture system... The sales person will then have to send me an email and ask me to call you up. Gladly I would but then I have to refer you back to the disty to place the order. So 2-3 email or phone interactions have taken place before you get an answer and another if you decide to order. On top of that, you'll be paying the additional 30% they will require. As we also want to lease and rent these systems, they would want a piece of that pie too. Adding the same markup every month to your payment.

So with everything in mind, I've made the decision to sell all of our tools exclusively on our own web site. As the larger machines become available you will have a 24/7 phone number going directly to me for any technical question you have.

If you become involved with a monthly payment arrangement you will have a program manager assigned to you (with their 24/7 number too). We intend to provide the best technical support team in the industry. 

_Wanna have some fun? Next time you call a sales person, ask for their home number in case there is a problem._

This is how you introduce new products and build a family of clients that are happy with every interaction.

As you know we're starting slow and cautiously.

I'll let you know when the web site is launched. I need to get 2 more patents filed before I can show them. It's a cool site, and very different than what you are used to seeing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I know it was long.

Best regards,

Rick
* We're very happy to pay for shipping the samples to our testers. You guys are helping us tremendously to fine tune the designs. But I figure a company that wants to make a profit on our tools should pay the sample postage if they seriously want to investigate the opportunity.


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## Tim0282

I have compared mixers in the past week. Actually, I've compared mixers for the past forty years... And you all know how that can be. I have the old style star type that work great for paint. I don't mix much paint. I have the square bottom type that do OK at best. Then I bought the Sheetrock brand mixer that I thought would be the absolute best. It left a bit to be desired. It does a great job in turning the mud from the bottom to the top. But it creates such a cyclone in the middle of the mud that it leaves unmixed mud right in the middle of the bottom of the bucket. About three inches in diameter. If you notice while using it, it pushes the drill up. That is great, except leaving the little bit of mud untouched. In bucket or box mud, that can be dealt with, with little problems. A nuisance, but... On the other hand while mixing texture, the same thing happens and leaves "dry" texture right in the middle of the bucket. Lumps! Not so good in texture. So I bought the Advance brand. Well, because it is made just about the same as the Sheetrock brand, it does the same thing. I mentioned this on this forum and was contacted by Rick Hardman to see if I would try his mixer. He sent one and I have tried it with regular mud, texture, fast set mud and base coat for EIFS. The differences I see are... Instead of pushing the drill up, it pulls it down. That gets rid of the unmixed mud in the middle of the bucket. With all types of mixing. There was NO unmixed texture, no unmixed fast set, no unmixed regular mud and it mixed the base coat lump free the fastest of all of the mixers I have ever owned. It may be priced a bit higher than the others, But I would buy one in a heart beat. It does the job the fastest and the best of all I have tried. When you get the opportunity to try one, it is well worth the money. The cadillac of mixers. Sounds crazy to analyze a mixer to this extreme, but I get tired of most of the mud being mixed. Kind of like sanding just about all of the rock for smooth... By the way, I am a drywall contractor, not a salesman. Well sort of, we all sell ourselves to the HO or GC or whomever we are working for. All that to say, I was not asked to say this about a mixer. Just wanting to help us all in our end result. I have gained a lot of info from you and hope this little info will help you.


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## Alberta*Tapers

Too bad your not looking for alberta tapers, we would be in for sure. Good luck with your new products!


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## rhardman

*Where are web sites falling short?*

Had to fire our patent attorney; he was getting greedy and didn't like my _*"Cut the Cra* "*_ attitude.*** These guys are an important tool to have but they really overrate themselves. I've spent a lot of time learning about patents over the years and since I found that my patent searches run rings around theirs, I expect a discount in their pricing...well, he didn't agree. It's not a real major thing right now, but he was also trying to make us feel obligated to him for all of the other patents that are still coming up. So, he's down the road (as far as the new patents go), and we've found another attorney so things are back on track.

On the website, our guru guy held us off as for some twisted reason he felt that going on a Caribbean cruise had a higher priority than working on our site. He's back now so we can proceed on that front.

I need some advice from you please. Can you send me a private message and tell me what you think are the shortcomings of the current online suppliers' web sites? Can you suggest what kind of extra support you would like to see on ours? 

*Important note:* Don't think of our site as someplace to go to buy tools. Ask yourself what could an outside company do to help you with your company? What would you like to know that you don't have time to research yourself? Try to think........WAY........OUTSIDE........the box. Look for that perfect world...what help do you need to make your job easier?

We're not going to have the old style "Sears and Roebucks" format with a thousand tools trying to pull you in to take your money. Those guys have to do it that way to compete with each other. Thus the only thing they can complete on is price. Subsequently, the piranha effect kicks in and nobody makes any money. They try to operate with the lowest overhead possible and are understaffed so the "extra effort" support dies. Good people, working hard, just the rough reality of a "commodity based" environment. I've been there.

The priority on our site will be: 1. New Technology with completely different tools 2. Extremely durable and reliable products 3. Excellent "after purchase" support 4. A continually improving effort in all aspects of the company 5. Testimonials by actual users (I'd like to put a link to DrywallTalk but that get's a little sticky for Nathan). 

Once a tool has been purchased you will have an opportunity to receive a monthly newsletter. We will have free information on new job postings that have been published in your area and for a small fee (we're not sure how much yet) we will provide you with the contact information to those projects. This is a BIG undertaking and we want to offer it as an extra bonus to the HSI (Hardman Systems Industrial) contractor. I promise that we'll get the pricing as low as possible. 
_I'll bet you begin seeing this on other suppliers sites now. _

Please send me that PM and let me know what else you would like to see.

We'll have a sneak peek available for the site (and a new tool) next week.

There will also be other benefits but I can't get into those as they start leaning toward what could be called "sales" stuff. You'll have to ask about those individually I guess.

Right now, as with the prototypes, we really want to know what would best serve you. We'll change, twist and mold our approach to what the contractor wants.

Thank you,

Rick
*At Marshall Industries in Silicon Valley (we did $15,000,000.00 a month in computer chips) I got fired in front of the entire company because of my *"Cut the Cra*"* attitude. One day I asked the wrong person, "Why do I have to take Jim and his wife out for dinner and take them skiing for the weekend to get the good accounts? Why can't I be rewarded for the work I do????!!!!????"

I learned about corporate politics that day...*though I still didn't play well.*

_*UPDATE Tuesday evening:* *By *"..._free information on new job postings" _*I mean new projects that are out for bid. We will have the cities by state, the dollar value of the project, who is bidding them and of those bidding, we will provide their contact information for you. *_


----------



## Quality1st

*Kudos*

Be the best and %*&%* the Rest. Hand in their your ship is gonna come in.


----------



## rhardman

*Weekend Warrior version...*

oops


----------



## Muddauber

If she is the DIY version then I can't wait to see the industrial version!:yes:

How much?


----------



## rhardman

This was the graphic I was referring to on the "Is China ever okay?" thread a while back.

Rick
In reference to the photo... I should have clarified, she's technically not the DIY version, she is the "Ricks wife" version...but thank you for your good taste!


----------



## Whitey97

Hey Rick, How's it going! When are you going to be shipping these bad boys out!?!? I've had to hump about 200 sheets in the last few weeks. Would have loved to have this then. Let's do it up!


----------



## Whitey97

rhardman said:


> This was the graphic I was referring to on the "Is China ever okay?" thread a while back.
> 
> Rick
> In reference to the photo... I should have clarified, she's technically not the DIY version, she is the "Ricks wife" version...but thank you for your good taste!


 
If that's your wife, I would like to see what you're 18 year old daughter looks like! YIKES! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

New prototypes will be available and sent out in the next 2 weeks. 
Currently waiting on metal forming vendors.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Sunday night sneak peek...*

I had promised the web site before now and in an effort to deliver on the 100% accuracy record I promised, you can have a sneak peek of the site at: http://74.86.189.137/ . Some things aren't finished yet as our web designer is preparing for a 3 week trip to Italy. Things should be finalized upon his return.

If you would like to send me a PM and give me your suggestions I'd be very appreciative.

The tools shown on the "Products" page will be changed. We won't offer the corner piece as there is nothing unique about it. We will also be adding 2 more of our tools. 

This is not about sales, in fact there is no where on the site to buy anything yet and we aren't taking orders in any other way right now. This is about requesting your feedback on a new web site design before it is launched.

Remember that this is a different sort of company. We have no intention to be an "in your face" catalog of every tool the world has to offer. This is a company that provides a unique group of tools that allow you to get your job finished faster with less back strain and less clean up time. The site is designed to partner with you over the life of your company with not only tools, but free marketing and sales products and services that will help you grow your company and make higher profit margins _(just wait and see!!!)._ 

*Does the site lend itself toward this sort of business relationship???*

(I also ask that you remember that these first tools are not the main thrust of our company. While they are good tools and work well, this is a preliminary effort to introduce our company and build trust before the main revenue generating products are introduced. )


As always, thank you,

Rick


----------



## Whitey97

would like to see more pictures of Francesca on the site!

I know, I have issues..... I'm sure you figured that out by now!


----------



## rhardman

You twisted puppy! Actually, she'll be in charge of the Facebook page. She's going out of the country for her dance school so FB is a bit delayed.

*What do you think of our new site *(I talked about above)*?*
*Any suggestions to make it better?*

Rick


----------



## Whitey97

Tools - glad to beat the crap out of
Websites- take a little more time being I'm too busy beating up your tools!


----------



## Tim0282

I read each part... Sure peeks my interest!


----------



## Whitey97

I don't like how it says certain tools, yet there is no picture for it. It makes me anxious.


----------



## rhardman

Thank you for your comment Tim0282 and sorry 'bout the pictures ******. 

I was faced with having made the promise to show the site and having to wait another 3 weeks before I could deliver (on that promise).

Another thing is, they are new tools that I want to have field tested before we put the pictures up there. The new creaser wheel has been sent to 3 testers and the industrial Lift Grip isn't back from the metal former yet. So, as fast as I can, I'll get those pictures up...that is unless the testers don't like them. In that case I'll have to fall on the sword and tell everyone why (they didn't like them). If they just turn out to be average, we won't sell them. The money we would make isn't worth damaging our claims to have the best new tools in the industry. The 100% reliability of our claims will always be a primary focus of the company.

The texture machines are very good, that is already proven. The only questions there, are if the industry is willing to do things a little differently, if you like our new spray gun design, and how long our new pump will last under long term use. It's a brand new patentable pump but it doesn't have the track record that we need to offer it for sale yet. We're waiting for a new revision from our machinist so we can continue testing it (in about 2 weeks).

Tuesday I was informed of a new drive system that will replace the chain drive I had originally designed. It should provide better performance, no lubrication requirements, lighter weight and longer life, at a much lower cost.

On the mixing paddle thread, Silverstilts really showed the importance of a proven track record. He was referring to the paddle but his choice to wait until a product is proven (before he makes a judgement) is understandable and probably represents the views of a majority of contractors out there. 

We will do our best to address his (and everyone's) concerns as best we can. In that vein, as we design our brochures we will add proof regarding their long term dependability and will elaborate on tests we have made to address durability issues. I'm not sure how we'll do that yet, but it will be done.

Rick


----------



## Whitey97

I love our phone chats Rick. I look forward to them, all day long....


----------



## silverstilts

i think i would like to hear more on the sprayer knowing full well of certain things that you can't let out of the bag yet but , what can you tell us about it ? compact or larger ? can you tell what type of pump you will be using (rotor , diaphragm )? In my opinion diaphragm pumps are crap and don't hold up long with the duck valves . Diaphragm with check balls work a whole lot better , but the rotor is probably the best . if not don't worry just curious maybe looking into a new pump/sprayer not necessarily a big spray rig not to much use for something like that for this area. but something that will pump at least 50 gals in an hour or less of heavier mud. Something capable of spraying like a big rig but small enough for a one man show ...if need be , something you can hook up possibly at least 75' to longer hose and have the pump handle it....at least a 15 gal hopper maybe a little larger that is round to mix in ... tall order but interested ... last but not least is it ran by electric or air ? Air does have great advantages... Don't care for sprayers that have the air electric pump mounted on them it adds too much weight , it's easier just to drag in the air hose from an outside source .


----------



## rhardman

******, our conversation today about the hassle of collecting money really inspired me. I have an idea that I have to run by an attorney. I meet with one next week (patents and business "stuff") so I'll get back to you with what I have in mind...

Picked up the metal for the industrial Lift Grip a couple of hours ago. Looks good! I should be able to ship the latest prototype to you mid-late next week.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Silverstilts, thank you for asking and for understanding that I can't get specific. 

Generally speaking, I can tell you this...

They will be available in gas or electric versions
Each will pump the distance you require
By the time everything is finished, we will introduce 3 brand new pump technologies
Can't talk about air yet
One version is very small and another is very large
The design of the hopper(s) will be provided per your specifications
Maintenance and repair is a breeze
Set up and clean up times: Unbelieveable!

The mid size "Raptor" sprayer will do everything you outlined above. The small one will do everything just not pump as far as the large systems. The largest system...is just insane.

Inside scoop...
After we have everything introduced you will see a pattern. We will offer the least expensive (while still reliable) system we can come up with. This will beat those competitors that would like to borrow our ideas and provide a substitute at a lower cost. We'll be there first! We will have a mid range model that is absolutely everything you could hope for at the most economical price level we can offer. Then...we've come up with the most crazy, wild version of each system 20+ years of designing can concoct! There is absolutely no need to buy the "insane" tools...other than to prove you are a total and unapologetic crazy man!!!! It's all about Alpha Male, taking no prisoners and dragging women into your cave (to have tea...).

Believe it or not, they actually have personalities of sorts, you'll understand when you see the pictures.

They won't be ready until the long term testing has been completed. Best guess is 3-4 months. We don't want any problems and won't sell anything until we're confident with their performance.*

I'll get down off my soap box now...

Rick
*That being said, I already informed Whitey97 that none of our texture systems will withstand the "accidental" fall out of 3 story window._ I thought he was going to cry._


----------



## Stormy_Ny

Whitey97 said:


> I love our phone chats Rick. I look forward to them, all day long....


I think ****** has got a little man crush working .......


----------



## Whitey97

it's not him, it's his wife


----------



## Tim0282

You sure have my attention about the sprayer! I want one. I want to be in the waiting line. Suppose I can with three or four months. I've waited all my life for a good sprayer. What's another four months? I think I own at least one of every brand out there. They are all lined up in the back of the shop in the sprayer grave yard. They'll be great headstones for drywallers...


----------



## Whitey97

lol, you've got a sprayer line up too!? that's great!


----------



## Tim0282

Most have been worthless. I am using the Kodiak now. It is pretty good. Have a Pumpall from Xlent. It is OK at best. The Kodiak is the best one I've had. Tried the Apla Tech until it died. It was pretty good. Typical diaphram pump. Hit and miss... The ones Graco make last about six months if you stick some smooth jobs in there to make it last that long. I'm betting the Graco MarkV will be short timers. They aren't designed to handle how abrasive mud is. Just a guess on my part.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282,

You will like our system better than the ones you mentioned. We really want to make that pump last as long as possible. I was actually looking for the Xlent plant last week as they are right down the road from me. Somehow, couldn't find it anywhere. Was thinking that subcontracting out some of our machines might save time getting to production...later decided against it. Nobody will care as much about our quality as we will. I know they build the All-Wall texture machines too.

I'll offer some "Super" deals for the first couple of texture systems. We can do everything we can think of to test them but as we learned with the paddle, you guys always come up with things we never thought of. This may be the way we go with the texture machines too. If a buyer understands that the system is in a learning curve, is willing to help with improvements, we will sell it at a huge discount. If they are willing to play this way, we'll give them our next generation of products (I've never spoken about) at another huge discount for their help.

Still have to prove the pump before we do anything.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX See my message below XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Wowzer, Rick!!


----------



## rhardman

I had posted Francesca's picture to show off our new brochure model but then got to thinking it might seem a bit creepy for a husband to do that.

She has a dance studio and was in costume so I pulled it not wanting to be inappropriate.

That being said I want to congratulate Whitey97 and Tim0282 for their excellent taste and recognition of quality.

Rick


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> That being said I want to congratulate Whitey97 and Tim0282 for their excellent taste and recognition of quality.
> 
> Rick


She's standing right behind you isn't she.


----------



## Whitey97

she was in front of me


----------



## rhardman

*Francesca asked a question...*

Francesca asked me,

"Isn't ****** that stalker you told me about that is always trying to break your tools?"


----------



## Whitey97

I love her!  she knows me and not you guys


----------



## Tim0282

Let me know if you find Xlent. I have tried to call them for three weeks now. Their phones automatically go to an operator... Wondering if they died...:blink:



rhardman said:


> Tim0282,
> 
> You will like our system better than the ones you mentioned. We really want to make that pump last as long as possible. I was actually looking for the Xlent plant last week as they are right down the road from me. Somehow, couldn't find it anywhere. Was thinking that subcontracting out some of our machines might save time getting to production...later decided against it. Nobody will care as much about our quality as we will. I know they build the All-Wall texture machines too.
> 
> I'll offer some "Super" deals for the first couple of texture systems. We can do everything we can think of to test them but as we learned with the paddle, you guys always come up with things we never thought of. This may be the way we go with the texture machines too. If a buyer understands that the system is in a learning curve, is willing to help with improvements, we will sell it at a huge discount. If they are willing to play this way, we'll give them our next generation of products (I've never spoken about) at another huge discount for their help.
> 
> Still have to prove the pump before we do anything.
> 
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX See my message below XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> 
> Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Automatic Taper Accessory*

The first accessory for the automatic taper is getting some very good reviews.

It's a new corner creaser wheel that we've sent out to 3 different (DrywallTalk) contractors for evaluation. The first 2 really liked it and we haven't heard from the 3rd yet.

Looks like we hit this one correct. No suggestions for improving it. 

Rick


----------



## silverstilts

so again what is your corner creaser ? is it used behind a roller ? or is it designed for use behind a banjo ? 2 out of 3 isn't to bad the third is still out to lunch huh ? Let us know... one more question does it just crease the tape or does it work like a regular angle head / glazer so you don't have to re-wipe totally behind it . Just curious that is. silverstilts aka the rock doctor.


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## rhardman

*Creaser wheel.*



silverstilts said:


> so again what is your corner creaser ? is it used behind a roller ? or is it designed for use behind a banjo ? 2 out of 3 isn't to bad the third is still out to lunch huh ? Let us know... one more question does it just crease the tape or does it work like a regular angle head / glazer so you don't have to re-wipe totally behind it . Just curious that is. silverstilts aka the rock doctor.


It's a $15.00 after market corner creaser wheel you bolt on to the bazooka. It prevents a lot of problems you have during the taping process. It saves headaches and frustration when the rock has gaps and when you are pulling out of a ceiling/wall angle.

I'll see if I can get one of the testers to comment on it...

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Texture machine(s).*



Mudslinger said:


> Is your texture sprayer going to have mixing capabilities?


I don't know if you saw my earlier comments Mudslinger but in case you didn't, we will have 3 versions. The smallest will be much more than what you now have in the $3500.00 range; more power, smaller, much easier to clean. The mid size will be more powerful, have more hose and can run from the street if you like. 

The largest will have mixing capabilities and more. You will tell us what options you want and we will build it to your exact specifications. There will be an option for some very basic electronics which can be bypassed in the event of a problem. The electronics will monitor hours of use, how close you are to rebuild time, mud and air pressure, how much mud you have left in the tank (sound 2 loud "beeps" when you are down to 1/4 tank) and so forth. Like I said, if a problem comes up or it's damaged, you can bypass the electronics (in an instant) and run it manually much like the systems today.

It's risky talking about a new system that is coming out. Typically you have 90 days after you announce something to retain your validity. After 90 days, people begin to think that you are full of "poop." Remember that there will be 3-4 month test period before we will feel confident enough to sell the machines. The main construction is proven and very good, it's the new pump design we're dialing in.

With quick disconnects and a modular frame system, we're shooting for a 3-5 minute (entire) pump removal process and an actual rebuild time for the pump (itself) to be less than 30 minutes.

We will recommend that you buy 2 pumps so you are never out on a site without texturing capabilities. If one dies, in 10-15 minutes, you're back up and running with a brand new pump.

The only question right now is how often that pump will need to be changed out. If we don't have a far superior system (which means a long lasting pump) we won't sell it. We'll wait until we do.

I've built and redesigned more than 6 different pumps over the years. 

I've been working with a pump/machinist/guru for over a year on this new design (in 2 weeks I'm giving him part of the company). 


Rick


----------



## drywallnflorida

rhardman said:


> It's a $15.00 after market corner creaser wheel you bolt on to the bazooka. It prevents a lot of problems you have during the taping process. It saves headaches and frustration when the rock has gaps and when you are pulling out of a ceiling/wall angle.
> 
> I'll see if I can get one of the testers to comment on it...
> 
> Rick


 
Will it work with the alpa-tech cfs taper?


----------



## [email protected]

Sorry I haven't posted results sooner on the corner creaser. It eliminates the problem of the tape going over the side of the roller if you get to leaning too far either way and puts the center crease exactly in the corner. No, it does not flush out the mud, still use all the same tools afterward. My guys love it. I don't have many gaps in corners but it would keep the tape from sinking back in 1/4" plus gaps as it creases the tape instead of the flusher.


----------



## silverstilts

[email protected] said:


> Sorry I haven't posted results sooner on the corner creaser. It eliminates the problem of the tape going over the side of the roller if you get to leaning too far either way and puts the center crease exactly in the corner. No, it does not flush out the mud, still use all the same tools afterward. My guys love it. I don't have many gaps in corners but it would keep the tape from sinking back in 1/4" plus gaps as it creases the tape instead of the flusher.


 Sounds like something I could use , being a little on the short side it can be difficult at times running the ring angle especially towards the end of the day when the old bazooka tends to get a little heavier ...


----------



## Tim0282

I have installed one of these corner creasers on my bazooka. Great little advantage. They work great. Much beefier than the wheel that comes on the taper. And like advertised, it won't push the tape into a gap. Small investment to enhance the taper. It is a bit larger in diameter too, so it catches the wall a little sooner and helps control the tape. We like it!! This guy is definitely onto something! His mixer design, taper wheel, rock carrier, and other tools he is making. Super quality stuff and so well thought out. Every detail is covered. I am growing anxious to see the rest of his "stuff". This is feeling like a real break through in drywall finishing tools! I have tried every system out there and they all seem to lack in an area or two. And some more... I've had every sprayer, every kinda of knife, every kind of pan, every carrier, every taper, boxes, nail spotter, angle roller, angle head. You name it, I bought it. Just trying to find the one that really works like advertised or like I think it should. I think every one is lacking in some area. We are all in the same boat here. We buy "it" and then try to make it really work the way we know it should.


----------



## Whitey97

where's mine Rick.... jeez


----------



## rhardman

*Your creaser wheel...*



Whitey97 said:


> where's mine Rick.... jeez


******,

Are you running a tube (maybe I forgot)? 

Let me know if you are. I'll drop a creaser in the box with the industrial "Lift Grip" proto's you've got coming. By the way, I should be picking them up tomorrow or Tuesday. Will ship Wednesday and send you the tracking info.

Rick


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## rhardman

*Creaser Wheel and Apla Tech*



drywallnflorida said:


> Will it work with the alpa-tech cfs taper?


 
Call them up and ask if their taper will use a standard corner creaser wheel and then we'll know.

If it fits, I'll be happy to send one to you. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Whitey97

I run both banjo and bazooka, until this 300 sheeters I'm on now, I haven't needed to use my tube, the banjo's been fast enough.

"are you running a tube" (that's what she said!)


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Let me know if you find Xlent. I have tried to call them for three weeks now. Their phones automatically go to an operator... Wondering if they died...:blink:


Tim0282,

Went looking for Xlent for you today and reconfirmed that Mapquest is less than accurate in many respects so I bought a map. The map showed no such street so I did a "calculated" guess and couldn't find it that way either. 3 hours after my little adventure started, I ran into a UPS driver that sent me to the place...sort of.

No one has seen Xlent in many months and today it's a powder coating shop. They couldn't come up with any contact information for me. The number I had went to a disconnected recording so I tried 411 for a local listing but nothing was there. 

The only thing I can recommend is maybe calling All-Wall. In some of their documentation they list Xlent as the manufacturer for their texture rigs.

http://www.all-wall.com/pdf/aw-sprayrig.pdf

Sorry I couldn't help.

Rick
* I took a picture of the building for you but can't figure out how to get it out of my cell phone.


----------



## rhardman

Whitey97 said:


> I run both banjo and bazooka, until this 300 sheeters I'm on now, I haven't needed to use my tube, the banjo's been fast enough.
> 
> "are you running a tube" (that's what she said!)


Can you use a creaser wheel? Do you want one?

Rick


----------



## Whitey97

I may, if I had one! honestly I don't know? do you think it would be worth it to test it out? Let's put it this way, if it's as good of a design as the paddle, of course I want one, it's probably the best thing out there to make my life easier, and I don't even know it!


----------



## Tim0282

Say Rick, We need a blade on our boxes that won't damage the tape on beads when running with a box. Something like the material the mixer is made of???


----------



## Whitey97

I think he's onto something good there!!


----------



## [email protected]

The guys are loving the creaser roller and anxious to give the mesh tape gun a try. The creaser roller does give them an extra inch or so of reach. The thing they like the best is how it keeps the tape up on the roller when they get the bazooka a little off center. With the old wheel, getting off center causes the tape to slide off to one side or the other.


----------



## rhardman

*Final review came in on the New Creaser Wheel.*



rhardman said:


> ...It's a new corner creaser wheel that we've sent out to 3 different (DrywallTalk) contractors for evaluation. The first 2 really liked it and we haven't heard from the 3rd yet...


I just received a call from the final tester on the Creaser Wheel.

He likes it! It came with a new Auto Taper from one of the Mfr's for him to try out. 

He mentioned the same advantages Tim0282 and Darren did.

Next products getting reviewed are the industrial Lift Grip, the Fiberglass Taper and then the new mud pan.

This pan is a little strange...and frankly a real puzzle for us. It will either be fantastic or junk..._I like it_...but I don't know what you guy's are going to think. :notworthy:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Had a meeting yesterday with my partners (finance guy couldn't make it) and the machining/pump guru. The guru has accepted a part interest in the company in exchange for his development and manufacturing experience. 

This is a major leap in our capabilities. Mine is a "self taught" approach to designing things. It has worked well for what you've seen and with the remaining small tools, that's been enough. The physical designs will always be mine but with the larger machines I don't have the long term experience with mechanisms, power generation, metallurgy, and so forth. He does. I tend to build with much larger engines and other systems than they need to be. Consequently, that would make them too expensive.

We have all agreed that we will be offering a lifetime warrantee on every tool we sell. Pump seals and wearing items won't be covered (as I'm sure you understand) but with the replacement times in under 20-30 minutes) I don't think that will be a problem.

We discussed the paddle and Whitey97's tendancy to keep the chuck loose (for quick removal) and we talked about different ways to solve the problem other than to make longer grooves. Cory (machinist) took a paddle and is looking it over.

I think the thing that really grabbed Cory's attention was the lifetime warrantee. This means we have to make the very best model of every tool we can come up with every single time without concern for profit. We have a real interesting group of guys here. We actually believe that if you make the very best tools you can, treat the customers with respect and perfect service, always focus on the ethics of business, you will in the long term, make more money than if you scrimp on costs and hide from responsibility.

For the first year we also want to provide some sort of stock in the company (for free) when someone purchases the mid or larger sized texture system. There are all sorts of laws involved but we'll figure it out. We will also be renting machines so you can try them out for a while before you decide to buy. If you end up as a long term renter, there will be a stock offering to you too (at no charge).

Many questions and logistics to be solved but we certainly have the desire to do it, the management team to execute the process, and (we believe) the products to make it happen.

Rick
_(...this is turning out REALLY well!_)


----------



## rhardman

Tool Update:

Our new policy to supply a lifetime warrantee on everything has caused a delay in getting the industrial Lift Grip, new pan and a couple of other things out for additional testing. We've had to make some improvements to how they are constructed.

They should be ready next week.

******, the new paddle shaft will take a bit longer as the second piece I emailed you about requires more machining and we have to finish a couple of other things first.

Darren, I'm building you a new mesh taper that is nearly done; just waiting on some anodizing. I know I said I'd send the earlier prototype but with the possibility of that handle breaking, it's just not worth the risk. When the new pan is finished, we'll be sending one of those to you too. As I've said, it's "strange" and causes you to use it a bit differently than the old pans...so your evaluation will be very important to us. 

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

You are talking about a new pan design. Have you seen the round bottom one Marshaltown came out with along with their knives? Kind of a curved handle on the knives. And the pan well.... it leaves a bit to be desired. Ah yes, I bought a set.... I am a sucker!! They are real bad. Bad as in not good, not bad as in real good.


----------



## Sir Mixalot

[email protected] said:


> The guys are loving the creaser roller and anxious to give the mesh tape gun a try. The creaser roller does give them an extra inch or so of reach. The thing they like the best is how it keeps the tape up on the roller when they get the bazooka a little off center. With the old wheel, getting off center causes the tape to slide off to one side or the other.


Very interesting! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> You are talking about a new pan design. Have you seen the round bottom one Marshaltown came out with along with their knives? Kind of a curved handle on the knives. And the pan well.... it leaves a bit to be desired. Ah yes, I bought a set.... I am a sucker!! They are real bad. Bad as in not good, not bad as in real good.


 
Yea, I think I first saw their pan during the initial patent search.

You know...what these companies need to do is find someplace where they can ask the actual drywall guy's if their tools are *rap or not before they try selling them...


...:whistling2:

The tools below are just a few of the pan designs we found during our patent search... Gotta admire their efforts.


----------



## Tim0282

Tis a novel idea. Yet some of us still buy them... They just sit on the shelf and draw dust in our frustration because most of them are worthless. Yet another sale for the good guys...:blink:


----------



## silverstilts

Tim0282 said:


> You are talking about a new pan design. Have you seen the round bottom one Marshaltown came out with along with their knives? Kind of a curved handle on the knives. And the pan well.... it leaves a bit to be desired. Ah yes, I bought a set.... I am a sucker!! They are real bad. Bad as in not good, not bad as in real good.


 have not seen the pans made by marshal town but did get the ones made by sheetrock I really like them , I don't care for the ones so much with the slip resistant on the bottom It is a good idea in theory but a little rough on the skin . Can't wait to see the one 
Rick comes up with.....


----------



## silverstilts

Rick sent a creaser wheel over and I tell you all that it seems the design is just so simple yet an incredible little add on to your tube that will make running the angle much more easier.... I will not be able to give an honest opinion for a few days but looks very promising...like most of us we all knew for years there could have been an improvements on this design but no one stepped up ... thanks for stepping up Rick and I think you will do very well when it is out there for the general drywall population ... It will be a must add on , Don't be surprised if some of the tube makers out there contact you about manufacturing them for their own use... silverstilts aka the rock doctor


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

*Creaser Wheel*

Well I had the opportunity to run my taper this week with the new wheel on it. As expected, it performed very well. It's definately a great product, kind of surprising one of the manufactures didn't think of it already. As stated already it does in fact prevent the tape from getting pushed into the corner. I also noticed that it leaves the tape at more of a 90 degree angle in the corner rather than more like a "V". This allows you to get the roller in there a littler easier without jacking the paper all up when you start to roll. Kudos on another great product rick.


----------



## Tim0282

I have one of the Sheetrock pans. I don't like that the corners are not square on the bottom. I don't think they clean out as easy.




silverstilts said:


> have not seen the pans made by marshal town but did get the ones made by sheetrock I really like them , I don't care for the ones so much with the slip resistant on the bottom It is a good idea in theory but a little rough on the skin . Can't wait to see the one
> Rick comes up with.....


----------



## rhardman

Pans should be ready to send out next week for evaluation. They are not the final configuration but will be good enough to see if you (already spoken with) testers like the general idea. If you do, then we'll get more serious.

Thank you for your patience, we've been working to get the new proto's put together for more evaluations. Deciding to have a lifetime warrantee has required us to beef up the designs.

Rick
P.S. Haven't received the pump back yet, taking care of some unforeseen timing issues.


----------



## Whitey97

Rick, I'm getting excited


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

So you are gonna offer a lifetime warranty on pans?? You drop them once and they got a jacked corner. If you beef them up too much they might be too heavy. Food for thought I guess. Still, I can't wait to get my hands on a "Man Pan". :shifty:


----------



## rhardman

Jacked corner's won't be covered...and you're right A+, the first few pans would have been way too heavy the way I originally designed them.

We will warrantee the customer's complete satisfaction for a period of time, so if someone get's a tool they don't like, they can return it for a full refund (and a gift certificate to Starbucks). Along with the satisfaction warrantee, we'll cover each tools durability for life. But we can't cover "abuse" as some guys really beat the *rap out of their tools as a part of their normal work day.

Rick
_Yea, A+ recommended the name, "Man Pan" a couple of weeks ago so we've adopted it._


----------



## silverstilts

Well all the complaining I did about the mixing paddle Rick talk me into trying one and giving him an honest opinion good or bad so here it goes . I have found out from my own personal experience that there are some good things such as I do like the light weight of the paddle , It does seem to create a nice smooth creamy like consistency (eliminating air trapped in the mud). It does mix relatively fast in a five gallon bucket . Mixes quick set nice and smooth no lumps. Those were the good points now for what I did not care for, mixing in a five gallon bucket the paddle did not seem balance so well , it would shake the bucket too much causing possible spillage over the top. It makes it hard when thinning down mud and the water shakes out, even thin mud will shake out. I did not think it mixed up in my 15 gallon hopper very fast it took me longer than with my cast mixing paddle. I also have a sheetrock brand mixer which is nice as far as being well balance. Especially when neatness counts and controlling spillage. So there are some very good points to using the new paddle and some not so negative ... overall I would go out and buy another, I think they will do real good on the market. Now for the creaser wheel, that was everything it was suppose to be, It does aid in laying the tape in the angles leaving it where it belongs, as far as adding any reach not so noticeable, good design, simple and effective.


----------



## looking 4 ast rig

*im in jacksonville fl*

Do you have any tools to help remvoe popcorn ceiling texture quicker easier (CLEANER)? If so im enterested please contact me http://www.ceilingsdrywallandmore.com :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

Thank you Silver for the straight forward evaluation. 

I don't think the paddle is unbalanced so much as the vibration is caused by the tremendous amount of mud that is being pushed around the bucket. To mix faster I did a ton of computer calculations to determine the amount of surface area the blade needed in comparison to the area of the holes. The powder hits the surface of the blade with some of it is forced above and below the blade with the remaining (powder) forced through the hole. Then the next rotation beats it up again.

Though...I can see how the 4 post Sheetock offers might rotate smoother.

I played with dual blades 90 degrees apart but found that the cleaning time became a problem.

When we launch the site we will be sure to offer a smaller blade which should take care of the radical mud displacement.

You didn't mention...did you find the cleaning to be easier? Did you try the "stomper" method for washing it up?

Rick
___________________________________________________________

In regard to the other note about a cleaning tool for removing popcorn...
I found the easiest method was to get a helper to use a 12 - 14 inch knife on stilts. Then I followed behind him doing a skip trowel texture.


----------



## [email protected]

If you spray with water (if unpainted), it will be much easier to scrape and create less dust. Beware of asbestos in acoustic older than 1984.


----------



## silverstilts

rhardman said:


> Thank you Silver for the straight forward evaluation.
> 
> I don't think the paddle is unbalanced so much as the vibration is caused by the tremendous amount of mud that is being pushed around the bucket. To mix faster I did a ton of computer calculations to determine the amount of surface area the blade needed in comparison to the area of the holes. The powder hits the surface of the blade with some of it is forced above and below the blade with the remaining (powder) forced through the hole. Then the next rotation beats it up again.
> 
> Though...I can see how the 4 post Sheetock offers might rotate smoother.
> 
> I played with dual blades 90 degrees apart but found that the cleaning time became a problem.
> 
> When we launch the site we will be sure to offer a smaller blade which should take care of the radical mud displacement.
> 
> You didn't mention...did you find the cleaning to be easier? Did you try the "stomper" method for washing it up?
> 
> Rick
> ___________________________________________________________
> 
> In regard to the other note about a cleaning tool for removing popcorn...
> I found the easiest method was to get a helper to use a 12 - 14 inch knife on stilts. Then I followed behind him doing a skip trowel texture.


I can understand the reason of the vibration with mixing powder mud, but not entirely true when using premixed mud and wanting to thin it down, I am sure there is a tremendous amount of force created causing the vibrations, all in all it is what it is, meaning it does do the job makes for some creamy mud, as far as the easy clean up the stomping method will clean most beaters , the paddle itself with the product/materials you use does clean easy except in the yolk. The USG paddle a couple of brushes down the side cleans up very easy to, Don't much matter because most time it sits inside a pail of water no need to clean unless you use some quick setting mud... Over all it is a good design and I would not hesitate to invest in some other paddles once they hit the market.. You did good.....


----------



## [email protected]

Told my taper about the Man-pan and he is really stoked. He is developing some "aurther" in his pan hand from clutching his other knife. Waiting with baited breath......


----------



## rhardman

[email protected] said:


> Told my taper about the Man-pan and he is really stoked. He is developing some "aurther" in his pan hand from clutching his other knife. Waiting with baited breath......


I received a call Friday that the pans were finished. It's a strange design so we'll see if they did them correctly. 

On the mesh taper, I didn't want to slow the pump progress so I went to another machinist to change the rollers. Poor guy, I used him years ago until he got cancer and told me he couldn't work any more. Turns out he's still machining while going through treatment so he can help. Spoke with him Friday and apparently he was hit by a car in a parking lot and now he's on crutches. He said the parts will be done Tuesday. 

Since he's 2 blocks from where the pans were made, I'll pick everything up then.

Rick
_________________________________________________________________________________
BTW, I thanked Silver for his paddle review and told him that we have a way to make the yoke clean easier. We'll get that taken care of in our next batch.


----------



## drywallnflorida

Can't wait to see the new pan.!!


----------



## rhardman

Francesca picked up the pans yesterday and they didn't do them quite right so I'll take them to my other guy tomorrow.

The pieces for the mesh taper are ready to be picked up, I couldn't make it today.

For the guy's I've promised a creaser wheel to, I'll be getting those on Thursday.

I got a call today saying that I can pick the pump up "real soon...."

I'll let you know as I know more...

Thanks for your patience guys...I'm losing sleep over all this. We're launching the site Jan. 1 and I want to have that pan on it so I'm doing my best to get it out ASAP. I need the reviews before we offer it. 

Rick

I just learned that Reed announced last month that the following new jobs are coming out...


----------



## rhardman

The glass prototypes are finished.
I have the new creaser wheels.
Waiting on industrial Lift Grip.
Have new pans being redone.
Will ship what we can next week.

Hoping everyone has a great Christmas!

Thank you for all of the help and for the great suggestions gentlemen! 

Rick


----------



## [email protected]

Rick, did I read that Reed report right? A cool billion for the UN building?


----------



## rhardman

*$1,000,000,000.00 United Nations Project.*



[email protected] said:


> Rick, did I read that Reed report right? A cool billion for the UN building?


That's what Reed says. I wouldn't be too worried about it. I'm sure that the actual building costs won't be that high. After all of the political "deductions" the actual project will probably only be about $5500.00. 


Did you hear Ames filed chapter 11?
http://www.amestools.com/CMFiles/Docs/AMES_Press_Release_12.14.09.pdf

Rick


----------



## [email protected]

Too bad they couldn't put it in Gitmo.

Ames Chapter 11, karma is a beeeatch:smartass:


----------



## rhardman

*******, we're getting closer with the industrial version...*

View attachment 114


Not yet, another meeting tomorrow. :thumbup:
It's going well.

Rick


----------



## thesprayking

Do you still have any of the corner creasers still available? In all of the posts I didnt see how much they are? I would like to try one on my tapetech. Let me know,......Is the lift tool for carrying rock or buckets?


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

After Darren bringing up Gitmo and seeing that picture my mind instantly went to some sort of strange torture device. We should make those long bearded weiners stock drywall all day long. Now thats torture!!! :yes:


----------



## rhardman

thesprayking said:


> Do you still have any of the corner creasers still available? In all of the posts I didnt see how much they are? I would like to try one on my tapetech. Let me know,......Is the lift tool for carrying rock or buckets?


We have a few creaser prototypes available but not for sale. We're still getting evaluations on everything before we offer them to the public. That being said, the site should be launched in the next few days.

The Lift Grip came about in '85 when I was stocking board to pay off a material bill while I was going through a divorce (lost my '66 Vette). The grip worked real well for us though the way it straps to the wrist is a bit cumbersome. That's what we're working on right now. The consumer model on the temp site, http://74.86.189.137/products/liftgrip/ is flexible and will form to fit buckets, sheetrock, plywood, glass or whatever. The professional version will be primarily for panel products.

We're getting inundated with requests for free tools which I can't always provide. Our main reason for the "give-away's" is to help us improve the design or to decide if the product is something we don't want to offer.

That being said, I need a professional reference from Northern California so if you want to try them and (assuming you like the tools) are willing to leave a voice recording that I can post on the web site, I'll be happy to send you some prototypes.

PM me with your contact information.

Rick

Oh, for anyone wanting a graphic to help advertise acoustic ceiling removal, we have a file we can send you (at no charge of course). I paid $300.00 for it. Take a look at: http://74.86.189.137/downloads/files/Construction%20graphic%20for%20Coles%20review.bmp

I'm going to have the ceiling changed in the drawing so it has a large hole in it so the graphic can be used for general repair work too. If you want a copy, it's the bottom form on the "Free Downloads" tab ( http://74.86.189.137/downloads/ ). The new graphic will be there in a couple of weeks.


----------



## rhardman

Darren, Bazil, Kevin, Paul and Nate*, 

New Proto's being sent out Tuesday.
1 Paddle, Corner Creasers and Fiberglass Tapers.
Pan and Lift Grip are pending design revisions.

We're only working with past testers as we caught a manufacturer trying to get some feebies recently. 

The Fiberglass Taper is a true prototype. We would like a general impression of the tool, how it works and if you think it can be improved. Then we would like you to use it for a month and let me know how it is holding up under job conditions. I see one possible area of vulnerability in destructive conditions. Don't try to kill it but don't baby it either. After we receive your input, we'll finalize the design, make amendments to the patent and then offer them for sale. 

I'm not going to give any instruction at all as I'm hoping it's self explanitory. If you have a problem with technique, let me know. We'll have a demo on the web site but for now, I want to see how you react to it completely blind to the technology.

Everyone that helps with the taper will also get a brand new commercial version with stylish little labels, logos and everything else that's pretty so you can hang your new one on next year's Christmas tree!

Rick
*Nate, your taper is taking longer since it is custom and I'm still playing with it. There is an anchoring system that has to be altered as you want to use the 3 inch roll of tape. If I make it the same as the 1 3/4 inch roll, it won't hold up...it's a spring tensioning thing.


----------



## drywallnflorida

:thumbsup: nice, I can't wait!!:thumbup:


----------



## burns

i would be interested 
iam in bc canada


----------



## rhardman

*Update:*

(Burns, I'll send you a PM about testing.)

I picked up the Man Pan prototypes today. They're not complete and rough around the edges (figuratively) but should be good enough for preliminary testing. I'll send 3 out to the guy's I've already commited to. Will have to wait until next week when I'm back in the U.S. 

Expect some tweaking as the way the pans turned out isn't exactly what I specified, but they may be better. We're probably going to have 2 or 3 prototypes before we're finished. For the first evaluations I'm just looking for a conceptual opinion. The mechanical aspects will be fine tuned as we progress.

I also saw the new industrial Lift Grip today. This thing is REALLY nice. Again, not something everyone will need but for those that do, it's rock solid. I've ordered 10 for testing and will have pictures next week. 

*I'LL HAVE THE NEW PUMP TOMORROW!!!!* 
I went to the machinist today and it's all finished up and ready for new testing. It looks good and I believe all the major problems (since 1979 with my dad) have been solved. We're playing with different seal materials so we may have some minor modifications to make there. I'll let you know how things are going as the testing proceeds. For those that don't know, this is a new technology pump for our Raptor texture machines that can be removed, rebuilt and reinstalled in less than an hour. While I was there today we also went over the new mud valve for the system. _You're going to like this thing...._:whistling2:

The web guy is waiting on me to finish the site. I owe him more pictures, wording and prices with part numbers.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

I took early Mesh Taper prototypes to Cory (machinist/partner) today for his input. He hates the nut and screw method I used to attach the roll holder to the handle.* I knew it was rough when we put them together but wanted to get your feedback asap. There are a couple of fastener issues he beat me up over. I'm not familiar with all the options and I also wanted to keep machining to a minimum so I went with pretty traditional thinking.

I need the tester's to cut me some slack on these screws. We'll implement the improvements along with any suggestions you have on the next revision. Functionally, it should be fine...though...I guess that's for you to say.

I have the revised pump in my hot little hands. Abrasive testing the new design will resume Wednesday. Texture testing will begin as soon as Cory finishes the new valve. 

Rick
DrywallnFlorida, I heard our new software had a glitch so we didn't ship your prototype. We'll get it out next Tuesday (probably still with the funky screws). _Sorry 'bout dat!:blink:_


----------



## rhardman

*A couple of R&D questions...Texture and Drywall Master Taper*

I'll be adding a photo of a new texture attachment for the Raptor Wednesday or Thursday. If you can offer your first impression, I would appreciate it. It's another prototype and will have to be used for a complete evaluation but right now we're just talking about visual appeal.

Second, I've been looking at the automatic tapers a lot lately and am wondering if anyone has used the Drywall Master Tools taper with the removable cover which protects the plunger cable? How does it work for you? What do you think of the concept?

Thank you,

Rick


----------



## Taped Crusader

Sure do like the concept of a removable cover. Can never get it cleaned out in there without taking it off. The tape tech has the 4 screws which are a bit of a hassle to work with. The trick would be to have a head that comes apart easily yet still seals well.


----------



## Kiwiman

I think I might have seen somewhere a bazooka head with a bayonet type connection to attach it to the tube....Or did I just invent it.:huh:
Hey Rick, I saw your website, it's coming together nicely. By the way, what type of cutting system are you using on the mesh taper?


----------



## rhardman

Kiwiman said:


> ...Hey Rick, I saw your website, it's coming together nicely. By the way, what type of cutting system are you using on the mesh taper?


The cut off blade is stationary, mounted on the front of the taper. When it's time to cut, you just move your wrist and it's done.

Today I spoke with the first 2 testers that just received the mesh prototypes. It's a brand new concept and one of them had some apprehension in his voice. I explained a little about how to use it but since it hasn't been seen before, it might seem awkward at first. Neither tester has tried it yet.

You can roll it down the seam which works well but often the roller never comes in contact with the wall. It's not operated the way you might expect. It will take a couple of days for them to get used to it. 

*Looks like I had better put a video together before any more go out.*

Rick

(Kiwi, don't I owe you a paddle? We're working on better international shipping rates so I hope to have it to you before too long.)


----------



## rhardman

*Maybe these will help understand the Mesh Taper better.*

oops


----------



## Kiwiman

Awesome, I like how much thought and research you put into your tools, I was wondering about the loose thread issue...Nice touch putting the extra blade on there.:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*Side issue: A comment about Kiwi's comment..*

That's the funny thing about the research. This whole thing started in 1977 when my dad had an idea for a new "super tool" which we tried on a job in Independence, Oregon. It worked fantastic for about an hour until our mud pump fried. Since then my father found other interests and I (for some unknown reason) couldn't drop the issue. I've been working on the pump since then. Machining and prototypes for it were horribly expensive so whenever I would run out of money, I worked on the hand tools.

After all those years, you pretty much go over everything (like the thread cutter). 

Rick
My dad's "super tool" has turned out better than he had hoped...:whistling2:
(If you've seen our logo on the temp web site, the "HSI" is also a backwards "RHsr." My attempt to give respect to the guy that started the tools. I'm RHjr)

*UPDATE:* The Mesh testers should know that when you are going to quit for the day, you need to "park the tape." Take the end piece of glass tape and bend it back around the small roller, then stick it to the tape coming off the roll. This eliminates tape from unraveling.
View attachment 130

________________________________________________________________________________
(I just noticed a debate on another thread about fiberglass vs. paper tape. We're not recommending glass and this taper to be used with regular mud or to replace paper tape. I used glass for thin wall plaster, with hot mud and for glassing corner bead. Just want to be clear... Thx )


----------



## rhardman

*New Texture Gun*

This texture gun works very well for smaller rigs. We have another version for greater material flow. It will be available with the ball valve or Cory's new pneumatic valve. This picture isn't complete as my photoshop guy is working on the final version for the web site. The picture is missing the ball valve handle and the replacement spray tips which fit on the back end where you see the threaded tube(s). I'll post it as soon as I get it back.

Whatcha think?
View attachment 131



Our creaser wheel accessory for the automatic taper:
(FYI for those that care...we've documented the creasers with a similar configuration. Patent wise, we're rock solid).


Oh, and before anyone mentions the need for a longer reach for the Mesh Taper, we have an extension handle in the works. :thumbsup:

This is the mesh prototype...not pretty yet, but functional.
View attachment 134



Finally, the Industrial Lift Grip I've been talking about.
View attachment 135


Not everyone will need or want the taper or the grip. For those that do, they're very good. ****** has agreed to evaluate the grip. After everyone chews these up, the next round of tools should have broader appeal. We'll see what you say...

Thank you.

Rick
*Website Update:* You've got to hear this... Our web guy charges $10,000.00 for a site and he's backed up well into February (we're in the wrong business). He's giving us a smoking deal so we're waiting for his schedule to clear a bit. It's just as well, we need more of your opinions (and to get our mfg costs lower) before we know what tools to put there anyway.


----------



## [email protected]

Haven't really gotten to put the mesh taper to a full on test yet(today?), but did get it all loaded up and tried it out on a couple of beads yesterday. A couple of things we noticed right off: Maybe need a "finger" guide to prevent the mesh from running off to one side or the other (or maybe we gotta learn to run it right) . And maybe needs a "tongue" to initially stick the tape to the wall, finding we have to start the gun and flop that first 6" or so back against the wall. Finally, that we haven't learned yet how to avoid cutting the tape too early when approaching a dead end (floor) and have to turn around and pull up from the floor with a second piece of mesh.

But again, we haven't used it enough to learn the "english" of a new tool, so maybe we'll solve these problems afield. But it's an awesomely made tool and are really excited about it.


----------



## rhardman

*Dancing with technique...*

Thanks for the great feedback Darren.

Is the tape rotating freely on the spool? I had the tube lathed down (to fit the roll) by a different machinist and just found another proto where he didn't do it correctly. It's too large so it's a tight fit. Let me know if you need a smaller diameter spool.

*Running off to one side:*
The width of the head was chosen to work with the 2 most common tape sizes. It's easy to reduce it to the narrower size of tape you use but then we have 2 part numbers which adds to cost. Let's give it a bit more time to see if technique solves the problem. 

*"Tongue" for applying the tape to the wall:*
I thought about a tab a while back but the only solution at the time was expensive and a bit more complicated than I thought it should be so I thought we'd try it out to see if you (and the other tester) thought it needed one. This can be remedied easily. 

You don't want to run this thing by simply putting it into a corner, rolling down the cornerbead and then trying to run the embedment roller clear to the end of the bead. As you said, you end up cutting the tape too early.

*Operating it is a two handed thing.* Until I can get a video on YouTube let's try a written attempt at this...

Presuming you hold the taper in your right hand:

Go slow and be careful at first to orient yourself to that cut off blade. You should have a glove on for protection. When you first start a stick of bead or a seam between panels, pull a leader (a foot of tape) from the taper with your left hand and place it at the top of the bead as you bring the taper up with your right hand. As you roll the taper down the bead, use your left hand to press the leader onto the wall. Simultaneously, roll the taper and embed the tape as you progress toward the end of the seam. I sometimes (lightly) pull my left hand across the newly applied tape just to make sure it was laid down properly. As you approach the lower section of the bead, pull the taper away from the wall (while holding the tape to the wall with your left hand), estimating just how much tape will be needed to reach the bottom. As you are doing this, slide your left hand down the tape pressing the loose mesh onto the seam progressing toward the end of the run. At this point you have already cut the tape. 

Moving toward the next seam or the 2nd side of the bead, you are pulling a new leader to begin the next run.

*Think, "Lead, Roll, Pull, Cut*" which means, 

*Lead:* Pull a piece of leader and apply it to the wall.
*Roll:* Roll the taper down the wall.
*Pull:* Pull the taper away from the wall and estimate the proper length to reach the end.
*Cut:* Cut the tape. (Remember then to use your left hand to press the piece of tape onto the wall to the end.)

With a little practice it won't take long to consistently get the tape cut to the proper length.

Honestly, it's more like a dance than anything else. When you "get" the rhythm, it all makes sense.

This method works for seams, corner bead, patches and everything of any length.

It works well for detail work and headers as you simply hold the taper in one hand and pull and cut pieces by looking at the seam. Then you apply it to the seam with your left hand. In many cases, the taper never touches the wall at all.

Let me know if this helps Darren.
_________________________________________________________________________________ 
The little secret is that after we get the hand tools finalized, I'm going to adapt the Mesh Taper to paper tape. Then we'll couple it to the Raptor so we have a hand held cfs taper. A "perpetual banjo" so to speak. At the same time we're going to offer a service to adapt the "automatic" tools contractors already own to the Raptor texture system (remember Cory's pneumatic valve he's working on?). So, for less than what many 100 ft texture systems cost, a drywall contractor can use the tools he already has and have a complete CFS taping, finishing and texture system warranteed for life.

This shows the extended taper (sorry for the bad picture)
View attachment 136


The proto's are set up for a 300ft roll of tape. The 500ft is different:
View attachment 137


Something else...there are other attachments that replace the front section of the mesh taper.

Can we say, "hand masker?"
View attachment 138


Rick


----------



## rhardman

*First evaluation of the Mesh Taper is in.*

I spoke with the first tester on Friday. He said that once they were able to get the technique down it worked well.

The second tester should be trying his real soon.
We're jazzed to hear what he thinks.

I have to tweak a couple of "brilliant ideas" I had as far as how to fasten things together. We already had the alternatives sitting on the work bench so it's no issue at all.

Attorney still won't release the Man Pan. This one's a new idea so we hadn't already done the research and put things together before I mentioned it. I also need to sign the contract for the patent assignment.

:thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Sir Mixalot

:thumbup: Great news Rick. I'm going to have to try out one of those mesh tapers.


----------



## silverstilts

rhardman said:


> Thanks for the great feedback Darren.
> 
> Is the tape rotating freely on the spool? I had the tube lathed down (to fit the roll) by a different machinist and just found another proto where he didn't do it correctly. It's too large so it's a tight fit. Let me know if you need a smaller diameter spool.
> 
> *Running off to one side:*
> The width of the head was chosen to work with the 2 most common tape sizes. It's easy to reduce it to the narrower size of tape you use but then we have 2 part numbers which adds to cost. Let's give it a bit more time to see if technique solves the problem.
> 
> *"Tongue" for applying the tape to the wall:*
> I thought about a tab a while back but the only solution at the time was expensive and a bit more complicated than I thought it should be so I thought we'd try it out to see if you (and the other tester) thought it needed one. This can be remedied easily.
> 
> You don't want to run this thing by simply putting it into a corner, rolling down the cornerbead and then trying to run the embedment roller clear to the end of the bead. As you said, you end up cutting the tape too early.
> 
> *Operating it is a two handed thing.* Until I can get a video on YouTube let's try a written attempt at this...
> 
> Presuming you hold the taper in your right hand:
> 
> Go slow and be careful at first to orient yourself to that cut off blade. You should have a glove on for protection. When you first start a stick of bead or a seam between panels, pull a leader (a foot of tape) from the taper with your left hand and place it at the top of the bead as you bring the taper up with your right hand. As you roll the taper down the bead, use your left hand to press the leader onto the wall. Simultaneously, roll the taper and embed the tape as you progress toward the end of the seam. I sometimes (lightly) pull my left hand across the newly applied tape just to make sure it was laid down properly. As you approach the lower section of the bead, pull the taper away from the wall (while holding the tape to the wall with your left hand), estimating just how much tape will be needed to reach the bottom. As you are doing this, slide your left hand down the tape pressing the loose mesh onto the seam progressing toward the end of the run. At this point you have already cut the tape.
> 
> Moving toward the next seam or the 2nd side of the bead, you are pulling a new leader to begin the next run.
> 
> *Think, "Lead, Roll, Pull, Cut*" which means,
> 
> *Lead:* Pull a piece of leader and apply it to the wall.
> *Roll:* Roll the taper down the wall.
> *Pull:* Pull the taper away from the wall and estimate the proper length to reach the end.
> *Cut:* Cut the tape. (Remember then to use your left hand to press the piece of tape onto the wall to the end.)
> 
> With a little practice it won't take long to consistently get the tape cut to the proper length.
> 
> Honestly, it's more like a dance than anything else. When you "get" the rhythm, it all makes sense.
> 
> This method works for seams, corner bead, patches and everything of any length.
> 
> It works well for detail work and headers as you simply hold the taper in one hand and pull and cut pieces by looking at the seam. Then you apply it to the seam with your left hand. In many cases, the taper never touches the wall at all.
> 
> Let me know if this helps Darren.
> _________________________________________________________________________________
> The little secret is that after we get the hand tools finalized, I'm going to adapt the Mesh Taper to paper tape. Then we'll couple it to the Raptor so we have a hand held cfs taper. A "perpetual banjo" so to speak. At the same time we're going to offer a service to adapt the "automatic" tools contractors already own to the Raptor texture system (remember Cory's pneumatic valve he's working on?). So, for less than what many 100 ft texture systems cost, a drywall contractor can use the tools he already has and have a complete CFS taping, finishing and texture system warranteed for life.
> 
> This shows the extended taper (sorry for the bad picture)
> View attachment 136
> 
> 
> The proto's are set up for a 300ft roll of tape. The 500ft is different:
> View attachment 137
> 
> 
> Something else...there are other attachments that replace the front section of the mesh taper.
> 
> Can we say, "hand masker?"
> View attachment 138
> 
> 
> Rick


 Now that is what I would like to see the taper adapted for paper tape hooked up to a cfs, I think that would be useful as I still am not convinced on mesh yet...


----------



## rhardman

*Sir Mixalot*- If you could help us out, I need your review of the creaser wheel phoned into a number I will PM you. I'll be happy to send a mesh taper when they are ready.
Your's will be the last sample sent out (these little things are expensive to build).
_______________________________________________________________________

*Silver,* I absolutely respect your hesitation on the mesh. I would only use it for corner bead and patch work or small remodels with hot mud. The first few tools we will offer are compatible with Drywall and Plastering with the mesh taper much more attractive to the plaster guys. My reason for asking drywalltalk guys to test the taper is because I know they will be much more critical and frankly, harder to please. I'm a drywall guy even though I did thin wall plaster for many years too. By direct marketing to both fields we increase our early sales opportunities until the more advanced drywall tools come out.

You mentioned the paper tape adapter for the mesh taper. I will highly recommend that when the Raptor A-2 is available, people get it as it will be expandable with other features announced later. By itself, it will be the best and most powerful texture machine (with the broadest variety of textures available) in it's price range. At first the pricing will be as low as we can possibly offer it so we can prove it to the industry. But it's more valuable benefits will come 6-9 months later. At that time we will increase the price semi dramatically (probably 20-30%).

I will make a drywalltalk commitment to you right now Mr. Silverstilts. When we are finally able to introduce our main focus tool, if you don't skip a breath, say "WOW!" and want to try it out immediately, I will give you $500.00.

No BS, no fluff and no sales crap. 

From me to you, right now, a contract.

Rick


----------



## silverstilts

Rick I am not trying to run your new system down don't get me wrong. I have no doubts as to how well your mesh applicator will work and with all due respect for those out there that use the mesh I think that is there right to use whatever product works best for them,( it is a fairly new way of doing drywall 25 years or so) my point was, I myself have yet been convinced on the mesh because of prior experience. Unless it is used properly with the proper mud it can cause problems down the road. Myself I do not like using Hot Mud because of all the clean up involved and I believe that most jobs allow enough time for drying so that is why i tape the traditional way with regular mud, it is not necessary to always rush a job, that is all I was truly trying to get across. I think it would be a great product if the mesh taper was adapted to run paper tape with the cfs . Change is not always easy for some of us older guys in the business ,does not mean that we wont change just takes a little more prodding. :yes:


----------



## drywallnflorida

silverstilts said:


> Myself I do not like using Hot Mud because of all the clean up involved and I believe that most jobs allow enough time for drying so that is why i tape the traditional way with regular mud, it is not necessary to always rush a job, that is all I was truly trying to get across. :yes:


I don't like to run hot mud either but do use it alot because on small jobs we think its better to spend the time mixing/cleaning up and be able to put mutiple coats on VS. packing up and going to another job and setting up to coat just one coat on multible jobs. Anything under 35-40 bds we use hot mud!!! And in my opinon your right on the fact of only using hot mud over mesh (atleast the first coat). Just my .02!!


----------



## [email protected]

Okay, review on the mesh taper:

Love the handle set up. Well thought out and executed. Virtually no operator fatigue.

Have done a couple customs with it (for metal bead only). I think we can say it saves some time, but is more a convenience. Not having to lay down a roll having it pick up trash in between beads. The roll stays debris free. 

The cutter eliminates having to carry a six in your free hand to cut the mesh.

Am still on the UMHF roller, no residue build up as yet. Have run a dozen or so rolls through, no problems.

Pretty happy with it overall. I do believe it will cut exposure to repititive stress injuries due to the handle configuration. Especially for those with smaller paws. B+


----------



## rhardman

Ouch! :blink:
We're shooting for an A+

Darren, what does it need other than the anodizing and cosmetics?

Rick
I know about the fasteners...


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

*Mesh Taper, First Impressions*

Well I plan on giving it more use before giving a final thumbs up but here are my, and my contractor buddies first impressions. As Rick has stated he spoke to a couple testers and said one had some apprehension in his voice. I'm guessing that was me. When I got it out out of the box my very first thought it's kind of big a little cumbersome maybe, I thought it would take some getting used too. In all fairness to Rick though, I hadn't anything to compare it too, and had never used a competitors version. After using it a little those thoughts dissappeared. My buddies first impression of it was, "Oh cool, I would use this". He seemed to think it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. 

Two things that popped in my mind when getting it ready were the extremely sharp blade. What if I'm working with it over my head and lose grip of it. Surely my jugular could be at risk. Sometimes I worry about the inane, like falling on stilts and my head hitting a countertop on the way down. Unlikely, but you never know. The other was it seemed like it would be kind of difficult to load it. Anyway I'm sure the blade issue Rick thought about because each side of the blade is somewhat "protected". And he also mentioned you should wear gloves. My buddy learned that quickly, it got him even though he was wearing gloves one finger had a rip on the side and sure enough he ran it along the blade and provided us an opportunity to use my first aid kit. I don't think it's needed or should neccesarily be offered but maybe a kind of bracelet and chain to stop it from falling to the floor, should you actually drop it... Just a thought. 

As far as the loading goes, we both thought it was difficult to load. In the end I just used a piece of masking tape to stick the mesh to the grooved nylon roller and pulled it thru. I would have called Rick but we were working in an area where we were not allowed to have our phones. We may have been doing it wrong but I think this might need to be addressed. We thought maybe if the nylon roller was "spring loaded" or could swing in and out of place with a locking mechanism it might make things a little easier. 

To sum things up I think it's a killer product, it does take some getting used to but it definately does the job. I will be using it a little more and give my opinion on its function. One other minor thing my help mentioned was there could maybe be use for an adapter if you use the rolls of tape from HD that have a bigger hole. But then again it might be just one more thing to lose.


----------



## [email protected]

The guys still think a "tongue" would be helpful at getting the mesh started on the wall. They also mentioned wanting an "ear" on each side that folds away, to ride on the bead, hate to mention this one, I know more parts. But they suggested it'd help the taper tracking down the bead. And I am a bit cautious with that cut-off blade also. I set mine as far back as I could, but sure somebody will find a way to get sliced soon or later.
Never thought of the foam roller being spring-loaded, but that'd make rethreaded easier.


----------



## rhardman

*Now we're having fun!!!*

If you hold the taper on it's back, thread the tape underneath (over, when it's right side up) the smaller roller and with your thumb, roll the larger roller, the tape should feed through easier. The protos are tweaky, the production models will be machined tighter so the taper becomes virtually self threading.

View attachment 140


Okay I get the tab, I designed a complicated one years ago but I'm sure I can do better, I just have to think about it for a couple of hours. The tricky part is making it effective without interfering with the cutting process. There's geometry going on in there that is really quite precise.

And the blades, now I'm sure you can see why I only sent 2 out to begin with. Those blades cut like the proverbial hot knife through butter (you gotta admit) but I'll get some other material that isn't sharp in the same way. For legal reasons (I told my attorney and he's *issed at me for using those blades) I have to tell you that you need to remove the blades and tape up the sharp edge. Then file or grind down the rear edge and use that to cut until I can get new blades out to you. There are 2 other mesh tapers I'm aware of and with all due respect to their designers, I'm not really impressed with what they use to cut with. 

View attachment 141


I spent the day with the Raptor and will be with it tomorrow too. I'll see if I can get some new blades sent Monday.

If you need a tab for corner bead, it's not being used as fast as it could be.
I really need to take time to do that video, it will clear up a lot of questions. 

Thanks for the great input, _*I'll take care of the issues! :notworthy:*_

Rick
Oh, and until we get an adapter for the 3 inch mesh rolls, you can use the smaller diameter roll and tape with it until you get down to the i.d. of the larger Fiba-Tape roll (and use the first roll as an adapter). 
Look very closely at the following picture, and you'll see what I mean...
View attachment 139


----------



## Kiwiman

Gidday Rick, Not sure what type of blade you're using but I've been playing with one of those sellotape packaging tape dispenser thingee's, they've got a toothed type cutter which seems to cut mesh like turds through your toes, and they have a plastic safety guard that folds out of the way, it's held by the screws that hold the blade in.


----------



## rhardman

Kiwi,

Can you email a picture to me? I have a ton of patents for those tapers and most cutting blades are similar to the "finger" blade you mention. Personally I don't like them as they shread the end of the tape and don't cut it clean. There are many fold away shields available but they are not quite compatible with our design. I've been in contact with a blade manufacturer so we should have the new cut off (blade) spec'd in a few days.

The "tab" is presenting a challenge as with the design of this tool I'm having a hard time understanding what the benefit would be. I'm sure this is because I'm so biased with the way I run the thing. I'm 6'4 and can reach anything within an 8 ft lid. I use 2 hands to apply the tape but if that's not the natural inclination of most users, I'd better listen real well...

I've asked for more clarification to see what it is they want to accomplish so I can design it to do exactly what they want. 

As best as I can determine, the request for a tab is either to hold the tape in a certain position (after cutting) so they can start another run with one hand or to flatten the tape on to the wall after the tape has been cut.

The box tapers have several methods to hold the tape in position but the glue on the mesh tape is different than the adhesive on box tape. It comes off much easier and can transfer to the tab if it's not done properly. 

Just a learning thing, if it's really needed, we'll get it.

Rick

Raptor Update:
We added a lot of *rap to the mud to see how the pump would handle it. After a while the pump started loading up and I was afraid that the 150 feet of hose might require too much pressure to push thick mud through it. This presented a fundamental problem as my intention is to build a system that will pump straight up 3 floors, feed through a window and then run another 100 feet to spray texture. I started to get a little worried. I added more power (aka Tim Taylor "ar, ar, ar") and it was still fluctuating. I was watching the pump as it bound and then suddenly blew a hole through the 500 psi (operating pressure) hose. The funny thing was that it was only 12 inches from the end which made no sense at all. The mud sprayed 15- 20 feet in every direction covering me, the cars and everything else in the prettiest orange peel texture you ever saw. I shut everything down and investigated.

Apparently in the process of adding garbage to the mud, someone dropped a piece of road gravel in there. The 1/2 inch rock travelled through the pump, through the hose and lodged at the final connection with the quick coupler that attaches to the new spray gun (shown above). After I cut off the damaged end of the hose, things were fine. Pressure looks (real) good, flow is consistent and now we just have to confirm how long our new pump will hold it's seal under abusive conditions.


----------



## rhardman

*Discontinuing the testing program - 3 weeks.*

We're negotiating with 3 different Mfr Rep/Distribution sources to help with our upcoming launch. Things should be solidified in the next 2 or 3 weeks. Since Nathan agreed to let me ask for help (while I was in the R&D stage) I think it's best to stop asking for input once we begin selling tools.

So we'll get those new mesh cutting blades specified and then out to Darren and A+ as soon as we can. 

If any of the current or past testers have suggestions or other feedback on anything, please let me know so I can make any last changes to our tools before we start selling them.

One interesting thing that has come up, one of the DrywallTalk viewers has sent me his idea for another mesh taper design that is different from mine. I'll do some patent research and if it's available, I hope to form some sort of agreement with him so we can sell it too.

At first we'll be pursuing plastering and EIFS markets as our first tools are much more applicable to those fields. As our other tools come out we'll come back to drywall where we will really shine.

Thank you for all of your help,

Rick 
(Bazil, your tool is still in the que.)


----------



## rhardman

Still trying to get a good cutting blade for a decent price...

Guys, I ran across the following site I thought you might find interesting. They add photography to suspended ceilings. I don't know anything about them but thought for some of you it might be an option to sell to a GC.

http://www.ceilingscenes.com/

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Pump is looking very good! Standing strong and better than any of the 6 or 8 (I lost count) of the previous pumps I designed. Cory's made a huge contribution. Everything needs more testing but is going well. 3 more hours and we'll tear it down for evaluation.

Mfg costs are still too high. Meeting Wednesday to discuss options with a mfg guru. Really don't want to go to China for the hand tools but the prices the distributor's want to retail for would cost us money to send out. Didn't get a big response to selling direct so it doesn't look like that would be a huge advantage.

I think the Man Pan is going to hit a home run. Problem is my cost to get started with them is $15.00 each (qty of 1000). That would put it on the shelf (with the distributors) at about $22.00 and we wouldn't make a dime. Nobody would pay the retail price that would be required.

The blade prices for the mesh taper are still ridiculous. _Working on it..._

Interesting times...

Thank you again for all of your help with this.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Tough road to hoe! Hard decisions. We appreciate your efforts! Thank you for making a better tool.


----------



## rhardman

*The rubber is meeting the road...*



Tim0282 said:


> Tough road to hoe! Hard decisions. We appreciate your efforts! Thank you for making a better tool.


Thank you Tim0282,

I mentioned earlier that we're starting our tools out in the plastering / EIFS arena where margins have a little more room to move. This will help as we begin our manufacturing and costs are higher than they will be later.

Our choices are two; build here make 25% with the absolute highest quality paddle we can build or go to China and make 80%. This gives the distributor their 30-35% and a 6% bump to the mfr rep. The mixing paddle will be at the upper end of the price range and probably have the highest ranking on the menu. The distributor I spoke with yesterday has no problem with that as it gives them something new to advertise. Their customers want to see anything new that comes out so overall, it adds to their reputation for having the newest tools on the market. If we take the low margin to build domestically and retain our quality standards I figure it's better advertising for our "focus" tools that will come out later. I mean, if a potential customer sees that we make everything the best we can, it will be logical to believe that our elaborate systems will receive the same attention. Likewise, if we go to China and bring back tools with typical quality standards, the potential customer sees something new and better to use, but long term it won't hold up and it won't clean as easily. So that damages the "Tools for Life" reputation we want to build.

After I fell off the stilts and got into electronic distribution in Silicon Valley, I figured that (as with electronic engineers) the general drywall community, especially the distributor's would be fanatic about hearing about any new technology. I've been sorefully disappointed (not the case here at DWT thankfully). A few people have reached out to provide advise (a major automatic tool manufacturer especially) but the online guys have been very difficult to convince to listen to us. Sure, it's possible that they may not like what we are offering so far (which is fair) but the feedback has been, "cheaper, cheaper", "come to us" and "drop ship if you want our business" which is entirely different than what I experienced in electronic distribution. There, it's "Something new? Get in here quick before our competitor's find out and we'll do anything for an exclusive relationship!"

Washing buckets at age 6, owning my own drywall company at 18, AIA Architectural Craftsmanship award, and I thought I understood the drywall mind...

Guess I'm not as smart as I thought I was (not the first time) and as Sunil recently didn't disagree with, I'm probably a little too arrogant too... 

This reminds me of my first paragliding solo flight. I was so "excited" and afraid of making a mistake, I vomited all the way to the ground.









Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Raptor pump test results.*

Just completed the 80 hour high pressure test under crazy conditions. Pulled it apart to see what shape the wear surfaces were in.

No visible sign of wear at all, anywhere. Next week we'll start the second test phase: 30 days/24 hours.

Our web guy will back on the scene in a few days. As soon as we launch the site (with a big DWT logo under the "Friends" tab), the R&D thread will need to end (as I promised). If anyone wants to follow up on the new developments, PM me so I can add you to the list.

As I've said before, our first pump attempt was in 1977.
Today is a VERY GOOD day! 

Frankly, I'm doin' the happy dance :clap: huggin' strangers, and counting the minutes until I see Francesca tonight ( :tongue_smilie.

Rick
(Now we're getting close to the "real" tools)


----------



## drandy19

*new drywall tools*

please send some work,then we'll test the tools.


----------



## Tim0282

Can hardly wait to see and use the new tools! :thumbup: Couldja hurry it up already?? Been waiting since 1977, you know!


----------



## Kiwiman

Poor Francesca:help:


----------



## GYPSUMTRADESMAN

i would love to try these out for you i buy from fantastic tools i love the cinta pump is great you can get back to me i live in norwalk cali


----------



## rhardman

*Had to fire myself...*



GYPSUMTRADESMAN said:


> i would love to try these out for you i buy from fantastic tools i love the cinta pump is great you can get back to me i live in norwalk cali


Thanks for the offer but we're leaning away from any new testers. It's evolved into a different program now.
_____________________________________________________________

I decided to fire myself. I'm just not the right person to talk to distributor's and the supply chain players. We found the perfect person and after my last discussion with him, I was convinced that he is much better at that aspect of the process than I am. He explained the Drywall distributor in way's that I've been blind to. It all makes much more sense now.

My title say's R&D which is probably the best use of my time. I've assembled an excellent management team and if I can stay out of their way, we'll do well.

Thanks for the ear, just needed to be honest and fall on the sword (again).:wallbash:

Rick
Oh, I was contacted by a new manufacturing source this past week which may prove to be very helpful in keeping our street prices low.


----------



## rhardman

*Update: Status and "stuff."*

We found a source for the cutting blades (for the fiberglass taper) from another company providing a tape system to another industry. Seems they had the same problem with their cutting method and couldn't find an economical source so they built their own machine to make them. They are domestic (which we love) with pricing that is fair. Today they sent out some samples that I will test. Provided they work alright I'll send some to the testers for their review. We'll also get the video done (down and dirty; we'll do a professional version when more tools are ready) so you can see how fast it runs. We've also requested samples of a different type of glass that may be better than the traditional mesh tape.

We'll also be sending a taper to Whitey97 so he can abuse it with his normal amount of "enthusiasm." After his and the other guys review, we'll get the rest of the tapers out to everyone else that was promised one.

The EIFS front is looking great as our texture machine seems to be more powerful and manuverable(sp?) than anything they are currently trying to spray with. We have a couple of EIFS mfr's jazzed about it and are sending samples to us for testing. Clean out was a big concern so I developed a rinse that can be used to totally kill the set of the material and loosen it from all metals and the valve system(s). Even if the mud gets hard, this rinse disolves the mortar without any acid and is perfectly safe for the environment.

We're in phase 3 of proving the pump's durability and are establishing our first national EIFS distributor.

Mfg costs for the hand tools are being further scrutinized. It's funny, looks like the bigger machines (Drywall and EIFS) will be easier to compete with* as they have turned out to be so different from the converted paint sprayers out there. We can provide a lower price right out of the gate with a stronger pump. 

*It's turning out to be the opposite of what we originally thought would happen.

_Viva la DrywallTalk.com!_

Rick 
Website is stalled with the photographer.


----------



## rhardman

*oh, and by the way...*



Kiwiman said:


> Poor Francesca:help:


 
I gave Francesca your condolences...


----------



## rhardman

*Tool development was detoured yesterday...*









Back at it today.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Looks like hard work to me.:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Looks like hard work to me.:thumbup:


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

rhardman said:


> Don't let it's mild mannered appearance fool you, this thing is a mixing BEAST!
> Rick


sorry this is 6 mos old but

I bet it's a beast looks like my clutch linkage of my 78 International Scout I just replaced (minus the plastic)...


----------



## rhardman

*Mean while back at the Mixing Paddle ranch...*

Eeeeerrrrrttttt! Wrrroooogggg! ( )

Actually it's an industrial steel yoke engineered to be much stronger and then powder coated to prevent rusting (and eliminate any possibility of destruction as a result of insane Whitey97 testing methods).

But thank you for for playing...


You know...you're never going to be able to get the trailer ball on your Scout to fit in a 1/2 inch drill. We tried already...(VERY extensive R&D going on here....when we're not paragliding! 





 )

Rick


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

You mean its not a Clevis Pin ?!?!?!


----------



## rhardman

I mean it's the most technologically advanced mixing tool the world has ever seen! Utilizing high tech self lubricating plastic, it cleans in 10 - 15 seconds, mixes more thoroughly and faster than anything else in existance, is prettier than any paddle ever used and with optional blade sizes it will perfectly conform to the user's mixing methods and preferences. Since it's first conception in the early 90's, better and more simple solutions were investigated to make it as simply and inexpensively as possible with our final design brought to experts in the industry here on DrywallTalk for their review. 

As a result of their suggestions, we found that there is an area for improvement in our yoke that we can implement that will allow those crevices to clean even faster. After we sell (not today as we're not selling anything yet) what we have already made, a new design will be offered that is better in every way.

Another DrywallTalk satisfied manufacturer asking for industry evaluations...

That is what I mean.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*The paddle came from necessity...*

When using the 2nd Raptor prototype between 1984 -1991 the steel paddles were banging the sides of the stainless steel hopper we had. We couldn't get everything off of the bottom since it was so large and flat and with periodic pulses of thick mud, the pump would slow down.

The idea of plastic came first, then the pivot.

Just an FYI as I think my response to the International Scout drill might have had an "edge" it didn't need.









My wife at the time never understood why I was pooring (the spelling is accurate) all of my money into the thing. She would have rather I drop the project and put the money into a house so we could move out of the mobile home you'll see in the corner of the picture.

One day she said, "Rick, I don't want to hear about the tools because I don't want to get my hopes up and then be disappointed later if they don't happen."

That marriage didn't work out...

Rick
Yea, if you look close you'll see a 3 piston CAT pump. I redesigned the valves and seals so they would move thick drywall mud. It pumped 2000 psi mud a long way...just not for as long as I wanted. I spent about 2 years redesigning and trying new things on that particular pump. Then I tried all sorts of configurations with that same frame. It had the wrong center of gravity. It doesn't look anything like that any more.:thumbsup:


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

Didn't mean to strick a nerve there Rick with your "baby". Just finished doing a lift on one of my scouts just so happened I had that 'clutch linkage' in my hands the other day and they look identical. Coincidental that I saw your paddle after that. I know my linkage is bad a$$ whether or not your paddle is I'll never know. Never had a problem with a paddle yet. If it ain't broke don't fix it. 30 years hanging and taping. I'm 50, got into this after my formal education. When I was 6 I was in the first grade not cleaning buckets on a job site in my diapers as an infant. EASE ON DOWN DUDE.


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

see what i mean...many types this just happens to be one of them


----------



## Tim0282

You're really missing out if you don't try this mixer. There is no comparison... Throw out the mind set "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" Failure in store...
I've tried this mixer. No other mixer stands on the same playing field.


----------



## rhardman

FOR THOSE ABOUT; said:


> see what i mean...many types this just happens to be one of them


There is a big difference in yokes. First it has to receive a machined shaft and be able to seal so water can't intrude into the threads and later rust, so this makes it a non standard (not off the traditional shelf) item. I suppose we could put something like that together but then you're just trying to sell something cheap and not make the best tool possible with a lifetime warrantee.

I would like to ask you to consider that the drywall industry cannot maintain it's current level of tool technology. Everyone is losing money, the distributors, the mfrs, even Ames is in the doghouse. All contractors are using the same tools and bleeding a slow death as "*hores" are coming into the field working illegally and for nothing.

In it's current state, and with the unknown governmental policies out in our future something has got to change.

I submit that it will come through a new drywall technology. Either today or at some time in the future, new tools will provide a method for higher profits and those guys not looking for a way to improve will sit alone in their garage, drunk on cheap beer and stare at their buggy whip wondering why they went broke.

Look at Marshalltowns new stilts and Full Circle Internationals' high tech sanding tools. I believe we are seeing a glimpse into this new future. Who knows what else is out there? :whistling2:

Rick
(Thank you Tim0282)


----------



## Tim0282

Well said, Mr Hardman!! And I agree, just couldn't put the words on paper so eloquently.


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

Rick...I'm not against technological advancements in the drywall industry. You have totally blown what was initially meant as a "funny" comment out of proportion. I am not knocking your tool, but it will not be the end all save all of the labor issues you speak of. Furthermore as I have already stated I have never used my paddle and thought "wow this thing really sucks, I wish someone would...." Last year I purchased the Mark V, so I am not afraid to invest in what I believe will be a more efficeint way of producing my end result. Comparing your paddle to the Marshalltown stilts is like apples and oranges. I am quite anxious to try out a pair of Marshalltown's latest invention...they seem promising. All I am saying is that just because some guy is going to invent a 6 in 1 floor jack/rasp/drywall lift/bucket holder/scooper/bottle opener contraption, I am not going to waste my time with it and if someone shows up on my job with one I hope it can float or swim because its going in the ocean.


----------



## rhardman

*At the end of my best intent to be professional...I guess you end up with "Rick."*

Fair enough, but if you had read earlier posts in this thread I think you would understand what's going on here a little better.

Of particular importance to this discussion is my second post of 07-07-2009, 09:24 PM This is were I said,_ *"The first few items won't change the world but will make your job a little easier. We have some real wild things down the pier but can't talk about those for a while."*_

This aint about paddles and I guess you touched off a real frustration I've had regarding some peoples lack of an inquisitive nature. I had to fire myself (in an earlier post) because of my attitude.

The hand tools have been in development for longer than 10 years and the Raptor and larger systems since 77. So when I see that I've invested my entire life into the trade (also cleaning buckets at age 6), thousands and thousands (and thousands) of dollars into an idea, and then find that the industry's established online distribution network not only isn't interested because of our higher retail prices, but several don't treat their customers with the respect they deserve, I'm left with a real fire to make the over all situation better for the guys on the street.

Then, I hear one of "my people" comparing my beautiful paddle (as you've seen, I could go on for hours about it) with truck parts that can be pulled from any junk yard, and I guess I take it kind of personal.


I know what our other tools are and since I can't talk about them until our Raptor pump is proven, it's driving me insane.:wacko::turned::tt2::lol:

With respect,
Rick


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

Rick...just so you know, I read ALL the posts prior to making my statement. I always do this in any thread because I hate it when people jump in and haven't caught up with the gist. You should have actually taken my comment as a compliment because I was comparing your paddle to a part off of an indestructable one of a kind vehicle!  Which is a beast. Wasn't saying you were Sanford and Soning during the production phase of your paddle. I wish you the best of luck with your tools...I look forward to seeing what else you have up your sleeve. Let me know when you come up with a drywall robot donkey that carry's board and keeps it's mouth shut. Best of Luck. Rock On Bill


----------



## silverstilts

FOR THOSE ABOUT said:


> Rick...just so you know, I read ALL the posts prior to making my statement. I always do this in any thread because I hate it when people jump in and haven't caught up with the gist. You should have actually taken my comment as a compliment because I was comparing to a part off of an indestructable one of a kind vehicle!  Wasn't saying you were Sanford and Soning during the production phase of your paddle. I wish you the best of luck with your tools...I look forward to seeing what else you have up your sleeve. Let me know when you come up with a drywall robot donkey that carry's board and keeps it's mouth shut. Best of Luck. Rock On Bill


Just to set the record straight I think regarding the paddles, I perhaps was the biggest thorn in Ricks side, there was no telling me what a great paddle it would be he even offered to send me one then I did not even have the decency to reply back because of my pride. Finally Rick offered it once again and I accepted and I was glad I did. At first I wasn't to sure of it but gave it a try then let it sit for a few days still did not want to let my pride get in the way of accepting his concept that perhaps it was a great idea. I since then have picked it up and it has been put to use every day since that day I have retired the old paddles which have served me well. New and improved may not always be the greatest but in this case it was , it is a great mixing paddle something so simple but worked great. I thank Rick for putting up with my arrogant posts about his paddle. I tip my hat to Rick. Silver


----------



## rhardman

*Thank you for the paddle comment Silver! I truly appreciate it.*

As far as the FOR THOSE ABOUT'S earlier comment:* "Let me know when you come up with a drywall robot donkey that carry's board and keeps it's mouth shut."*

I can assure everyone there is no donkey involved. And later, if you choose the option, it will talk to you.

Rick


----------



## FOR THOSE ABOUT

Rick
FYI...There are two kinds in this trade "Sharpies" and "Donkees". You are either one or the other. Donkey is a term used towards fledgling know nothings and yes it is better when they don't talk...just nod. Wanted to clarify for anyone now so I'm not doing it three pages later.


----------



## rhardman

*Mesh Taper Blades and Website.*

I'll be picking up the new cut off blades today and will provide an evaluation by the end of the week. If they look alright I'll be sending replacement blades to our two testers. I'll also have tapers sent out to Craig, Nate, Tony (across the pond) and Bazil (up north).

Since the site will feature the taper on the home page (other tools will also be added), we are going to hold off on launching the site until the taper evaluations come in.

Don't want to sell anything that isn't good. I mean, that's why I'm here right? :notworthy:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Update: Mesh Cut Off blades and Raptor pump progress.*

Upon inspection, the blades are exactly what the testers are asking for and what Kiwi sent me in his graphic. They are much safer than the 4 inch straight blades I originally used on the prototypes. I can easily hold the new blades between my fingers without any fear of being cut by them.

As we have a new forum friend discussing an improved mesh tape, I requested a sample for our taper testing too (self serving I admit).

The new mesh cuts like butter with the new blades but the traditional mesh requires a stronger pull to cut it. The new blades are serrated and I have differing tooth sizes to try. Seems like too much effort to me. I like the straight blade as the cutting process requires virtually no effort at all. And after hundreds (probably thousands) of hours of using it, I've learned to be aware of the sharpness and to operate the taper accordingly. However, that has nothing to do with the reality of the market and if the testers are concerned, so will several thousand other guys.

With all the research I did into different blades, I'm convinced that these are the best serrated blades available. They are very good in regard to their specifications and they fit our taper perfectly. I'm just having a mental issue with the extra effort they require to cut the old style mesh tape.

I'll get back with a more comprehensive review after I try them out on a jobsite.

I'll also talk to my attorney about the liability involved with offering the straight blades. My first impulse is to offer both types of blades as accessories.

_Maybe I'll take another look at designing a guard..._

*RAPTOR UPDATE:*
We're running the test at 4 times the recommended pump speed with thin mud and increasing seal friction temperatures beyond traditional working conditions. The pumping material is comprised of drywall mud and crushed rock ranging from small minute particles to odd shapes in excess of 1/4 inch. The larger pieces are preventing the valves from closing completely which is causing heat build up (and a lack of lubrication) between the cooling that results in the 2nd or 3rd mud cycle (after the valves clear the larger pebbles). I chose this sand composition in lieu of the more common 20 or 30 mesh silica as this is far more destructive. We are way beyond the normal conditions of a day to day work environment.

168 hours and pressure is holding...

Rick

As a point of interest, the graphic below shows a typical configuration the paint sprayers (that also pump drywall mud) use for their seals.


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> Upon inspection, the blades are exactly what the testers are asking for and what Kiwi sent me in his graphic. They are much safer than the 4 inch straight blades I originally used on the prototypes. I can easily hold the new blades between my fingers without any fear of being cut by them.
> View attachment 167


Rick - glad I can help. One thing to note with the serrated blade is you must cut square on with the tape, if you skew the tape at all it will tear rather than cut.
I know I might be one sandwich short of a picnic:blink: but what do you mean by old style mesh tape? I'm only familiar with sheetrock brand.


----------



## rhardman

Kiwiman said:


> Rick - ... what do you mean by old style mesh tape? I'm only familiar with sheetrock brand.


See: http://www.drywalltalk.com/f3/hello-fibafuse-paperless-drywall-tape-1014/

In our opinion the Fibafuse is an interim step toward what could be an incredible new (and easy to market) fiberglass tape. When I said "old style" I should have said "established mesh."

The material is fiberous which may pull apart when an adhesive is factory applied (depending on the strength of the adhesive). But for it to be widely accepted _for production work_ it must have adhesive. Otherwise, it's doomed to hand taping.

Either way, it's encouraging to see St. Gobain trying new ideas. They are HUGE and have the resources to do great things.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*1979 picture*

I asked the patent attorney for some pictures I could share...









I'll reveal the others later...










Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Blades and "stuff"*

The serrated blades don't work very well for the Mesh Taper. They just pull too hard to get the tape to cut properly. What I'm going to do is have some spring steel shaved to an edge sharp enough to cut easily but not so sharp as to cut your fingers. This way, if you want you can file them periodically to keep them sharp or you can buy new ones to save the hassle. I tried some of these fabricated blades and they work fine.

On the distributor front...we're still having fun there. After negotiating a price level, I received a note from them this morning saying that they want a price of $40.00 so they can sell it for $79.00. Probably a simple minded negotiating tactic but it torqued me so I told Randy (the guy I hired to take my place) to take care of it. _Sheesh!!!! Remember, the mfr's rep get's another share beyond what the distributor wants._

The Raptor pump is crazy good. Solid so far at the equivalent of 6 weeks of heavy use. We've increased the speed to between 6 and 7 times the recommended rpm of the thing and it's getting real hot...under full pressure!

Seals are holding.

I have an electronics degree* (after falling off the stilts) but am having a buddy build the circuitry for me. We're setting it up so it's a convenience thing, monitoring pump speed and the wearing of the seals so as they become worn, you will get a yellow flashing light so you know it's getting close to rebuild time. Then at our recommended change time a yellow and red LED will flash together. 


Rick
*Ever hear about my calculus tutor that tried to convince me to get into demon worship :furious: to help pass my (calculus) test??? True story..._I ran like a rabbit!_


----------



## rhardman

*That was strange...*

We had the pump running yesterday and when I went in to check on it nothing was coming out and the thing was terribly hot.

I shut it down and and tore it apart.

It appears that the different sizes of sand/pebbles settled to the bottom of the hopper and "garbaged up" the system. Raw sand was pumped into the valves and totally encrusted everything. Looks like one of the larger rocks (about 3/16 inch oval) jammed (on both ends) in the secondary valves preventing them from closing. It's amazing how much force must have been in there. I'll drop the system off to Cory today so he can see what happened.

The good thing is that 1. Nobody would ever use such inconsistent aggregate sizes and even if they did, we will machine some passages so it can't happen again. 2. We found a potential problem. 3. The seals still look good and all wear surfaces show no sign of damage at all.

As long as the seals are holding we have the variables under control. If we encounter a failure in the seals before our 400+ hour test is complete, we'll need to come up with a better solution. Which will take more time.

So far...we're stylin! :thumbup1:

Rick

Oh...in my previous post, the picture is of a spring loaded corner roller. Great idea and worked well in tight areas. It got a little tweaky though after about 2 months.


----------



## rhardman

*After Cory's review we found straight sand in the hose...*

Cory found some faint scratches in one of the surfaces which we determined was caused by me setting the piece down on a rough surface after dismantling the pump. No big deal but he certainly drove the point home with me. Easy solution, we'll include a tool kit with a foam pad with each system for rebuilding in the field.

After I put everything together and started pumping, the hose bound and suddenly exploded (through the end of the ball valve). Looks like before the valves jammed from the large rock (discussed in my previous post), sand had been pumped into the hose where it lodged tight. :blink:

After the hose cleared we changed the mix to straight Beadex AP mixed thick enough to run metal. We're at 4-5 times normal speed and it's doing fine. The pump gets a little warmer a little quicker, because it has to work harder for the thick mud. Certainly within a safe range. 

Other than my minor stratches, seals and wear surfaces show no sign of fatigue.

Cory is beginning the process of "designing for manufacturability" for the pump. We're going to double the seal configuration we are currently testing (with) to ensure even longer durability. That is after we make sure that with double the seal capacity, they are still being lubricated and the back up set is not running dry.
__________________________________________

Waiting on parts for the mesh taper...

Rick

*Wednesday evening update:* Tonight we'll pass 1,072,800 valve cycles.


----------



## rhardman

*Sunday evening:* Still pumping strong...
Found some seals I came up with a long time ago.
After we finish up the current test I'll plug the old ones in to see how they hold up. 
If they're good, I may incorporate the 2 types.

Gears are showing no sign of wear.

401.75 hours so far.

Rick


----------



## Masterpiece

I'm not a full time taper/finisher but love tools that make things easier, especially cool concepts. That mesh taper looks really nice. Was there ever a decision to adapt it for paper or is that down the road possibly still? I know there are specific paper taping tools already but just curious...

Site's looking good a well...


Jeremy


----------



## jmr

awesome mixer! still need testers? haha


----------



## jmr

rhardman said:


> Yea, I think I first saw their pan during the initial patent search.
> 
> You know...what these companies need to do is find someplace where they can ask the actual drywall guy's if their tools are *rap or not before they try selling them...
> 
> 
> ...:whistling2:
> 
> The tools below are just a few of the pan designs we found during our patent search... Gotta admire their efforts.
> View attachment 99



that curved 'u' like pan with legs is relatively the same as my dads... he had it in the early '90s and didn't have the money to patent it. he made the mistake of letting a few use it (with only a poor mans patent) and i think that may have been how it got out. we bought marshalltowns to compare with his and theirs is WAY to cumbersome and kinda cheap. 
my dad's is much more streamlined.. its been over 15 years so i'm sure he doesn't have a case against them but we have a few other ideas in the works that we are working on getting at least a provisional patent :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Masterpiece said:


> I'm not a full time taper/finisher but love tools that make things easier, especially cool concepts. That mesh taper looks really nice. Was there ever a decision to adapt it for paper or is that down the road possibly still? I know there are specific paper taping tools already but just curious...
> 
> Site's looking good a well...
> 
> 
> Jeremy


Thanks Jeremy,

The mesh taper is really wild.* There are more things I'm having to revise to get the costs down but should be able to get them out by Monday. We can make it handle dry paper tape easy if that's what you mean but our next model will be used as a detail/hand taper for CFS. I'm talking to 2 companies about adapting their boxes and corner tools to our Raptor spray machine. Years ago I designed an adapter for the Automatic Taper that would allow it to run virtually weightless all day without refilling. I'll get back to that when I have some time. I don't think it would be too tough to make it work. Question is whether anyone would want it or not. We also want to allow guys to send their tools to us so we can adapt them to our texture machine. That way they have full CFS capabilities at very little expense. Seems to me that would make the Raptor even more attractive. 

*I made one mistake by already sending out the 2 mesh tapers. I need to have a Youtube video posted before any more reviews come in. Just pulling it out of the box doesn't give any indication of the best way to run it. It's not used like you might think. Done properly, it's a screamer!

You like new "stuff?" We're going to have a tab on our site called "Friends" that will show the latest technology tools.

This is a new neck support that is supposed to relieve strain. I've requested a sample so we can test it out before we endorse it. 










Rick


----------



## rhardman

jmr said:


> awesome mixer! still need testers? haha


'fraid not. All the proto's are gone. Once the site launches, send your DrywallTalk user name to me thru the contact page and I'll get you a smokin discount. :thumbup:

(Hit another stall on the site...I think the designer is on a cruise somewhere. We're also still trying to get the mfg costs lower so we don't want to list the prices until the last second.)

Rick


----------



## rhardman

jmr said:


> that curved 'u' like pan with legs is relatively the same as my dads... :thumbsup:


JMR,

Yea, seeing something in the market you thought of is frustrating. We're going to offer the chance for "inventors" to sell their tools on our site after we get down the road a bit. The problem comes in when someone might want to make something similar to what we are already developing so it can get a bit sticky (w_ith 18 tools on our plate). _For instance, I can't look at anything pan related for a while. Our "Man Pan" has been put on hold until I can get some decent mfg prices in lower than 3000 pc quantities. I really think I have something cool here and can't send it out for reviews until everything is rock solid in every respect. On another front, I'm working with Kiwiman on something he designed that compliments our tools. Even at that though, he must be getting a bit frustrated with me as we have to prioritize our own tools first (I'll touch base next week Kiwi).

Kevin also has ideas for new tools.

One thing that really helped me learn about patents was doing searches and reading a couple of Nolo's books. There's a good article at: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-29856.html 

I'm great at doing the patent searches but learning to understand them took some time. That only came after paying a ton of money to the "professionals" and then realizing that if you don't work in the field of the invention, you don't really know what to look for outside of the piece that's being addressed. Get well versed before you talk to an attorney. The provisional will only protect you for a year and some patent attorneys are not very good so you have to be sharp.

Go to http://www.google.com/patents and start playing around searching for patents. It's fun.

PM me if I can help. I'll respond immediately but much more than that will take some time. I'm kind of busy with some other things right now...:whistling2:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*I answered earlier questions above...*

The pump is working great. 2 more days of testing before the trial period is over and then I'll tear it apart and take it to Cory. 

After I get the redesigned pump back from Cory, I need to rebuild the unit into a more user friendly version and so the pump fits in it properly. The proto is coyote ugly. It started as a 120 VAC pump and evolved into the Terminator.

I've designed several different stand up and laying down versions.

I'm leaning this direction...









I should be able to make it less than 18 inches tall.

Rick
Admittedly, I think I left a couple of details out of the drawing...but that's the general idea.


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

Rick, you got me on pins and needles with this "Man Pan". Can't wait to see it. BTW I think the adapter to run a regular bazooka off the texture machine is a really good idea.


----------



## rhardman

*A+ and Raptor pump.*

*A+*, As soon as the pan is cleared, we'll send them out. I'll keep you up to date with its progress. Believe me, I want to hear what you guy's think of it!
Have you tried the mesh taper yet? Good or bad, feel free to post.
___________________________________________________________
*Raptor pump:* We've completed the preliminary alpha testing which equals 3 months of use 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. The thinking is that with 12 weeks @ 100% 8 hour/day usage, a quick change seal package will not over burden the user (when comparing the <50 minute replacement time to the overall benefits the system offers). It's a machine so every 90 days the oil should be changed, compressor fluid checked and the belts given a good look over anyway.

*Analysis:* To the naked eye, the seals don't show any sign of wear. There is also no significant sign of use on any bearing (valve) area or on the gear surfaces either. 

*Confirmation:* We will now take the pump to another facility to test the (used) seals under 3500 psi back pressure to check for any significant reverse leakage. After that all seals and bearing surfaces will be taken to a local university for a more thorough analysis of the wearing areas and the seal mating surfaces. 

*Conclusion: *After receiving the conclusion from the school, I'll post the actual results so everyone has the true evaluation of our testing.

*Good, bad or ugly....you'll get the real story.*

In the meantime I'll be putting the next texture unit together for on site evaluation and demonstrations.

The first model with be gas powered, electric start, include 100ft of hose (it will have 150ft pumping capacity) 3 gallon/minute mud flow, 12 cfm compressor with the quick clean/fast set up accessories. Colors will be candy orange, polished aluminum and gloss black. 

The CFS thing is also looking good as I have a gentlemens agreement with one of the automatic tool mfrs (name to remain confidential at their request) to purchase their boxes and corner tools to adapt to the Raptor Texture machines. 

I've decided that rather than offer 3 different generic Raptor systems, we'll custom build them to your specific needs. For instance, you can get a system with 220 VAC, Gas (electric start) engine, compressors in either 6 cfm, 12 cfm or 20 cfm, and a pumping distance of 50ft, 100ft, 150ft or 200ft.

Then of course you can order our CFS tools or you can send your own automatic tools in to be retrofitted to the system. The coupling system will be removable to you can always use them manually.

Rick
We're also working on relationship that would allow you to drop the system off locally for a 24 hour emergency repair if for some reason, it is needed.)


----------



## Quality1st

*You Are The Man*

You are an extrordinary individual my friend. I,m just wondering who i s going to buy your innovations to our industries when there is no work whatsoever. Just a heads-up. :blink:


----------



## rhardman

*Even this isn't the entire picture...*



Quality1st said:


> You are an extrordinary individual my friend. I,m just wondering who i s going to buy your innovations to our industries when there is no work whatsoever. Just a heads-up. :blink:


I've been through this before between 1979-83. There is work out there but mostly for large industrial jobs, custom homes or commercial projects. Bidding is the tightest it's been in over 25 years and the jobs are going to too many guys just happy to make wages.

Here's what I'm doing...

From the first day with the paddles I've wanted absolute honesty with public evaluations so everyone could see who I am and what we are about. I've always said the hand tools are good but our main advantages will come later after our pump is proven. I've been as honest as I can in every situation so when we come out with our bigger tools, you will believe our claims. The first real test of our ultimate plan is the completion of the Raptor pump. Once that is proven it will texture and paint but it will also do much more than that which I can't reveal quite yet.

Once it's ready for sale, if you need a texture machine consider ours because the later benefits will be available as accessories to bolt up to the texture machines. The early Raptor machines will be the most cost effective we will ever offer and when our full line of tools are available, you will be able to bid to get the job and you will make more profit than you probably ever have on a consistent basis.

We are only going for 15% of the market and will protect our customers and their margins for as long as they choose to work with us. These new tools are more like indestructible instruments* so throwing them around or leaving them in a bucket of old mud will just not do. If you respect them, they will last for years without a problem. These later tools have been functional for years, just waiting for the pump to be finished up.

The slow building environment is absolutely perfect for us. Rumor has it that Ames will be introducing a new CFS system which will only make our system that much more attractive.

We're running lean and deliberate. No Venture Capital so we can operate the company the way drywall contractors need it to be done and so we can take the time to do it correctly. VC requires SALES, SALES, SALES, NOW, NOW, NOW which causes you to *hore your values to keep your company. It's slow starting for us but since it's beginnings with my dad in 77, you can bet that we're committed to completing the journey. My partners (except Cory) have been with me for over 7 years already.

Remember all of the times (in earlier posts) where I've said you wouldn't believe our ultimate claim? _Well here it is..._

*With our tools, your time on the job and your labor costs will be cut in half using the same materials and methods you are using right now. *You will be able to skim coat an 8 foot wall 15 feet long in less than 10 minutes (remember the pump?). And you'll glide over those bad butt seams, hardly even noticing them.

The later tools are not gimmicks or funky attempts at a quick buck. Look at every tool I've introduced so far. They are better engineered than anything out there, they are made to clean easier, and they are ergonomically well thought out for over 30 years. 

They are the true Next Generation of Drywall Finishing technology. (They are beyond CFS and_...you get a bad-*ss texture machine too.)_

That's why we're not worried about introducing them in a slow economy. They are never more needed than right now. 

I remember my dad had a partner in Salem, Oregon in the 70's that saw the tools and shot his mouth off to the local contractors. In the beginning everyone got all excited and he (my dad) was the "Messiah From Afar." Then 90 days later when the pump died, they all thought he was crazy. We're not ready to launch everything yet and still have several months of beta testing to do before I can disclose the entire line. We also need to forge a relationship with a national mud company first. 

I appreciate your patience and if we encounter unforeseen problems, I'll tell you openly and in detail. Hiding anything would only ruin our relationship with you.

Rick
*As for indestructibility...I guess we'll know for sure after Whitey97, *"The Nate-in-ator" *gets hold of them. :hammer:


(I know what you're thinking..."This guy's gotta be full of poop!" If it turns out that I am, I'll be the first to tell you.)


----------



## akcajun

*love it*

i'm loving the paddle.... can't wait to you start sending or selling other items..


----------



## Whitey97

I'm ready for it buddy


----------



## rhardman

*Geesh that mud is nasty!!!*

Back pressure was good so Cory and I dismantled the pump entirely to see what secrets it held. We found the first reverse chamber had nearly worn completely through because of the abrasive nature of the mud. Hardened material but it still wore down. The high pressure certainly didn't help.

Running the pump for the 400+ hours really taught us some great lessons. We didn't discover anything scary or problematic, just surprising. We've decided not to use any outsourced subassemblies on the pump so we can better control delvery and warrantee issues. The company we've been dealing with gave me free assemblies so I'll have to come up with some way to reward their devotion to the project even though it doesn't look like we'll be able to work with them.

I pick up the seals tomorrow to get them analyzed. Upon even deeper inspection Cory didn't see any wear either. It will take a scope to see how much degradation has occurred.

Rick
Oh, a post or two ago I bragged, "They are better engineered than anything out there" . I didn't mean to be disrespectful to anyone. There are certainly fantastic designs continually being introduced (MarshallTown stilts, the automatic tool guys, Full Circle and others are continually improving things). _But for unconventional, twisted and way out of the rhelm of conventional thought...we certainly have to be in the ranking_ :gunsmilie::wacko:.


----------



## rhardman

*Good idea or bad idea?*

Had to delete my post, I shared a little too much about a new market we're pursuing.
I'll get back to it after we launch our tools. If Ames does have a new CFS line, they could grab the idea and be national before we get out of the gate.

Please accept my apologies...

Rick

(*Friday night update:* Randy, the new sales guy (that took my place) is really pounding me on being arrogant. It's a tough thing considering I can almost reveal a 32 year plan. If I come across a bit full of myself, be patient...I'll grow up. Thx. Randy received his neck brace shown above. He's not sure if he likes it yet, I get mine Tuesday or Wednesday. Their MSRP seems high at this point.)


----------



## rhardman

See next message...apparently I pressed "save" too soon.


----------



## rhardman

*Neck brace and pump.*

I got a call yesterday about the neck brace (above).

Seems we have a compatriot that is suffering some pain. After I see it later this week I'll send it to him for his review. He'll post his evaluation for everyone to see.

I can't do anything with the pump until Cory redesigns a couple of parts with a different alloy. When it's back I'll take everything out to some jobs to see how they perform. While I'm doing that he'll build the production model (of the pump). The texture capabilities are virtually established. I just want to see how much the seals have actually worn before we offer it for sale.

The pumping/texture system will be upgradable. So, if you order your machine and later decide you want a longer pumping distance or more air, we'll send you the parts so you beef up the system you already have. Everything is modular for easy replacement. I decided that for the first system we're going 75% of maximum capacity. Gas, 20cfm and 2 gpm at 150ft pumping distance. This will provide us with a more than adequate demonstration model for drywall or EIFS spraying.

We're also going to offer 2 different versions of the pump too. The first will be more than what is already out there as far as functionability and distance. It will have a 2-3 year life span (rebuild will only be $300.00 - $400.00 if you do it, probably $600-$700.00 if we do it) and pump at 3 gpm. We'll also offer a "super pump" that will last 7-8 years and pump 5-6 gpm (more than you really need but good for some other applications we're looking at). It will also pump over 250 feet. The system was created for the drywall contractor, it's our first and most important market. But after getting hurt and getting into sales in the geotechnical industry (I supplied the geotechnical instrumentation for the Canada Line Tunnel under False Creek in Vancouver BC and the Block 37 Tunnel in Chicago) I've realized that the pump will also push Bentonite clay and grout for geotech drillers. They don't have any sort of portable pumping system so we'll be testing that market too. The bigger pump is more applicable to their application. If you want it, we'll offer it at a fair price. But for them, since their jobs are frequently in the millions of dollars and we can save them a ton of money, we're going to add some pretty hefty margins.

Rick
The following picture really has nothing to do with anything. 
But it certainly is a happy thought!!!


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

rhardman said:


> Had to delete my post, I shared a little too much about a new market we're pursuing.
> I'll get back to it after we launch our tools. If Ames does have a new CFS line, they could grab the idea and be national before we get out of the gate.
> 
> Please accept my apologies...
> 
> Rick
> 
> (*Friday night update:* Randy, the new sales guy (that took my place) is really pounding me on being arrogant. It's a tough thing considering I can almost reveal a 32 year plan. If I come across a bit full of myself, be patient...I'll grow up. Thx. Randy received his neck brace shown above. He's not sure if he likes it yet, I get mine Tuesday or Wednesday. Their MSRP seems high at this point.)


 
Well Rick, if you you get beat to the market by a huge profit mongering company you will still always have your place in the market. Believe it or not, to some, quality actually is more important than quantity. Tapetech is not what it used to be (case in point... the out of square tapetech angle head thread) and you've definately proved yourself (albeit maybe a little over the top) as someone who is really quality oriented about their products. As for the arrogance... maybe but so far you've turned out some pretty good products. Maybe a little arrogance is in order. 
And regarding the taper, I haven't used it again thinking I'd wait for the new blade. However I have a job next week I'll use it on and give you a final report.


----------



## rhardman

A+ Texture LLC said:


> Well Rick, if you you get beat to the market by a huge profit mongering company you will still always have your place in the market. Believe it or not, to some, quality actually is more important than quantity. Tapetech is not what it used to be (case in point... the out of square tapetech angle head thread) and you've definately proved yourself (albeit maybe a little over the top) as someone who is really quality oriented about their products. As for the arrogance... maybe but so far you've turned out some pretty good products. Maybe a little arrogance is in order.
> And regarding the taper, I haven't used it again thinking I'd wait for the new blade. However I have a job next week I'll use it on and give you a final report.


Thank you A+.
I sent you a proto blade today which should be delivered by Thursday. Let me know if you have any ideas to improve it.

I appreciate your words (above) and at the end of the day, I guess I'm just a knucklehead with some good ideas. If things work out, then we'll make some advancements in the field. If they don't, at least I tried. The excitement is that right now, we don't know the future so some will shut their door thinking we're crazy (those of a more conventional mindset) and others will watch to see how it turns out. A few like yourself, are offering encouragement which really hit's home many nights when I can't sleep.

Either way, I want to thank you (and the other contributors to the thread) for riding along with me. It shouldn't be too long before we know one way or the other which path we're on.

Rick
Personally, I think we're going to do pretty well.:yes:

*Neck Brace update:* I received my sample yesterday and tried it out. While it's a very clever idea, unfortunately it's not a product we can endorse or promote.


----------



## rhardman

*Sammy's back and on the website!*

Giving respect to the forum for which we hold in such reverence...












Thank you Nathan. 
Rick


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## rhardman

*Getting very close to launch...*

View attachment 198
One step forward, three steps back...1985








Then you turn around a couple of times and things look pretty good!








Aaron sent some Raptor circuit diagrams for me to evaluate yesterday.
(Full SMT & shock proof heavy power circuitry, complete conformal 
coating and potted with military specs where vulnerable to abuse.)

View attachment 198


Nothing for sale today.

We're planning the launch for the hand tools and to begin accepting pre-orders from local area distributors June 1. Lifetime warrantee on every tool as well as a satisfaction guarantee. Full technical assistance and sales support 24/7. After hours and weekends, the phone number forwards to my personal cell. I've been warned about using my own number 24/7 from everyone on my team. The way I look at it is, either we're going to do this right, or we're not. And you don't have the time to be jacked around by someone that can't answer everything you ask during your very first call. I have more respect for our business partners than that!

We're holding off on the launch so we can finish up the DWT reviews for the Mesh Taper and make last minute improvements to them (before they are offered for sale). :thumbsup:

Rick
Oh, on the "Friends" tab there is a DrywallTalk.com logo that can be "clicked" and immediately takes the viewer to the DWT home page. *There is absolutely no connotation of support or endorsement by DWT*, it's just a friendly thank you from us and a referral.:thumbup:

*Saturday Update:* Hey mfrs and distributor's that are following DWT. Why don't you add a www.drywalltalk.com link too?

Build the community and show some respect.


----------



## rhardman

*I have a rant...*

I'm setting up the vendors for materials and sub assemblies and keep running into this "If you're lucky, we'll bless you with the ability to buy our products" attitude._I'm so sick of it__*. *_

Large organizations that are (very) successful recognize the importance of treating the customer well. But it seems that when you're dealing with companies between $2 -$12 million, you too often find these attitudes of arrogance that has got to hurt their business more than it helps. Or you get jacked around behind a veil of "professionalism" that makes them unreachable as they infer that slow service is an acceptable standard of operation. 

At the end of the day, we're getting some good reliable vendors. But the garbage I've had to go through...geesh! I've been up since 3:00 this morning upset about it.

After our site goes live, if you ever encounter anything but perfect service and absolute respect, call me direct at the 24/7 phone number and please let me know.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Waiting for results of seal evaluation.
Drawings complete for pump/reservoir/hopper.
Moving equipment to single location for mfg.

Will advise of new developments.

Rick


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## Whitey97

you're an amazing man Rick... much respect


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## rebel20

*Saturday Update:* Hey mfrs and distributor's that are following DWT. Why don't you add a www.drywalltalk.com link too?

Build the community and show some respect.[/quote]


Added it on the home page a long while back. 

rebel


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## rhardman

*1984 "Porta Tex"*








This was a great little tool for minor touch up. You could leave the mud in it for a month, pull it out and match any machine texture in 2 minutes. No clean up. :thumbup:

I really liked this one. I designed it so it tilted away from your body when you carried it (to ensure that it wouldn't bump into your knee). 

Rick

*Tuesday Update: *The Porta Tex was introduced about 20 seconds before the aerosol texture cans came out. I demonstrated the better texture matching capabilities but most guys didn't care; they just wanted "good enough to pass." I also had several ways to adjust the pattern for fine tuning the texture so it would blend into the existing texture perfectly. Many found it too complicated. The replacement tanks were $5.00 and behind the counter. Masking was almost nothing as you could get a spray pattern ranging from 2" in diameter up to 18".

I'm still proud of it even though we didn't sell too many. 
Excellent quality; powder coat, aluminum, engineered clear polycarbonate lid which would flex (leak) at the proper pressure to ensure safety (along with a back up relief valve). 

Our mfg costs were too high which was the big lesson here (along with bad timing to market).


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## rhardman

[/quote] Added it on the home page a long while back. rebel[/quote]

That's 'cause you are a class act kind of guy!:thumbup1:


----------



## rhardman

Today I spoke with a U.S. company that utilizes robotic manufacturing practices which may be able to provide our tools for us at a better cost than we can do many of them in house ourselves. Specifically we discussed the paddle and the new "Man Pan." 

Later this month Randy is meeting with a supplier that represents 200 local plastering and EIFS suppliers to discuss furnishing our Mesh tools. I also had a great email discussion with a new online drywall tool supplier today that went very well. 

Tomorrow I meet with UPS to negotiate better shipping rates especially to our brothers in the UK and Australia (you know who you are).

Spoke with the university testing the prototype seals and should have their results next week sometime.

Cory's pump drawings look great, we just had to tweak a couple of things to clear up a gravity issue and to provide a better long term appearance. 

Things look solid for the June launch.

We've used the DWT reviews extensively on our web site and are giving views of the site to the companies we're talking with about mfg and distribution channels. We've provided the good reviews, the bad and actual links to the forum so they could see the rough comments too.

The whole thing really illustrates our desire to be open about everything. A few people have been surprised by us providing the negative comments, but I think it shows our intention to be honest with them and everyone important to our success has come on board.

Thank you...._*again!:clap:*_


----------



## rhardman

*Very unhappy (potential) tester...*

In keeping with our intention to be honest, I received a couple of emails today from someone waiting for a mesh taper.

I explained that shipping the taper, paddle and other tools will cost $150.00 UPS (he's very remote) and we'll do it, but not until we receive our test results from the current person evaluating the taper. I just want to be sure we correct anything that might be found inadequate. 

*"...really starting to wounder if these tool will ever show up !!!!! most of the other tapers i have talked to think it's a bunch of BS !!! i am starting to agree . mesh taper- creaser wheel - paddle are they just photos ? if your not going to send any my way just let me know."*

His final sentence: *"and last of all ... you will never find one of your tools with me on a job site." *

This is a really good guy, but apparently he told his buddies about the tools and since he hasn't received them yet, they're giving him flack about it. We'll make it right with him as soon as we can.

If anyone has similar frustrations, please let me know so I can address the issue directly and resolve any misunderstanding.:yes:

Rick
*"Come to Jesus" statement:* Ultimately his frustration is understandable since I thought his prototypes would be delivered by now. This one I guess is totally on my head. I didn't think the process would take so long.


----------



## Tim0282

There are two ways to ask for a freebie.... And that aint one of them. Well, I guess it is. I ordered and paid for an item three months ago. (not a tool to work with) Still not here. I emailed and asked for an update. Problems out of their control has created the situation. It happens... There is more to life than getting upset. Rick, you are quite graceful (professional) in the way you handled this. Good for you!


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

Someone like that is simply a liability. Do you think if someone getting something for free would rip you a new one for something like that would still give your product a fair review? Id say "later bro"...


----------



## Tim0282

I would too, A. But that is probably why I use the tools instead of make and sell them...


----------



## rebel20

Rick,
I have been reading this thread from the beginning and found that you were fair and very honest to all the guy's here. It is hard to say what havoc one bad apple will create. Making a complaint of such would make me think twice if he will give an honest opinion. I feel that covering the shipping costs for free tools is not much to ask of someone. That's my opinion. I would do it. Unless you have been paying all along for the shipping. Which I have seen no where here that you are paying for shipping. And I am sure through your professionalism you will find a happy medium with this one tester.


Keep up the good work,

rebel


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## rhardman

Tim0282, A+ and Rebel,

Those are all good points and from a business standpoint very legitimate.
I lost a partner years ago because he wanted me to start selling the tools that were already finished and use that money to develop the larger systems. That was a very strong and vaild point too.

The problem I've always faced is "What is the long term goal and what is the right thing to do?" And what it finally came down to for me was, I want to prove that my dad's original concepts in the late 70's were far beyond anything anyone else had ever thought about. I remember his partner "Tom" bad mouthing him when things took longer than he thought so this recent issue with the frustrated tester is really hitting home for me. I've been up since 4:00 this morning thinking about it.

I've seen too many "business people" $crew the customer for the 30 day profit and it fry's me every time I encounter it. :furious:

I really don't have any need for anyone's approval and at the end of this little adventure, whichever direction it ends up, all we can do is our best. At a certain level, we have no control over the final outcome, that's up to the market.

So...I think I'd better call this guy this next week and turn things around. I learned a long time ago that if I encounter a bad situation, take my lumps and make "it" right, it's easier to sleep and builds long term relationships.

*The guy did trust me to send those tools by now. *

Rick
(Rebel, yea I've paid for all the shipping out of my personal pocket. The partners didn't think it was a viable expense but I thought it was the least I could do for those that took time out of their day to try our tools. It's turned out to be one of the best investments I've ever made.)


----------



## tricounty dwall

i am interested in trying out new tools.. my email is [email protected]


----------



## Tim0282

You didn't have the internet to spread the word as quickly, either!
Looks like a great tool! I'd buy one! I always will "buy one." You know me, and most drywallers. We will always try the new "thing". I have a few that didn't work so great. They make pretty cool looking wallhangings!





rhardman said:


> View attachment 210
> 
> This was a great little tool for minor touch up. You could leave the mud in it for a month, pull it out and match any machine texture in 2 minutes. No clean up. :thumbup:
> 
> I really liked this one. I designed it so it tilted away from your body when you carried it (to ensure that it wouldn't bump into your knee).
> 
> Rick
> 
> *Tuesday Update: *The Porta Tex was introduced about 20 seconds before the aerosol texture cans came out. I demonstrated the better texture matching capabilities but most guys didn't care; they just wanted "good enough to pass." I also had several ways to adjust the pattern for fine tuning the texture so it would blend into the existing texture perfectly. Many found it too complicated. The replacement tanks were $5.00 and behind the counter. Masking was almost nothing as you could get a spray pattern ranging from 2" in diameter up to 18".
> 
> I'm still proud of it even though we didn't sell too many.
> Excellent quality; powder coat, aluminum, engineered clear polycarbonate lid which would flex (leak) at the proper pressure to ensure safety (along with a back up relief valve).
> 
> Our mfg costs were too high which was the big lesson here (along with bad timing to market).


----------



## rhardman

*You won't have to hang our tools on your wall...*



Tim0282 said:


> You didn't have the internet to spread the word as quickly, either!
> Looks like a great tool! I'd buy one! I always will "buy one." You know me, and most drywallers. We will always try the new "thing". I have a few that didn't work so great. *They make pretty cool looking wallhangings*!












_That's just wrong_.
If you don't like our tools, we'll buy them back from you.

Funny you should mention that 0282. The Porta Tex was primarily designed to perfectly match textures. After many years of production work, I moved into high end remodeling on homes built between 1900 and 1950 matching old style plaster textures, arches, coves and so forth. You can do some real magic using a drywall base with some innovative texturing techniques. 

It may come back in a little different design. 

Rick


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## rhardman

rhardman said:


> So...I think I'd better call this guy this next week and turn things around. I learned a long time ago that if I encounter a bad situation, take my lumps and make "it" right, it's easier to sleep and builds long term relationships.
> 
> *The guy did trust me to send those tools by now. *


 
The communication ended up being by email.

*"... I think the biggest issue here is that I over committed on when I would be able to deliver and also, I did not communicate as well as I should have. Sir, for those mistakes I am sorry and accept full responsibility. "*

Well, I put out the olive branch so we'll see how it goes. 

Rick


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## rhardman

*Well, no response so we'll have to let him go...*

View attachment 233
It was apparent in the final email I received from him that he has a major attitude and doesn't want to play so we won't burden him with any further interaction.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Everything else is going great. The site is finished and waiting to be launched. We've entered into a distribution relationship in the UK and will start calling Australia next week. After our meeting in Pennsylvania late this month we'll decide how to pursue the U.S. 

The UK, Australia and other countries are better for the (early) fiberglass products along with the plastering and EIFS contractors here. We're also getting several inquiries for a consumer version of the mesh taper. They want something inexpensive without the need for durability beyond a year. I had to laugh as I designed 2 different consumer versions back in the 90's.

When the Raptors are finished we'll start advertising them to the drywall community here along with the retro-fit options for guys that already own their own automatic tools. For those that don't have their own tools, we have a relationship already established with a major mfr to fit their tools to our pumping system. 

Pump:
Discovered yesterday that the seals are worn more than I thought. Not sure if all the gravel, rocks and everything else we put through it contributed to premature wear or not. Running between 3 and 7 times the recommended speed probably added to the friction and wear factor too. I'm jazzed because even with the abuse, we're still stylin! :icon_cool: The wear isn't catastrophic and we're waiting to hear back from the engineering department (at the University) for their final analysis.

It's not that important either way. At worst, we have a strong system with a "hells furry" pump using quick change replacement seals. I'll get with Cory next week to see if an idea I have will make them last longer.

I was going through some old boxes setting up the assembly area this week and found some cool (to me) old sketches I did in the 80's. There were several tools I had completely forgotten about. For instance, a power reel accessory that can be bolted up to the Raptor. Another is Way-Cool (!!!) that we will offer for sure.

View attachment 230









Making progress on the Man Pan.

Life is Good! :thumbup:

Rick

P.S. Our drawings are much better now... 
View attachment 233


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## mud bud

Rick how do I contact you to show you my new tool? Maybe we could share information on bringing new products to market. Contact [email protected]
thank you Gary


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## rhardman

*New technology? Ohhhh now you got me started...*

quote=mud bud;12451]Rick how do I contact you to show you my new tool? Maybe we could share information on bringing new products to market. Contact [email protected]
thank you Gary[/quote]

It's a wild ride my friend! At the end of the road, you may not end up with anything so you have to decide from the start that no matter how it turns out, just completing the process will be enough. At least you know that you tried.:thumbup: I've got 32 years in this so far and there is no guarantee that anything will come of it. I'm sure many of the readers already think I'm crazy.

That being said, there is a great potential for fun and possibly profit. But going to another company and asking them to carry a tool is not going to get an inventor more than maybe 5 - 10 % (if you're lucky). And if you don't have a working prototype, nobody will want to hear what you have to say at all.

I'm absolutely convinced that the leaders in the drywall industry in 5 years are right now fiddling with ideas in their garage or knocking on doors trying to establish new business relationships. The tool standards that got the industry to where it is today is causing its own demise with too many manufacturers and all the contractors using the same basic technology. Look at Ames with the collapse of their dynasty. Then add in the growing illegal under cutting problem and things only get worse for you.

(Ames early box 1940)







With work so slow, preconceived ideas are changing fast and strong, traditional thinking is being set aside as the drywall contractor has got to find a better solution for fear of going out of business. In this type of (business) environment, manufacturers usually start buying each other to gain market share. In the drywall industry however, nobody is profitable enough to do that. Especially with the online tool suppliers cutting each others throat selling primarily based on price. _*Forgive me brothers*_, but offering free internet shipping is a misguided method of doing business. With such small profit margins, it erodes the entire foundation of their long term viability. They pound on the tool makers who get *issed off, going to another online store hoping to get a better deal and he finds out the second guy is working on unsustainable margins too.

I believe that our tools (coming from left field) with either fill the gap or will help to provide some encouragment for others to create something new. Ultimately, it's not important who offers the final solution, it's just important that the drywall community realize that the only reason there aren't better options already out there is that nobody is trying to do anything different than anyone else!

It's become a black hole of nothing-ness with the life blood of the drywall worker being slowly sucked out of him.

Those that think of new ways to do the job and utilize better technology, will do better and those that don't will continue to fight with the illegals. That element will never change (and may get a lot worse if immigration laws let up). Hopefully, those that sell bleeding edge technology will demand current contractor's license and insurance numbers to purchase advanced systems. I decided a long time ago that we will.

*Climbing down from my soap box;* we want to be the place to go to for new ideas. I'm already talking with 3 different guys about their ideas so I'll be sending out some emails next month giving instructions on patent protection, prototyping and going to market. In a few months, we'll have a page on our site where anyone can present their idea and offer tools for testing. Based on that feedback we will be looking for new products to offer through our distribution network. Having tried to create something new for sooooo loooong, and receiving semi-hostile rejection, I understand the value of the idea and also the expense of taking it to market. While every case will be different, if you want to go with us, we will offer the inventor best percentages we possibly can. And you will get full recognition as the inventor in all publications and advertisments.

There are potential conflicts since we have so many new tools coming out of our own stable. We have to be careful and will discuss those issues one by one.

Send me an email at [email protected] with the subject, "I have an idea" and I'll get you on that inventor list for instruction, procedures, and so forth. 

One thing for sure, please don't send me any drawings. I can't look at them until you are fully protected. I'll talk about that in the email(s) too. 

Every great idea was created by a person in the privacy of their own mind. It wasn't brought forth by a multimillion dollar corporate entity or by some "professional" education. It's almost always a guy eating cold pizza thinking, "I can do this...I don't care how long it takes..."

_Come on in...the water's fine!_

Rick
On a more important topic... 
Doesn't your profile say Kelowna??? Isn't there paragliding in Kelowna???:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

*In regard to my rant above...*

That isn't to say their aren't great new products coming out.

Look at Fibafuse, Never-Miss*, the Full Circle sanding tools, rebel (with his Vario mud) and the Marshalltown stilts...

These guys (most of them did drywall for years) are busting their backsides offering samples and knocking on doors just to get people to consider a new way of doing things.

I don't mean to say that what is out there is bad, there is some innovation there. I'm only saying that for people to fundamentally improve their situation, contractors, distributors...everyone...we need to consider something new sometimes. Tell your local distributors to get new products in. Until they hear that you are interested, they have no incentive to look.










The only online distributor I've encountered that has an open door and wants to promote new tool concepts has been Brandon with his new site, www.walltools.com. 

I don't have business relationships with these guys other than a couple of them are on the "Friends" page of our pending site. I get nothing from their sales and I'm not on Brandon's site (because of our pending Pennsylvania relationship I spoke about earlier).

After my rant above, I just want to acknowledge that there are good people out there trying to make things better . :thumbup:

* I know Never-Miss got off to a bad start on DWT. His self promotion was poorly done but his product is a good one. It's a line I have to be very careful of here. That's why after our site is launched, this thread will end. Until then I hope that we are offering encouragement to guys that also have new ideas. 

*Nobody and I mean nobody knows what it will take to improve things better than the guys on the wall.*

Respectfully, :yes:

Rick


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

*Mesh Taper*

Well I sent Rick a final evaluation of the taper. I think it's a great product. My biggest fear with it was that when using mesh tape you have to run your hand over it to make sure that it adheres to the wall good and doesn't bubble. The squishy roller does a great job of setting the tape and even pushes it in the crack a little. I checked to see if there were any bubbles in it and there wasn't. After getting used to it a little I'm on the fence about using the floor scraper blades vs the custom blade he sent me. 
Overall I give it a thumbs up. I did however recomend that he makes a couple of videos of its "proper" use (which was actually his idea) so that users begin using it the correct way and don't start off right away with bad habits. Darren have your guys gotten better at using it?


----------



## rhardman

A+ Texture LLC said:


> The squishy roller does a great job of setting the tape and even pushes it in the crack a little.


Thank you A+.
I just discovered a flaw in my design while I was doing some research for the "Mesh vs Paper Tape" thread. USG says that pushing the glass down into the crack between the sheets actually weakens the joint. I have a solution and will implement the change this week (and call my patent attorney). I'll make a different roller design and send a new prototype. In the meantime, don't push hard while rolling. I never had a problem with it. 

I can't change the website pictures for a while yet but will be sure to point out the advantage in the videos.

Rick

http://www.usg.com/rc/data-submitta...tapes-industrial-construction-data-MH1178.pdf









Oh...looks like NZ is on board. More talking to do but certainly great people and they want to see new ideas. :thumbup:


----------



## Mudstar

I guess it goes to show that from previous posts and boosts from yourself Rich that you really have not done your research or have the experience but are simply supporting a product that you wish to capitalize on. 

I don't have a problem with the free enterprise envelopment we all live in but would like to say that the experienced have no problem understanding what you are doing wrong and don't change what has worked for many years.

Good luck!


----------



## Tim0282

And how long have you been in the Biz, Oh Mr. Great Mud Wrestler?
Still use a hawk and trowel, and is your hawk an old piece of plywood, still use a pan and knife, still use a compressor and hopper?? Do you use an old 2x4 for stilts, or solid steel, one peg bolt your own shoes on...? Isn't there room for improvement? And a guy that has been in the BIZ for multiple years is the guy that can make a "better" tool. Not usually the guy that sits behind a desk and draws stuff on paper and says "this will work".


----------



## Mudstar

Tim0282 said:


> And how long have you been in the Biz, Oh Mr. Great Mud Wrestler?
> Still use a hawk and trowel, and is your hawk an old piece of plywood, still use a pan and knife, still use a compressor and hopper?? Do you use an old 2x4 for stilts, or solid steel, one peg bolt your own shoes on...? Isn't there room for improvement? And a guy that has been in the BIZ for multiple years is the guy that can make a "better" tool. Not usually the guy that sits behind a desk and draws stuff on paper and says "this will work".


 Well there are people that like to lie about there experience to gain popularity amongst the experienced to learn whats right and whats wrong and I have no discrepancy in regard to that. They will learn like I had too. 

Since I've been in it since 1984 not using the years to gauge what I know but its what I have done and seen done by others I work with give me the experience I have and have not change the methods of application but only up graded the tools to do the same job at a faster rate. 

I have run and owned a couple businesses in the construction industry and have had several employees over this time. I know what works and what does not work. I'm not blowing hot air out of my a$$ ether. 

The people that use this forum know by the post of others who really knows what there talking about because there experience in this trade so with that said we all know where we stand.


----------



## Tim0282

:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

*Ahhhh home again!*



Mudstar said:


> I guess it goes to show that from previous posts and boosts from yourself Rich that you really have not done your research or have the experience but are simply supporting a product that you wish to capitalize on.
> I don't have a problem with the free enterprise envelopment we all live in but would like to say that the experienced have no problem understanding what you are doing wrong and don't change what has worked for many years.
> Good luck!


Have I been insulted?* :yes:

Skepticism is good. 

If I've been misunderstood, let me say that I posted the improvement in my design to readily admit that I've found room to be better. And rather than begin shipping all of the stock I have to the UK and NZ "less than perfect", I'll make the improvements at my own expense to ensure that we only provide the best possible tools. 

*"...don't change what's worked for many years..."* is a concept I totally don't understand. Isn't the point in life to always try to come up with a better way of doing something?

I'm also confused as to why people have such a hard time with even the possibility of something better coming along... 

Rick
P.S. An objection usually indicates that the offender has had their hopes up and been burned before. That's why we will offer a satisfaction guarantee on everything we sell.:thumbsup:

====================================================
*Resume: *(since it appears my credentials may be in doubt)

*1965-1978* Weekends, holidays and every summer; washed buckets, scrapped houses and drove to dump, learned to wipe down behind bazooka for my dad and do knife/metal work before graduating high school.
*1978-1991* Nailed, finished, textured drywall (with my dad) in Salem and Portland, Oregon. Also considerable experience with thin wall plaster on commercial projects (i.e. extensive mesh experience) and 2 years residential interior painting. AIA Architectural Craftsmanship Award in Portland working with Allen Pierce Construction in the late 80's. Owned my own company at 21 with a variety of employees throughout the years. Responsible for all aspects of estimating and running the jobs and doing final touch up and QC. In late 80's specialized in remodel jobs matching textures in homes built between the early 1900's and the 1950's.
Fell down stairs on stilts and got an electronics degree going to night school. _Had the highest abscentee rate in the history of the school as I was also running my drywall business_.:thumbsup: *"Hey Rick, I had to suspend you again...stop by my office to fill out another form"* was heard many times in the hallway.
*Between 1991 and 2004* worked in Silicon Valley. Opened new regional office for Future Electronics in Beaverton, Oregon. Working with Silicon Forest Electronics in Vancouver, Wa as a start up. I sold $8,000,000.00 in product (average piece price of < $5.00) in 12 months. SFE used robotic chip placement equipment to assemble printed circuit boards. 
*2004-2008* Helped design Geotechnical Instrumentation systems focusing on Vibrating Wire and Smartec Fiber Optic technologies for many earth monitoring systems including the False Creek Tunnel in Vancouver, BC, the WRB Bridge in Kelowna, BC and the Block 37 Tunnel Instrumentation project in Chicago. 

When pricing out a multimillion dollar wireless instrumentation package for Syncrude Oil in Fort MacMurray 2 years ago, my Rhode Island employer (I was responsible for all sales west of the Mississippi, Western Canada and Mexico) told me that he decided he wouldn't pay commissions on the sale.
With my very unpolitical drywall background, I told him to go $crew himself and quit. Since we had just made our major leap forward in the pump design, I've returned to my roots in drywall, beginning to introduce the first of the 18 tools I have designed over the years. Only the mesh taper and corner slider utilize fiberglass mesh (_as you understand it_) :whistling2:

*Everything "political" I learned from drywall...*
In 1992 I was canned in front of the entire company (Marshall Industries Milpitas, California) because of my finely groomed (drywall) political skills. After being told how to get promoted in the company, I went to the GM and asked, "Larry, what's this crap I hear that if I want to grow at Marshall, I have to take you and your wife out for dinner, skiing for the weekend and out for drinks??!!??" "Why can't I be promoted because of the job I do???"
I was fired the next day.

*Mudstar,
It's good to be back home where if someone has a problem with you, they tell you to your face!


----------



## Tim0282

Love the post, RH!! :thumbup:


----------



## cazna

Tim0282 said:


> Love the post, RH!! :thumbup:


Me Too :thumbsup:


----------



## Mudstar

rhardman said:


> *Mudstar,
> It's good to be back home where if someone has a problem with you, they tell you to your face!


I'm glad that constructive criticism has not got your back up against me or any other on this forum. That makes you one of the strong ones here. 

I do believe that you have great knowledge in what you have experienced and commend you on it in all regards. You have done a lot of changing from what you say.

I do hope you succeed in what you set out to do because of your ambition. I'm sure you will. 

Good luck once again!


----------



## A+ Texture LLC

Ok Rick, after using the mesh taper some more today I think that a guide might actually be a good idea. Also I wonder how hard it would be to make a "brake" for it when your about to make a cut. I find myself holding the mesh against the wall so it doesn't pull away when i go to cut. I think all in all, those would be the only changes or adjustments i'd make. However if there was a "see thru" hole under the head where you could kinda see through exactly where the tape was it might make it a little easier to control. I still give it an overall thumbs up though. And I guess thats good to know about the tape going into recesses. I honestly never knew it made a difference as long as it was flat on the wall. The learning never stops here at drywalltalk.


----------



## mud bud

*not all stars shine brightly*

Some people embrace change others resist it. 
The only tool of Ricks I'm familiar with is his mixing paddel and simple as it is in concept (remember the wheel) it abides by the rules of invention "What problem does it solve" Soon the sides of my plastic pail will no longer be all scratched up making them easier to clean, the square tapered edges can reach into the right angled base of the bucket and that pesky lump at the bottom centre will no longer be the small anoyance that it is. 
I'm bringing a tool to market that both measures and cuts wallboard and though it is generally well recieved by most boarders there are times the resistance I recieve is to say the least offencive. At one time a survey form was crumpled up and tossed back at me. It was actually hilarious as the persons finger was bandaged up with a blood stain. Maybe I should not of pointed it out to him. This was the result of him running his finger down Dens-glass that day. There are times when fiberglass can rub the epidermis the wrong way and this is one of the problems the tool resolves. I call it the "Wallboarder's Buddy" but obviously it will not be one of his friends.
Remember there was at first resistance to the horseless carrage and that flying machine. It is the willing, brave and imaginative that are some of the greatest assets to our world.
Keep it up Rick :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

Mudstar,
Your "constructive criticism" was more like a left jab, but getting beat up a couple of times (literally as a kid) and figuratively, has never hurt me. I appreciate it if it's deserved. :thumbsup:

A+,
Yea, I always thought that pressing the tape into the seam was better. 
After my schedule clears a bit, I'll get that video finished up. After that, if you still think it needs a tab I'll make it happen. I like your "see through" idea. Right now we have a warning label about the blade where the window would be so I'll see what I can do. Since my passion has always been with the larger tools that are coming out, I already have the first 3 generations already designed and prototyped. Your window may be a "new idea" that we introduce later. I'll make sure you get credit for the idea in the advertising. Thank you. 

Mud Bud,
I'm reading a book by a guy named Rick Mauer called, "Beyond the Wall of Resistance" that is really helping me to understand things better through the eyes of others. In all reality, I don't know if the industry as a whole will grab hold of our new tools coming out (later). But even if only 5-10% do, I'll be able to pay my bills and do what I really enjoy. Ultimately that's all that matters.:yes:


Rick
I caught my finger in a grinder a couple of days ago. That was "fun." :blink:


----------



## rhardman

*Crossing the "T's" and dotting the "i's" before launch.*

Status Update:

When we launch the site I'll be introducing the "Man Pan" with pictures and video's for all the tools that have been presented so far. 

We've decided to include 2 blades with each mixing paddle so guys can interchange them based on the type of mixing they are doing on a particular job. There will also be a new interchangeable coupler so you can either use the standard Stainless Steel bolt or a quick change link for fast blade replacement. :thumbup:

The prices on our website are going to be offered with the MSRP prices so we support our distributors and don't undercut their efforts. We also won't have a shopping page for a while yet as we want to run as much through the distributors as we can. The MSRP levels are extremely high because they have to support 2 and sometimes 3 levels of distributor commissions. DWT members can send me a direct message through the contact page (with their DWT name) for a huge discount. Everyone else will need to contact a distributor. Through our site we will be offering the absolute best quality tools we can produce with the lifetime warrantees and satisfaction guarantees. However, at some point in the future we will also be introducing a second line of tools that are more like the way other tool mfrs go to market. In essense, we will be our own cut throat competitor. Instead of letting someone else come up with the lowest priced alternatives to our designs, we will. Our patents will still cover them but rather than the annodizing, high tech materials and individual machining to make them the best they can be, this second line will be down and dirty tools. They will be like the tools everyone else produces for guys that aren't interested in investing in their future, they just want something to do the task. For this second line, they will be more cost effective than anyone else can provide with some parts coming from China. The thinking is that if we don't do this, we will be fighting competitors that will try to infringe on our patents and in the long run could cost us a fortune in legal fees.

All the tools have been shipped out for the May 27th meeting. This is the company that is more plaster/EIFS based which is a better fit for the first fiberglass mesh products.

The new Raptor is coming along well. A bit larger than the standard drywall version as we will be using it to demonstrate the spraying capabilities of EIFS at 3 gallons a minute.  No word back from the University on the wear conditions of the pump seals. We have learned that the high pressures we are using are adding to the wear so we're looking at different seal/valve alternatives to increase their life.

A+,
I fixed the issue of fiberglass tape being pressed too far into the seam. It allows a free floating area of the tape to be completely surrounded by the quick set material while still being strongly adhered to the face of the board.

Rick
Also...one of the DWT contributors have come up with an incredibly good tool for the painting industry. He is building a prototype and I'll be calling him Monday to continue forward on his idea.


----------



## rhardman

*Eating Major Crow...and it ain't pretty!*

oops...


----------



## rhardman

*Friday Update:*

View attachment 250
The website is working with the final glitches being taken care of. I think some of the contact forms are still being addressed.:clap:

Technically still nothing for sale so once the videos are complete we'll finish all of that up. 
If you're interested, my contact page provides additional info.

Rick
View attachment 250


----------



## rhardman

*Here we go...*

The website is up so it's time to end the thread as I told Nathan I would.

We're having some internal conflicts about selling the mesh products to drywall contractors. One guy thinks we can push them and people will buy them. This is a typical marketing tactic which works with mediocre results so we're not going to operate that way. If a tool isn't in high demand, we won't offer it. Like I've said, the mesh tools will first be offered to the plasterers and overseas where they are better suited. When the paper tape tools are ready we'll focus on the drywall community here.:yes:

Product Update:

1. Still working on getting the videos done. There always seem to be higher priorities popping up. They will be available on the website.

2. The new Contractor Grade hand tools are coming along well. We'll have a little more time getting them perfected. Price points will be much more in line with what the majority of the industry wants. Along with these tools will be the Man Pan (as A+ has named it) and they will be marketed through traditional channels. The higher grade "Lifetime Guaranteed" tools will be on our website at a higher price. They will be our premier line of tools. Better made, easier to clean with 24/7 customer support (which goes directly to my cell phone).

3. We're perfecting new high pressure valves and seals and still waiting (believe it or not) on the University to tell us how much wear occurred during the 460 hour test to the old seal design. The Raptor pump is the heart of everything new we want to introduce. The taping tools were basically finished by the late 80's; it's been the pump that has been the difficult part. Anyone can build tools to strap to the end of a hose but without a pump designed specifically for the way drywall guys work, it's not going to be enough to change the industry. Without a patented design a mfr is vulnerable to the whims of the company they are purchasing from. In essense they become a sales guy for the pump company with pricing far too high for the average user. 

With ideas, great plans and an internal belief that a new tool will change the world, people go to market with their product. Tragically most aren't successful. I think that is because the ideas aren't properly tested first and the designer/company thinks they can make the customer buy what they want to sell. They refuse to listen. The DWT forum has been extremely helpful, confirming many of my thoughts and totally knocking me on my butt when I've needed (deserved) it. :thumbup:

Thank you for your time, comments and suggestions. It's time for us to hit the streets. 

I believe our "Raptor" and especially our "Stinger" series of tools will provide a quantum leap in drywall tool technology. :whistling2: I may be wrong; that will be totally up to you. 

You should hear more from us early next year.:thumbsup:

www.hardmansystems.com

Rick
(I'm not leaving DWT, just ending this thread.)


----------



## Tim0282

This has been an interesting thread. One I sure have looked forward to reading every day. Thank you Rick, for your professional input. It has been a great ride and looking forward to your next step. :thumbsup:


----------



## Kiwiman

No don't go Rick, you mentioned mesh, maybe the debate/brawl will spill over into this room:whistling2:.


----------



## rhardman

*I'm baaaaack...*

Since we are holding off from selling anything quite yet I thought I'd post a photo of the earlier Raptor Texture System prototype that gave us the information for the new A-4 version we're finishing up right now. The one pictured started out in our kitchen very small and grew larger and ugly as I found I needed to add more power. This is the unit we tested the new pump design with when we blew the hose a few months ago.
View attachment 379

I met with an engineer today to run the new design past him for possible tweaks before we finalize everything. He couldn't add anything to it, liking everything there. We're setting this one up for drywall and EIFS demos so it will run 2 pumps independently or simultaneously. It will spray paint airless or mud with an on board compressor. Conceivably it could power 2 guys spraying 2 different spray guns at the same time or 2 of your finishing tools at the same time. :thumbup: I can't reveal the hopper/pump yet. 

The trailer is an accessory. The machine its self is only about 20 inches tall and can easily fit in the back of a pick up. Note the wheels, they roll through a door easily with only about 20 pounds lifting weight.

Thats 150 feet of hose on the trailer.

A long way from 1985....:blink:








Rick

(patents pending)


----------



## Mudstar

I hate to tell you rick what your building has been done like I stated a while back now. I have put together pump that does the same thing and it does what you claim yours will do for costs that no one can touch. I call it my secret weapon and its not going to market until everyone blows there capital first.

Its a dog eat dog world. 


Good luck!


----------



## rhardman

Mudstar said:


> I hate to tell you rick what your building has been done like I stated a while back now. I have put together pump that does the same thing and it does what you claim yours will do for costs that no one can touch. I call it my secret weapon and its not going to market until everyone blows there capital first.
> 
> Its a dog eat dog world.
> 
> 
> Good luck!


Mudstar,

You're a great guy and your posts are already welcome. But honestly, you have a tendancy to jump before you have all the facts.

First, you haven't seen anything yet and the fact that even if a similar idea had been tried, success does not come solely from a unique idea but from a superior management team, lower production costs, a better price/benefit matrix and superior customer service. It is developed through better marketing/sales channels and industry relationships.

You say you have a secret weapon. Congratulations! The industry needs any new idea that helps the contractor. Ultimately it is they who will decide what is good and what isn't. We will present what we have and leave our future to the contractors. If we meet their needs, great. If we don't, we thank everyone for their consideration.:yes:

Stop being so difficult, sit back and wait to see what's coming before you get all critical. Once we give you the full list of our tools, then attack if that's your decision. Until then, youi're aiming at a moving target.

*"It's a dog eat dog world"* is not a necessary view for business. I suggest you focus on developing the absolute best pump you can, come up with the best support system for the customer and not worry about the competition. Do the best thing for everyone and don't linger in the negative aspects of the business world. You cannot intimidate competitors and you cannot force business to come to your door.

One last thing, regarding your statement,* "its not going to market until everyone blows there capital first."* is short sighted and doesn't allow you time to improve your product until much later. If you do have the better mouse trap, get it out there ASAP. You will make mistakes as everyone does and you need the early days to work them all out. Go for it now and be successful now! You deserve to get recognition if you have the next generation solution. :thumbup:

With respect my friend, :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## proficient Mudder

Excellent reply Rick, in your last Post. 

Bill


----------



## rhardman

proficient Mudder said:


> Excellent reply Rick, in your last Post.
> 
> Bill


Thank you Bill.

It's a fun time we all have here. I poked Ames a couple of weeks ago. Nobody ever means any real harm and in the rough and tumble world of drywall, I appreciated the straight forward approach rather than the "professional" demeanor that hides behind a facade of implied superiority. 

I love a good scrap. It was my turn to be punched in the nose this time. :yes:

The photo's above were not intended to illustrate anything magnificent, just to show that in over 32 years* of trial and error, we are paying our dues in regard to R&D. 

Rick
*I should say that this was virtually a solo effort for all those years. It wasn't until we made the meteoric advancement in the pump design 18 months ago that I brought on my partners, Scott (President), Tom (Finance), Cory (Engineering/Design) and Richard (R&D/Mfg). Richard dates back to 1985 helping me with machining at Jerry's shop in Washougal, Washington. I'm the least qualified guy in the room but since I designed everything they are forced to let me hang out with them. :thumbup:


----------



## Mudstar

I love your spunk Rick and I like keeping you on your toes. Don't give up 

I truly support your efforts and one day will be payday 


Cheers
:drink:


----------



## rhardman

*Did I forget to mention the electric version?*

This one was designed for large high rise buildings where it will travel up the floors as the project progresses and also for mobile home factory's (factories?). No exhaust fumes. Its a little crude but works great. Just needs about of month of redesign. The hydraulic motor that spins the reel is rudely large. I had it sitting around so I bolted it on. The balance is good but the axle needs addressed as well at its overall style. I want it tall (as it's a stationary unit) so it's easy to attach the different finishing tools to it. :yes:

View attachment 381


Rick

Thank you for the note Mudstar, much appreciated :drink:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> This one was designed for large high rise buildings where it will travel up the floors as the project progresses and also for mobile home factory's (factories?). No exhaust fumes. Its a little crude but works great. Just needs about of month of redesign. The hydraulic motor that spins the reel is rudely large. I had it sitting around so I bolted it on. The balance is good but the axle needs addressed as well at its overall style. I want it tall (as it's a stationary unit) so it's easy to attach the different finishing tools to it. :yes:
> 
> View attachment 381
> 
> 
> Rick
> 
> Thank you for the note Mudstar, much appreciated :drink:


Lokks cool, looks neat. 

I've been spraying ceilings since 1974 and have to this day to see ANY rig that is faster than a guy with a hopper.

Could be wrong, but haven't seen it yet.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> The hydraulic motor that spins the reel is rudely large. I had it sitting around so I bolted it on.


I don't know how fast your motors are meant to spin your reels, but for the last reel I built for 300' of 3/4" i.d. pressure hose, I used some used cultivator discs on the ends. The curve of the discs helped to keep the hose from 'jumping' over the reel ends while the hose was winding. I could get that thing going pretty good and not have the problem nearly as much as I found straight reel sides could give me.

But that unit was truck mounted. For weight considerations, maybe you could use something like a couple of shallow cooking woks.


----------



## Kiwiman

Man thats one mean looking machine, it sort of makes me want to put a seat on it and see what speed it will do...Raptor racing, now there's an advertising gimmick :yes:.


----------



## rhardman

*The heart of the matter...*



Capt-sheetrock said:


> Lokks cool, looks neat.
> 
> I've been spraying ceilings since 1974 and have to this day to see ANY rig that is faster than a guy with a hopper.
> 
> Could be wrong, but haven't seen it yet.


 
Granted...

In the 90's I was looking at the robotic tools for taping and finishing (that originated with my dad) and while they offered an entirely new and faster technology, I wanted something that would be a catapult into a new way of doing drywall. Going to a hose would eliminate the refilling of the tools but even with that, we're only talking what....a 30% increase in productivity? I knew that the bulk of the industry would sit back and wait to see what others thought first before they would invest in a system. I never wanted to offer something that wasn't an obvious, "knock everyone on their butt" technology. 

I don't want to muddle around in trade shows explaining why a 30% increase in production is worth your hard earned money, I wanted something that everyone said, "He!! yes! Of course!!!" A series of tools that were such an advancement in labor saving that (for those that want to work with us) they have an overwhelming advantage in their bidding prices. Then I decided that we would do direct marketing to the National Association of Home Builders and American Institute of Architects to inform them of the new textures and financial advantages of hiring a contractor using HSI tools. As leads are developed we will send them to our partners in that area and introduce them to the GC's and owners that accept the bids.

But to make this a true industry changing system, we would need to increase productivity by over 100%. This meant that the pumping system(s) had to be better than anything out there and be a completely different design than anyone else is offering and at a lower price. This has been the challenge and the thing that took the longest to perfect. It would have to have virtually no set up/cleaning time and offer a virtual unlimited supply of mud. It would need to pump extremely thick mud for metal and first coat so shrinkage would be minimal and it would also need to be able to pump very thin material for a light orange peel or fog coat texturing.

It would need to pump between .25 gallons - 5 gallons a minute and texture with air so it offers the widest variety of patterns and can also be used for touch up to match old textures from years gone by.

It would also require the ability to paint in an airless mode.

I knew that if I could accomplish a pumping system that would do all this, then anything would be possible. Tool designs are virtually unlimited (swirling texture dobbers, auto-fed mud/metal/texture/skip trowel knives...). With this concept we can open ideas for new tools to every contractor in the country. Have a new idea? We'll use it, offer it, and send you a royalty on every one sold.

I began to fully understand about a year ago (honest and brutal feedback from everyone here at DWT) the true depth of reservation there will be. No matter what is offered, you guys are going to hold off on buying anything unless I prove everything first. I figured that if my tools are what I say they are, I have 2 options. I can either fight with all of the established automatic tool mfrs (head to head) or I can open my power systems (shown in the pictures above) to one main mfr so we can help them develop a CFS system too. We'll promote them, build them up and do what we can to support them. I realize that no matter how successful we may be...the other tools will have devoted customers for the next 20 years. So, it seems obvious that if I could partner up with an existing company (and promote them), then they rise above the other automatic tools mfrs, enjoy a brand new channel to sell their tools (at virtually no cost) and reap the benefits for years to come. I brought this to one of the mfrs 2 weeks ago and was met with a resounding "no." So I'll wait until I have everything on the market, and talk to someone else.

We also need to offer you the abilty to adapt your personal tools to our machine(s) to save you money.

The pictures above show 2 different power units for the pumping systems. The second (for high rise and mobile home projects), while its as fast as a hopper for texturing, what if you could use this machine to do 2 high rise floors at the same time, tape, finish, texture and paint with it in half the time it takes to do the job now? In that context, I think we can offer something special. If not, we have the Raptor A-1 which is our smallest unit that is just as small as a hopper/compressor with virtually no set up and cleaning time.

There are 4 patents which need to be completed before I can share anything specific but let me part with just a few more points...

1. We have to self finance right now. First, in this economic environment, nobody wants to invest in a start up unless they carry the bulk of ownership. This requires more time for us to get out of the gate, but also allows us to wait until everything is perfect before we offer anything for sale. I've been involved with several start ups and when the money people start demanding a return, the quality goes out the window. If sales don't progress as fast as you forecast, you borrow more and lose more of the company. If you have to subject your company to a 3rd round of financing, you can pretty much write off all ownership...patents...and 32 years of your (my) life.

2. I want to offer tools for rent to own, lease and for sale. After we get our footing, I then want to offer stock to any contractor in the world through their local material house. This way you can buy $1000.00 worth of the company and pay it off as your material house allows you. This one is very sticky legally...and it's not totally solved yet, but that's what I want to do.

3. I want to show you a 3D mural system I'm working on that will allow you to create a relief on a wall with actual running water (on a production basis). We advertise to the AIA and NAHB, you receive the lead, do the mural, finish it in 2 days and charge $1800.00 for it.

Then we have completely new tools...a new paint system...and a new kind of mud that I think you are really going to like.

I know this all sounds like insane BS... But you've seen that every new tool I've displayed (whether you liked it or not) is a completely new technology. You've seen that I've been at this since the late 70's and you've seen pictures of actual machines we've already developed.

And I have the best management team (I mentioned before) to provide the experience that I don't have. Scott (Pres) has been involved with large start ups (one receiving $500,000,000.00 from Lucent Technologies as an investment package), and Tom (Finance) beginning and managing many start ups to the $50-$60,000,000.00 level). 

I just ask for patience. 

As I've said before, if things turn out not to solidify as I intend, I'll be the first to tell you. :thumbup:

Rick
(While competitors will think I'm foolish for presenting part of our plan, it's better understood by the fact that I have full confidence in our technology. We don't worry about competition.)


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> I don't know how fast your motors are meant to spin your reels, but for the last reel I built for 300' of 3/4" i.d. pressure hose, I used some used cultivator discs on the ends. The curve of the discs helped to keep the hose from 'jumping' over the reel ends while the hose was winding. I could get that thing going pretty good and not have the problem nearly as much as I found straight reel sides could give me.
> 
> But that unit was truck mounted. For weight considerations, maybe you could use something like a couple of shallow cooking woks.


 
That's a great idea, thanks.

The systems shown were made to prove that my theories would work. Before we sell them, they will go through a design for manufacturability stage where we streamline everything.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Granted...
> 
> In the 90's I was looking at the robotic tools for taping and finishing (that originated with my dad) and while they offered an entirely new and faster technology, I wanted something that would be a catapult into a new way of doing drywall. Going to a hose would eliminate the refilling of the tools but even with that, we're only talking what....a 30% increase in productivity? I knew that the bulk of the industry would sit back and wait to see what others thought first before they would invest in a system. I never wanted to offer something that wasn't an obvious, "knock everyone on their butt" technology.
> 
> I don't want to muddle around in trade shows explaining why a 30% increase in production is worth your hard earned money, I wanted something that everyone said, "He!! yes! Of course!!!" A series of tools that were such an advancement in labor saving that (for those that want to work with us) they have an overwhelming advantage in their bidding prices. Then I decided that we would do direct marketing to the National Association of Home Builders and American Institute of Architects to inform them of the new textures and financial advantages of hiring a contractor using HSI tools. As leads are developed we will send them to our partners in that area and introduce them to the GC's and owners that accept the bids.
> 
> But to make this a true industry changing system, we would need to increase productivity by over 100%. This meant that the pumping system(s) had to be better than anything out there and be a completely different design than anyone else is offering and at a lower price. This has been the challenge and the thing that took the longest to perfect. It would have to have virtually no set up/cleaning time and offer a virtual unlimited supply of mud. It would need to pump extremely thick mud for metal and first coat so shrinkage would be minimal and it would also need to be able to pump very thin material for a light orange peel or fog coat texturing.
> 
> It would need to pump between .25 gallons - 5 gallons a minute and texture with air so it offers the widest variety of patterns and can also be used for touch up to match old textures from years gone by.
> 
> It would also require the ability to paint in an airless mode.
> 
> I knew that if I could accomplish a pumping system that would do all this, then anything would be possible. Tool designs are virtually unlimited (swirling texture dobbers, auto-fed mud/metal/texture/skip trowel knives...). With this concept we can open ideas for new tools to every contractor in the country. Have a new idea? We'll use it, offer it, and send you a royalty on every one sold.
> 
> I began to fully understand about a year ago (honest and brutal feedback from everyone here at DWT) the true depth of reservation there will be. No matter what is offered, you guys are going to hold off on buying anything unless I prove everything first. I figured that if my tools are what I say they are, I have 2 options. I can either fight with all of the established automatic tool mfrs (head to head) or I can open my power systems (shown in the pictures above) to one main mfr so we can help them develop a CFS system too. We'll promote them, build them up and do what we can to support them. I realize that no matter how successful we may be...the other tools will have devoted customers for the next 20 years. So, it seems obvious that if I could partner up with an existing company (and promote them), then they rise above the other automatic tools mfrs, enjoy a brand new channel to sell their tools (at virtually no cost) and reap the benefits for years to come. I brought this to one of the mfrs 2 weeks ago and was met with a resounding "no." So I'll wait until I have everything on the market, and talk to someone else.
> 
> We also need to offer you the abilty to adapt your personal tools to our machine(s) to save you money.
> 
> The pictures above show 2 different power units for the pumping systems. The second (for high rise and mobile home projects), while it may not be as fast as a hopper for just texturing, what if you could use this machine to do 2 high rise floors at the same time, tape, finish, texture and paint with it in half the time it takes to do the job now? In that context, I think we can offer something special. If not, we have the Raptor A-1 which is our smallest unit that is just as small as a hopper/compressor with virtually no set up and cleaning time.
> 
> There are 4 patents which need to be completed before I can share anything specific but let me part with just a few more points...
> 
> 1. We have to self finance right now. First, in this economic environment, nobody wants to invest in a start up unless they carry the bulk of ownership. This requires more time for us to get out of the gate, but also allows us to wait until everything is perfect before we offer anything for sale. I've been involved with several start ups and when the money people start demanding a return, the quality goes out the window.
> 
> 2. I want to offer tools for rent to own, lease and for sale. After we get our footing, I then want to offer stock to any contractor in the world through their local material house. This way you can buy $1000.00 worth of the company and pay if off as your material house allows you. This one is very sticky legally...and it's not totally solved yet, but that's what I want to do.
> 
> 3. I want to show you a 3D mural system I'm working on that will allow you to create a relief on a wall with actual running water (on a production basis). We advertise to the AIA and NAHB, you receive the lead, do the mural, finish it in 2 days and charge $1800.00 for it.
> 
> Then we have completely new tools...a new paint system...and a new kind of mud that I think you are really going to like.
> 
> I know this all sounds like insane BS... But you've seen that every new tool I've displayed (whether you liked it or not) is a completely new technology. You've seen that I've been at this since the late 70's and you've seen pictures of actual machines we've already developed.
> 
> I just ask for patience.
> 
> As I've said before, if things turn out not to solidify as I intend, I'll be the first to tell you. :thumbup:
> 
> Rick
> (While competitors will think I'm foolish for presenting part of our plan, it's better understood by the fact that I have full confidence in our technology. We don't worry about competition.)


Man I hope you get it figured out,, I was not trying to bash you at all. I am a tool-whore and all I need is to SEE a better tool ONE time, and I'll buy it.

There is ALWAYS a better way to do something, and I hope you figure it out man, really !!!!!!!:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> ..... I was not trying to bash you at all.... :thumbup:


Captain,

That never entered my mind! :thumbsup:

I appreciate that I can receive open input in every flavor. DWT is a microcosim (sp?) of the world.

Keep it coming...please! Whenever I ran out of money to build a new prototype, I worked on the business plan (selling stock only to drywall contractors for example) which pretty much limits our future to my preconceptions. The more I hear from others...the better off we are.

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Captain,
> 
> That never entered my mind! :thumbsup:
> 
> I appreciate that I can receive open input in every flavor. DWT is a microcosim (sp?) of the world.
> 
> Keep it coming...please! Whenever I ran out of money to build a new prototype, I worked on the business plan (selling stock only to drywall contractors for example) which pretty much limits our future to my preconceptions. The more I hear from others...the better off we are.
> 
> Rick


 Rick, why don't you take a look at the mudrunner by TT, Its a really cool concept for a tool, Its so much better than a corner box,,,,,, however, Its a POS, simple because there is no competion and TT could careless about making it work right. Since no other company is providing an alternative,,,,,,,

Whoever comes up with the new and improved mudrunner will get 100% of the mudrunner bussiness.

Just a thought


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Rick, why don't you take a look at the mudrunner by TT, Its a really cool concept for a tool, Its so much better than a corner box,,,,,, however, Its a POS, simple because there is no competion and TT could careless about making it work right. Since no other company is providing an alternative,,,,,,,
> 
> Whoever comes up with the new and improved mudrunner will get 100% of the mudrunner bussiness.
> 
> Just a thought


Captain, 

That's easy, and is already done.:thumbsup:
Want to run that and a nail spotter at the same time?
How about a 24 or 36 inch box that you can skim a wall with?

Remember...an unlimited flow of mud allows you to do anything. AND...you get a free texture machine.

There's more...:whistling2:

Rick
I have to go pick Francesca up at the studio. Have a great night.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> That's a great idea, thanks.
> 
> The systems shown were made to prove that my theories would work. Before we sell them, they will go through a design for manufacturability stage where we streamline everything.


Thanks. It's an idea, anyway. How great it would be for your system, I don't know.

In my case, that hose was being rewound probably 10 times a day on average for what I was using it for, so that custom reel carrier was an investment to me - more work got done, so more money got made.

But I built it based on my experience with such situations. It's what I thought I should have. If I hadn't had that experience, I very likely would've opted for a standard, cheaper off the shelf carrier. As they say in marketing, people don't necessarily buy what they need. They buy what they think they need.


----------



## Mudstar

One phrase that comes to mind and always forgotten when coming up with some fang dangle gizmos thingamajig whatchamacallits is 

Keep it simple stupid 

Specially in the drywall industry only because we have enough fang dangle gizmos thingamajig whatchamacallits to play with anyways


Get back to work you slackers


----------



## silverstilts

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Lokks cool, looks neat.
> 
> I've been spraying ceilings since 1974 and have to this day to see ANY rig that is faster than a guy with a hopper.
> 
> Could be wrong, but haven't seen it yet.


I would have to disagree, yes I have seen some spray fast with a hopper but there is no comparison. Think about it a gravity feed hopper verses a pump? How can you even say such a thing. Not to mention stopping to fill a hopper when you can just mix up much more volume for a big rig. Is this just an observation of yours or have you actually picked up a gun on the end of a pump? What about getting into tight spots with a hopper? What about spraying vaults or just high ceilings? What height can you spray before you have to jump up on stilts? There is no comparison unless you are doing some small job, then I could understand such reasoning. Then you would simply just use a smaller pump. I would like to see you spray about 20,000 feet of orange peel and see how long it takes you. Even with a small pump you will cut your time to at least by 75 percent of the time it takes you to hold up that bulky hopper.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

is captain talking about hand held hopper or hopper with spray gun,
and rhadman,you should make a small mini bazooka extension,6" to a foot long.or one that is adjustable,alot of short guys have tough time with 9 foot high or more,larger boxes bigger than 12" could be interesting.fill a specialty market with certain tools,kick a$$ chord less light would be nice too......:yes:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> is captain talking about hand held hopper or hopper with spray gun, and rhadman,you should make a small mini bazooka extension,6" to a foot long.or one that is adjustable,alot of short guys have tough time with 9 foot high or more,larger boxes bigger than 12" could be interesting.fill a specialty market with certain tools,kick a$$ chord less light would be nice too......:yes:


I took it as a spray gun with a hopper. Even that is too slow and takes too much time to mix and clean...in my opinion :whistling2:

We have 4 taper designs already made. One is a shorty for closets and under stairs while 2 additional designs are adjustable for length in different ways. Last night I came up with a new box design that is stupid simple... I have one tool (< $100.00) that will let you tape 12ft horizontal seams from the floor. When I said before that I can introduce a new tool each month for the next year and a half, I wasn't blowing smoke. 

We've had a lot of success with Goodyear Gorilla hose. It isn't squirly (sp?) like airless hose is. It's light but still lays down and stays out of the way nicely.

We don't want the bulk of the market, just the top 25-30% of guys that want to be the absolute best in the industry as far as technology and profitability. If you try to sell what "everyone" wants, you begin to whore your values and profit becomes the most important issue. In the long run you lose. Give me customers that own a part of the business and offer new tool ideas to us. We'll all make more money than we need and let the cut throat and illegal workers fight for the scraps. 

The problem is that people usually have a 90 day window of expectation. If you take longer than that, they either tend to not believe you or just lose interest. As as we are self financing...things take longer than we would like.

Have a great day gentlemen, I've got to head out now.

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Okay guys,, I know you ain't gonna agrre with this, but so what.

I am talking about the cheap arse hopper you buy from Blowes.

I can spray an entire floor on a hotel or aprtment job before the guy with the "trail-rig" even gets started mixing his stuff up.

Don't really care about getting into a kicking contest with you guys, but a man with a hopper CAN and WILL outrun a trail-rig everyday of the week.


----------



## Tim0282

No way! I've sprayed with a 2 gallon hopper for years. I've sprayed with a Kodiak for the last several years. No way will you spray as much mud with a hopper! We both have to mix mud to spray. Difference is, you have to fill hopper every gallon. With the Kodiak, you dump in four buckets and prime the hose with number five. That beats the hopper first out of the gate. Then the pump compared to the gravity feed hopper. Again, I respectfully disagree, no way will you e:bangin:ver in any circumstance outspray a pump with a hopper! :bangin:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Tim0282 said:


> No way! I've sprayed with a 2 gallon hopper for years. I've sprayed with a Kodiak for the last several years. No way will you spray as much mud with a hopper! We both have to mix mud to spray. Difference is, you have to fill hopper every gallon. With the Kodiak, you dump in four buckets and prime the hose with number five. That beats the hopper first out of the gate. Then the pump compared to the gravity feed hopper. Again, I respectfully disagree, no way will you e:bangin:ver in any circumstance outspray a pump with a hopper! :bangin:


 Tim, you are entilled to your opinion, same as me.

I have been doing this since 73 and again I will state that I have NEVER been out-run by a trail rig, EVER.


----------



## Tim0282

Must be a difference between a trailer rig and a Kodiak pump. What kind of air compressor are you using to spray with?


----------



## Mudstar

I know you can prime spray and knockdown 12,000 sqft of ceiling a day with a hopper. 

2 man crew

JS


----------



## Tim0282

Do you scrape the walls and spray orange peel on them the same day? I have three guys and we spray 20,000' of rock. Sand the walls, cover the windows, doors, showers, mix the mud, spray knockdown on the ceilings, orange peel on the walls and prime walls and ceilings. 9 hours, 45 mins. off for lunch. I couldn't do that with a hopper when I sprayed with one. But I can wth a Kodiak. And when the sprayer was working good with the Alpa Tech, we could then, too.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Must be a difference between a trailer rig and a Kodiak pump. What kind of air compressor are you using to spray with?


The air has the most to do with it. Pushing 20 cfm through a hand hopper or pump will give you a huge (and more uniform) spray pattern. Then it's just about feeding the nozzle. 12 cfm (typical Emglo compressor for example) works well but with less air, I just don't see how it can match the larger cfm for production work.  

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Mudstar said:


> I know you can prime spray and knockdown 12,000 sqft of ceiling a day with a hopper.
> 
> 2 man crew
> 
> JS


and what does your arm feel like the next day :whistling2:
I think what rhardman has said is he's for the niche market,the one that does it every day.We have them here in London,spray guys,they do 3 or more houses a day if they half to,are they going to use a hopper every day,nutz if they do,their arm will fall off,do we tapers use a hopper ,yeppers,we dont do it every day.it's the old "does the end justify the means"


----------



## drywallnflorida

I don't think it is possible to out spray a graco rtx, kodiak, or alpa tech setup with a plain hopper let alone a full size tow rig. Just my .02!!

To me thats like sayin a guy hand tapin can out tape a guy with auto tools!!


Unless of course your just sprayin a few boards!!

Just mixin your spray alone takes way more time than a fullsize setup.


----------



## Tim0282

He did say 12,000' of ceiling. That is good! I'd have to see what he is doing different than I did when using a hopper.


----------



## rhardman

drywallnflorida said:


> I don't think it is possible to out spray a graco rtx, kodiak, or alpa tech setup with a plain hopper let alone a full size tow rig. Just my .02!!
> To me thats like sayin a guy hand tapin can out tape a guy with auto tools!!
> Unless of course your just sprayin a few boards!!
> Just mixin your spray alone takes way more time than a fullsize setup.


The Captain is a straight shooter, I've never seen any reason to doubt him. :thumbsup:

2buck, 

Just to clarify (pardon the sales hat) it's 3 versions of the same system that will robotically assist you in taping and finishing (CFS), texture without the need for a separate compressor, and then paint . Everything is self contained in a single system. The 3 sizes are to offer 3 price ranges so you pay only for what you need. The cost difference comes from the different engine/compressor combinations and the supporting hydraulics so you get a spray rig to fit the type of work you do. The A-1 is mostly a robotic taping/finishing system that offers you a free texture system. I'd call this one equivalent to an auto fed hopper. The A-2 has more air and the A-4 is the same air and mud flow as a trailer mounted system. It will also spray EIFS, cement, and a slew of other materials, but that's not of any interest here.

It's a single system that can power a drywall company. I said we only want 25 -30% because they will be the companies open to a new technology. I don't want to waste time trying to convince people that don't want to see it. When everything is finally shown, it will take about 10 seconds to either love it or hate it.

When I was soliciting Scott to be the President, we went to a drywall company in South Seattle and showed an older taper (in his 60's I think) the taper and he said, "It's a piece of Shi!" Scott wasn't impressed so we ran to the Kirkland Ames Store (across the street from All-Wall) and I waited out front until some tapers showed up. 3 young mexican guys pulled up in a pickup and I asked if they had a couple of minutes. I opened the back of the truck and showed them what we had. They started laughing, holding it and taking it away from each other. They wanted to know where they could get one. Scott immediately accepted a percentage of the company and became the President. 

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

I get it ,it slices,dices and chops all in one,but comes in different sizes to suit your needs
so you can ,paint,texture spray ceilings,and run cfs (alphatec tools)
for a company that does it all


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> I get it ,it slices,dices and chops all in one,but comes in different sizes to suit your needs
> so you can ,paint,texture spray ceilings,and run cfs (alphatec tools)
> for a company that does it all


 
2 buck,

If you just want to tape with it, we'll custom build it for you and you can save the cost of the compressor.

We're not trying to be all things to all people, it's just that I designed everything modular so we can mix and match very easily.

Rick
CFS yes....if you already have the Apla Tech tools we'll adapt them for you. If you don't, ours will cost A LOT less.


----------



## rhardman

*Virus attack*

Apparently we've been attacked through the web site. :furious:

Oh joy...:blink:

I'll be away for a couple of days... 

Rick
Probably that Mr. Viagra or his buddy Cialis that keep stopping by...


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

drywallnflorida said:


> I don't think it is possible to out spray a graco rtx, kodiak, or alpa tech setup with a plain hopper let alone a full size tow rig. Just my .02!!
> 
> To me thats like sayin a guy hand tapin can out tape a guy with auto tools!!
> 
> 
> Unless of course your just sprayin a few boards!!
> 
> Just mixin your spray alone takes way more time than a fullsize setup.


I disagree, and herein lies the argument. 

I can show up with a 55 gal bucket at the same time as a guy with a trail rig, and I will be cleaning up and leaving about the same time he is finally ready to spray.

Besides that, I have yet to see a big rig spray at the speed and volume of a hand held hopper.

Just my experience, I haven't seen it ALL but I still haven't seen a trail-rig that will beat a hand-held hopper.


----------



## rhardman

*Company computers are still down...no HSI email for a few days yet.*

Sounds like the Captain is premixing and starts shooting immediately... This is similar to what we offer...but we're still a bit different.
______________________________________________________________

Well, things are getting a little nasty with Mudstar calling me a "snake oil salesman" on another thread and with things taking longer than I originally thought, I guess I can understand.

Let me talk to my attorney and see how much I can share...

My first thought is to set up a conference call with a computer link you can call into...maybe on a Sunday afternoon (?). You can ask me or Scott any questions you have and I'll show online as much as I can. It would be welcome to everyone so if any competitors want a peek, please use your real name. There's no need to be secretive.

This would of course require a DrywallTalk online name to participate. :thumbup:

I'll look into the mechanics of putting it together.

Rick


----------



## silverstilts

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I disagree, and herein lies the argument.
> 
> I can show up with a 55 gal bucket at the same time as a guy with a trail rig, and I will be cleaning up and leaving about the same time he is finally ready to spray.
> 
> Besides that, I have yet to see a big rig spray at the speed and volume of a hand held hopper.
> 
> Just my experience, I haven't seen it ALL but I still haven't seen a trail-rig that will beat a hand-held hopper.


It is impossible even if you mix you texture to the consistency of water a gravity feed hopper just does not have the flow capacity of a pump. Fill your hopper up with water and run it through and see how long it takes for it to empty unless of coarse you have a very large orifice which you normally wouldn't use except for certain textures. Even a small pump would empty the same volume in about 10 sec. As far as mixing time and set up that don't make any sense at all. You still have to drag all your stuff in and set up. You still have to run back to your barrel to refill. What about a three plus level home? I can drag a hose around and have a 2nd level sprayed before you could drag all your equipment up there and get set up. It just does not make any sense at all. I too at one time kinda felt the same way, but once you have a gun in your hand with the capabilities of controlling the flow no matter how thick of material you are spraying there is no comparison. What happens when you have to spray a heavy knockdown how fast will that flow in a hopper????? You are so limited with a hopper. Again what about vaulted ceilings or perhaps a 12' wall???? I would like to see you spray the back side of a broom closet with a hopper. Or a steep pitched ceiling running into a wall how far back can you tip your hopper before it spills over the top even with an elbow on it, by the time you tilt it back you lose your flow so you see the advantages of a hopper are limited to a small range of spraying.


----------



## prodrywall

*How many years*

How long am I going to have to wait to see the much talked about miracle machine in action? I gotta see unlimited mud and airless spray.


----------



## rhardman

*So I received a PM about adapting our taping tools to the Mark V*

So Kevin sent me a question asking if we would sell taping tools that could be adapted to the Mark V. I answered saying no as my first thought was, "Why would you want to? Our system is much better..." 

Then I got to thinking about it and realized how selfish it was so I went over and had a meeting with Cory about the design considerations. 

I just left his office and we decided that we will.

So if you are already using a Graco system like the Mark V, we intend to sell a complete set of Taping/Finishing tools (CFS) for under $2500.00. The hose, length and price is up in the air if you want us to supply it but if you want to connect to the Graco hose, with a very minor bolt on piece (one time, 30 minutes and fully removable) , you should be good to go.

*prodrywall,

Time line for completing full testing and offering the tools for sale: Raptor Texture Systems/ January 1. Taping Systems/ March 1. *We will have videos available before those dates.

A big part of this is the legalities and setting up regional service centers. If we're able to improve on that forecast, we will. It shouldn't run any longer.:thumbup:

Rick
We came up with some design changes for our pump....that thing is totally Bad A$$! Cory and I work really well together. I have the concepts/fundamental design(s) and knowledge of the mud and he has the machining/ design experience. And we're both just crazy enough to believe that there is always a better way to do something!


----------



## Tim0282

We are in a holdng pattern. :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> We are in a holdng pattern. :thumbsup:


Thank you 0282,

I think about what it must look like from everyone's perspective and I want to dispel doubt with videos and pictures of everything but legally I just can't yet.

These are the facts: I have working prototypes of everything. I have the next 3-4 generations of tools already on paper. The new mud formula I have is so revolutionary that a very large material company said that if I can substantiate my claims, they are interested in working with us.

I have an incredible management team already in place. I want to do whatever the market needs (like making a taping system that can be adapted to the MarkV mentioned above) rather than force what we want to sell on anyone and I want to have a long future of supplying the new generation of drywall tools.

While December and March seem long to you...since starting in 77 with my dad, I'm finally in the home stretch! Now we just have to make everything absolutely rock solid so we don't send product out that is defective in any way. That's always the danger of working with a new company. We will remedy that issue before it ever has a chance to begin.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

I'm thinking I might just have to drive over to your palce and take a look at this Raptor!


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I'm thinking I might just have to drive over to your palce and take a look at this Raptor!


THAT I can show... early next week. It's a pre-production unit for testing so it won't be powder coated yet but will show you most of what is there.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Wonder how long it would take me to drive from Iowa. I could pick up a few of the drywall guys from here on the way! Think of the talk we could provide for you! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Wonder how long it would take me to drive from Iowa. I could pick up a few of the drywall guys from here on the way! Think of the talk we could provide for you! :thumbsup:


A couple of comments ago I talked about a conference call where I can share more. I have to talk to the attorney about it first and will let you know what he says.

Believe me....I WANT TO SHARE!!!! :thumbup::brows::lol::thumbup1:

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

silverstilts said:


> It is impossible even if you mix you texture to the consistency of water a gravity feed hopper just does not have the flow capacity of a pump. Fill your hopper up with water and run it through and see how long it takes for it to empty unless of coarse you have a very large orifice which you normally wouldn't use except for certain textures. Even a small pump would empty the same volume in about 10 sec. As far as mixing time and set up that don't make any sense at all. You still have to drag all your stuff in and set up. You still have to run back to your barrel to refill. What about a three plus level home? I can drag a hose around and have a 2nd level sprayed before you could drag all your equipment up there and get set up. It just does not make any sense at all. I too at one time kinda felt the same way, but once you have a gun in your hand with the capabilities of controlling the flow no matter how thick of material you are spraying there is no comparison. What happens when you have to spray a heavy knockdown how fast will that flow in a hopper????? You are so limited with a hopper. Again what about vaulted ceilings or perhaps a 12' wall???? I would like to see you spray the back side of a broom closet with a hopper. Or a steep pitched ceiling running into a wall how far back can you tip your hopper before it spills over the top even with an elbow on it, by the time you tilt it back you lose your flow so you see the advantages of a hopper are limited to a small range of spraying.


 Silver, I really don't want to get into a pee'ing match about this. If you like your rig, fine, have at it. I am simply saying that in my limited experiance, I have never seen a trail-rig that could spray out a hotel or apartment buililding faster than I could with a hopper.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Thank you 0282,
> 
> I think about what it must look like from everyone's perspective and I want to dispel doubt with videos and pictures of everything but legally I just can't yet.


I'm with Tim. Don't worry about name calling and any doubts on our part - I can appreciate your maybe wanting to create some 'buzz' in advance. Get things right enough, and roll your products out as you can.

Btw: I don't particularly care to buy things and then a few weeks later have some nice improvements made to the next models that come out. If you are coming up with improvements like that at times for some things, could you consider letting us know, so I for one can see about holding off till they do come out.


----------



## silverstilts

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Silver, I really don't want to get into a pee'ing match about this. If you like your rig, fine, have at it. I am simply saying that in my limited experiance, I have never seen a trail-rig that could spray out a hotel or apartment buililding faster than I could with a hopper.


Not getting into a pissing contest, but you nailed it on the head when you said (Quote) "In my limited experience....." Hmmm could you not brag how fast you are with a hopper at least until you try a pump???? Get your hands on a small one perhaps an apla-tech and then see for yourself how much time you would save let along the wear on your body... Most times I do respect your posts and you have very good reasoning to back what you say, This is not one of those times I'm afraid to say....


----------



## silverstilts

JustMe said:


> I'm with Tim. Don't worry about name calling and any doubts on our part - I can appreciate your maybe wanting to create some 'buzz' in advance. Get things right enough, and roll your products out as you can.
> 
> Btw: I don't particularly care to buy things and then a few weeks later have some nice improvements made to the next models that come out. If you are coming up with improvements like that at times for some things, could you consider letting us know, so I for one can see about holding off till they do come out.


 I just have to agree with the last part. But I have no doubt that rick is NOT going to leave much room for improvements...


----------



## prodrywall

*Seeing the Raptor in action*

You should easily be able (legally) to show just the gun and output in action. We will just have to take your word for it that it is hooked to ur rig. You gotta put us out of our misery! I did enjoy the pics you have posted already of the rig on the red trailer!


----------



## DSJOHN

I believe many will be surprised with what may hit the market,Remember when Apla-tech came out with air assisted they improved from mechanicals a bit ,maybe Rick can improve on there system??


----------



## Mudstar

rhardman said:


> Well, things are getting a little nasty with Mudstar calling me a "snake oil salesman" on another thread and with things taking longer than I originally thought, I guess I can understand.
> 
> Rick



Snake oil a product of China and is used to relieve pain Rick, isn't that that your trying to do for us with your fang dangle relief gizmo?

Google it Rick, do your research I thought you where a quick to the wit type guy. 

Anyone in the drywall industry needs a snake oil remedy like your pump 

I was not trying to be nasty what so ever. 

Why is everyone so serious.

Does anyone here watch Seinfeld or what?


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

silverstilts said:


> Not getting into a pissing contest, but you nailed it on the head when you said (Quote) "In my limited experience....." Hmmm could you not brag how fast you are with a hopper at least until you try a pump???? Get your hands on a small one perhaps an apla-tech and then see for yourself how much time you would save let along the wear on your body... Most times I do respect your posts and you have very good reasoning to back what you say, This is not one of those times I'm afraid to say....


I do have an alpha-tech system, albeit its the cfs and I don't spray with it.
I have friends that have the small rigs (with a hopper attachment) and friends with trail-rigs. They must be deadbeats, cause I can out run em. As far as "seeing it", all I have ever seen is how slow the big rigs are.

As I have said before, If I EVER see a better deal, I will buy it the next day. I am a toolwhore after all.


----------



## JustMe

silverstilts said:


> I just have to agree with the last part. But I have no doubt that rick is NOT going to leave much room for improvements...


I hope you're right. Rick's comment yesterday of



rhardman said:


> We came up with some design changes for our pump....that thing is totally Bad A$$!


got me to thinking about it, though, as did the box handle I picked up about a month ago (Columbia's Hydra Reach) that maybe has had a nice enough change to it (the change they're showing on their Facebook page, but isn't on their company website yet).


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## silverstilts

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I do have an alpha-tech system, albeit its the cfs and I don't spray with it.
> I have friends that have the small rigs (with a hopper attachment) and friends with trail-rigs. They must be deadbeats, cause I can out run em. As far as "seeing it", all I have ever seen is how slow the big rigs are.
> 
> As I have said before, If I EVER see a better deal, I will buy it the next day. I am a toolwhore after all.


 There you go, how big of a hopper or is it one you sit on top of a bucket? If it is a hopper type 12 or 15 gal just get the hose and gun. I don't know what size compressor you use or what type of set up you have perhaps a goldblatt type, which I could never seem to get enough air pressure so I used a larger electric air for a while then a bigger gas compressor. I have no doubt that you will find it much more easier and more speed. Not sure what to say on why those guys you outrun with the big riggs. Perhaps they don't know how to use one. Really don't know. Good luck on whatever you use. Not sure on the pump with the hopper attachment sounds a little bulky to me. Never seen one in action had no need too I guess.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

capt sheetrock
your quote "I am a toolwhore after all. "
better to be a tool whore than a post whore,sure mudstar will agree with that:jester:


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> I don't particularly care to buy things and then a few weeks later have some nice improvements made to the next models that come out. If you are coming up with improvements like that at times for some things, could you consider letting us know, so I for one can see about holding off till they do come out.


No, we won't do that. We will have the absolute best system we can design and we will have the lowest cost unit possible so we can be our own competition. That being said, we have a slew of other accessories that will be available but nothing to really compete with the basic taping/ texturing systems. I have some insane handles and other things but the main functionality will be the same with everything so you don't have to worry about functional improvements coming out in the near future. There is another level to this whole thing called the "Stinger." That will shake the ground we walk on. But even that will be an accessory that will fit any system.

The pump is the heart of the system and nobody can copy that. The improvements I talked about will be included with every set.

I meet with the attorney on Monday.:thumbsup:

Apla Tech was mentioned. They are a fine company and I'm aware of many of their advantages. In my humble opinion, my fathers original system is what CFS was meant to be.

Rick

Sorry Mudstar, didn't mean to be so sensitive...long days this week. :thumbup:

____________


----------



## rhardman

prodrywall said:


> You should easily be able (legally) to show just the gun and output in action. We will just have to take your word for it that it is hooked to ur rig. You gotta put us out of our misery! I did enjoy the pics you have posted already of the rig on the red trailer!



You may not have seen the spray gun before...

I posted it a while back.

http://www.hardmansystems.com/products/raptor/

(Nothing for sale....not a whoring attempt to sell something...) I'll be out front about that later and will pay Nathan an advertising fee first. :thumbsup:

In fairness, on the site are some other tools. The mixer had about 85-90% positive feedback. The gloves still have to go out for reviews...I owe ****** big time on this one. The creaser wheel had a 100% enthusiastic response. The fiberglass taper was so-so as I really didn't provide an accurate video on how to use it and besides it's more a plaster tool than drywall. It also helped fuel a paper vs mesh tape war on another thread. And almost everyone thought my mud pan sucked! Though Tim0282 was very kind saying he was willing to give it a try. This one might not ever be good as the basic concept was not of interest to most people...but it's driving me nuts so I'll keep trying.:bangin:


Rick
And by the way...everyone just keep hating the mud pan...I don't care...I'll get your attention with the taping tools :tt2:


----------



## Tim0282

Tough crowd around here!


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> No, we won't do that. We will have the absolute best system we can design and we will have the lowest cost unit possible so we can be our own competition. That being said, we have a slew of other accessories that will be available but nothing to really compete with the basic taping/ texturing systems. I have some insane handles and other things but the main functionality will be the same with everything so you don't have to worry about functional improvements coming out in the near future. There is another level to this whole thing called the "Stinger." That will shake the ground we walk on. But even that will be an accessory that will fit any system.
> 
> The pump is the heart of the system and nobody can copy that. The improvements I talked about will be included with every set.


I await (but any chance of getting some kind of a sneak description of some of the features of some of them, to see if your designs might be better than mine? Then I can hold off having my machinist make up some of my designs for me, at least till I try yours?) 



rhardman said:


> (Nothing for sale....not a whoring attempt to sell something...) I'll be out front about that later and will pay Nathan an advertising fee first.
> 
> In fairness, on the site are some other tools. The mixer had about 85-90% positive feedback. The gloves still have to go out for reviews...I owe ****** big time on this one. The creaser wheel had a 100% enthusiastic response.
> 
> And almost everyone thought my mud pan sucked! Though Tim0282 was very kind saying he was willing to give it a try. This one might not ever be good as the basic concept was not of interest to most people...but it's driving me nuts so I'll keep trying.:bangin:


Still no chance of somehow buying a creaser wheel &/or mixer?

If I could help improve on your man pan concept (whatever it is) enough to get more positive nods for it, that get me anything? (besides undying gratitude for making your head stop hurting)


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

silverstilts said:


> It is impossible even if you mix you texture to the consistency of water a gravity feed hopper just does not have the flow capacity of a pump. Fill your hopper up with water and run it through and see how long it takes for it to empty unless of coarse you have a very large orifice which you normally wouldn't use except for certain textures. Even a small pump would empty the same volume in about 10 sec. As far as mixing time and set up that don't make any sense at all. You still have to drag all your stuff in and set up. You still have to run back to your barrel to refill. What about a three plus level home? I can drag a hose around and have a 2nd level sprayed before you could drag all your equipment up there and get set up. It just does not make any sense at all. I too at one time kinda felt the same way, but once you have a gun in your hand with the capabilities of controlling the flow no matter how thick of material you are spraying there is no comparison. What happens when you have to spray a heavy knockdown how fast will that flow in a hopper????? You are so limited with a hopper. Again what about vaulted ceilings or perhaps a 12' wall???? I would like to see you spray the back side of a broom closet with a hopper. Or a steep pitched ceiling running into a wall how far back can you tip your hopper before it spills over the top even with an elbow on it, by the time you tilt it back you lose your flow so you see the advantages of a hopper are limited to a small range of spraying.


Want to correct one thing, I use my CFS for level5 finish but not texture, so I mis-spoke about not spraying with it. 
Been thinking about this post today. You are probbly right. I problly have just never seen a guy that knows how to use a rig. I have seen a bunch of em, but when it comes to actually pulling the trigger, I have never seen a rig (pump as you call em) put it on the wall or ceiling as fast as a hand-held hopper. BTW my limited experience started in 73 or maybe 74, been awhile, I forget abit sometimes.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> I await (but any chance of getting some kind of a sneak description of some of the features of some of them, to see if your designs might be better than mine? Then I can hold off having my machinist make up some of my designs for me, at least till I try yours?)
> 
> Still no chance of somehow buying a creaser wheel &/or mixer?
> 
> If I could help improve on your man pan concept (whatever it is) enough to get more positive nods for it, that get me anything? (besides undying gratitude for making your head stop hurting)



Ohhhh, I see....a little corporate competitive research huh? Maybe a little reverse engineering? :blink: Good for you! That's the smart way to go. You should see the stack of Graco, Titan, Apla Tech, Wallboard and Ames patents I have...:whistling2:

The creaser wheel and mixer are being sent to an online distributor for his testing and review. Once approved, he'll put them on his site. I spoke with several of the internet "big boys" and found most to be extremely arrogant... _"If you go out and create the market, then we'll sell them for you...."_ The one we chose to work with is fanatical about new technology and after all the research we did, I personally think they will be the prime internet distributor in 5 years. Other than on our site for the LifeTime Warranty tools, *for internet buying*, his site will be the only place we sell any (and all) of our products. If someone is open to working with us when we start out, we intend to support them for as long as our train runs down the tracks. :thumbup:

I made a change to our R&D strategy holding off on the hand tools until
after the more profitable tools are on the market. That being said, I have 2 tools I'm working with other DWT contractors to develop. After those are finished we are absolutely interested in developing any new drywall technology. But it won't be until after our taping tools are out.:thumbsup:

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*After I talk to the attorney tomorrow...*

View attachment 387
I'll post more pictures of the Raptor A-4 after I get the okay from the attorney. Should be Tuesday. 



Rick


----------



## Sir Mixalot

rhardman said:


> I'll post more pictures of the Raptor A-4 after I get the okay from the attorney. Should be Tuesday.
> 
> View attachment 384
> View attachment 387
> 
> 
> Rick


Sweet. Can't wait to see them. :thumbup:
PS, my mixing paddle is still kicking a$$!
-Paul


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Ohhhh, I see....a little corporate competitive research huh? Maybe a little reverse engineering? :blink: Good for you! That's the smart way to go. You should see the stack of Graco, Titan, Apla Tech, Wallboard and Ames patents I have...:whistling2:


After reading what I'd posted, thought you might take it that way. But naw, not something like THat. *smile*

I am doing some R&D, but more for in-house right now, to help the company I've been working for to be more competitive - I've done this in other industries, mostly for myself, but never got serious about mass marketing the things I came up with.

If some of the products you've already described in a general sense seem better than my designs, then I'd hold off getting those prototypes built, at least till I got a chance to test yours. If your's did work well, then I'd recommend them to the company's branches.

Btw: I found your man pan thread last night and have a few POssible improvement thoughts to MAybe make it more marketable. If you're interested enough, message me and I'll email them to you.


----------



## rhardman

*You probably like this picture better...*

I got to thinking about it and it occurred to me that this picture might be of more interest than the 2 I posted earlier.:thumbup:

Rick

(Thanks Paul. / Just Me, I'll be in touch later this week.)


----------



## 2buckcanuck

how much for the product with four wheels:jester:


----------



## rebel20

I spoke with several of the internet "big boys" and found most to be extremely arrogant... _"If you go out and create the market, then we'll sell them for you...."_

_Now thats a statement I've heard somewhere before_


----------



## rhardman

rebel20 said:


> I spoke with several of the internet "big boys" and found most to be extremely arrogant... _"If you go out and create the market, then we'll sell them for you...."_
> 
> _Now thats a statement I've heard somewhere before_


And after you do the legwork, they mark up the price to the contractor 30-40% for the privilege to buy from them...  As soon as I can announce the company we're working with, I will. A whole different breed in internet drywall tools! :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

*Spoke with the attorney...*

Well I can't show the latest revisions with everything attached or the internal mechanics as we believe the fundamental arrangement has a legal novelty to it.

I can show this though...

RAPTOR A-4

View attachment 393


View attachment 394



Electric start gas engine with 18 cfm fluid activation compressor so its rpm slows down when less air is needed.

If you look closely at the center bottom of the photo, you'll see that I removed the shock absorbing base between the machine and the trailer. We're going to bounce the heck out of this thing to make sure the seams hold.

In the upper left inner quadrant you'll see a rectangular plate. This is where the electronics are mounted. The electronics are Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and potted which means they are put together in the most durable moisture and shock resistant conditions possible. If we find that there is need, we'll use military grade components. There is back up circuitry in the event a failure occurs. This allows the circuit to run without the bells and whistles. As an option, we'll offer rebuild kits with a back up (electronics) box so you can replace one with another very quickly. The electronics monitor the speed of the pump as well as the wearing of the seals. You are informed with a green light that all conditions are perfect. A yellow light when the seals are 80% worn and a red light when the seals are 90% exhausted. At 100% the light flashes red. I want to shut the pump down automatically at that point so you don't damage the mechanics of the pump but as a contractor, it would upset me off if someone shut my pump down (instead of me...). So I'll probably leave you with that decision.
View attachment 395



A big part of the testing will include driving the unit to job sites, through fields and other rough conditions. .

View attachment 396


The trailer has an integrated flow system so you can keep a hose running from this connection and add 2 more on the rear of the machine. Or if you wheel it into a building, you can remove the hose from the trailer and take it in with you.

Entire width of the machine is under 30 inches.

I'll share more as soon as I possibly can.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

And a little more excitement builds... :yes:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> And a little more excitement builds... :yes:


Thanks 0282,

Rick 

(That virus came in on [email protected] and it appears to have gone much deeper than we thought. I've have major problems trying to edit this thread so if I'm away for a few days, it's because the computer guru is tinkering with things...)


----------



## prodrywall

*Raptor*

What is the square aluminum looking part that surrounds the machine? Like the tow vehicle!


----------



## Tim0282

Just guess here.... the air tank? And handle.


----------



## rhardman

prodrywall said:


> What is the square aluminum looking part that surrounds the machine? Like the tow vehicle!


It's kind of like when a homeowner starts asking why we did something the way we did before it's all finished...or "...wouldn't another way be better?"

Everything will make sense when I can show the whole system. :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## 1wallboardsman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I do have an alpha-tech system, albeit its the cfs and I don't spray with it.
> I have friends that have the small rigs (with a hopper attachment) and friends with trail-rigs. They must be deadbeats, cause I can out run em. As far as "seeing it", all I have ever seen is how slow the big rigs are.
> 
> As I have said before, If I EVER see a better deal, I will buy it the next day. I am a toolwhore after all.


Next time you see the guys with the big rigs, hold a mirror under their nose, I'm curious as to whether they are actually alive.

jdl


----------



## Tim0282

See, my guess wasn't right.  I knew better than to even attempt a guess. Tis fun to speculate and see the end product and know why we don't get paid to speculate.  But is is fun to speculate...


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> See, my guess wasn't right.  I knew better than to even attempt a guess. Tis fun to speculate and see the end product and know why we don't get paid to speculate.  But is is fun to speculate...


Speculation is very good! It's the sign of an active mind. :thumbup:

I don't want to get into specific reasons I did things the way I did right now. I'll share it later (individually) if there is interest.

I will say that my priorities have always been these: 1. Improvement over current technologies.* 2. Dependability 3. Easy repair/replacement of parts. 4. Price 5. Innovative designs

Rick
*If we can't improve a drywall process, why sell what somebody else does? That being said, I couldn't improve the corner tools designed by Robert Ames. There are several designs that go back to the 50's that are very good. Morris Mower with Axia had some unique ideas. In my opinion, he never received the engineering respect he deserved. 

Robert Ames patent approved 1958:















Earlier Ames Corner patent approved 1952: 









Morris Mower patent 1997:


----------



## JustMe

Tim0282 said:


> See, my guess wasn't right.  I knew better than to even attempt a guess. Tis fun to speculate and see the end product and know why we don't get paid to speculate.  But is is fun to speculate...


I don't believe Rick said you were wrong, Tim. With his diagram pointing out the seams being welded 4 times, it does suggest something like a pressurized container. If it is for that, I might have considered using bent round tubing. Seen that done before. But Rick might have his good reasons for square. Maybe has to do some with material rust on the inside?



rhardman said:


> I don't want to get into specific reasons I did things the way I did right now. I'll share it later (individually) if there is interest.


I for one will take you up on that offer. Always interested in thought processes when it comes to innovation.

------

_*Think outside the box? There is no box. There is only a search for the truth.*_


----------



## DSJOHN

------

_*Think outside the box? There is no box. There is only a search for the truth.*_[/QUOTE]

ITS TRYING TO GET IN THE BOX THAT GETS ME IN TROUBLE


----------



## JustMe

....


----------



## rhardman

*Speaking of boxes...*

Between the Raptor and the hose is a dead space where I was planning on mounting 2 removable "bucket" holders (20 gallon containers working with the pump) you can mix in so you can run with ready mixed mud between job sites. I want it removable so if you don't want the portable "buckets" we can offer another accessory that holds the finishing tools and knives on a rubber grate in an inch of water with an air tight lid so you don't have to wash everything every day. It would be Stainless Steel with a ball valve on the bottom so you could take it to a car wash and leave a mess on their floor :yes:. I thought about adding a small water pump to it but I don't that it's really necessary. 

The taper will probably still need to be washed after using it though I'm working on another idea that may get around that problem too.

We can do anything with this, like mount a power reel on a 180 degree rotating platform to hold the hose...it's really limitless.

*My question is*, is there something else that would be better to mount between the machine and the hose? Something you would rather have there as a different accessory?

I'll have a separate carrying case for the tools.

The trailer stand can be easily relocated. And I am aware that there are vulnerabilities in very cold weather (we'll have it covered... :whistling2.

Thanks :thumbup:

Rick
Oops! A secret slipped out. If I have portable mud, then all I have to do is pull up to the job, run in with 150 feet of hose and do my work for the day (Taping CFS, Texturing or Painting). Then wind the hose up and leave. Set up 10 minutes...clean up 10 minutes and no cleaning of the tools. If you use the patented paint (we call Wall Treatments) we're going to offer later, you don't have to clean the pump after that either. Water soluble, pump and environment friendly materials; just pump the extra paint into an empty bucket as you fill the hose with mud for the next day).


*Now we're playin' Hockey!!!!!*


----------



## Tim0282

Each new discovery sounds more appealing!


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Each new discovery sounds more appealing!



It's a good system.

We'll now go beat the heck out of it and do a little more fine tuning. Early November we'll do a private viewing for some of our older DWT partners to get your feedback. Then we'll show everyone.

The talk is good so you know who we are, how deep we are into R&D (so there are no after purchase problems) and you know our values.

Now it's time to deliver...:thumbsup:

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> *My question is*, is there something else that would be better to mount between the machine and the hose? Something you would rather have there as a different accessory?


How about a heated portable pop-up shelter, for when temperatures can hit 40+ below and the wind is blowing.


----------



## Tim0282

Maybe a porta-potty. :sneaky2:


----------



## rhardman

*In an emergency...*



Tim0282 said:


> Maybe a porta-potty. :sneaky2:


After some "research" on various job sites, I just don't think we can provide a lower cost than an empty tube of glue or the empty liner and cardboard box from a box of mud...:whistling2:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> How about a heated portable pop-up shelter, for when temperatures can hit 40+ below and the wind is blowing.


 I can prevent the mud from freezing but when it come's to the human body, I think that's a Canadian question having something to do with ice fishing...


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> After some "research" on various job sites, I just don't think we can provide a lower cost than an empty tube of glue or the empty liner and cardboard box from a box of mud...:whistling2:
> 
> Rick


I'd rather have the mud tank on there. Not that that really matters.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> I can prevent the mud from freezing but when it come's to the human body, I think that's a Canadian question having something to do with ice fishing...


and beer. We invented it.


----------



## DSJOHN

eh!!!


----------



## 2buckcanuck

to sell this in Canada,you will half to put skis on it,have it dog team ready,and create some contraption that prevents our beer from freezing. eh
and just me ,we did not invent beer,worlds 2nd biggest consumer after Germany.here's a link on it's history http://www.alabev.com/history.htm
tells at the end how the Americans began to make it weaker to get their women drunk.......why's that????:tongue_smilie:


----------



## JustMe

2buckcanuck said:


> and just me ,we did not invent beer,worlds 2nd biggest consumer after Germany.here's a link on it's history http://www.alabev.com/history.htm


I'm a rocket scientist. I can believe anything I want.



2buckcanuck said:


> tells at the end how the Americans began to make it weaker to get their women drunk.......why's that????:tongue_smilie:


Because Americans understand inverse relationships - the lowering of alcohol levels causes the raising of skirts.


----------



## rhardman

*Ugly virus...not the typical annoyance.*

Turns out the virus that attacked us went deep into the system and is still mulling around. We have everything backed up but it looks like we need new hard drives and at least two new optical drives. :furious:

We should be able to pull up all past emails and addresses but it's going to take some time. In the meantime I'm emailing directly off the server. :blink:

Some files in our CRM software have been corrupted to the point where we can't find addresses or phone numbers of many people I've spoken with on the phone.

If you have sent me your contact information in the past for a paddle, creaser wheel or one of the other tools, and want to be included in the newsletter and updates, please fill out the following form. For your help with the prototypes we had already planned on giving you a lifetime discount off any purchase*, so if you can help us with this one further step, we'll make sure the discount is identified with your potential account. Also, please note which prototypes you tested or what the topic was (product group) of our last conversation.

http://www.hardmansystems.com/contact/form/?submit=3

In the form it asks for the number of employees and annual sales. I'm not worried about that, it was something our web guru put in there for potential distributors.

Sorry for the hassle and thank you for your patience and support.:thumbup:

Rick
*On orders placed directly through the web site.


Update 10/24: Turns out the viruses didn't affect the hard drives so my email lists are still there. Lost some programs and the 2 optical drives were dead...not sure if that was virus caused or not...


----------



## rhardman

I was speaking with a DWT guy yesterday and learned a lot from what he had to say. He was concerned that our Raptor A-4 would be priced out of his range as he works alone and on smaller projects.

We talked about the A-1 having all the same functions as the A-4 with not as much air or the 150 foot pumping distance. He also liked the idea that he can prime with it and the rental options (we'll also rent to own so you aren't sucked into an Ames perpetual death grip :blink.

Looks like I'd better focus on benefits of more interest to you guys.

*Update:* Cory is building 2 more pumps with different seal configurations* while we finalize the power unit. All is well and coming along great. Vendor issues...while you can occassionally find a good sales guy, most are proving useless. We order a part based on their suggestion and once we receive it, it's often substandard. Our big challenge right now isn't the design, but rather getting a reliable supply chain so there is no chance of sending out faulty equipment.

:thumbup:


Rick

*I want more surface area on the seals and Cory wants easier and faster replacement. It's a (polite) tug of war right now.


----------



## rhardman

I double entered the same information. See previous note.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Things are going well on the Raptor. January 1 is looking good for the launch date. Since we're beginning with the machines for texturing (bringing the taping tools out in March) I've been introduced to someone very familiar with that arena. We had a preliminary discussion about never bluffing about anything and always holding true to the values of the contractor. There was a slight misalignment of perspective but I think that's just because our words had different definitions. I think he's also a bit skeptical about the technical advancements I claimed.

Hopefully we'll be able to work together. He could bring a lot to the table.

The pump is really looking good. It does some things that nobody has ever succeeded at before. Honestly, I didn't know it was such a big deal. I learned this week that it's the "Holy Grail" of pumps. It combines circuitry and hydraulics to accomplish what we need. Even with the electronics, the algorithms are programmed into the EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory chip) which is essentially the brain so you don't have to do anything since everything is automatic. All you do is turn on the switch, keep an eye on the compressor and engine oil and change it as needed. Since it measures the wear of the seals and gives periodic status of their condition, I wanted to get all comical about it. For instance, at 25% wear have a sexy voice announce out of nowhere, "Ohhhhh Baby!!! You are looking sooooo gooooood!" And maybe at random intervals have it announce, "Hey You!!! Get to work!!!!" and stuff like that.

I haven't received a lot of support on that idea though... I think I lost them when I said I also wanted the sound of a toilet flushing when it is time to change the oil.:blink:









Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Those would be cool ideas! :yes:


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Things are going well on the Raptor. January 1 is looking good for the launch date. Since we're beginning with the machines for texturing (bringing the taping tools out in March) I've been introduced to someone very familiar with that arena. We had a preliminary discussion about never bluffing about anything and always holding true to the values of the contractor. There was a slight misalignment of perspective but I think that's just because our words had different definitions. I think he's also a bit skeptical about the technical advancements I claimed.
> 
> Hopefully we'll be able to work together. He could bring a lot to the table.


A reply I saved, when I asked someone who I'm going to be doing some projects with, how she got to be the way she is:

_Say it till you believe it has never worked for me._
_I'm too aware of my own bullsh*t._
_As a matter of fact, a few years ago my new years resolution was to be at all times 100% honest with myself. Ridiculously, recklessly, violently honest._
_Still keeping it_

She just turned 23, and 'viciously' smart. I'm hoping I can keep up with her even halfway well enough.



rhardman said:


> The pump is really looking good. It does some things that nobody has ever succeeded at before. Honestly, I didn't know it was such a big deal. I learned this week that it's the "Holy Grail" of pumps.


"Holy Grails" supercede 'next generation'. :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

*Time to pay the piper...*

I see that DeAnne mentioned our Cyclone mixer and 3 Point Creaser so now I guess it's time to contact Nathan about advertising rates. 

I did. 

Just want you to know we're not cutting corners and giving full respect to Nathan for the opportunity to participate in his online world.

Every comment, and every beating I've received* has been very appreciated.

Rick

*Yes...my mud pan sucks!!!! I heard you!!!


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> "Holy Grails" supercede 'next generation'. :thumbup:


I hope so...

It's really interesting sitting in my chair. It looks like this pump can be used for many, many different purposes.

Strange how things work out sometimes...:blink:

And if I might say so, riding this little tidal wave right now could go left, right, stagnate, speed up or even go over a waterfall.

In my younger years I did the typical partying and dumb stuff we all do at times.* Nothing...and I mean NOTHING compares with the "rush" of this little adventure.

Thank you so much for being a part of it...:yes:

Rick
*Yes, I've seen the back seat of a police car... nothing bad... just dumb... they laughed.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> I hope so...
> 
> It's really interesting sitting in my chair. It looks like this pump can be used for many, many different purposes.


Holy Grails are so special, they're the Purple Cow of next generation. 

Wondered when you were going to start looking at your pump's potential outside of texturing.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> *Yes...my mud pan sucks!!!! I heard you!!!


Why getting mad at us? I told you I might be able to fix it, using my secret thinking method --> :wallbash:


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Why getting mad at us? I told you I might be able to fix it, using my secret thinking method -->


 
No, I'm not mad...just have to face the fact that what I think is a fantastic idea doesn't always correspond with yours. That's okay and why we love this site so much.:thumbsup:

I'm watching the "Tapers, how do you clean your tools" thread very closely.

Our new taping system is robotic so while we use completely different parts than the "automatic" tapers, I want to be sure they correspond with the way you guys want to work.

It's a tough thing trying to meld the two worlds. This is where I better listen very intently. A lot will be riding on this. 

I have some compressor parts coming in next week. The Raptor A-1 will use 120 VAC for power so we'll see just how far we can pump and how much air we can produce under those conditions. We think this will be the biggest seller so we want to get it right!!! :yes: We're shooting for full CFS capability and a better texture machine than is currently available (anywhere). I have to admit though, I'm not impressed by the Graco or Titan fan patterns. I prefer more air so I can do new construction as well as match textures that were applied 40 years ago.

I'll let you know how we do 

JustMe, After my schedule clears up, how 'bout I send you one of my rejected "man pans" and you see what you can do with it? No pride here... if you can make it better, I'm all for it.

Rick


----------



## Mudstar

Rick you have to much time to think and or you have too much money thinking of whys to make more.

I call these type of people dreamers 

The best way to get a job done is to keep it simple by using the simplest tool that works the most efficient to complete the task. 

This pump you put much effort in Rick to make it the cats ass is going to be over priced I could imagine already. Like I said a while back I done this type of project already and if you can't keep it simple it won't fly.

Be practical Rick! 

Keep it simple stupid is all that comes to mind.................


----------



## rhardman

*Pardon the rant, I've been hearing this for years...*



Mudstar said:


> Rick you have to much time to think and or you have too much money thinking of whys to make more.
> 
> I call these type of people dreamers
> 
> The best way to get a job done is to keep it simple by using the simplest tool that works the most efficient to complete the task.
> 
> This pump you put much effort in Rick to make it the cats ass is going to be over priced I could imagine already. Like I said a while back I done this type of project already and if you can't keep it simple it won't fly.
> 
> Be practical Rick!
> 
> Keep it simple stupid is all that comes to mind.................


You are a challenge sir and the voice of so many I've heard before. If I had your "wisdom" I'm sure I would have quit years ago.

I've said many times that if we hit a snag, I'll be the first to say so. We won't sell junk just to try to make money. That's too short sighted and bad business. If our little adventure here doesn't pan out, then maybe what I've written will encourage other people to try new things. Even drywall can't stay the way it is forever. One day, IT WILL change into something else.

I don't have an ego that requires me to come on DWT and spill my thoughts into a public forum. Why am I sharing so much? My life has been involved with following through on my dad's idea which he gave up on and I always thought was a good one. I figure that if I share the highs and lows of this R&D period I will build a platform of trust and consistency with the viewers. When the tools come out I expect some of our first buyers to come from here because not only are they revolutionary tools but just as importantly our customers (which we will refer to as "business partners") can be confident in my devotion to their long term success. I will not walk away.  

As far as the pump goes...

Listen knucklehead, if it was easy to build everything this pump is inexpensively, it would have been complete in the 80's. That's what is taking the time and why we're so excited about it right now.

Weren't you paying attention? Our targets for the Raptor systems (full CFS and texture included) are $2500.00 for the A-1 (that price is going to be tricky) around $4500.00 for the A-2 and around $9000.00 for the A-4 which will keep up with any trailer mounted rig. We'll also rent to own (with discounts during the slow holiday season) and lease.

So what more do you want?

....we'll also have training available as the "Stinger" system is not like anything you've ever done before.

Heres the deal. We have working prototypes of everything and a management team that is better qualified with start up experience (I've been responsible for the sales for 3 start ups) than any company out there. We have a pump that has been in development fhrough 8 or 9 prototypes (all of which worked to various degrees) with a machinist guru/HSI owner that with his past experience helps make the new pump possible. Now we're streamlining and doing the "building for manufacturability" process to finalize our costs so we know exactly where we are at.

Actually, to start out, I'm probably going to let the guys specify exactly how they want their systems put together. This way they will be custom built to their specific requirements and best suited to their budget.

Dreamer? Maybe
Dedicated? Oh yea! 24/7/365










Rick
One more thing, for the drywall contractor, "the best way to get a job done" is to do it faster than anyone else using less labor and at a price higher than anyone else.


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> JustMe, After my schedule clears up, how 'bout I send you one of my rejected "man pans" and you see what you can do with it? No pride here... if you can make it better, I'm all for it.
> 
> Rick


I've been very curious to see this new pan design. I looked back through the pages but couldn't find it anywhere.


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> I've been very curious to see this new pan design. I looked back through the pages but couldn't find it anywhere.











Rick


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> View attachment 427
> 
> 
> Rick


Ah, I see. And I also see why it wouldn't work in the most desirable fashion. However, if the holder were moved down to below the plane of the pan edge it wouldn't interfere with wiping. And if the space between pan and holder were a bit bigger then it wouldn't clog as easily and could be sprayed out when it got too bad. And then the last thing I can think of....the holder needs to be up far enough to not interfere with holding from below (which introduces limitations on how strong it will be, it's not as if you can have an attachment point in the middle of the holder!). I am guessing these are things you've already thought of, because generally I'm not bright in the innovation department.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

I'd say design a pan with a lid on it,think about it,when you go for lunch etc.....you can flip the lid,then it keeps your mud nice and clean and prevents it from getting all chunky etc......:whistling2::yes:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

2buckcanuck said:


> I'd say design a pan with a lid on it,think about it,when you go for lunch etc.....you can flip the lid,then it keeps your mud nice and clean and prevents it from getting all chunky etc......:whistling2::yes:


They already invented that ,, its called the bath towel that you use to dry your tools and hands with,,, at lunch you just drape it over your pan.


----------



## Muddauber

Capt-sheetrock said:


> They already invented that ,, its called the bath towel that you use to dry your tools and hands with,,, at lunch you just drape it over your pan.


I keep a dish towel in my tool box. When I'm running a flat box, if I need to set it down for a few minutes to do hand work, go to lunch, or what ever, I cover the box with the wet towel. Keeps the blade and mud wet for when you're ready to box again.:thumbsup:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Capt-sheetrock said:


> They already invented that ,, its called the bath towel that you use to dry your tools and hands with,,, at lunch you just drape it over your pan.


well,,,,as long as your wife don't complain about the bath towels always going missing:jester:
back to watching leafs lose...no laughing dsjohn


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> JustMe, After my schedule clears up, how 'bout I send you one of my rejected "man pans" and you see what you can do with it? No pride here... if you can make it better, I'm all for it.


Sure, send it when you can. Maybe we can even make the term 'flying mud' take on a whole new meaning.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Actually, to start out, I'm probably going to let the guys specify exactly how they want their systems put together. This way they will be custom built to their specific requirements and best suited to their budget.


This is reading like what helped make Dell Computers so successful initially.

I was thinking about Dell and your business model the other day. Got any plans of getting on the phones and talking to end users direct?


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> This is reading like what helped make Dell Computers so successful initially.
> 
> I was thinking about Dell and your business model the other day. Got any plans of getting on the phones and talking to end users direct?


That's always been the plan and why I'm on drywalltalk.

You can hire generic sales people but only for very low level responsibilities. To talk to drywall guys you have to have a journeyman at their 24/7 access. 

That would be me.

Even if everything goes better than we think, it will still be a slow process to get the industry going our way. So there will be a lot of time for me to talk to anyone that wants to ask questions.

Typically, 5% of a market will buy something just because it's new. 10% never will and 85% will wait to see what others do.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

I am one of those 5% guys. Always have been. Look in my shop for further proof. :rockon:


----------



## rhardman

*I can't let that go by...*



SlimPickins said:


> Ah, I see. And I also see why it wouldn't work in the most desirable fashion. However, if the holder were moved down to below the plane of the pan edge it wouldn't interfere with wiping. And if the space between pan and holder were a bit bigger then it wouldn't clog as easily and could be sprayed out when it got too bad. And then the last thing I can think of....the holder needs to be up far enough to not interfere with holding from below (which introduces limitations on how strong it will be, it's not as if you can have an attachment point in the middle of the holder!). I am guessing these are things you've already thought of, because generally I'm not bright in the innovation department.


One thing I've learned my friend; a new idea doesn't come from someone that is "bright." It comes from someone that thought of something before anyone else did. There is no intelligence involved, just timing.

I've screwed up every single activation or hand tool I tried at least 4 times. The pump (as stated earlier) has been "wrong" 8 or 9 times so far.

I'm the last guy in the room you would think could come up with an invention. But yet I look around and there they are.
Nobody is more surprised than I am.

Don't let a momentary stumble make you think you can't do something great compadre! :thumbsup:

In the end, none of it really matters. We just have to live our lives, love our family, listen to God's little whispers, and do the best we can. :yes:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I am one of those 5% guys. Always have been. Look in my shop for further proof. :rockon:


Yea, I know you...

You're the guy I dread. You will have me up night after night wondering how the tools are working for you. Then I'll call with irritating phone calls asking how the oil level is. I'll ask about the powder coating, "It it still shiny?" You will finally get fed up and tell me to leave you alone.

Then I'll think more about you, I'll begin losing sleep and it will all start back up again.

I know you alright...you are going to drive me crazy!!! :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

I absolutely love doing that to brainywacks like you! 

:sneaky2::innocent::notworthy::bangin::wallbash:

How's that for cruelty?


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> One thing I've learned my friend; a new idea doesn't come from someone that is "bright." It comes from someone that thought of something before anyone else did. There is no intelligence involved, just timing.
> 
> I've screwed up every single activation or hand tool I tried at least 4 times. The pump (as stated earlier) has been "wrong" 8 or 9 times so far.
> 
> I'm the last guy in the room you would think could come up with an invention. But yet I look around and there they are.
> Nobody is more surprised than I am.
> 
> Don't let a momentary stumble make you think you can't do something great compadre! :thumbsup:
> 
> In the end, none of it really matters. We just have to live our lives, love our family, listen to God's little whispers, and do the best we can. :yes:
> 
> Rick


I do have an idea for a mud pan holder...I apologize for my self-deprecation, it was my way of trying to let you know that I don't think I know more than you do I like guys who are trying to push the envelope, I'm ALWAYS looking for ways to make my life easier. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to reduce chatter when coating patches in a heavily textured area...I think I may have it figured out but haven't had a chance to try it yet. I can't wait to see your new system unveiled...I've been thinking about the possibility of new-fangled textures (even though I really enjoy the artistry in hand applying them).


----------



## Mudstar

Your like a charging bull Rick. Some one waves something at you and your off, the only thing is your getting the colors mixed up. This pump must have been a green flag in your head and my comment on you being a dreamer and keep it simple stupid was red. 

Rick your asking for the opinions of others by posting on a public forum like you are. I also thought about how this job could be done easier with a tool like this pump thing your talking about that takes no effort and might saves time for the elite. The funny thing is to move mud from one spot to another takes the same amount of force if its done by hand or by machine its from where you choice to spend your energy. 

Tapers are not the tool whores you may think they are like yourself, I and lots of the guys on here which is only a very small percent of all the tapers world wide. Most of them are just making a living supporting there families and just getting by with little money they make and besides that most of them work for others.

You might have notice that this market is behind the eight ball already and it will be a hard pressed sell and that's why I made the statement I did.

Dreamer yes and there nothing wrong with dreaming Rick 

Keep it simple stupid, because most of your market is simple 

JS

PS 

I don't need to call you a name other then Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Someone is owed an apology...*



Mudstar said:


> Your like a charging bull Rick. Some one waves something at you and your off, the only thing is your getting the colors mixed up. This pump must have been a green flag in your head and my comment on you being a dreamer and keep it simple stupid was red.
> 
> Rick your asking for the opinions of others by posting on a public forum like you are. I also thought about how this job could be done easier with a tool like this pump thing your talking about that takes no effort and might saves time for the elite. The funny thing is to move mud from one spot to another takes the same amount of force if its done by hand or by machine its from where you choice to spend your energy.
> 
> Tapers are not the tool whores you may think they are like yourself, I and lots of the guys on here which is only a very small percent of all the tapers world wide. Most of them are just making a living supporting there families and just getting by with little money they make and besides that most of them work for others.
> 
> You might have notice that this market is behind the eight ball already and it will be a hard pressed sell and that's why I made the statement I did.
> 
> Dreamer yes and there nothing wrong with dreaming Rick
> 
> Keep it simple stupid, because most of your market is simple
> 
> JS
> 
> PS
> 
> I don't need to call you a name other then Rick


Yea, I guess in a couple of places I have a short fuse. Sorry.

There are 2 things that send me over the edge. One, is someone that doesn't return their phone calls and the other is the inability to think beyond past experience.

My brothers and sisters all think I'm crazy and have for 30 years. Whenever I run into (what I interpret as) "that can't be done" thinking I go nuts. :blink:

I'll work on that.:thumbsup:

Thank you Mudstar. I reacted too fast and with too much enthusiasm. I look forward to your continued input please.

Rick
Sometimes, I'm the biggest "knucklehead" I know...


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> I do have an idea for a mud pan holder...I apologize for my self-deprecation, it was my way of trying to let you know that I don't think I know more than you do I like guys who are trying to push the envelope, I'm ALWAYS looking for ways to make my life easier. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to reduce chatter when coating patches in a heavily textured area...I think I may have it figured out but haven't had a chance to try it yet. I can't wait to see your new system unveiled...I've been thinking about the possibility of new-fangled textures (even though I really enjoy the artistry in hand applying them).


 
As things progress we want to help tradesmen develop new ideas and take them to market. Right now I have 3 in the pipeline with other DWT guys. After the taping tools come out we can focus more on this.

If you have ideas for new textures, I'm wildly curious about that. I've already begun along those lines but haven't had a chance to put a lot of time into it. With robotics we can put movement (rotation, up and down...whatever) right at the point of contact with the wall or ceiling. So whatever new pattern you can think of, we can probably automate it.

We have a guy in Ontario that has adopted us as a project for himself. He's handing out mixers and creaser wheels to local material houses and in return we're going to give him 5% of all sales. There is nothing else he has to do but the introduction. We do everything else.

If you have an idea for a tool that we can adapt to our system, we can do the same thing. We'll streamline the design so it can be sold at a competitive price, patent it (with your name on the patent) and then with every sale of that item, you get a percentage (forever).

(I didn't want to share the following information until the time was right: )

This is the real beauty of what we're doing... An unlimited amount of mud, air, electronics and robotic activations. With that, any guy can come up with a tool for it, make residual income and we have an entire continent of guys continually making our system better.

That's how we're going to succeed. 

Rick
(SlimPickins, I like your style! I like it a lot!)


----------



## kgphoto

The problem with the pan is to keep the weight down and not get in the way of the wiping and keep the gunk from forming on the edge. If you made the lid idea pivot off the edge that would take care of the gunk and cleaning along with providing a lid that wouldn't get so smelly.

Now all you have to do is sort out the weight and wiping issues.

Good luck. KISS seems to be the way and stay with a standard pan for now, but I am always open to ideas.


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> If you have ideas for new textures, I'm wildly curious about that. I've already begun along those lines but haven't had a chance to put a lot of time into it. With robotics we can put movement (rotation, up and down...whatever) right at the point of contact with the wall or ceiling. So whatever new pattern you can think of, we can probably automate it.


 Oh, I can think of new patterns alright! My background (however limited) in design and art is helping me get wild and crazy with things that would mesh really well with the movement towards contemporary feel in modern architectural design. We should talk once things get a little less hectic for you.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Typically, 5% of a market will buy something just because it's new. 10% never will and 85% will wait to see what others do.


Send the 5% my way. I've got some stuff to unload.

I'm thinking that people who want to stay in this business best start taking more of a look at the new, and more become part of the early implementers. It might be about the only way/best way some are going to be able to keep making a decent to good living doing this.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

I'm thinking that people who want to stay in this business best start taking more of a look at the new, and more become part of the early implementers. It might be about the only way/best way some are going to be able to keep making a decent to good living doing this.[/QUOTE]
why???? thats what you young bucks are for,us old farts will just let you guys test and try all the new products and toys and wait for your feed back.Were not going to screw up our good names......
So you testing anything new justme :whistling2::thumbup:


----------



## SlimPickins

2buckcanuck said:


> why???? thats what you young bucks are for,us old farts will just let you guys test and try all the new products and toys and wait for your feed back.Were not going to screw up our good names......
> So you testing anything new justme :whistling2::thumbup:


I just tested this awesome bridge across some swampland. The thing was rock solid! Hey, can you keep this information between you and me? I'm about to put in a bid on it, and I wouldn't want anyone to up my price (I'm selling it through a shell company).


----------



## JustMe

2buckcanuck said:


> why???? thats what you young bucks are for,us old farts will just let you guys test and try all the new products and toys and wait for your feed back.Were not going to screw up our good names......


You mean you'd trust the young'uns to get things right? That's a lot of (probably misguided) faith you've got there.



2buckcanuck said:


> So you testing anything new justme :whistling2::thumbup:


No. Absolutely not.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Talking bout ole farts and new tools,,,,,,

The hawk and trowel was prvelent when I started, I learned on it. The pan and knife were the new comes,,,, some used the hawk and knife. 

The death nell for the hawk, was when they went from old wood windows to vynal windows. When that happened, there was no where to "stick" your hawk,, you used to be able to stick it twixt the window top and the header. Now you had to find a place to "set" it down on. 

As I see it, there are Two things that introduce new tools,,,

1) changing procedure (see above)
2) price reduction FORCEING people to SPEED UP

The problem with a great new tool that is not in its "time" is that no one will change untill they are FORCED too.


----------



## JustMe

Capt-sheetrock said:


> As I see it, there are Two things that introduce new tools,,,
> 
> 1) changing procedure (see above)
> 2) price reduction FORCEING people to SPEED UP
> 
> The problem with a great new tool that is not in its "time" is that no one will change untill they are FORCED too.


Good points.


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> As I see it, there are Two things that introduce new tools,,,
> 
> 1) changing procedure (see above)
> 2) price reduction FORCEING people to SPEED UP
> 
> The problem with a great new tool that is not in its "time" is that no one will change untill they are FORCED too.


About 10 years ago I was testing the taper and boxes all impressed with myself and suddenly I realized that even if it's 30% faster, it's still an option. I wouldn't need it as a contractor and I knew it would take years to make a dent in the market. I mean they're Bad A$$ cool, lighter, easier, faster, no strain...all of that, but still, not mandatory.

I worked on an idea for several years that has changed everything. I've spoken earlier about the "Stinger" system. That's it. It changes everything. Nobody will be "forced" to buy our "stuff." I think they will be eager to.

This system (even without the Stinger) believe it or not, makes doing the taping and finishing, actually fun. People stop and watch.

With the Stinger, productivity doesn't improve...it multiplies. It's absolutely insane!!!!

The current market is the best possible time for us to introduce our tools!

All of my own "talk" is really irritating me recently. I want to show soooo bad! :yes:

Rick
You know, there are only 3 real possibilities here.

1) We have something revolutionary that will change the industry.
2) We have a new system that some will like but most won't bother with.
3) I have mental issues and am either misguided or the biggest liar in this industry.

Now, we're not taking a vote here...


----------



## Tim0282

"The current market is the best possible time for us to introduce our tools!"

For the same reason this is the kind of "market" that so many churches build either new or remodel. Repeats over the years...
Makes perfect sense.


----------



## rhardman

*Brought over from the Advance Tools thread*



JustMe said:


> ====
> 
> A P.S.: I was talking with my company's head taper the other week about some new tool, and he said he wouldn't be interested in it. I told him that wasn't surprising, because he's an anamoly. VEry good at what he does, at least as compared to most other tapers I know.
> 
> I also told him that for every one like him, there's 30-40 more who aren't as good, as fast, and that it was those who the product would more appeal to. It would help them to level the playing field with guys like him.
> 
> I'm wondering if that is what you might find here with some of the evaluations. Guys 'too good' as compared to the majority. Which could 'skew' the evaluation.
> 
> Another possible problem is what I call the '2 finger typing' problem. People get good at 2 finger typing, and when you try to show them a way to potentially 10 finger type (even if the way still isn't the best way yet to type with 10 fingers), they don't like it, because they're so used to 2 finger typing, and are good at it (an example: I'm the only one in the company with a PC sander. I run it during those times when it seems to make sense enough to. The head taper I mentioned tried one once, on a small part of a large job, and says they're junk, based on his trial. So he won't use one at anytime). Changing over can be a problem for those who've been used to doing something in a certain way for a long time.


Thanks for the note JustMe,

See, this is where I find the most encouragment. Yea, we're dealing with egos and quick reactions which aren't always supportive but they are exactly what we're going to hear out in the market so it's great preparation for us.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned has to do with the competition. We have a completely different mind set than it seems they do. A small company tends to hold tight to what they have rather than branch out into areas they are not familiar with. Several are watching this thread to see what happens rather than contact us for a possible alliance. They will always be in a competitive mind set while we don't see any need for that nonsense. If we do have a pumping system that can power their tools, why wouldn't they align with us to promote their own set? If our tools are wildly sucessful and they have us also selling their finishing tools as accessories to what we offer, wouldn't they make more money working with us than competing with all of the other companies?

Here's what I think...

Before too long we will be able to offer what we have. We will partner with one of the current automatic tool mfrs (and only one) and private label our pumping system so they have an alternate CFS system too. 

It would take 20 years for a new group of drywall contractors to accept our tools and in the meantime one company could support the existing drywall guys that don't want to change. In addition they could be also offering a CFS system that they could branch into later if they decided to.

(In the meantime, all of the other automatic tool companies are fighting just to stay alive. Most started their company in hopes that they could acquire enough market share that Ames would buy them. At this point with everyone selling the same thing and beating down prices, Ames has no need to do that. Especially if a new technology is introduced.)

So, we sell our robotics, this partner sells the standard finishing tools (manual or CFS) and the contractors get whatever they want.

Funny though....I can't even get them to think about putting our 3 Point Creaser onto their taper(s).

I guess they think it's better to hold onto everything as tight as they can and hope that their competitors will eventually fall away.  


I just don't get it :bangin:

Rick


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> See, this is where I find the most encouragment. Yea, we're dealing with egos and quick reactions which aren't always supportive but they are exactly what we're going to hear out in the market so it's great preparation for us.


There's at times ways through and around such issues it seems, but I won't post them here. Don't see much point (at least not yet) in making the competition you say is reading here too smart. :no: 



rhardman said:


> One of the biggest lessons I've learned has to do with the competition. We have a completely different mind set than it seems they do. A small company tends to hold tight to what they have rather than branch out into areas they are not familiar with.


Line extending and getting into areas one's not familiar with has traditionally turned into a big problem for even supposedly well versed technology and marketing savvy companies. So from that aspect, I could maybe understand a degree of reluctance. Not saying such reluctance is necessarily the better choice for them to be making, though, as I don't know enough about the situation.



rhardman said:


> (In the meantime, all of the other automatic tool companies are fighting just to stay alive.


Reminds me of what I mentioned to another taper a couple days ago: They say competition is good. But I keep wondering at times _good for who_.



rhardman said:


> Funny though....I can't even get them to think about putting our 3 Point Creaser onto their taper(s).
> 
> I just don't get it :bangin:


Maybe you need someone like the girl (I think) I've got convinced to move to Canada and work with me for a time on some things - the one who I'd previously mentioned in a reply to one of your posts:

_A reply I saved, when I asked someone who I'm going to be doing some projects with, how she got to be the way she is:_

_*Say it till you believe it has never worked for me.*_
_*I'm too aware of my own bullsh*t.*_
_*As a matter of fact, a few years ago my new years resolution was to be at all times 100% honest with myself. Ridiculously, recklessly, violently honest.*_
_*Still keeping it*_

_She just turned 23, and 'viciously' smart. I'm hoping I can keep up with her even halfway well enough._

Maybe she wouldn't mind me loaning her out at times. Or I should say, her loaning herself out. That one walks her own path.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> There's at times ways through and around such issues it seems, but I won't post them here. Don't see much point (at least not yet) in making the competition you say is reading here too smart. :no:
> 
> 
> 
> Line extending and getting into areas one's not familiar with has traditionally turned into a big problem for even supposedly well versed technology and marketing savvy companies. So from that aspect, I could maybe understand a degree of reluctance. Not saying such reluctance is necessarily the better choice for them to be making, though, as I don't know enough about the situation.
> 
> 
> 
> Reminds me of what I mentioned to another taper a couple days ago: They say competition is good. But I keep wondering at times _good for who_.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe you need someone like the girl (I think) I've got convinced to move to Canada and work with me for a time on some things - the one who I'd previously mentioned in a reply to one of your posts:
> 
> _A reply I saved, when I asked someone who I'm going to be doing some projects with, how she got to be the way she is:_
> 
> _*Say it till you believe it has never worked for me.*_
> _*I'm too aware of my own bullsh*t.*_
> _*As a matter of fact, a few years ago my new years resolution was to be at all times 100% honest with myself. Ridiculously, recklessly, violently honest.*_
> _*Still keeping it*_
> 
> _She just turned 23, and 'viciously' smart. I'm hoping I can keep up with her even halfway well enough._
> 
> Maybe she wouldn't mind me loaning her out at times. Or I should say, her loaning herself out. That one walks her own path.


You're very cerebral JustMe.
I'm kinda simple I guess, not sure I caught all of that.


Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Alright, I've disgusted myself...*

I get impatient with people that talk too much without substantiation and I find I'm getting tired of hearing my own voice.

So I'm going to hold off on any more comments until I have rock solid products I can show or I have to tell you that something negative has occurred. I'm not sure what that would be...but you never know.

I'll be doing a sneak peek in a few weeks and will let the viewers present thier opinions. I've already selected them so all the seats are full.

If there is anything I can do for you, please PM me. :thumbup:

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> You're very cerebral JustMe.
> I'm kinda simple I guess, not sure I caught all of that.
> 
> 
> Rick


Cerebral, maybe. But I do like taking the abstract and making it concrete. 

Long and short of it is, as the pioneers of the concept 'positioning' have said (and who I have a lot of respect for), the hardest thing to market can be yourself. One reason is because you're too close to the situation.

I don't know who is doing your marketing, but it reads like you might be having a few issues there, when you say you don't understand the lack of response you've gotten from such as other manufacturers to something like even your creaser wheel. It's a key reason why businesses, even those with marketing departments, will bring in outsiders, to give an objective view, an objective opinion.

I do have some marketing background, rating pretty much tops in especially marketing strategy against other marketers I worked against. But one reason my wanting to bring in the girl I mentioned (for other projects besides things like new drywall tools) is because she can be brutal in her assessments, giving good feedback and possible ideas to fix it - I've tested her on that already. Better her to be brutal beforehand, than the marketplace doing it. She sees things one doesn't see, or doesn't want to see. It's something you might find useful in what you're doing.


----------



## JustMe

A btw, Rick - something I was going to mention on your comment



rhardman said:


> This system (even without the Stinger) believe it or not, makes doing the taping and finishing, actually fun. People stop and watch.
> 
> With the Stinger, productivity doesn't improve...it multiplies. It's absolutely insane!!!!


Sign me up to contact about the fun and insanity.


----------



## Tim0282

I want to start making payments now, so I am ready to buy when you are ready to sell! :yes: That would be a paper work nightmare!


----------



## rhardman

*A not so positive situation...*



JustMe said:


> I don't know who is doing your marketing, but it reads like you might be having a few issues there, when you say you don't understand the lack of response you've gotten from such as other manufacturers to something like even your creaser wheel. It's a key reason why businesses, even those with marketing departments, will bring in outsiders, to give an objective view, an objective opinion.


This has been a challenge I admit. I just ended a 15 year sales career that left me totally disgusted with the ethics of the system. Everyone thinks in 30-90 terms so they can get their commission check. Follow up is non existant. Having my drywall company for almost 20 years made me very impatient with mid level sales managers. In all my (sales) experience (training, new territory development, NPI (new product introduction)) I personally did great but in all that time I might have met 3 people that would consider to be honest and forthright.* Our team (especially Scott) came on board with us to be involved in areas where my temprement isn't best suited (have you seen my interaction with Mudstar? I'm constantly apologizing to that guy). 

Working in Silicon Valley, when you would call someone with a new technology that was available, they would instantly want to talk to you. They figured that anything that made them more competitive would make them more money. In the Geotechnical industry and here in drywall it seems that the market is over saturated with similar products and small companies trying to be as secretive as possible. 

Close mindedness irritates me like you can't imagine.:blink:

We do have some marketing assistance with some aspects of what we are doing but I think you're correct, we probably need some more help.

Watch for my PM next week.

Rick
*In drywall, the people I've encountered that I find to be the most supportive of the contractor are Sunil at Drywall Master, and Brandon at WallTools. The Columbia thread here on DWT is also a great source of support for everyone. These are great professionals I draw encouragement from watching. They are superior companies. Whether we "hit the mark" or not, these are people I believe you can trust.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Close mindedness irritates me like you can't imagine.:blink:


I hear you. As I told members of a creative team I'm debating dropping out of (too much cerebral intellectualizing there for me right now), things like 'That can't be done' is like waving a red flag in front of me. I love slaying sacred cows.


----------



## rhardman

*Doing some research and thought you might like these...*

You have to search these things up for patent protection... :jester:

































Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> You have to search these things up for patent protection... :jester:
> 
> View attachment 428
> 
> View attachment 429
> 
> View attachment 430
> 
> View attachment 431
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick


 looking at that kinda makes me realize why we haven't seen it on a job,,,

That doesn't look like over-kill to you???

I remember reading about Ben Fraklin designing a set of sun dials rigged with magnifying glasses, so that they set of a cannon fuse every hour of the day.

After expalining the process, he surmised that in the end, it was "too much machinery"


----------



## SlimPickins

Capt-sheetrock said:


> looking at that kinda makes me realize why we haven't seen it on a job,,,
> 
> That doesn't look like over-kill to you???
> 
> I remember reading about Ben Fraklin designing a set of sun dials rigged with magnifying glasses, so that they set of a cannon fuse every hour of the day.
> 
> After expalining the process, he surmised that in the end, it was "too much machinery"


I think it would be safe to say that a contraption like that would be very unpleasant to wear on one's wrist.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

SlimPickins said:


> I think it would be safe to say that a contraption like that would be very unpleasant to wear on one's wrist.


 :thumbup:


----------



## S&SDRYWALL

Ill test out anything you want and give an honest opinion on if its going to work or not, I deal with all kinds of work commercial to custom homes to anything else you can think of. If let me know

[email protected]

no plastering here though, just drywall


----------



## rhardman

S&SDRYWALL said:


> Ill test out anything you want and give an honest opinion on if its going to work or not, I deal with all kinds of work commercial to custom homes to anything else you can think of. If let me know
> 
> [email protected]
> 
> no plastering here though, just drywall


Please fill out this form so I don't loose the information and I'll let you know what we have in mind for the future. We are setting up relationships in strategic areas so by offering another phase of prototype testing, we hope to not only get valuable feedback and suggestions, but "street level" references for the material houses and local contractors we intend to work with.*

http://www.hardmansystems.com/contact/form/?submit=3

Thank you, :thumbup:

Rick
*We'll share more about this later.



(Forgive the site listing...however, in keeping with the rules of DWT, I will say that nothing is for sale there.)


----------



## rhardman

After that commercial message....


Have a great Thanksgiving gentlemen! :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> After that commercial message....
> 
> 
> Have a great Thanksgiving gentlemen! :thumbup:
> 
> Rick


 Thanks Rick,,,, but remember,, its Thanks Giving,,, its two words, not one. 

I'm thankful for this site, and the friends I have made here,,, 

oh yeah, and the other ones that don't like me too!!,, LOL, keeps me on my toes !!:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*2 Updates...*

*Update 1:*

We're making great progress but have had a change of plans on an internal part of the pump. We're going to change the design of a mechanical action into a different sort of thing. This will totally eliminate some wear surfaces on something deep inside the unit. The part we are replacing would have lasted a long time but eventually would have failed. We're doing something never tried before so we need to work with some people familiar with the material and their schedule is backed up. There may be a 1 or 2 week delay in getting the unit out for sale beyond January 1. I met with Cory this morning and just sent an email seeing what can be done to expedite the process. I'll let you know how it goes.

*Update 2:*

In my discussion with Cory we talked about the new aspects of the Raptor A-4 and while most of the system is proven beyond doubt, the pump (engineering is strong) as of yet (with the new components) is unproven over a long period of time. During the testing we did a couple of months ago (covered here on DWT) we were running it at 4 times optimum speed and everything held up great for a period equal to 9 weeks, 8 hours a day, seven days a week.

So here's what we're going to do...

When the pump is finished I'm going back to taping/finishing and will sub myself out for hire. I'll be using the big boy (the Raptor A-4) and will put it through its paces. I'll report here on what happens during the testing period and will make some videos of its performance.

At the same time we will sell 1 unit custom built to the needs of the contractor that buys it. In exchange for their trust we will give them a 30% discount on the Raptor and also 30% on anything else they ever want to purchase from us. This will include the Taping Tools and the Stinger system. We will ask that they report to DWT if they have any problems just as quickly as they tell us. We will take care of any unforeseen issues immediately with over night shipping of any part that may need to be replaced. We won't repair something, we'll replace it.:thumbup:

If this contractor wants the taping tools too, we'll also custom build them to best fit his height and length of arms. They will be a total ergonomic fit.

We hope to build relationships first with DWT contractors in the U.S. and Canada but if not available, I will be sure to report how we are doing in the general market.

All units for the first 6 - 8 months will be built to order and ergonomically fitted as described above. Later as the demand increases we will still offer these options but for an added cost. At that point, we'll already be offering the Raptor A-1, A-2 and A-4 as standard systems.


Rick 
Oh, if they want their current manual boxes retrofitted to use with their Raptor, we'll be happy to help with that too!:yes:


----------



## rhardman

*I had a thought...*

Since Cory is in the Mission, BC area, if there are any guys in Mission, Abbotsford or Coquitlam (BC) that would like to try the Raptor A-4 on a texture job, I'll be able to make that happen. :thumbup:

(Welding and powder coating next week.)

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Just in case you hear the term, "BIM"*

I've been running into this with architects and a couple of the larger designers. It seems to be the new hot phrase for construction, using it to streamline processes and thus be more efficient and competitive.

I thought I'd offer this so you can all talk intelligently if you ever run across it. Or...you might want to drop it to a GC to let him know you are "up" on all the new construction advances.

_Maybe you already know..._ :thumbup:

*Building Information Modeling* or *BIM* is the latest buzzword in construction industry worldwide. It has been flaunted on the front page of construction magazines; more seminars are being arranged throughout year and many companies are involved in developing products/tools around BIM. So, what is BIM? Why it so popular and what lies there in it for architects and builders?​ 

Well known industry analyst Jerry Laiserin briefs the BIM process as follows – “Building Information Modeling or BIM is a digital representation of the building process to facilitate exchange and interoperability of information in digital format.”​ 
So, BIM is a process of demonstrating both graphical and non-graphical aspects of the full building life cycle and creating a single repository of design and construction documents, and schedules. BIM process generates 3D Model encompassing geometric and geographic information of the building and properties of its components. Bentley, ArchiCAD and Revit are the popular CADD software used to generate standard 3D BIM models. ​ 
3D/4D Building Information Model
Team members equipped with desktop PCs are networked together and contain BIM 3D modeling tools with field-specific files and a master file. A 3D model is relatively easy for all members to understand and visualize. Drawing or fabrication job can be coordinated remotely using affordable web conferencing such as Webex enabling team to virtually “walk through” during the construction process. In 4D modeling you have an added fourth element of time with 3D model providing better control on project schedules and activities.​ 
What are the benefits of BIM?
Since each and every detail related to building construction is at one place and viewed by all team members design increases significantly. For example, the structural engineer can consult immediately with the architect regarding energy consumption strategies pertaining to structure insulation and heating. In this way BIM Model facilitates much improved coordination and collaboration among design and construction team and reduces information loss associated with project management. This helps in saving both costs and construction time and potentially benefit all the stake-holders of construction process including designers, structural engineers and contractors.​ 
Rick​


----------



## rhardman

*Update and a question...*

*Update:* 
Still waiting on some very precise machining and heat treating for the pump we had to outsource.  Have spoken with the guys that will be getting the "sneak peek" of the texturing and taping tools but we can't proceed until I get the pump back.

*Question:*
I'm looking into adding more value to our systems and providing the drywall contractor with more options to make money. During my "travels" I've come across a company that wants to work with us to offer a new material that we can spray on wood which adds significant protection against flame penetration (no it doesn't interfere with anything attaching to the wood).

Let's say that HSI advertises the "HSI Contractor" to the National Home Builders Association, Reed Construction Data and other national building plan centers, informing their membership that our partners can not only provide the drywall services, but also a way to offer greater safety to the home owner through this fire proofing product. We would offer brochures (with kids playing in the yard...etc) that you could give to your GC. He offers this $3500.00 option to his clients (very little compared to the price of a new home). If sold, you buy the materials from us for maybe $800.00 (hopefully less), you give the GC $1000.00 and you pocket the rest. It sprays in one day. Obviously, it is just as valuable to commercial buildings and may reduce their insurance rates too (we would do that homework for you).

So...the GC hears about you through the various associations (or by you knocking on his door), you offer more value to the project by offering an additional service that your competition can't, and you make great money for the day.

I think it's a good idea...see any holes? :blink:

I mentioned this a little in an earlier post but didn't want to get too detailed until the material was proven and had gone through testing and approvals.

Rick
Our pump is what allows you to spray it so inexpensively and the beauty is that our smallest system (the A-1) wll do it.:thumbup:


----------



## taper71

We do homes that have that fire retardent sprayed on them. It soaks the already soaked wood further and twists the crap out of it when heat is applied. These are the homes that are pre built in a factory and assembled on site. With that being said I feel that all new constuction will eventually have to have it sprayed as code ( in the city where you can knock on your neighbors window lol) in the near future. There is a painting contractor who is doing the application for that particular builder , but am not sure if they are spraying the product on or just brushing it. I think that if you could spray the product on it would greatly increase the potential for selling it to the builders . Great Idea!!


----------



## rhardman

Merry Christmas guys!

Thank you for everything. 

Have a great New Year too!





 
Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Merry Christmas guys!
> 
> Thank you for everything.
> 
> Have a great New Year too!
> 
> 
> Rick


 Merry Christmas to you and your's too RIck,,,,,

Be sure to read the Christmas story to your kids. Lest they think it came from U-tube.

Craig


----------



## Workaholic

Merry Christmas to you too Rick.


----------



## rhardman

*Jeff Dushack*

I've become acquainted with Jeff Dushack on LinkedIn. He's a global expert on many aspects of the drywall/gypsum industry and working as a consultant, he's often asked to give his opinion on various matters.

He's aware of DrywallTalk and I encouraged him to ask you guys questions from time to time.

This is a recent article he offered that I thought you might be interested in:


With substantial funds allocated to upgrade healthcare infrastructure, lightweight building solutions are increasingly utilised on healthcare projects because of their flexibility, environmental benefits and cost effectiveness. 

Boral Plasterboard offers a range of lightweight building solutions that satisfy various design parameters for hospitals and other healthcare buildings. 


Boral Plasterboard's lightweight building solutions include products and systems that provide: 

Acoustic isolation and sound absorption
Fire protection
Impact resistance
Infection control; and
Radiation protection
For areas at risk of impact damage products like Boral Impactstop and USG Powerscape Fiberock offer protection from soft body impact or hard body and glancing impact that may arise from trolleys, mobile medical equipment or general traffic. 

Boral offers a wide range of lightweight fire rated building solutions that comply with Building Code of Australia (BCA) requirements for fire protection of hospitals. These plasterboard based solutions include fire rated walls and ceilings, column and beam protection systems, fire rated escape exits and services enclosures. 
Acoustic considerations play an important role in creating quiet hospital environments conducive to patient recovery and privacy. ENVIRO Soundstop and Boral EchoStop satisfy these requirements in controlling acoustic isolation and sound absorption. The use of ENVIRO Soundstop may also contribute points towards the hospital’s Green Star Rating. 
Boral lead lined plasterboard is commonly used in radiation imaging and radiation therapy areas to provide effective protection against unwanted radiation exposure. 
Infection control in hospital environments has become even more crucial due to proliferation of new strains of drug resistant bacteria. Boral plasterboard lining solutions offer seamless surface finishes, which is critical in effective infection control. Boral also distributes the Bioguard range of Armstrong mineral fibre ceiling tiles, which are designed to actively combat harmful fungi, mould, yeasts and bacteria. 

:thumbup:

Rick

A link to Jeff's thread:
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswer...38571852&gid=3718352&trk=EML_anet_di_pst_ttle


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> I've become acquainted with Jeff Dushack on LinkedIn. He's a global expert on many aspects of the drywall/gypsum industry and working as a consultant, he's often asked to give his opinion on various matters.
> 
> He's aware of DrywallTalk and I encouraged him to ask you guys questions from time to time.
> 
> This is a recent article he offered that I thought you might be interested in:
> 
> 
> With substantial funds allocated to upgrade healthcare infrastructure, lightweight building solutions are increasingly utilised on healthcare projects because of their flexibility, environmental benefits and cost effectiveness.
> 
> Boral Plasterboard offers a range of lightweight building solutions that satisfy various design parameters for hospitals and other healthcare buildings.
> 
> 
> 
> Boral Plasterboard's lightweight building solutions include products and systems that provide:
> 
> Acoustic isolation and sound absorption
> Fire protection
> Impact resistance
> Infection control; and
> Radiation protection
> For areas at risk of impact damage products like Boral Impactstop and USG Powerscape Fiberock offer protection from soft body impact or hard body and glancing impact that may arise from trolleys, mobile medical equipment or general traffic.
> 
> Boral offers a wide range of lightweight fire rated building solutions that comply with Building Code of Australia (BCA) requirements for fire protection of hospitals. These plasterboard based solutions include fire rated walls and ceilings, column and beam protection systems, fire rated escape exits and services enclosures.
> Acoustic considerations play an important role in creating quiet hospital environments conducive to patient recovery and privacy. ENVIRO Soundstop and Boral EchoStop satisfy these requirements in controlling acoustic isolation and sound absorption. The use of ENVIRO Soundstop may also contribute points towards the hospital’s Green Star Rating.
> Boral lead lined plasterboard is commonly used in radiation imaging and radiation therapy areas to provide effective protection against unwanted radiation exposure.
> Infection control in hospital environments has become even more crucial due to proliferation of new strains of drug resistant bacteria. Boral plasterboard lining solutions offer seamless surface finishes, which is critical in effective infection control. Boral also distributes the Bioguard range of Armstrong mineral fibre ceiling tiles, which are designed to actively combat harmful fungi, mould, yeasts and bacteria.
> 
> :thumbup:
> 
> Rick
> 
> A link to Jeff's thread:
> http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswer...38571852&gid=3718352&trk=EML_anet_di_pst_ttle


 Rick, all that sounds great,,,, do you remember a lightwieght product that came out about 20 years ago, that required you to pre-cut your boxes with a skill-saw?? They expected it to get hung for the same price,,, cause it was a "better product". What I'm saying, is all that was presented was how great it was to the GC,,, What I'm asking is,,,, how is it for the guys installing it??

If it is not a good deal for all, than its not a good deal.


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Rick, all that sounds great,,,, do you remember a lightwieght product that came out about 20 years ago, that required you to pre-cut your boxes with a skill-saw?? They expected it to get hung for the same price,,, cause it was a "better product". What I'm saying, is all that was presented was how great it was to the GC,,, What I'm asking is,,,, how is it for the guys installing it??
> 
> If it is not a good deal for all, than its not a good deal.


I absolutely agree. I didn't offer the article to suggest anything, just wanted to offer information that "the guys" may not be aware of.

Yea, a "new" thing _don't mean nuthin'_ unless the man working with it sees value in it. I mean, with all we're up to, ultimately we really don't know anything for sure... It's all up to you. :thumbsup: 

I was talking with someone about this a few days ago. He was involved with a national roll out of a new construction product and for a while it was the new tool forecasted to make millions. Then after about a year things started slowing down and even though the "experts" thought it was brilliant...nobody would buy it. 

Which brings us back you your comment...



Capt-sheetrock said:


> If it is not a good deal for all, than its not a good deal.


 
Rick
(Sorry...don't remember the lightweight product )


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> I was talking with someone about this a few days ago. He was involved with a national roll out of a new construction product and for a while it was the new tool forecasted to make millions. Then after about a year things started slowing down and even though the "experts" thought it was brilliant...nobody would buy it.


What was the product?


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> I absolutely agree. I didn't offer the article to suggest anything, just wanted to offer information that "the guys" may not be aware of.
> 
> Yea, a "new" thing _don't mean nuthin'_ unless the man working with it sees value in it. I mean, with all we're up to, ultimately we really don't know anything for sure... It's all up to you. :thumbsup:
> 
> I was talking with someone about this a few days ago. He was involved with a national roll out of a new construction product and for a while it was the new tool forecasted to make millions. Then after about a year things started slowing down and even though the "experts" thought it was brilliant...nobody would buy it.
> 
> Which brings us back you your comment...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick
> (Sorry...don't remember the lightweight product )


 Rick, I didn't mean to come on too strong,, sorry if I did. When I read it, I heard how great it was, but didn't hear anything about the installation of it. That always throws a red flag,, as I seem to be the idiot that has to install the new stuff,,, LOL

I am always ready for an improvement,,, and ready to leave the old stuff behind!!!!!


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Rick, I didn't mean to come on too strong,, sorry if I did.


Oh, heck no. Not as thick skinned as most the guy's here but I'm trying to toughen up! :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

*Mud Hog*

I just got off the phone with Wade King, the inventor of the Mud Hog.
Great guy and really knows his equipment. 

A while back I talked about our trailer system having the ability to move from job to job without having to mix mud on each site; simply walk in with the tools and then walk out with them.

The portable tank I made for the mud back in the 80's (the one that inspired the Pivoting Mixing Paddle) was essentially like the Mud Hog with a different mounting system for the pump.

In looking at Wade's design, we could have competed with him but since the man deserves respect, I asked if he was interested in building the tank system for us and offering it as an accessory. I said that we will keep his name on the tank, feature him on our "Friends" page* and that way he'll be involved with HSI Bleeding Edge drywall technology as well as supporting the current taping tools.

We have more talking to do and design considerations need to be implemented, but it looks like a "go." :thumbsup:

I also mentioned drywalltalk to him of course and sent him a link.

Rick
(*Rebel, we're still putting our changes together for the site and haven't forgotten our commitment to you.)


----------



## Tim0282

I have one of those Mud Hogs. I like it! Just in case you were wonderin'.


----------



## The_Texture_Guy

very interesting stuff. is everything made mostly in the US or does it come from gulp... china. For some reason i have been big on paying a higher price right now if i can get something that is made here and provide a job during the weak economy. Just curious as to if anyone cares if they would pay higher prices for things knowing that it was made here of if cheap is still the way to go. 

ex. the mixing paddles they carry at home depot are now crap. they brake fast, and you cant even mix to the bottom of a bucket. why? made in china cheaper...

I do texture in orlando btw hardman


----------



## rhardman

The_Texture_Guy said:


> very interesting stuff. is everything made mostly in the US or does it come from gulp... china. For some reason i have been big on paying a higher price right now if i can get something that is made here and provide a job during the weak economy. Just curious as to if anyone cares if they would pay higher prices for things knowing that it was made here of if cheap is still the way to go.
> 
> ex. the mixing paddles they carry at home depot are now crap. they brake fast, and you cant even mix to the bottom of a bucket. why? made in china cheaper...
> 
> I do texture in orlando btw hardman


Please call me Rick, 

The pump is being made in Mission, BC as one of the owners lives there and is a guru of the highest magnitude. I worked on designing a new pump for (literally) 30 years until I met up with Cory. That was 18 months ago and we're in the final moments of what we believe to be a perfect solution for driving mud (or anything semi liquid). It's patentable so we're VERY excited. I think I'm drawing on the patience of everyone here though as it is taking so long... 

Other than that we are working with Advance Equipment to build our paddles
before then my cost was so high that I would have to sell them for $80.00. DeAnne (Advance) builds hand tools with robotic equipment so they can compete with China. With her help we can sell the pivoting mixing paddle for $20.00. 

Other than the pump, and a plastic handle for our mesh taper* everything is purchased and assembled in either Bellingham, Washington or LaFayette, Oregon. We want to use U.S. labor and materials as we have better control of quality standards and frankly having worked all over the world, I find the U.S. business mindset to be the most efficient, continually working to improve processes. While the individual part price may be higher, we are building a single system where your overall cost for equipment (to tape, finish, texture and paint) will cost thousands less than using equipment from several manufacturers. The customer support for any equipment related problem you might have will be a single company with a 24/7 phone line (my home number 206-905-7580 always at your access).

We're also working with www.walltools.com to be our only internet sales outlet. Walltools has a heart for new technology (and especially the drywall contractor) so we will support them exclusively. 

Many companies will buy their components in Canada and set up a satellite office in Blaine, Washington or some place else south of the border and then stamp "Made in America" on them. I travel north and south of the border because I married a Canadian, www.sabeya.com (be respectful gentlemen). 

The last piece of our puzzle is building a relationship with one of the current Automatic Tool manufacturers. I've spoken about it before... If we can provide one company with a CFS alternative for the tools they already make, they can run away from their current competitors by offering both CFS and traditional tools. Our 2 companies could provide the bulk of taping tool technology for the next 20 years. 

Rick
* The plastic handle for the mesh taper does come from China. My mould cost for the thing in the U.S. was near $20k. In China it was $1200.00 and frankly, I just couldn't afford the higher price at the time.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Rick
you give all us lowly tapers hope !!,that we too can pick up a women that looks as good as that:yes:
and notice who directed the texture guy to your thread:whistling2:
do I hear commission:yes:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Rick
> you give all us lowly tapers hope !!,that we too can pick up a women that looks as good as that
> and notice who directed the texture guy to your thread
> do I hear commission


My friend 2buck!

I thought about posting her site all day and whether it was a good idea or not*. Right now we're at the point where we can go paranoid, being afraid of losing our technology or being completely transparent about everything. I thought there might be questions about why I would bounce back and forth across the border, but if "you" (DWT readers) saw my incentive, you would understand me better. 

I just want to tell the truth about everything and leave the rest up to God and you guys. We are vulnerable to a degree I guess. I know Ames knows about us and if they wanted to, they could write a check to come up with a competing system and take it national while we're still getting out of the gate. Our best protection right now is that they don't know for sure if we're full of "poop" or not... The other advantage is that I have several other variations of every tool that we can release at any time (once we're on the street) so any potential competitor will have a moving target for quite some time.

Commission you ask...? I've thought about this since my first DWT post and have been thinking about how we can add value to DWT and its readers. 

Here's what I want to do...

For the first 2 contractors in each State or Province that buys a set of our tools (Raptor Texture or Eagle Taping/Finishing System) they will have an opportunity to make a commission on every single sale (in their State or Province). We will give them 6 months to introduce us to their material houses or other contractors and for each sale made from that introduction, we will give them a percentage of any sale that comes in (from that source). This would be for every order as long as they come in. If years...then you receive a percentage for years.

You make the introduction so they call us and we take it from there. We maintain the relationship and you do nothing else to receive the commission. 

I don't know what the percentages will be yet, but it will be as attractive as possible while still making good business sense (Scott and Tom will be majorly involved in this). By doing it this way, we relieve the initial pressure of paying a sales staff out of pocket or going to a Vulture Capitalist and giving some of our company away.

We do not believe that hiding in secret or trying to keep every penny in our (own) pocket will take us where we want to be. We must create tool and client relationships/systems that are good for everyone. Everyone must win.

We will build strong relationships and team up with current manufacturers when it makes sense. This is why I called Wade King (the Mud Hog inventor) a few days ago. We want to make a bigger pie for anyone that wants to join us.

That's how we're going to do it.

Rick
*Yea...she's my trophy wife!!!


----------



## The_Texture_Guy

I think your wife used to dance on the zootv tour during mysterious ways right?


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> I know Ames knows about us and if they wanted to, they could write a check to come up with a competing system and take it national while we're still getting out of the gate. Our best protection right now is that they don't know for sure if we're full of "poop" or not... The other advantage is that I have several other variations of every tool that we can release at any time (once we're on the street) so any potential competitor will have a moving target for quite some time.


With regards to the moving target advantage thinking, Rick, which variations are you going to release 1st then? The best ones, or the not so best ones?


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> With regards to the moving target advantage thinking, Rick, which variations are you going to release 1st then? The best ones, or the not so best ones?


We operate from a completely different frame of reference...

We don't have a "best" or "not so best" approach to business. Again, we want to do what's best for the contractor. We truly believe that this is the best way to succeed long term.

We will have the absolutely lowest price system which is very functional and (what we believe to be) better than anything currently on the market. This is the A-1 Raptor. It will texture and power the taping tools. For the guys that only care about low price, nobody will be able to compete with us. Our other systems will be available as a series of options. So any new item we offer will retro fit anything previously sold. If you are a past customer you get a "family" discount which provides you with a much lower cost than a new customer. 

Nobody will ever need to purchase a new system to own the latest technology. Once you have the core power unit (the Raptor), everything is upgradable with the equipment you already own.

The main differences between the A-1, A-2 and A-4 Raptors' is the air capacity of the compressor, it's ability to paint and the pumping distance of the hose. Let's say in the beginning you only want the A-1 as you do primarily remodel work and that's all you need. That's fine and we'll get it out to you immediately. Then we'll give you a call every month to see how things are going and we'll let you know about new marketing materials and services we'll make available to help you grow your company.

We intend to build a very strong long term relationship with you.*

Now let's say that your company does start growing and you need to pump further and faster...and maybe paint too.

Then we can sell you the larger compressor, a different circuit board and now you own the Raptor A-2!

Actually the A-4 is quite insane. It's a whole new mental concept and won't be available for a year or two. Again, a retrofit option to what you will already own.

Rick
*The mechanical tools are just a part of what we can do to help you grow. Did you see my post above about the fireproofing, advertising it and sending you leads?


----------



## rhardman

The_Texture_Guy said:


> I think your wife used to dance on the zootv tour during mysterious ways right?


Nope, 'fraid not.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> We operate from a completely different frame of reference...
> 
> We don't have a "best" or "not so best" approach to business. Again, we want to do what's best for the contractor. We truly believe that this is the best way to succeed long term.
> 
> We will have the absolutely lowest price system which is very functional and (what we believe to be) better than anything currently on the market. This is the A-1 Raptor. It will texture and power the taping tools. For the guys that only care about low price, nobody will be able to compete with us. Our other systems will be available as a series of options. So any new item we offer will retro fit anything previously sold. If you are a past customer you get a "family" discount which provides you with a much lower cost than a new customer.
> 
> Nobody will ever need to purchase a new system to own the latest technology. Once you have the core power unit (the Raptor), everything is upgradable with the equipment you already own.
> 
> The main differences between the A-1, A-2 and A-4 Raptors' is the air capacity of the compressor, it's ability to paint and the pumping distance of the hose. Let's say in the beginning you only want the A-1 as you do primarily remodel work and that's all you need. That's fine and we'll get it out to you immediately. Then we'll give you a call every month to see how things are going and we'll let you know about new marketing materials and services we'll make available to help you grow your company.
> 
> We intend to build a very strong long term relationship with you.*
> 
> Now let's say that your company does start growing and you need to pump further and faster...and maybe paint too.
> 
> Then we can sell you the larger compressor, a different circuit board and now you own the Raptor A-2!
> 
> Actually the A-4 is quite insane. It's a whole new mental concept and won't be available for a year or two. Again, a retrofit option to what you will already own.
> 
> Rick
> *The mechanical tools are just a part of what we can do to help you grow. Did you see my post above about the fireproofing, advertising it and sending you leads?


Thanks for the explanation, Rick. The way I was reading your post took my thinking in a direction of how companies have usually operated.

I'm liking most all of what you've been saying so far. How much longer I myself will remain heavily involved in drywall is up in the air - I have a few other things I'd like to get done career wise before I die. But there is someone I was talking with yesterday, about his goals with regards to his career in the company - eg. heading up the drywall finishing end of things for at least one of the branches, and maybe more - that I'm going to run some of this by. See if there could be a good match up.



rhardman said:


> *The mechanical tools are just a part of what we can do to help you grow. Did you see my post above about the fireproofing, advertising it and sending you leads?


I did catch that. I'll go over it again - too many things on my mind right now, and it's being a sieve more than usual.

Btw: A few posts back I asked what the product was that you said the "experts" predicted would sell millions, but fizzled. Could you tell me what it was. I'd like to look at it and their marketing, if only for my own curiousity, and to see how its seeming failure might (or might not) line up with some of my current thoughts. If you wouldn't want to post its name here, could you PM it to me.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Btw: A few posts back I asked what the product was that you said the "experts" predicted would sell millions, but fizzled. Could you tell me what it was. I'd like to look at it and their marketing, if only for my own curiousity, and to see how its seeming failure might (or might not) line up with some of my current thoughts. If you wouldn't want to post its name here, could you PM it to me.


Sorry JustMe, I missed that I guess. I don't think I should mention it publicly as I didn't ask permission from the guy I was talking to. It could be embarrassing to the companies that put so much money into it.

*I'll contact him and ask if it's okay that I PM the name to you.*

As far as the fireproofing goes, I reread that and I hope it didn't have a "tone" to it. That was not my intention at all. I just wanted to express our desire to open up as many money making options to the drywall contractor so he's more valuable to the GC. 

Rick


----------



## The_Texture_Guy

The_Texture_Guy said:


> I think your wife used to dance on the zootv tour during mysterious ways right?





rhardman said:


> Nope, 'fraid not.


at least i didnt have to explain what zootv was. I usually have to for some reason in florida.


----------



## rhardman

Thought you might like to see some earlier hose fed taping systems. 

Ames first tried a hose before his "batch and refill" system. He worked on it for 15 years or so...
It used a car battery for power, a gear pump and 25 feet of hose. We tried a gear pump doing some R&D in the 80's. It lasted about 2 hours.






























Rick


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## rhardman

*...just get tunnel vision sometimes.*

I've been thinking a lot lately about the one man crew that is struggling right now and how we can best support him with our new systems. We want to provide an even playing field so he can compete with his larger (more profitable competitors).

I've also been going through my understanding of what's truly best for the contractor and I think I've been wrong. Didn't mean to be...just get tunnel vision sometimes. 

While our Raptor will be a fantastic system, I don't want to force anything on anyone so we're going to set up our taping/finishing tools to retrofit the RTX, and other texture pumps out there. We'll make them adaptable to virtually any pump/texture machine you already own. 

Our pump is better designed for drywall than anything out there (in my not so humble opinion) and you'll see the advantages immediately. Later, you'll probably want to buy one because of its sheer power, the upcoming "Stinger" system, painting and other capabilities, but you won't have to.

In this economy, we want to make the transition to robotics as inexpensive and easy as possible. :thumbup: 

By the way, if we can't build a relationship with an existing automatic tool supplier to promote their tools (with our Raptor) I've got that solved too. We'll buy the boxes and corner tools from them*, do a private label and the guy's that like the current box designs will be able to get those from us too.

Rick
*I've already had the private label conversation with 2 of the current manufacturers.


----------



## rhardman

*Time to fall on the sword...and I don't like it.*

Short and sweet...

My machinst prioritized other projects I just learned which delayed our pump beyond 2 dates I gave you. I found out Tuesday that he has left on vacation so we're at least 4 weeks from being able to show the Raptor system. We have the earlier prototype that we're testing with but it isn't what I want to show to anyone.

I made the commitment and didn't deliver. No excuses, and no side stepping...just an apology. 

Things are still good, we're making great strides in other areas that need to be done anyway.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

rhardman said:


> My machinst prioritized other projects I just learned which delayed our pump beyond 2 dates I gave you. I found out Tuesday that he has left on vacation so we're at least 4 weeks from being able to show the Raptor system.
> Rick


Multiply that by 18 tools, 6 pumps, 5 or 6 power units, 4 or 5 machinists...and that my friends, is how a project takes 30 years to complete...

And why everyone has always thought I was crazy :blink:.

(...entertaining ain't it? :bangin: )

Rick


----------



## VANMAN

*Tools*

What about us over the pond? U guys have all the good stuff over there


----------



## JustMe

VANMAN said:


> What about us over the pond? U guys have all the good stuff over there


Sometimes in problems/adversity can be found opportunity. Maybe consider not being able to easily access 'the good stuff' as an advantage. If it's hard to get it where you are, then if you do go through the effort of obtaining it, you'll be ahead of those competitors who aren't willing to do the same.


----------



## Workaholic

JustMe said:


> Sometimes in problems/adversity can be found opportunity. Maybe consider not being able to easily access 'the good stuff' as an advantage. If it's hard to get it where you are, then if you do go through the effort of obtaining it, you'll be ahead of those competitors who aren't willing to do the same.


I agree, for painters across the pond sprayers are a lot more expensive, harder to get and so a lot less painters over there use them but the ones that do have them opened up their doors to more business. Get ahead of the competition.


----------



## JustMe

Workaholic said:


> I agree, for painters across the pond sprayers are a lot more expensive, harder to get and so a lot less painters over there use them but the ones that do have them opened up their doors to more business. Get ahead of the competition.


I've taken that even further at times, and built my own custom tools that weren't available, if I thought they would give me a decided advantage. The last time I really did such was for some gov't tree contracts. Won one contract by being 15 cents per tree lower than the next bidder. I bid that price because of what one tool was able to do time saving wise. The tool cost 50 dollars and a couple hours to cut and weld up, but it did the job.


----------



## VANMAN

rhardman said:


> Fair enough, but if you had read earlier posts in this thread I think you would understand what's going on here a little better.
> 
> Of particular importance to this discussion is my second post of 07-07-2009, 09:24 PM This is were I said,_ *"The first few items won't change the world but will make your job a little easier. We have some real wild things down the pier but can't talk about those for a while."*_
> 
> This aint about paddles and I guess you touched off a real frustration I've had regarding some peoples lack of an inquisitive nature. I had to fire myself (in an earlier post) because of my attitude.
> 
> The hand tools have been in development for longer than 10 years and the Raptor and larger systems since 77. So when I see that I've invested my entire life into the trade (also cleaning buckets at age 6), thousands and thousands (and thousands) of dollars into an idea, and then find that the industry's established online distribution network not only isn't interested because of our higher retail prices, but several don't treat their customers with the respect they deserve, I'm left with a real fire to make the over all situation better for the guys on the street.
> 
> Then, I hear one of "my people" comparing my beautiful paddle (as you've seen, I could go on for hours about it) with truck parts that can be pulled from any junk yard, and I guess I take it kind of personal.
> 
> 
> I know what our other tools are and since I can't talk about them until our Raptor pump is proven, it's driving me insane.:wacko::turned::tt2::lol:
> 
> With respect,
> Rick


Good stuff Rick,Stick it 2 him:thumbsup:


----------



## VANMAN

rhardman said:


> In keeping with our intention to be honest, I received a couple of emails today from someone waiting for a mesh taper.
> 
> I explained that shipping the taper, paddle and other tools will cost $150.00 UPS (he's very remote) and we'll do it, but not until we receive our test results from the current person evaluating the taper. I just want to be sure we correct anything that might be found inadequate.
> 
> *"...really starting to wounder if these tool will ever show up !!!!! most of the other tapers i have talked to think it's a bunch of BS !!! i am starting to agree . mesh taper- creaser wheel - paddle are they just photos ? if your not going to send any my way just let me know."*
> 
> His final sentence: *"and last of all ... you will never find one of your tools with me on a job site." *
> 
> This is a really good guy, but apparently he told his buddies about the tools and since he hasn't received them yet, they're giving him flack about it. We'll make it right with him as soon as we can.
> 
> If anyone has similar frustrations, please let me know so I can address the issue directly and resolve any misunderstanding.:yes:
> 
> Rick
> *"Come to Jesus" statement:* Ultimately his frustration is understandable since I thought his prototypes would be delivered by now. This one I guess is totally on my head. I didn't think the process would take so long.


 Think he is a w####r Rick:blink:


----------



## VANMAN

Mudstar said:


> One phrase that comes to mind and always forgotten when coming up with some fang dangle gizmos thingamajig whatchamacallits is
> 
> Keep it simple stupid
> 
> Specially in the drywall industry only because we have enough fang dangle gizmos thingamajig whatchamacallits to play with anyways
> 
> 
> Get back to work you slackers


 STUPID!!! Think its u mate!:furious:


----------



## VANMAN

Mudstar said:


> Your like a charging bull Rick. Some one waves something at you and your off, the only thing is your getting the colors mixed up. This pump must have been a green flag in your head and my comment on you being a dreamer and keep it simple stupid was red.
> 
> Rick your asking for the opinions of others by posting on a public forum like you are. I also thought about how this job could be done easier with a tool like this pump thing your talking about that takes no effort and might saves time for the elite. The funny thing is to move mud from one spot to another takes the same amount of force if its done by hand or by machine its from where you choice to spend your energy.
> 
> Tapers are not the tool whores you may think they are like yourself, I and lots of the guys on here which is only a very small percent of all the tapers world wide. Most of them are just making a living supporting there families and just getting by with little money they make and besides that most of them work for others.
> 
> You might have notice that this market is behind the eight ball already and it will be a hard pressed sell and that's why I made the statement I did.
> 
> Dreamer yes and there nothing wrong with dreaming Rick
> 
> Keep it simple stupid, because most of your market is simple
> 
> JS
> 
> PS
> 
> I don't need to call you a name other then Rick


Should that not be other than Rick? Not then Rick? Sort it if u cant do grammar dont reply whith S##T


----------



## VANMAN

*Mmm*



rhardman said:


> Please call me Rick,
> 
> The pump is being made in Mission, BC as one of the owners lives there and is a guru of the highest magnitude. I worked on designing a new pump for (literally) 30 years until I met up with Cory. That was 18 months ago and we're in the final moments of what we believe to be a perfect solution for driving mud (or anything semi liquid). It's patentable so we're VERY excited. I think I'm drawing on the patience of everyone here though as it is taking so long...
> 
> Other than that we are working with Advance Equipment to build our paddles
> before then my cost was so high that I would have to sell them for $80.00. DeAnne (Advance) builds hand tools with robotic equipment so they can compete with China. With her help we can sell the pivoting mixing paddle for $20.00.
> 
> Other than the pump, and a plastic handle for our mesh taper* everything is purchased and assembled in either Bellingham, Washington or LaFayette, Oregon. We want to use U.S. labor and materials as we have better control of quality standards and frankly having worked all over the world, I find the U.S. business mindset to be the most efficient, continually working to improve processes. While the individual part price may be higher, we are building a single system where your overall cost for equipment (to tape, finish, texture and paint) will cost thousands less than using equipment from several manufacturers. The customer support for any equipment related problem you might have will be a single company with a 24/7 phone line (my home number 206-905-7580 always at your access).
> 
> We're also working with www.walltools.com to be our only internet sales outlet. Walltools has a heart for new technology (and especially the drywall contractor) so we will support them exclusively.
> 
> Many companies will buy their components in Canada and set up a satellite office in Blaine, Washington or some place else south of the border and then stamp "Made in America" on them. I travel north and south of the border because I married a Canadian, www.sabeya.com (be respectful gentlemen).
> 
> The last piece of our puzzle is building a relationship with one of the current Automatic Tool manufacturers. I've spoken about it before... If we can provide one company with a CFS alternative for the tools they already make, they can run away from their current competitors by offering both CFS and traditional tools. Then we offer our new robotic systems. Our 2 companies could provide the bulk of taping tool technology for the next 20 years.
> 
> Rick
> * The plastic handle for the mesh taper does come from China. My mould cost for the thing in the U.S. was near $20k. In China it was $1200.00 and frankly, I just couldn't afford the higher price at the time.


 Got any daughters Rick:thumbsup: Onlt kiddin lad:blink:


----------



## rhardman

VANMAN said:


> Got any daughters Rick:thumbsup: Onlt kiddin lad:blink:


You crack me up!  It's funny, Francesca wouldn't go out with me for 2 years. I guess I finally wore her down. And yes, she has a daughter named, Natasha. Francesca grew up in Sicily and is truly better on the inside than the outside. I pulled a stunt a while back (nothing "bad" just stupid) and while she should have beaten me bloody, she met me with love and support.:blink: With an attractive mother, Natasha has gone the "cerebral" route. She's a pretty girl but not flashy like her mom. Natasha is going to the University of British Columbia, majoring in finance.

Of the family, I'm truly _*"the junk yard dog!"*_

Frankly, I don't know why they let me hang out with them.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Machinst returns from vacation tomorrow!!!*

I went over to his shop and picked up one of the new valve assemblies to evaluate while he's been out. It looks good. It looks REAL good. This is the fifth version I've been involved with (since 77). 

I'll give him a couple of days to catch up on things and then I'll go see him about the pump and everything else.

I should have a decent Raptor/Taping Tools update in the next few days.

Rick
I know it's taking longer than any of us thought. And...we don't know what the market will say...but I do guarantee this...you will say...

*"That thing is Freaking Bad A$$ Wild !!!"*


----------



## rhardman

*Update:*

So we had our meeting today to discuss the pump and remaining machining that needs to be done before my presentation.

I can't get into the "why's" but the reason we missed the January 1 launch date for the Raptor is understandable and will make for a better pump in the long run. Going into detail would provide valuable R&D information for a possible competitor so I have to leave it at that.

A big part of our discussion today was the importance of immediate communication because of my involvement with DWT. He didn't understand why I am so out front with posting our developments or my reasoning for it. I believe we are now on the same page. 

Seems most everyone has the idea of going "top-down" in marketing and providing information when running a company. First step traditionally is to keep all important information internal so nobody know's what's going on behind the closed doors. When marketing, create the institutional alliances first, then the distribution/sales channels and finally (if ever) focus on individual relationships with an end user. They think that spending a lot of time with "John" or "Tim" or "Craig" takes away from the larger marketing effort. I have to re-educate them so they understand that "bottom-up" (bottom referring to the last person in the process) is really where the value is for us both for keeping short term R&D perspective and for building our reputation. Once explained, and after they've seen our (to be released) tools they understand . 

For us,* "Bottom-Up" IS "Top-Down" *
:scooter:Take care of the end user first and everyone else (institutional relationships, distributors, material houses) will want to ride along!!! 

What nobody understands is why I'm so open about posting the "negative" information (delay's, computer virus, etc.). My thing is truth. If someone "bluffs" or shades information to make themself look good in every situation, how can you believe anything they say? Besides, I invented the stuff, it's my company and I can run this thing any way I want. :tt2: At the end of the road, I'm still a drywall contractor...and we kinda like swimming upstream sometimes! Win or lose, we will be honest in every situation...whether we look good or not.

Scott and Tom are ready to jump in for the larger institutional and global aspects of doing things when they are needed. I have my areas where I'm pretty good, those guys are "board room" executives better suited to the talents required for large institutional relationships and finance_....but they can't tell you what happens when you mix hot water with hot mud._ 

_*Technically, I can say...*_
Under the topic of "valves" there are several things we are creating that have never been done before. They are really wild! We learned during this last period of prototyping that we can machine to much tighter tolerances and by using a different seat material it will actually "melt" into the properties (melt isn't the right word but I use it to describe what's going on) of the metal forming a tighter union and result in longer valve life.

We have our next meeting scheduled for a week from this Monday. In the meantime I have some plastic work I need to finish up on the first 2 tapers and I will also work with Aaron on the electronics. He has a new board he wants to test.

_Tune in next time to this same "Bat" channel!!!_ :batman:

Rick


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> In the meantime I have some plastic work I need to finish up on the first 2 tapers and I will also work with Aaron on the electronics. He has a new board he wants to test.


This reminds me of the Bfast system. I see some of you were discussing it a couple years ago on another board: http://www.contractortalk.com/f49/bfast-drywall-tools-42265/

Anyone know anything more/heard anything more about Bfast since then? I see silverstilts started a thread asking about it back in '09 and got no replies. If someone does have something they could say, maybe it could be posted on that thread: http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/bfast-766/


----------



## Tim0282

Kinda think they died. Way too expensive up front. And didn't gain much.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Kinda think they died. Way too expensive up front. And didn't gain much.


I admire anyone with a new idea. This one is so dependent on Graco though, I don't see it possible for the guy to make any money on it.





 
It's all Graco except for the attachments. Cudo's on the attachments. The electronics are a "Reed" or "Hall-Effect" switch that triggers the flow of mud when the sensor on the plate passes the magnet on the front of the box. There is a lot of expense there. I don't see the need for it because the user has a hand lever for mud too. He might have wanted something unique so he could call it patented.







The problem is that Graco doesn't care what the final application is as long as they are selling systems. Too bad for the Bfast guy as he'll never get his costs below that of a paint equipment distributor (or not much lower). Then he has to add a profit to his costs, then send it through another level of distribution which will tack another charge to it before it gets to you.

It's a tragic tale...stacked against the guy that spends endless nights trying to develop a new idea. *Viva La Bfast creator!!!*

He has my respect! :thumbup:

I don't know who is making the diaphram pumps for Apla Tech, we know they recommend Graco for their full CFS. So...Graco wins no matter who is selling their system.

_Somebody around here needs to build their own pump, seems that's the only way for it to be affordable._:jester:


----------



## Tim0282

I agree that the concept is good. But to rely on the " I no care about you" Graco company is my hang up with the product. Had too many conversations with Graco about their pumps. And they really don't care past selling the pump. Too bad. When I spoke with the BFast people a couple years ago, I was impressed with the quality people they have. They were very willing to have me come to them or come to me to demo the line. Since they are only an eight or nine hour drive, I seriously considered going to their house to check them out. I believe they are a quality line of tools. Just don't like to have to deal with Graco. Too much failure in their pumps from my experience. Just my two cents worth.


----------



## rhardman

I contacted Graco years ago to incorporate their pump into what we are doing. After a $2000.00 quote and a "Take it or Leave it" attitude with no follow up, our decision was made. If they treated a potential "partner" that way, the idea of them dealing with our end user's was more risk than we want(ed) to take.

Glad to hear the Bfast guys were so caring and supportive! I'm sure they had/have their hearts into it.


----------



## Tim0282

A couple years ago I asked about switching to a Speedflow pump hydraulic pump. That could work.... But in dealing with Speedflow after they sold to Titan. Oh brother!!!! They took lessons from Graco and then decided they could be a touch on the uglier side! Guess I am just a complainer...


----------



## rhardman

*I don't think so...*



Tim0282 said:


> ...Guess I am just a complainer...


Sounds to me like the a contractor just wanting accountability with a manufacturer. That "aint" complaining! :thumbsup:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Those that know me, know how little respect I have for graco. I bought a graco mark IV for CFS and after it failed (the packing prob was mine), but the guys that re-built it siad it would fail again soon cause the pump would not handle the corrosive nature of mud. Gracos reply was, and I quote,, "Its out of warranty" LOL,,, they do sell it for the exclusive purpose of spraying mud

Wonder what would happen if I told my customers that one???

As for three differant threads I have posted on three differant forums,,,

GRACO SUCKS


----------



## Tim0282

Add SpeedFlow to acting exactly like Graco. Wonder if some of their customer service people are ex-Graco people. Two peas in a pod. Just hope thhey never break down...riiiighttt... Paint sprayers are the most break down tools I own. I spend more time with maitenance on them than anything I own.


----------



## Workaholic

From my painters perspective Graco's are trouble free. Had I had a bad experience with their customer service I suppose I would feel differently.


----------



## Tim0282

I have never had a bad experience with a customer service from a trouble free piece of equipment. Never have to peak to those people. Not sure I can count all of the Different sizes of Graco sprayers I have owned. And I just bought a 695 recently to leave in the shop for spraying trim. So I can't say too much, I keep buying them. I have a 1595 for spraying primer. :blink:


----------



## Workaholic

Tim0282 said:


> I have never had a bad experience with a customer service from a trouble free piece of equipment. Never have to peak to those people. Not sure I can count all of the Different sizes of Graco sprayers I have owned. And I just bought a 695 recently to leave in the shop for spraying trim. So I can't say too much, I keep buying them. I have a 1595 for spraying primer. :blink:


I run a couple 695's and a 390 the 695's are my favorite pump but I am thinking of adding a 1095 to the team.


----------



## Schmidt & Co

Thats a lot of pumps Sean! I don't do much spraying, as I'm typically on a re-paint. I've been getting the itch to get an AAA after reading the treads over at the other site, but I keep coming back to the fact that I don't spray much. Theres a lot in the world of spraying that I don't have much experience in. Would like to get better though....


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

I have recently bought a graco (nova 390 SW version of a graco 395), works fine for paint. However this is a post about the inability of gracos to handle mud after they advertise them to do just that and then just laugh at you when the mud eats em up in a cpl months.

So there


----------



## Schmidt & Co

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I have recently bought a graco (nova 390 SW version of a graco 395), works fine for paint. However this is a post about the inability of gracos to handle mud after they advertise them to do just that and then just laugh at you when the mud eats em up in a cpl months.
> 
> So there


I totally understand your frustration Capt. I'd be mad as hell also. :yes:


----------



## Workaholic

Schmidt & Co said:


> Thats a lot of pumps Sean! I don't do much spraying, as I'm typically on a re-paint. I've been getting the itch to get an AAA after reading the treads over at the other site, but I keep coming back to the fact that I don't spray much. Theres a lot in the world of spraying that I don't have much experience in. Would like to get better though....


I do a lot of NC and so I use the 2 695's regularly and save the small 390 for oil products. The 390 does not get much use these days but every now and again I go on a stain spraying spree for fences. 

I just signed a large auto body shop this afternoon and there is a good amount of spray work for that job. 

3 or 4 years ago I would already own a proshot and a aaa but after the peak I just have not seen the need to buy things that so freely. I am sure a corded proshot will make the arsenal before an aaa.


----------



## Workaholic

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I have recently bought a graco (nova 390 SW version of a graco 395), works fine for paint. However this is a post about the inability of gracos to handle mud after they advertise them to do just that and then just laugh at you when the mud eats em up in a cpl months.
> 
> So there


Actually this thread is about help testing tools. 

So there. :whistling2:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Workaholic said:


> Actually this thread is about help testing tools.
> 
> So there. :whistling2:


 I changed my avitar just for you,,, you truly are a "bad dawg"


----------



## Workaholic

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I changed my avitar just for you,,, you truly are a "bad dawg"


You turned that dawg into an outlaw. He got a bad rap.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Workaholic said:


> You turned that dawg into an outlaw. He got a bad rap.


 You may be right,, I did sick him on the cat,,,,


----------



## rhardman

*Machinist has a question for you all...*

I removed the question I had posted here.

I'll let you know what happens during the next production meeting.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Pardon this international message...*

We can view traffic on our website though we don't see specifics.

Recently we are getting a tremendous amount of of traffic from Western Europe and China.

For those international DWT viewers interested in what HSI is up to, we would encourage you to contact us through our website contact page.
We would like to speak with you for future alliances and possible business relationships.







For the local family, please pardon this international message. 

Rick


----------



## rebel20

rhardman said:


> We can view traffic on our website though we don't see specifics.
> 
> Recently we are getting a tremendous amount of of traffic from Western Europe and China.
> 
> For those international DWT viewers interested in what HSI is up to, we would encourage you to contact us through our website contact page.
> We would like to speak with you for future alliances and possible business relationships.
> View attachment 687
> 
> For the local family, please pardon this international message.
> 
> Rick


Rick,
are you really looking at your logs 80% are hits from someone probably trying to steel bandwith. we get alot of the same. 

rebel


----------



## rhardman

rebel20 said:


> Rick,
> are you really looking at your logs 80% are hits from someone probably trying to steel bandwith. we get alot of the same.
> 
> rebel


 
Maybe, I would hope at least some of it is a result of the samples we're sending out there in addition to the European doors we're knocking on.

On the mesh taper handles that were made in China, 3 people at the company have left for other horizons. Some of it could be them as I've heard from them lately. 

Connie also researched the issue today. She says our traffic doubles when there is a new post on the paddle or here. I think we're working under the correct assumption.









Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Met with machinist.*

There are several mating surfaces at different places in the pump which have been proven and look good. In our meeting yesterday we talked about the EIFS application which might present a new problem...or maybe not. The parts we're talking about are at .0001 tolerances and the abrasiveness of the mud (drywall being the worst) is pretty much taken care of. The fast setting and over night holding of cement based mud (that will undoubtedly occur with some guys) is where we're focusing right now.

It must be super fast cleaning with virtually no effort on the part of the user. To do that right, we will need to machine different channels and passages into the pump so the water makes its way (to the compound) easily. We put some drawings together and he'll start on them next week. We have some huge EIFS interest and since that's primarily a spray application it's the easiest system to get to the street so we want to have it 100% rock solid before we announce the pump as finished.

We have another box design that is wild. Not difficult to understand, just "different." Might be too big of a leap for some guys, we'll just have to see if you like it. It allows a much less expensive unit.

Costs are coming down. :thumbup:

We're also getting a lot of support from you guys. Thank you.
To make it clear, sending out the Advance knives and mixer samples is to build relationships for Advance and WallTools as they've been very good to us. Yea, I'll make something from the paddles but we haven't even negotiated that yet. Frankly I'm not so worried about it right now. With your help, our immediate focus is setting the best platform (company structure, products and procedures) so when the tools are ready, we hit the ground running and don't fall into the usual holes most new companies do. The samples are good for us (even though we don't make anything) as it is fine tuning our paper flow and helping us meet new people.
Did I say thank you? :thumbsup:

I was going through some patents yesterday and ran across many of Apla Tech's. Say what you will...like his tools or don't...but one thing is absolutely sure, that man is very intelligent. :thumbup1:

I need to correct some things on the web site including the addition of Gary's Vario mud under a tab I'm going to add called, "New Ideas" I patched a fist hole for some friends yesterday (obnoxious teenager) and wish I had more of it (no hint intended, just wanted to do some bragging for Gary).


Rick
The patent drawing below is for an accessory someone came up with to wipe angles as the tape is applied...:blink:


----------



## rebel20

rhardman said:


> I need to correct some things on the web site including the addition of Gary's Vario mud under a tab I'm going to add called, "New Ideas" I patched a fist hole for some friends yesterday (obnoxious teenager) and wish I had more of it (no hint intended, just wanted to do some bragging for Gary).
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> 
> I say Rick thanks for bragging
> 
> Gary


----------



## rhardman

*Does this make any sense to you?*

I'm running into a big challenge here and would like to ask for your input please...

I contacted a mfr that you guys talk about regularly and recommended that he get on DWT. He responded by saying that his company reads the site regularly but they choose not to participate directly because they think if they do, it makes the reader think they are being "sold" which makes their input less authentic.

I'm having a problem with this so please correct me if I'm wrong here...

My thinking (as a contractor) is that having Columbia, Walltools, Advance, Gary (rebel) and other mfrs makes the site a whole lot better.* We get to hear directly what the mfrs are doing and we know they are listening to what is important to the end customer without it getting filtered through their sales people.

Ames made a presence a while ago and I came on pretty strong so later I went to visit the guy (Hakan Gulseren) and apologized to him. I'd love to see him back here.

It's a rough and tumble site I admit, we "pop" and bash each other with frequency :bangin: but I think everyone knows that even the harshest combatants would cover the other guy's back out in the real world.

It's a group that sticks together and I believe the DWT site is phenomenal for the trade. Why more mfrs don't see it that way, I don't think I'll ever understand.

What do you think? Should more mfrs come on board?

Rick

(Wednesday update: I see "TheToolDr" is All Wall. It's great to see them. They or Brandon might be able to help with SlimPickins "Festool" note below...  I also forgot to mention St. Gobain with their Fibafuse and of course the Skywalker stilt mfr...MarshallTown. They're here too.)


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> I'm running into a big challenge here and would like to ask for your input please...
> 
> I contacted a mfr that you guys talk about regularly and recommended that he get on DWT. He responded by saying that his company reads the site regularly but they choose not to participate directly because they think if they do, it makes the reader think they are being "sold" which makes their input less authentic.
> 
> I'm having a problem with this so please correct me if I'm wrong here...
> 
> My thinking (as a contractor) is that having Columbia, Walltools, Advance, Gary (rebel) and other mfrs makes the site a whole lot better.* We get to hear directly what the mfrs are doing and we know they are listening to what is important to the end customer without it getting filtered through their sales people.
> 
> Ames made a presence a while ago and I came on pretty strong so later I went to visit the guy (Hakan Gulseren) and apologized to him. I'd love to see him back here.
> 
> It's a rough and tumble site I admit, we "pop" and bash each other with frequency :bangin: but I think everyone knows that even the harshest combatants would cover the other guy's back out in the real world.
> 
> It's a group that sticks together and I believe the DWT site is phenomenal for the trade. Why more mfrs don't see it that way, I don't think I'll ever understand.
> 
> What do you think? Should more mfrs come on board?
> 
> Rick


I think for them to worry about "selling" us is kind of a load. We're not stupid, and most (I think) of us can tell when we're just being a fed a line or a pitch. I think having big "players" on the site would improve things, and would benefit all involved. We could keep abreast of new products and technological advancements, etc, and the companies could get real world feedback on their goods, as well as suggestions on how to improve. Why pay for R&D when we're giving it away for free? That said, tool and product manufacturers, please mail me all kinds of free stuff. Did you hear that Festool? Hellooooo......FESTOOL, did you hear that?:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

*A quick note of respect.*

Okay, I want to be totally respectful here with full acknowledgement that we haven't introduced anything earth shattering and we don't know what the future holds so even though we're jazzed about what we are doing, there is certainly no guarantee of anything...

With that said, I'd like to comment on the Ames hose system if you don't mind.



D's said:


> The only improvements over Apla I can see are; the fill station at the pump, and the z-swivel(my favourite).
> 
> Some potential disadvantages...
> less control and leverage on the creaser wheel because of linkage placement
> internal tape cutting mech(I think)
> fixed taper head(Apla's detachable is easy to clean and adapts to different length tubes)
> 
> I'd like a closer look at their trigger, brake, and quick connect, and wonder if it can spray level 5 and textures.
> 
> Still... congratulations on a new product Ames!


Personally, I don't see anything new (of any relevance). I think they copied Apla Tech and even their reference to "Continous Flow." My personal opinion is that if they are going to use any reference to "CF" in print or media, they should give a royalty to the Apla team. Apla introduced the hose fed system and have had some great accomplishments.








And I don't know, but that tape holding mechanism looks a lot like Sunil's over at Drywall Master.

In my fairy tale land of business integrity, I believe that anyone benefitting from the efforts of others should acknowledge that assistance. In the current atmosphere, it appears that the new hose fed player just wants to make it look like they are the creator.


----------



## texturemaker

*Trying out new tools*

Hi Rick, if I didn't live so far away, I would become a tester of your tools, I would also write articles about my research & even offer them from my websites.

Regards Dale


----------



## D's

I've heard the pump is lower pressure and requires a thicker diameter line ie... heavy to drag around, no painting or lvl 5


----------



## cazna

rhardman said:


> I'm running into a big challenge here and would like to ask for your input please...
> 
> I contacted a mfr that you guys talk about regularly and recommended that he get on DWT. He responded by saying that his company reads the site regularly but they choose not to participate directly because they think if they do, it makes the reader think they are being "sold" which makes their input less authentic.
> 
> I'm having a problem with this so please correct me if I'm wrong here...
> 
> My thinking (as a contractor) is that having Columbia, Walltools, Advance, Gary (rebel) and other mfrs makes the site a whole lot better.* We get to hear directly what the mfrs are doing and we know they are listening to what is important to the end customer without it getting filtered through their sales people.
> 
> Ames made a presence a while ago and I came on pretty strong so later I went to visit the guy (Hakan Gulseren) and apologized to him. I'd love to see him back here.
> 
> It's a rough and tumble site I admit, we "pop" and bash each other with frequency :bangin: but I think everyone knows that even the harshest combatants would cover the other guy's back out in the real world.
> 
> It's a group that sticks together and I believe the DWT site is phenomenal for the trade. Why more mfrs don't see it that way, I don't think I'll ever understand.
> 
> What do you think? Should more mfrs come on board?
> 
> Rick
> 
> (Wednesday update: I see "TheToolDr" is All Wall. It's great to see them. They or Brandon might be able to help with SlimPickins "Festool" note below...  I also forgot to mention St. Gobain with their Fibafuse and of course the Skywalker stilt mfr...MarshallTown. They're here too.)


Of course more mfrs should be here, They are silly if they dont, Sunil is great to deal with, He got old man drywallmaster on the phone to help me out, That dude is 80+ years old and a top man. And columbia guys are fantastic so these are the top two companys IMO, Thetooldoctor is helpfull and all wall would have to have one of the best services in the world, That company is great although the shipping for me is costly but thats just how it is, That mfr thats reads this site and does not have input seems?????????????????????? to me, Sales = Input, People always buy from someone they know of dont they?? So you have someone to call for help which most people who have drywall tools need help getting them running or some parts sooner or later, Goldblatt is another, Look how many negative comments they seem to get, But some of there stuff is very good but its overlooked, There Mud Diver that they no longer make is a handy thing, Im lucky to have got one and no other mfrs are making one, Hint hint Sunil, Drywallmaster and there 5.5inch flat box which is really nice box and now i have there, yet to try, short box handle but i get the feeling for no coat ceilings off planks and scaffold and shorter joins and wardrobes is going to be really great, Keep it up Sunil but you guys need an extendable box handle now.


----------



## rhardman

*Ames "CFS"*



D's said:


> I've heard the pump is lower pressure and requires a thicker diameter line ie... heavy to drag around, no painting or lvl 5


Looks like Ames/Graco is using 110 or 220 volt options. Its a piston pump coupled directly to the hopper and I believe you are correct "D's", I saw that the generic version uses 3/4 and 1 inch hose. For Ames they would naturally scale the hose smaller for running taping tools. I've done basically what they have here* and with that electric motor and changes in material, it will slow down or speed up depending on the viscosity of the mud. It will "squirt" texture but still needs a separate compressor to be serious. Don't want to sound critical, I'm sure it works fine for what they want it to do.
















_*You know what's really funny about this?*_
I get all arrogant thinking "no problem ours is better" (blah, blah, blah) and then the thought hits me, "I wonder what they are using to mix in that tub....?" Suddenly I start thinking they need a sample of a new pivoting mixing paddle.:jester:

And you guys think you are "Tool Whores" :brows::lol::tt2::tooth:

Rick
* Seems familiar except that in 1985, I added a compressor


----------



## D's

Looks like the T-max pump had it's origins as a Euro plastering pump. Their max working pressure is 2500psi, and flow is 1.5 Gal/min.. The recommended hose is up to 150' of 1/2" with a 15' 1/4" whip, so dragging the hose between rooms would be heavy but I'm guessing you'd have good manueverability once inside with the longer whip & z-swivel. Hopefully Apla will try their setup with the z-swivel and longer whip as a comparison.

From my experience the Mark V keeps up on the finishing side - can't speak for high volume texturing though. It would be nice if it had a filling station attached, as hoses aren't appropriate everywhere.

Rick did you read that new pumps manual... there's a schematic of Graco's inline valve and there's a lot going on including a transmitter for the brake and something called a "box slide". That explains the bulkiness at the end of the Ames box handle(battery+servo). Can't say if this would be an improvement over Apla's cabled brake handle, it would definitely add $$$'s. I think Graco's new inline valve will be the determining factor in how the two systems compare.

Hopefully someone will post a vid with a closer look.


----------



## D's

Here we go... brochure


----------



## rhardman

*Admittedly, this post has a lot of personal "Rick" in it. Not so unbiased.*



D's said:


> Here we go... brochure


I find the brochure insulting. There's a lack of respect for drywall with an underlying "use our paint system because we know better than you" peppered everywhere. Ames should have known better.


Feb 19, 2011, at 9:19 PM, Rick Hardman R&D / Corporate Alliances wrote:
> Hi ****!
>
> It's always a pleasure to talk to you.
> I know Mel at Never Miss real well, he's on the "Friends" page of our web site. I haven't talked to him for a while though. Yea he told me about his Level 5 product.
>
> I'm not a big fan of the paint sprayers being used for drywall mud. I think it's the wrong platform to start with. Our A-4 pump will push up to 4500 psi at 5 gpm so we shouldn't have a problem spraying anything. For drywall, I prefer "fogging" a coat of mud on everything with a lot of air. It's faster and doesn't need to be back rolled. It costs a little more in material but in my opinion, it's easier (as well as faster) to do. We've test sprayed mud slightly thicker than water and "crap" mud with small rocks in it. It's a very good pump. We will have a strainer on them once we offer them for sale (of course).
>
> We have some mud formula's we're going to patent and sell after the tools are out. One is a heavy bodied primer that will provide the Level 5 finish. I've already talked to Mel about adding his Never Miss to it so it flows easily. It works fine without the NM but if we can make it better, we will. 
> Right now, to fog coat we use a fairly large compressor, 20 cfm. As soon as I get the pump back we'll be trying different valving to see if we can fog with less air. The large compressor shoots a huge pattern which is nice.
>
> I don't know if I've told you but we will use the same pump for the A-1, A-2 or A-4 Raptor. We just power them differently and use different size compressors. They are all basically the same system.
>
> How are you doing my friend?
>
> Rick 

On 2/19/2011, **** ******* wrote: 
Rick 
Thank you for the reply! 
This helps me know that what I am feeling is not so far off. 
Just seems wrong to use a paint sprayer to spray mud. They are built to break down. (or so it seems) 
And as abrasive as mud is, it seems it would be awfully hard on an already suspect pump. Especially when the one "needed" runs 5K. And I already have two maintenance hogs that I bought for just about 5K each. (***** and *********). 
Thank you again. 
And as usual, it is a pleasure "speaking" with you! 
We are busy as ever and anxious to spend some money with you!  
Enjoy your weekend! 
**** 

On Feb 19, 2011, Rick Hardman R&D / Corporate Alliances wrote: 
"We are busy as ever and anxious to spend some money with you! 
Sir, you crack me up!!! 
Nothing goes out until I know I can sleep like a baby!!! 
Rick 

On 2/19/2011, **** ******* wrote:
> Sigh..... I know!
> And I appreciate that fact!!

:thumbup:








Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Question about the CAT pump*

I received a message asking about the CAT pump and it's ability to pump drywall mud.

When my dad left the project in the early 80's he told me that the CAT pump needed to be the foundation for his tools. I tried a few other systems (with repeated failure) and finally took his advice. Using various versions of high pressure water pumps worked well since they are compatible with water based materials and 3 pistons prevent any pulsation in the mud. I had to deal with the abrasive nature of the material (imagine microscopic razor blades) and the tight passages where water would flow, but mud caused cavitation. In the late 80's I finally came up with modifications that worked. We were pumping 5 gpm at around 2500 psi. Still, the longevity was not up to par even though their new sealing concept worked. It doesn't wear like Graco seals do. I use(d) different removable hopper configurations which helped with transporting the unit. It all turned out very well and material could be mixed in the hoppers very easily. 

From then til now its been a roller coaster ride to find the perfect combination of rpm, cost, alloys, contact surfaces and different types of valving.









With the ball valve on the bottom, we could also wash our tools in the same machine we were working with. 

Hey! Just like Graco! Just 26 years earlier. *

:jester:


Rick
*_Please forgive how tacky I am..._


----------



## TDI Scott

Very interested. Here is my email.

[email protected]

Thanks!!!


----------



## fr8train

Rick,
I was browsing your site, and noticed two different paddles. Are the NE516 Cyclone paddle and the "Contractor Grade Pivoting Mixer" The same tool? The pics are diff, one is black the other is white, wasn't sure if one was a pic of the prototype or not. Also, which paddle comes with the Advance Tools giveaway?

Mike


----------



## Tim0282

Since Rick isn't on right now, I can answer for him. That is dangerous!! Sticking my neck on the line here. The white one is one of his "for life" tools. The black one is slightly less money. Can be purchased through Wall Tools, Advance Tools, maybe others. Not sure. I have both.... I prefer the white one. Just enough difference in design of the paddle, that is superior in mixing capability. It is more money, but worth it!


----------



## rhardman

fr8train said:


> Rick,
> I was browsing your site, and noticed two different paddles. Are the NE516 Cyclone paddle and the "Contractor Grade Pivoting Mixer" The same tool? The pics are diff, one is black the other is white, wasn't sure if one was a pic of the prototype or not. Also, which paddle comes with the Advance Tools giveaway?
> 
> Mike





Tim0282 said:


> Since Rick isn't on right now, I can answer for him. That is dangerous!! Sticking my neck on the line here. The white one is one of his "for life" tools. The black one is slightly less money. Can be purchased through Wall Tools, Advance Tools, maybe others. Not sure. I have both.... I prefer the white one. Just enough difference in design of the paddle, that is superior in mixing capability. It is more money, but worth it!


Thank you Tim!

Yea Mike, the black CG (Contractor Grade) mixer is part of the Advance Tool Giveaway program. It's a less expensive mixer (I think Walltools has it for around $20.00) than the other one. Nice catch, you must have downloaded the catalog to find both. I still need to update the site.

The difference between the two is the "Tools For Life" products. They are designed to be the absolute best that can be made. Consequently, they are more expensive but you never have to buy another one. If they ever break (unless they're "accidently" run over by a truck ) you get a new one. The CG tools are the least expensive tools that can be made and still function well.:thumbsup: The higher grade mixer also has interchangeable blades. Basically, you find the one that fits the type of work you do and you're set.

We intend to be our own competition with everything we offer*...CG vs "Tools for Life."  This is the same approach with the Raptor machines. The A-1 will be extremely affordable where the A-4 will be for the ego maniac, Type A personality, "Man Beast", Mombo drywall contractor who likes women in thongs and kills his own food :jester:. Wait until you see the taper I made for him!!! :blink:













I love this place!!! 

Rick
*You guy's convinced us to offer 2 product lines. With the original paddle reviews you gave us, it was an obvious decision.* Also listening to you, the CG was designed to mix in the RTX and it isn't so radical with thin texture mud (using a high speed drill). It's blade is 25% smaller. *


----------



## rhardman

I jumped too far ahead with the comment I had here.
I better wait...

Rick


----------



## avoten

Sign me up for toy testing day I mean tool testing. As long as the stuff aint made in China we'll do business in the future I'm sure TIM NORTHERN BUILDERS&ROOFING Ph. 570496988


----------



## avoten

Listen guys it is hard to buy tools for this trade around here most places have scaled back and all have multi purpose chinese made junk. I am into the right tool for the job. Quality counts so someone get ahold of me. I cant say I havent found stuff at supply houses if I want to pay $20 to $50.00 beans more than something I can buy on the net but lets face it who likes doing business with pirates... I mean opec...


----------



## avoten

rhardman said:


> Yea, I think I first saw their pan during the initial patent search.
> 
> You know...what these companies need to do is find someplace where they can ask the actual drywall guy's if their tools are *rap or not before they try selling them...
> 
> 
> ...:whistling2:
> 
> The tools below are just a few of the pan designs we found during our patent search... Gotta admire their efforts.
> View attachment 99


I saw what you are talking/showing about the marshaltown tools. I wasnt convinced. I like a nice squared off 14"long pan to wipe out till I'm full.


----------



## avoten

avoten said:


> I saw what you are talking/showing about the marshaltown tools. I wasnt convinced. I like a nice squared off 14"long pan to wipe out till I'm full.


 China can make anything anyone dreams up problem is will it work. I still have problems buying a decent mud whip that wont eat the bucket I mix up in...


----------



## avoten

rhardman said:


> I contacted Graco years ago to incorporate their pump into what we are doing. After a $2000.00 quote and a "Take it or Leave it" attitude with no follow up, our decision was made. If they treated a potential "partner" that way, the idea of them dealing with our end user's was more risk than we want(ed) to take.
> 
> Glad to hear the Bfast guys were so caring and supportive! I'm sure they had/have their hearts into it.


I have engineering background and i love to tinker with stuff... You intrigue me with your ideas but what puzzles me is even I have worked in const. long enough to hand make parts for my equip. Sooner or later China copies anything worth while and makes equip. dirt cheap including sprayes and stuff. Some nites I go to bed saying whats the use I cant make anything cheaper than chinese do. Sorry for my tone guys.


----------



## avoten

rhardman said:


> I'm running into a big challenge here and would like to ask for your input please...
> 
> I contacted a mfr that you guys talk about regularly and recommended that he get on DWT. He responded by saying that his company reads the site regularly but they choose not to participate directly because they think if they do, it makes the reader think they are being "sold" which makes their input less authentic.
> 
> I'm having a problem with this so please correct me if I'm wrong here...
> 
> My thinking (as a contractor) is that having Columbia, Walltools, Advance, Gary (rebel) and other mfrs makes the site a whole lot better.* We get to hear directly what the mfrs are doing and we know they are listening to what is important to the end customer without it getting filtered through their sales people.
> 
> Ames made a presence a while ago and I came on pretty strong so later I went to visit the guy (Hakan Gulseren) and apologized to him. I'd love to see him back here.
> 
> It's a rough and tumble site I admit, we "pop" and bash each other with frequency :bangin: but I think everyone knows that even the harshest combatants would cover the other guy's back out in the real world.
> 
> It's a group that sticks together and I believe the DWT site is phenomenal for the trade. Why more mfrs don't see it that way, I don't think I'll ever understand.
> 
> What do you think? Should more mfrs come on board?
> 
> Rick
> 
> (Wednesday update: I see "TheToolDr" is All Wall. It's great to see them. They or Brandon might be able to help with SlimPickins "Festool" note below...  I also forgot to mention St. Gobain with their Fibafuse and of course the Skywalker stilt mfr...MarshallTown. They're here too.)


If one of your ideas pops up in a foreign market or someone else starts making your product fingers will start being pointed so your friend associate manufacturer is taking a passive approach by/with observation with default set on observe... Chances are they know someone else with same or similar ideas.


----------



## rhardman

avoten said:


> ... Chances are they know someone else with same or similar ideas.


Maybe...

I cut my sales teeth (after falling down stairs on stilts) in Silicon Valley with 200 competitors each selling the same thing, all located within a 25 mile area around San Francisco Bay. We sold $15,000,000.00 a month with product ranging from $0.003 to $15.00 per piece. The company was Marshall Industries. Later I helped open 2 offices for Future Electronics which was a Billion dollar company at the time. It's bigger now and owned by one man (a Canadian, Robert Miller). For 6 years I developed new business territories in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Money has been getting tight so Friday I'll sign a consulting contract taking new communications equipment across the U.S. throughout 2011. I grew up drywall, I live drywall and I bleed drywall mud. :thumbup:

We're in this for the fun and to run a company totally oriented to the customer. I have 3 partners all with more "Traditional Business Savvy" than I have. We're all waiting for me to finish up the protos and get DWT input so they're perfected before we go to market. Then our whole team will start to play. 

If we carry 15% of the market we will consider ourselves extremely successful. It's about the accomplishment and the integrity of the endeavor. The money will be whatever it ends up being.
If we carry more than 15%, then all the better.

We don't worry about the potential competition or the unforeseen monster hiding in the shadows. We can't control that. We focus only on new bleeding edge technology and building the best product(s) possible. Win lose or die...we'll be happy as long as we stick to our values. 

Welcome to the forum Avoten! We all welcome your enthusiasm. :thumbsup:

Personally, I'm here to build credibility and make good friends!

Rick
Basically, this whole post is a repeat of what I've said before. I've shown the patent below too. Doing it again as it was inspiration early on and I want to show some respect. There are similarities between it and ours.


----------



## Tim0282

Doubt it....


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Doubt it....




Tim?

(I know what happened there brother! :thumbup


----------



## rhardman

*Web site corrections, posting Gary and Brandon.*

I found out that our web guy is away so the corrections I mentioned will be delayed until he get's back.

He's out on his 33rd ocean cruise .

We're paying him too much.:blink:

Rick


----------



## rockhound

rhardman...i have a project starting to rock in about a month..8000 board student housing..typical dorm rooms...if your ready we would give your tools a run..not asking for them for free ..it would be a good project for a real time study...we are always looking for ways to save time and money..


----------



## Kiwiman

My mixer, pan, and advance knife set arrived today, thanks Rick they are very much appreciated.
I did say to you Rick that when I try them I would be brutally honest, well guess what...You're in luck, The mixer is a lot thicker and sturdier construction than it appears in the photo's, when mixing you can feel it pulling into the bucket which not only do you get circular mixing but it also moves the mud from top to bottom, very quick mixing of full buckets and small amounts as well, up until now I've had to carry two mixers one large and one small, I also noticed it did not put as much strain on my mixing drill, and another big advantage...No bits of the bucket scratched off and left in the mud.
At the end of the day I would expect to pay as much if not more than any other rival mixer in it's league, well done Rick :thumbsup:
As for the knife set and pan, I haven't had a chance to try them yet but the knives feel great and seem good quality, sorry I can't comment on the pan because I've never used one and they are very uncommon in New Zealand.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Kiwiman said:


> My mixer, pan, and advance knife set arrived today, thanks Rick they are very much appreciated.
> I did say to you Rick that when I try them I would be brutally honest, well guess what...You're in luck, The mixer is a lot thicker and sturdier construction than it appears in the photo's, when mixing you can feel it pulling into the bucket which not only do you get circular mixing but it also moves the mud from top to bottom, very quick mixing of full buckets and small amounts as well, up until now I've had to carry two mixers one large and one small, I also noticed it did not put as much strain on my mixing drill, and another big advantage...No bits of the bucket scratched off and left in the mud.
> At the end of the day I would expect to pay as much if not more than any other rival mixer in it's league, well done Rick :thumbsup:
> As for the knife set and pan, I haven't had a chance to try them yet but the knives feel great and seem good quality, sorry I can't comment on the pan because I've never used one and they are very uncommon in New Zealand.


Your going to love your mud pan kiwiman, and if not, it will make a good water pan for sheep :yes::jester:


----------



## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> Your going to love your mud pan kiwiman, and if not, it will make a good water pan for sheep :yes::jester:


Too late me old mate.....The wife wants a new baking tin .


----------



## piratemike

:thumbup:Love to try out some new tools, we specialize in all drywall and stucco construction. residential and commercial, new construction and remodel and repair.

www.associatedfinishes.com



rhardman said:


> Gentlemen,
> 
> We will be launching 18 new drywall and plastering tools in the next year. The products are great and we want to get some feedback so we know how to better address our marketing campaign before we hit the streets.
> 
> We will send a new tool to you to test for 30 days. Then we will ask for your opinion(s). After the first tool is evaluated we'll send another...and so forth.
> 
> We will send an NDA for you to sign and ask that you not comment on what the product is until we launch it officially.
> 
> We would like to work with one contractor from each of the following geographic areas, NW, SW, Central, NE, SE and Western BC.
> 
> Most of the products are for drywall but we also have a couple of fantastic tools for guys that do thin wall plaster.
> 
> Let me know if you want to participate and let us know what sort of projects you specialize in.
> 
> Thanks for your consideration.
> 
> Rick


----------



## moore

you guys are killing me. I'm having dreams about sheep,
and I'm not counting them!:icon_eek:


----------



## rhardman

This thread was getting so good, I didn't want to interrupt! :thumbup:

Thank you Kiwi! I love that mixer and if it ends up that the wife get's the pan instead of the sheep, maybe Moore can send your sheep a photo so they don't feel left out. :brows::lol:

Avoten and Pirate, the testing is over for the current group of tools. We have a total of 18 so after we get more local distributor's on board we'll start on the next group. If you go to my link on the Contact 24/7 tab of our site and register, I'll keep you up to date with new testing opportunities. Thank you.

(...or did I miss understand....were you talking about the Advance sample kit and pivoting mixer? If so, check out my note to Rockhound...)

Rockhound, keep us in mind for the future. We had anticipated a launch in Q4 of last year and as development is taking longer, I am climbing the walls wanting to get things finished up. The technology is strong and the vision (I believe) is right on time. If you want a sample kit of the Advance Knives, EZ Grip Pan and our CG mixer, go ahead and register on the site the same as I mentioned above. Make sure to add a note about the samples. Now there is a catch...if you like the tools I'm going to ask for contact information for your local material house. Then I'll contact them and try to build a relationship. We'll use these local sites to springboard the introduction of our taping and texturing tools.

:yes:

Rick 
NOTE: *We're only going to offer these free kits for another 2 weeks. *We don't want to take business away from Walltools as Brandon is very supportive to us and our online supplier.
2nd NOTE: Brandon, can you send me your logo so we can add it to the site?


----------



## Workaholic

Rick, 

As you know I received the CG mixer on on 2/14 and have been using it for mixing paint since I recieved it, the mixer mixes a 5 gallon bucket of paint very well and quickly. I am glad I listened to your advice about turning the mixer on low, that baby can whip a bucket if you are not aware of that fact. 

I have been looking very hard to find flaws with it and so far I have not found any. It mixes paint very well and it washes clean. I was a bit concerned at first that the pivoting point might not clean very easy but it does. In fact the only downside I can find at this point is only its power when used with a strong drill and that you warned me about from the start. 

I will continue to use this mixer and when it fails I will be buying the "tools for life" version of this product. You have done a very nice job with it Rick. :thumbsup: If you ever market the product with the paint vendors I would consider making a smaller version for gallon sized. 

Sorry I was not able to add in any criticism Rick, but I guess that is a testament to how good of a job you did developing the mixer. Thanks for sending me one and I am using it regularly so if there are longer term issues I will find them and report them back to you.


----------



## rhardman

Workaholic, I saw what you wrote on the painters site about the CG mixer. Thanks, we've been getting a lot of interest from that.

______________________________________________________________

My public openness is biting me in the butt. You guy's are great but I'm finding that "someone" with another company is bad mouthing us to local distributors. It's actually very flattering. :thumbup:

So I have to clam up a bit so the impression is that I'm drifting away, not a threat...blah, blah, blah.

To our troubled competitor let me say that our technology has totally failed!  I don't know what I'm doing. The squirrels I use to power our system seem to wear out after 2 days and finding replacement rodents is getting very troublesome. We've tethered cats to the system to scare the squirrels for another 3 or 4 hours but even that is causing problems because the cats get tired and feeding dogs to scare the cats is just too expensive. :blink: Carry on as you are and don't think a thing of me or my struggling, inconsequential company. We are small minded and you have nothing to be worrried about. Forgive me for even thinking of entering your rock solid world of technological superiority. You are the taping god and I am a pie in the sky dreamer. How dare me believe that I could come up with something better than what you have. You are just sooooooo smart. 







There's nothing worse than putting squirrels and cats on oxygen after they get tired. They get high and getting them back to work is almost impossible! 

To my DWT brothers in the trade....

Rick 

(Sir, be nice or it's your tool I'll be featuring in my brochure with the optional lamp shade kit.)


----------



## 2buckcanuck

It's b/c you should be using beavers to power your tool. But I'm sure the Kiwi's will tell you sheep are better than beavers:whistling2:


----------



## Workaholic

rhardman said:


> Workaholic, I saw what you wrote on the painters site about the CG mixer. Thanks, we've been getting a lot of interest from that.
> 
> ______________________________________________________________


That is good Rick I thought it was a dud thread, it got views but no replies. I linked that thread in another post today as well. I was going to send you a pm with the link to the thread but with no replies I did not.


----------



## rhardman

*For full disclosure...*

Okay so we finalized terms for the consulting contract. I think everyone knows I fell down stairs on stilts and went back to school for electronics. In electronics I did NPI (New Product Introduction) taking cutting edge electronics all throughout North America. 2 years ago my new employer cut me out of commissions on a multi million dollar contract so I told him to stick it in his arse (with my overwhelming drywall enthusiasm) and with Francesca's encouragement, took our savings and launched Hardman Systems. Finances are getting tight so in order not to get an investor, I need to bring some more money in...

I've set up www.dunamismentoring.com as a consulting company for this new contract.









The objective is to establish a sales & distribution network throughout the United States for a new communications technology.

So, I'm back to the electronics to pay the electric bill and speed up HSI progress. I'll also be meeting with the machinist to renegotiate our relationship. We've missed a deadline with you and with the agreement of my other HSI partners, we can't allow that to happen again.

Nothing has changed, tools are great and are we continuing to move forward just fine. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> It's b/c you should be using beavers to power your tool. But I'm sure the Kiwi's will tell you sheep are better than beavers:whistling2:


No they aren't better, we just use them for post pubertal training before moving on to the real thing :innocent:.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Kiwiman said:


> No they aren't better, we just use them for post pubertal training before moving on to the real thing :innocent:.


I believe that....And I bet sexy to a kiwiman is a women in a wool sweater


----------



## cazna

Well Mr Rick, Here is my collection of mixers.

So how does yours measure up, Well to be honest i didnt think anything would move me from the sheetrock mixer due to the fact my drill stands up on its own with it which is very handie.

But however, yours certianly does do its job well, mixes fast and makes nice smooth mud, and i dont need such a big drill to run it, Its nice and light and easier to clean and no scratches in the bucket or plastic in the mud which is great, Havent really got a complaint, Maybe the stem flexes a bit when you leave it in the bucket with the drill attached and if you use it to fast it vibrates the bucket a bit but so what they all do, I will continue to use it for sure, it seems a faster mud mixer than the others.

3rd one in from the left is a good mixer, the spirals are crap, That big one is another crap one, takes some real drill power to work that one.

I think you have a market for a smaller one, for my battery drill for hot muds and paint etc, I would buy for sure, you can only get small spiral mixer that i have seen, There are a couple for paint but none for mud.

Like the cool grips as well, The sheetrocks are nice but i love the 6 cool grip, I have only seen a standard type 6 and they snap so yours should last a lot longer, Pans nice, love the grip but i do like the top support band the sheetrock has but thats not a deal breaker, I would rather have the grip, Been trying to get one of those sheetrock magnetic pan holders but they stopped bringing then to NZ, same as the matrix 5, None of them either.

I had some rubber finishpro knives and that rubber peeled off the 8 after some use, Your handles seem stronger rubber.

Cheers Rick, Nice tools, I look forward to using them more, I have a pan idea but better pm you on that one.

And the other pics are just for the hell of it, I thought some of you need a lesson on how to look after and treat your gear well, :thumbsup:


----------



## smisner50s

cazna said:


> Well Mr Rick, Here is my collection of mixers.
> 
> So how does yours measure up, Well to be honest i didnt think anything would move me from the sheetrock mixer due to the fact my drill stands up on its own with it which is very handie.
> 
> But however, yours certianly does do its job well, mixes fast and makes nice smooth mud, and i dont need such a big drill to run it, Its nice and light and easier to clean and no scratches in the bucket or plastic in the mud which is great, Havent really got a complaint, Maybe the stem flexes a bit when you leave it in the bucket with the drill attached and if you use it to fast it vibrates the bucket a bit but so what they all do, I will continue to use it for sure, it seems a faster mud mixer than the others.
> 
> 3rd one in from the left is a good mixer, the spirals are crap, That big one is another crap one, takes some real drill power to work that one.
> 
> I think you have a market for a smaller one, for my battery drill for hot muds and paint etc, I would buy for sure, you can only get small spiral mixer that i have seen, There are a couple for paint but none for mud.
> 
> Like the cool grips as well, The sheetrocks are nice but i love the 6 cool grip, I have only seen a standard type 6 and they snap so yours should last a lot longer, Pans nice, love the grip but i do like the top support band the sheetrock has but thats not a deal breaker, I would rather have the grip, Been trying to get one of those sheetrock magnetic pan holders but they stopped bringing then to NZ, same as the matrix 5, None of them either.
> 
> I had some rubber finishpro knives and that rubber peeled off the 8 after some use, Your handles seem stronger rubber.
> 
> Cheers Rick, Nice tools, I look forward to using them more, I have a pan idea but better pm you on that one.
> 
> And the other pics are just for the hell of it, I thought some of you need a lesson on how to look after and treat your gear well, :thumbsup:


Hey now I treat my tools like gold as well.cleaned. lubed no mud on them...anyways thats a nice collection you got there.allways pretty cool to see what outher guys are using.:thumbsup:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

I have never seen tools that clean before, do you wax them too


----------



## SlimPickins

cazna said:


> Well Mr Rick, Here is my collection of mixers.
> 
> So how does yours measure up, Well to be honest i didnt think anything would move me from the sheetrock mixer due to the fact my drill stands up on its own with it which is very handie.
> 
> But however, yours certianly does do its job well, mixes fast and makes nice smooth mud, and i dont need such a big drill to run it, Its nice and light and easier to clean and no scratches in the bucket or plastic in the mud which is great, Havent really got a complaint, Maybe the stem flexes a bit when you leave it in the bucket with the drill attached and if you use it to fast it vibrates the bucket a bit but so what they all do, I will continue to use it for sure, it seems a faster mud mixer than the others.
> 
> 3rd one in from the left is a good mixer, the spirals are crap, That big one is another crap one, takes some real drill power to work that one.
> 
> I think you have a market for a smaller one, for my battery drill for hot muds and paint etc, I would buy for sure, you can only get small spiral mixer that i have seen, There are a couple for paint but none for mud.
> 
> Like the cool grips as well, The sheetrocks are nice but i love the 6 cool grip, I have only seen a standard type 6 and they snap so yours should last a lot longer, Pans nice, love the grip but i do like the top support band the sheetrock has but thats not a deal breaker, I would rather have the grip, Been trying to get one of those sheetrock magnetic pan holders but they stopped bringing then to NZ, same as the matrix 5, None of them either.
> 
> I had some rubber finishpro knives and that rubber peeled off the 8 after some use, Your handles seem stronger rubber.
> 
> Cheers Rick, Nice tools, I look forward to using them more, I have a pan idea but better pm you on that one.
> 
> And the other pics are just for the hell of it, I thought some of you need a lesson on how to look after and treat your gear well, :thumbsup:


I like your knife box:thumbup:

I keep my tools immaculate as well.


----------



## avoten

I have been trying to contact you. I am sincerely looking for anyone offering quality tools to contact me. I am thinking of setting up a sales service shop at my busineess and see how it works out. So call me 570-459-6988


----------



## rhardman

cazna said:


> Well Mr Rick, Here is my collection of mixers.
> 
> So how does yours measure up, Well to be honest i didnt think anything would move me from the sheetrock mixer due to the fact my drill stands up on its own with it which is very handie.
> 
> But however, yours certianly does do its job well, mixes fast and makes nice smooth mud, and i dont need such a big drill to run it, Its nice and light and easier to clean and no scratches in the bucket or plastic in the mud which is great, Havent really got a complaint, Maybe the stem flexes a bit when you leave it in the bucket with the drill attached and if you use it to fast it vibrates the bucket a bit but so what they all do, I will continue to use it for sure, it seems a faster mud mixer than the others.
> 
> 3rd one in from the left is a good mixer, the spirals are crap, That big one is another crap one, takes some real drill power to work that one.
> 
> I think you have a market for a smaller one, for my battery drill for hot muds and paint etc, I would buy for sure, you can only get small spiral mixer that i have seen, There are a couple for paint but none for mud.
> 
> Like the cool grips as well, The sheetrocks are nice but i love the 6 cool grip, I have only seen a standard type 6 and they snap so yours should last a lot longer, Pans nice, love the grip but i do like the top support band the sheetrock has but thats not a deal breaker, I would rather have the grip, Been trying to get one of those sheetrock magnetic pan holders but they stopped bringing then to NZ, same as the matrix 5, None of them either.
> 
> I had some rubber finishpro knives and that rubber peeled off the 8 after some use, Your handles seem stronger rubber.
> 
> Cheers Rick, Nice tools, I look forward to using them more, I have a pan idea but better pm you on that one.
> 
> And the other pics are just for the hell of it, I thought some of you need a lesson on how to look after and treat your gear well, :thumbsup:


 
Cazna,

You totally out class me with those photo's. Beautiful set up! :thumbsup:

I'm glad you like the mixer. :thumbup: It's the standard shaft so I don't know what can be done about the flex. Thicker shaft might not fit the chuck and would be heavier. It would certainly add more to the cost.

I did a lot of computer modeling after I had the basic design figured out. I first thought the vibration was a factor of balance. With the computer we've determined that its more a function of the heavy mass of mud being forced in a circular motion in an unstable chamber. Since the bucket's not mounted securely and not a rigid container, it vibrates as the mud creates surface tension moving across a contorting wall. As best we can determine, the vibration is more a "flexing" bucket issue. The shaft may have something to do with it, but even with the 1/2" solid aluminum shaft of the TFL mixer we have, there is no flex but still a little bucket vibration happens at high speed.

In the UK, they're asking us for a threaded shaft. Would it be useful for you guys if we also offer a threaded version? It will bump the price though I don't know how much. I have to ask DeAnne but it could be (maybe) an additional $4.00 - $5.00 to the guy buying it off the shelf.

And thanks for the review on the Advance knives and pan. I really like them.

I'm waiting for pictures from two other DWT guys on their projects so I have a little time. Wait on sending me any pan info until I send you the paperwork to protect yourself. I need to rewrite it so give me until the end of the week to come up with a rough draft agreement. Then I'd love to see it.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

avoten said:


> I have been trying to contact you. I am sincerely looking for anyone offering quality tools to contact me. I am thinking of setting up a sales service shop at my busineess and see how it works out. So call me 570-459-6988


I'll call you tomorrow morning.
If you ever can't reach me for some reason, my home number is 206-905-7580.
The website number is free.

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## cazna

2buckcanuck said:


> I have never seen tools that clean before, do you wax them too


No, Its easy to keep em clean, Just hose. lightly scrub and dry, Then a tiny amount of lanox were needed and a check over, and store back it there spot, Easy, fast, always ready to go, And i built the plywood boxes, Two of them, I can stack mud on top a next to them with no worry of damage at all, They are very solid. My work looks tidy like that as well, Your right 2Buck, I am too fussy, And i love it :thumbsup:

Maybe i should have started a thread with those pic, Show us your gear???

Looking forward to getting a 3 point creaser wheel rick, Keen to see how that runs.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

cazna said:


> Maybe i should have started a thread with those pic, Show us your gear???


Well you could of started a thread called "show us your gear" But no one would dare put their tools up against Mr squeaky clean cazna :blink:

What I would like to know ? Is a question directed towards your wife, Mrs cazna.
Dear mrs cazna, does cazna put that much time and effort into cleaning his new baby's diapers, like he does to his tools 

waiting:whistling2:


----------



## cazna

2buckcanuck said:


> Well you could of started a thread called "show us your gear" But no one would dare put their tools up against Mr squeaky clean cazna :blink:
> 
> What I would like to know ? Is a question directed towards your wife, Mrs cazna.
> Dear mrs cazna, does cazna put that much time and effort into cleaning his new baby's diapers, like he does to his tools
> 
> waiting:whistling2:


Dear Mr. 2buckcanuck,

Mr. Squeaky clean cazna unfortunately does not have the time to clean his new baby's diapers, as he is either

a) working with his tools
b) polishing his tools
c) taking pictures of his tools
or d) talking about his tools

Regards,
Mrs. Cazna


----------



## rockhound

a) working with his tools
b) polishing his tools
c) taking pictures of his tools
or d) talking about his tools


is this whole thread a metaphor?...because if you delete the last letter in each sentence it completely changes.... to what Mrs Cazna is really talking about..


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rockhound said:


> a) working with his tools
> b) polishing his tools
> c) taking pictures of his tools
> or d) talking about his tools
> 
> 
> is this whole thread a metaphor?...because if you delete the last letter in each sentence it completely changes.... to what Mrs Cazna is really talking about..


do you mean like this

a) working with his tool
b) polishing his tool
c) taking pictures of his tool
or d) talking about his tool









Just as long as he don't play with his Tool(s) well on DWT


----------



## cazna

As you can tell, Mrs Cazna is a little bit sarcastic like yourself 2buck:jester:

Im not that tool crazy and i confess, The pump is new and un used, My user is a goldblatt that has some masher scratches etc on it. It was on a job with mud in it, washed on the outside sitting in a bucket of water. 

And if Mrs Cazna took as much interest in my tool......s as i do i would be a very happy man indeed. :whistling2:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

cazna said:


> As you can tell, Mrs Cazna is a little bit sarcastic like yourself 2buck:jester:
> 
> Im not that tool crazy and i confess, The pump is new and un used, My user is a goldblatt that has some masher scratches etc on it. It was on a job with mud in it, washed on the outside sitting in a bucket of water.
> 
> And if Mrs Cazna took as much interest in my tool......s as i do i would be a very happy man indeed. :whistling2:


 Perhaps you should keep your tool clean and polished and in plain view???? Just saying ya know ???


----------



## cazna

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Perhaps you should keep your tool clean and polished and in plain view???? Just saying ya know ???


:lol: Nah Capt, Tryed that, It didnt go down too well, Does that work for you???


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Machinist is on track, and things are looking good. I was doing some research and saw that a technology I had was similar to something else out there. Nothing deliberate at all, just a coincidence. Going deeper into it the other manufacturer claimed patent protection so I got nervous. It's part of the pump so while it isn't a major impact, it does affect a certain benefit. So I dug deep into the US Patent Office and found out that they were claiming (patent) protection for one of their patents that expired 5 years ago.

We're stylin! :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## justadrywallguy

rhardman said:


> Thanks for the early input. Please post your impressions and reviews. My patent attorney said "Go!" so pictures are okay.
> 
> I should have mentioned, I received one note about cleaning. The paddle is much more powerful than any other you've used and mixes so fast that if it's put in water alone, it will send the liquid flying EVERYWHERE!. The fastest way to clean premixed mud is by holding the paddle like a stomper and "stomp" it through clean water a few times. This will only take a few seconds and will usually clean it up just fine. With powders like plaster or hot mud, you can do the same thing but you may need a hose to clean it completely. If the mud goes hard on the blade, let the mud set completely and then use a hammer to break it off the blade. Then take a broad knife or a similar tool to remove the remaining mud. This is similar to the old style paddles but will go much faster. Try not to let the mud get hard though.
> 
> This paddle uses the UHMW, a powder coat and the anodizing to protect it. At the base of the shaft we filled the threads with a potable material to prevent water from rusting the steel. After extensive use you may see a small bit of rust on the stainless steel bolt but it will be miniscule and not bother anything. We went to (powder coated) steel for strength. Nothing else held up for long under the rigors of heavier mixing.
> 
> The stainless bolt can be tightened or loostened to fit your style of work. There are different advantages at both ends of the tightness level.
> 
> Go "chew it up" with your tests, but try not to scratch up that anodizing. We spent a lot of research time and money trying to make that thing a tool you can be proud to own.
> 
> Rick


I have used the Paddle you sent me for two weeks now, its great! I was blown away at how easy it is to clean, Tim on DWT said to stomp it in a bucket of water, damned if it didn't work. It truly is a sweet sweet paddle!!


----------



## VANMAN

*Tools*

Well Rick,What can i say about u?
Ur a man of ur word,U sent a mixer,scapers,and pan 2 Scotland at ur expense as u said u would:thumbsup:
Now for the tools!!
That mixer is great:thumbup: No sh*t u could sell lots of them over here! As for the rest of the stuff u sent not had a chance 2 try but quality is top notch. 
Thanks again Rick..


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Where's my free tool's and mud pan









Maybe Kiwiman can give me his mud pan, if he can get it back from his sheep :whistling2:


----------



## silverstilts

rhardman said:


> Don't let it's mild mannered appearance fool you, this thing is a mixing BEAST!
> Rick


Again I would never have believed it myself by just the appearance, but after using one for a good year now it is all i use. It still looks brand new as far as the finish on the shaft and where it is machined to fit into the drill chuck it still has close to the original shape not much wear. This really surprised me knowing how much abuse they get when some of the help hits the trigger to tighten down the chuck. It had its most toughest test today when I mixed up a five gallon bucket of some acrylic mud for some knockdown. I have a feeling that it must have set in the warehouse somewhere because it seemed the bottom 6" of the material was already set, almost ripped my arms off hitting the trigger, then gradually worked it. It was so thick on the bottom it just about stopped my drill. Once I had the bottom worked up it whipped up great, took all of about 30-45 seconds. There was the initial torque on the paddle shaft by all rights it should have twisted up like a piece of licorice . Of course I guard it with my life if anything leaves the job site with me it is my prototype paddle that I am now say I am proud of..


----------



## 2buckcanuck

LOL, had to laugh at your last statement , I too have the prototype paddle, my only complaint about it, is you half to pack it up at the end of the day. my old one I just left it in the bucket. But !!!!!!!!!

Last week I pulled up to my job, the brickie came up to me, and pulled out my mixer from behind his back saying" missing something"

damn labourer left it lying in the middle of the drive way over night. Still debating his punishment:furious:


----------



## Tim0282

Hang him!!!:hang:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Where's my free tool's and mud pan


Didn't we send the sample kit to your material house to pick up 2buck?
I'll follow up tomorrow.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Maybe Kiwiman can give me his mud pan, if he can get it back from his sheep :whistling2:


I don't know...

They hold on to those things pretty tight! 


The mud pan I mean....
 
:jester:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> Didn't we send the sample kit to your material house to pick up 2buck?
> I'll follow up tomorrow.
> 
> Rick


It's ok Rhardman, I'm just teasing, I won the Columbia handle on here, got one sample bag of vario mud, and your mixing paddle which I like. 
so I'm ok,,,,,,,serious, I'm going to look like a mooch soon 

Was just picking on the kiwiman:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Where's my free tool's and mud pan





2buckcanuck said:


> It's ok Rhardman, I'm just teasing, I won the Columbia handle on here, got one sample bag of vario mud, and your mixing paddle which I like.
> so I'm ok,,,,,,,serious, I'm going to look like a mooch soon
> Was just picking on the kiwiman:thumbsup:


 
2Buck,

Call DeAnne at Advance about your kit, she wants to talk to you.

773-287-8220

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Sometimes life just sucks....*

When it does...Google paragliding tandem flight with your city and give this a go.













(no that's not me)

It's a kick in the pants!!!

_My hard drive crashed yesterday..._


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> 2Buck,
> 
> Call DeAnne at Advance about your kit, she wants to talk to you.
> 
> 773-287-8220
> 
> Rick


:blink: Why!!!! what did I do.....wrong guy......it wasn't me.....I swear


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> :blink: Why!!!! what did I do.....wrong guy......it wasn't me.....I swear


 
You annoying pain in the a**.

I told DeAnne on you!


:thumbup::tt2::lol:

_(You know the New Zealand boys are going to like that one!)_


----------



## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> Where's my free tool's and mud pan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe Kiwiman can give me his mud pan, if he can get it back from his sheep :whistling2:


You mean that stainless steel drinking trough out in the paddock?:jester:
I thought of you again at work today 2buck (not like that you arse) A lamb got it's head well and truly stuck in some netting so I down tools and go to the rescue...It looked awful purdy and vunerable with its tail waving around in front of me....with its head stuck But it was far too young...I do have standards.


----------



## cazna

And today, At smoko, the young builder got a text message on his phone, Guess what his phone is set too........Baaaaaa....... A sheep, I laughed at that one and thought if only 2buck was here, Would he have been able to keep quiet, I dout it :whistling2:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Kiwiman said:


> You mean that stainless steel drinking trough out in the paddock?:jester:
> I thought of you again at work today 2buck (not like that you arse) A lamb got it's head well and truly stuck in some netting so I down tools and go to the rescue...It looked awful purdy and vunerable with its tail waving around in front of me....with its head stuck But it was far too young...I do have standards.


My goodness kiwiman, you had the perfect chance to pull off a Hannibal Lecter on that poor little male or female Lamb. Did you not see the movie "Silence of the Lambs"
Bet that movie was a disappointment to you kiwi's, You guys were probably expecting a P0RNO :blink:


----------



## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> My goodness kiwiman, you had the perfect chance to pull off a Hannibal Lecter on that poor little male or female Lamb. Did you not see the movie "Silence of the Lambs"
> Bet that movie was a disappointment to you kiwi's, You guys were probably expecting a P0RNO :blink:


----------



## rhardman

*Had a "Come to Jesus" meeting today.*

The pump is taking a ridiculous amount of time to get finished because of some unforeseen issues. I spoke with my partners today and we're going to take my next revision (of the pump) and start getting it built by a company in Portland. It doesn't have the bells and whistles of the first, but it will do the job at a lower price (which we needed anyway). The one currently being worked on will continue progressing but I won't be putting all my eggs in that basket since I don't have any control of the time line. 

We had cannibalized an earlier model so I told the machinist that I want it put back together so I can work with it.

One of our DWT brothers contacted me today about our progress and it was embarrassing not to have at least the A-1 spray system available by now. 

Good or bad...I'll be honest with what's going on. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Bet you were hoping you could iintroduce it on your birthday! :thumbsup:
Happy birthday (a day early)!


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Bet you were hoping you could iintroduce it on your birthday! :thumbsup:
> Happy birthday (a day early)!


 
Thank you Tim!

I spoke with another potential vendor for the 2nd pump design today. When I told him I needed it in 30 days he jumped all over it! 

Will report as things progress.

Rick


----------



## Workaholic

Today is tour birthday? 
Happy birthday Rick! :thumbup:


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## SlimPickins

Happy birthday to you:whistling2:, happy birthday to you:whistling2:, Happy Birthday dear rhardman:whistling2:, Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuu!!:clap:


----------



## rhardman

Thanks guys. :thumbup:

I'm a little scared to see what furry surprise the Kiwi's may send me...I figure I can always get it to 2Buck to help get him through those cold lonely jobs in the Canadian arctic! :whistling2:


----------



## sdrdrywall

Happy birthday Rick thanks for everything


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> Thanks guys. :thumbup:
> 
> I'm a little scared to see what furry surprise the Kiwi's may send me...I figure I can always get it to 2Buck to help get him through those cold lonely jobs in the Canadian arctic! :whistling2:


That's right Rhardman, back off from Flossy the sheep, you already got one of our Canadian Beavers.
To night for your birthday, tell your wife you want some Beaver tail, then show her this link http://www.ehow.com/how_5395558_make-beaver-tails-canadian-donuts.html
If you get lucky, you might get both, if you know what I mean:whistling2:
Happy B-day Rick


----------



## cazna

Happy Birthday Rick, I found an apron for you, Though i think it would fit 2Buck quite well :jester::yes:


----------



## cazna

Look i found a pic of 2Buck on the weekends. Come on 2buck, Share it around you selfish bugger. :thumbup:


----------



## JustMe

Happy b-day, Rick. You're closer to a time when you should 'lie up' about your age - add 20-30 years to your age when you're telling the ladies. They'll be so impressed with your condition that they'll want to take you home.


----------



## rhardman

Thanks Cazna.... I think the term I'll use for the apron is, "regifting."


Justme,
To marry Francesca, I did of course have to promise her never to return to my wayward ways. 
I like your style though!


Nice Pic 2Buck!


----------



## 2buckcanuck

cazna said:


> Look i found a pic of 2Buck on the weekends. Come on 2buck, Share it around you selfish bugger. :thumbup:


heythat's not me, that should be a Molson Canadian in my hand !!!!

P.S. I would share the beer but not the sheep


----------



## rhardman

It's been a great birthday, spending it with my people. 

Francesca's on her way home from the dance studio with pizza so have a great evening gentlemen! :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## carpentaper

HappyHappy


----------



## cazna

carpentaper said:


> HappyHappy


Joy Joy Mmmm, Now what cartoon was that again??


----------



## carpentaper

Ren and Stimpy. classic show.


----------



## Kiwiman

Happy birthday Rick, looks like the sheep have broken out and found their way into your tool thread.


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Well the computer had a complete meltdown so I'm getting a new one built. I was doing most of the new interaction and all the website "stuff" so nobody can access it. It's all backed up and it should be fine. 

The pump...

Looks like the machinist has given up the ghost. My mistake was offering him a percentage of the company for his permanent technical genius. As time went on, the new technology became more and more challenging. I think it turned into a larger time investment than he thought it would be. I was talking to a DWT guy a while back about it and he said, "Doesn't he know what he has? Everyone is waiting on him!" As much as I've tried to explain, I just don't think he get's the full potential. I'll meet with him this week to turn it into a paid agreement and things should start progressing again.

I'm promised budgetary pricing on the second pump this weekend. I'm also checking out more traditional systems to see if they may be a better option, faster. 


Rick


----------



## silverstilts

rhardman said:


> Well the computer had a complete meltdown so I'm getting a new one built. I was doing most of the new interaction and all the website "stuff" so nobody can access it. It's all backed up and it should be fine.
> 
> The pump...
> 
> Looks like the machinist has given up the ghost. My mistake was offering him a percentage of the company for his permanent technical genius. As time went on, the new technology became more and more challenging. I think it turned into a larger time investment than he thought it would be. I was talking to a DWT guy a while back about it and he said, "Doesn't he know what he has? Everyone is waiting on him!" As much as I've tried to explain, I just don't think he get's the full potential. I'll meet with him this week to turn it into a paid agreement and things should start progressing again.
> 
> I'm promised budgetary pricing on the second pump this weekend. I'm also checking out more traditional systems to see if they may be a better option, faster.
> 
> 
> Rick


 As far as a more traditional pump/system just because it may be a faster option, personally I would like to see you stay on coarse with what you set out to do. I know from previous posts that you will succeed . Stick with it Rick..


----------



## rhardman

*Computer is back!*

1. I owe fr8train a sample.
2. Contact Nate (the Nate-n-ator) so he knows tools are being reshipped since he was vacationing when they arrived the first time. 
3. I need to do the patent research for "you know who' after our conversation on the weekend (waiting for your email address).
4. Have patent applications to write up for 2 guys in the mid west.
5. I need to talk to our local DWT man running with the Advance price list.
6. UK follow up.
7. Follow Silver's pump guidelines 
8. NZ/AUS action items.
9. NYC May 7-18.
10. Update website.

If I owe anyone else around here anything, please let me know.
I'm back up to speed. :thumbup:

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Vrooooom, vroooom!!!


----------



## smisner50s

rhardman said:


> 1. I owe fr8train a sample.
> 2. Contact Nate so he knows tools are being reshipped since he was vacationing when they arrived the first time.
> 3. I need to do the patent research for "you know who' after our conversation on the weekend.
> 4. Have patent applications to write up for 2 guys in the mid west.
> 5. I need to talk to our local DWT man running with the Advance price list.
> 6. UK follow up.
> 7. Follow Silver's pump guidelines
> 8. NZ/AUS action items.
> 9. NYC May 7-18.
> 10. Update website.
> 
> If I owe anyone else around here anything, please let me know.
> I'm back up to speed. :thumbup:
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Rick


 well you dont owe me anything..but i do take free stuff..:thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## justadrywallguy

smisner50s said:


> well you dont owe me anything..but i do take free stuff..:thumbup::thumbup:


The paddel is a thing of beauty, pan is nice also, warming up to the knives.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> 2Buck,
> 
> Call DeAnne at Advance about your kit, she wants to talk to you.
> 
> 773-287-8220
> 
> Rick


Well R hardman, I was at our local supply store, beside it is a princess auto store, I went in to get some low priced sanding poles then seen a cool looking mud pan, I was about to buy it then seen the words "Advance" on it. Then I thought ,,,, ok, I am able to purchase them from around here, So maybe I will test them out now, so I went home and called De anne.

She said the contest was over









But just before I was about to hang up she asked "what's your handle on DWT",,,,,,,I said "2buckcanuck"

Then she said"oh yes, we got something for you....I was like WTF 

We also got to talking about our accents, how we both sounded the same and were normal :whistling2: she said people from Minnesota have a wild accent though

So want to say thanx to you and Advance, and I want silverstilts to make a video of him giving his guys orders. That way we can hear,,,I mean see him in action:jester:


----------



## silverstilts

2buckcanuck said:


> Well R hardman, I was at our local supply store, beside it is a princess auto store, I went in to get some low priced sanding poles then seen a cool looking mud pan, I was about to buy it then seen the words "Advance" on it. Then I thought ,,,, ok, I am able to purchase them from around here, So maybe I will test them out now, so I went home and called De anne.
> 
> She said the contest was over
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But just before I was about to hang up she asked "what's your handle on DWT",,,,,,,I said "2buckcanuck"
> 
> Then she said"oh yes, we got something for you....I was like WTF
> 
> We also got to talking about our accents, how we both sounded the same and were normal :whistling2: she said people from Minnesota have a wild accent though
> 
> So want to say thanx to you and Advance, and I want silverstilts to make a video of him giving his guys orders. That way we can hear,,,I mean see him in action:jester:


What do u mean or does she mean people from MN have a wild accent? Yah-u-betcha us norwegians may have a little tang to our slang eh? Oh I forgot eh is for Canucks As far as a video do u really want to hear me tell my guys to get a little bounce in their azz? Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do and that is to light a fire under them, otherwise they forget who is supplying them with their income right? I must add I really do it in a kind but direct manner so they get the point and cannot accuse me of being a slave driver.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

silverstilts said:


> What do u mean or does she mean people from MN have a wild accent? Yah-u-betcha us norwegians may have a little tang to our slang eh? Oh I forgot eh is for Canucks As far as a video do u really want to hear me tell my guys to get a little bounce in their azz? Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do and that is to light a fire under them, otherwise they forget who is supplying them with their income right? I must add I really do it in a kind but direct manner so they get the point and cannot accuse me of being a slave driver.


Complete opposite here, were the ones always telling the boss to get a bit of a bounce in his azz, it's like....were out of mud, we need more bead, the house isn't ready, there's no heat, we need heat, bring some scaffold, I can't find the house with your [email protected] instructions, the rockers screwed up, we need more money for this, I don't like that builder send me to a different one, I don't want to do it like that, work the weekend.....................







you want a good job.....









But he's a good DWC boss, (in case he's reading this) he says he don't come on here that much, he says everyone on here whines and cries like a bunch of babies...........I wonder why he thinks like that:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Well R hardman, I was at our local supply store, beside it is a princess auto store, I went in to get some low priced sanding poles then seen a cool looking mud pan, I was about to buy it then seen the words "Advance" on it. Then I thought ,,,, ok, I am able to purchase them from around here, So maybe I will test them out now, so I went home and called De anne.
> 
> She said the contest was over
> 
> But just before I was about to hang up she asked "what's your handle on DWT",,,,,,,I said "2buckcanuck"
> 
> Then she said"oh yes, we got something for you....I was like WTF


 


rhardman said:


> You annoying pain in the a**.
> 
> I told DeAnne on you! :thumbup::tt2::lol:


 
You thought I was kidding...:jester:


----------



## rhardman

*So the company referred to me can't make the pump.*

I was introduced to the company in Portland that I was told could make the 2nd pump design I have. After some communication, it turns out they don't have the technical expertise to do it. So over the last week, I've been dealing with several options, the one I really didn't want to do was dumb the thing down. The larger premium pump is still moving along but as I've said before, slower than I can endure.

A few days ago, my electronics guy gives me a call to find out what's going on. His Alpha (first revision) board was finished in record time and until that big pump is done, we can't go any further with the design. His electronics monitor some internal degradation so you know when the seals are wearing out and how much life they have left. It's a trick system!

So I'm embarrassed telling him that I'm stalled and he say's, "Rick I really want to be a part of something like this." 

The part you don't know is that I met him when he was in high school and he said he wanted to get into electronics so (as I was doing all of that back then) I took him around to engineering leaders all over Portland and introduced him. Over the years he knew about the drywall tools and always thought they were cool.

So anyway, back at the ranch...:cowboy:

This kid is making a fortune flying around the country helping electronic engineers perfect their designs. He said he is thinking of buying into a machine shop and if he does, would I be willing to let him quote on our parts? I told him about the agreement on the big pump but if things progress as I think they will, then yes, sure! There are many other pieces that need machined.

I also mentioned the 2nd pump and he asked for some of my caveman drawings. I sent them over and figured that was it so I said I'd keep in touch and let him know when we could get back to testing his circuitry.

Today I received this message with some cool attachments...

"Hi Rick,

I took the liberty of converting your drawing into an actual design and added some animation to showcase the fluid action. I'm particularily pleased with how the animations turned out and am curious to hear your thoughts.

Some of the features in your drawing were unclear to me and so I left them out of the annimation and assembly drawing. If you're interested, I'd like to work with you to capture the details, fine-tune the drawings, and actually attempt to manufacture a sample of one of these. 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

#### "

So I'm thinking..._let's see what the kid's made of? _

*At least he's not scared!!!* :thumbup:


Rick


----------



## rhardman

On 4/25/2011 3:20 PM, ****** ***xx wrote: 
Hi Rick, 

Thought you might like this, and I didn't want to get drug into your "discussion" on DWT lol!
http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/*********.***X
How's your pump coming along these days?

***xx​Hi ***xx,

Thank you. I know something about the origin of that particular system. I'm sure it works very well.

I haven't said it publicly, but the pressure pot I talked about on DWT was the exact pump my dad first used with his cfs tools. It would probably work okay for running boxes. The problem we ran into was when you mix the mud, the top portion get's a lot of air in it so we would be taping and then all of a sudden we would get air bubbles that caused 2 foot blisters. I thought about a vacuum that would suck the air out during mixing but it was way too expensive. And it's not very efficient.

LIke Wallman said though, the principle of a pressure tank is great for texturing.

I picked up our previous test pump yesterday so I can do more (testing) with it. It's sitting on the floor in front of me right now. The big pump with the first machinist is back on track. He's having problems with some of the valving. They work but we've had to make a lot of intricate changes so he finally stopped trying to improve the original concept and we're starting new with what we've learned. It will turn out better.

On the smaller pump, I'm waiting to hear back from the new machining team to see if they handle it.

I've mentioned it before, what we're going to end up doing is offer our own pumping system or make the tools adaptable to a Graco or Titan. That way, for guys that have hesitation with buying from a new company, they can go with a more established pump. The initial investment for just the tools should be under $3000.00. I'd love to offer the basic set for under $2000.00 but making them in the U.S., I just don't know if that's possible. 

It's good to talk to you again ***xx!

I owe DWT an update so I'm going to post this message.

Let me know if I can ever be of assistance.

Rick


----------



## M T Buckets Painting

I did a little hand work and used the new Cool Grip knives. I really liked the COOL way that the knife handle felt in my hand. I was a little scared that the little crevaces in the handle would be hard to clean mud out of. I was wrong. The knive handles cleaned up very easy.

The 6" knife was the best thing that I have had since sliced bread. I normally use the Hyde black handled steel knives for 3 ways and angles. I am totally sold on the 6" cool grip2 knife. It had the perfect amount of flex and stiffness to it. I really like the other knives in the set also but, that 6" was my favorite. Matter of fact, my buddy picked it up and used it a little and liked it so much that he was a little on the reluctant side to return it to me.

I really liked the round bottom pan with the grip. I was not used to a round bottom style pan. Why haven't I been using one sooner???? The fact that coompound could be removed from the bottom of the pan in one motion without having to get stuck in a corner was awesome. I did end up getting a minor cut on my thumb from a slight lip on the inside of the pan. This lip did also put a scratch in the handles of the new knives also. About 15 seconds of sanding the inside lip with a fein multimaster fully removed the lip or burr that was around the perimiter of the inside of the pan. The nonslip grip was very efficient at staying in my hand, even after having sloppy taping mud covering my hand.

The mixing paddle was the best that I've used. I read somewhere here that it was a little of a bucket shaker. Quite the contrary. I mixed a bucket of all purpose with no water in it just to see what the mixer was capable of. I was totally amazed at how thoroughly the tool mixed everything. There were not any clumps clinging to the sides of the bucket as with normal mixers. After that I began adding water to it to get my sought after consistency. The same results were achieved, a perfectly mixed bucket. Next I used the mixer on some plus3 with a little water added and mixed for about 1 minute. There were no clumps of thicker mud near the sides or bottom of the bucket. The biggest plus was the lack of shreds of plastic in the mixture. The mixer cleaned up pretty easily also. I gave it a few shakes up and down in a bucket of water which removed most of the mud. After that about 30 seconds with my fingernail brush the mixer was clean.

P.S. Maybe a 4" knife would be a valueable asset to the arsenal of Coolgrip knives.


----------



## carpentaper

I've had the pleasure of using the contractor grade mixer these past couple of weeks and my first observation is that it was smaller than i thought it would be. i felt a bit skeptical at first.
i have been using proroc AP and most probably don't remember but i was finding it impossible to mix out the bubbles with my conventional mixer. when using Rick's mixer for the first time i kept it low in the bucket at first like i usually do to try and get the air in the mud to pop on it's way down instead of forming bubbles( if that makes sense). mixing seemed slow so i slowly started to raise it and risk mixing the bubbly water in all at once. i started to figure out that i had to pump the mixer up and down and around quite a bit more than usual to get an efficient mix. i was pleasantly suprised to find that no matter how i mixed i ended up with a smooth bubble free mix.
with my conventional mixer it always seems the more i mix proroc the more bubbles keep forming but this will no longer be a problem because i am switching back to synko as soon as i need more mud. i've never had a problem with bubbles using synko. my point is that i did find the CG mixer a little slower and when your an impatient bastard like me that extra 15 to 30 seconds can feel like a real long time when in reality it's peanuts.

on a more positive note i did notice that it mixed up a mean batch of quickset . much more thorough right to the bottom and sides. seemed to mix at least as fast as my usual mixer and cleaned up faster.
this tool will definately be staying in my arsenal.
thanks Rick.:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

carpentaper said:


> I've had the pleasure of using the contractor grade mixer these past couple of weeks and my first observation is that it was smaller than i thought it would be. i felt a bit skeptical at first.
> i have been using proroc AP and most probably don't remember but i was finding it impossible to mix out the bubbles with my conventional mixer. when using Rick's mixer for the first time i kept it low in the bucket at first like i usually do to try and get the air in the mud to pop on it's way down instead of forming bubbles( if that makes sense). mixing seemed slow so i slowly started to raise it and risk mixing the bubbly water in all at once. i started to figure out that i had to pump the mixer up and down and around quite a bit more than usual to get an efficient mix. i was pleasantly suprised to find that no matter how i mixed i ended up with a smooth bubble free mix.
> with my conventional mixer it always seems the more i mix proroc the more bubbles keep forming but this will no longer be a problem because i am switching back to synko as soon as i need more mud. i've never had a problem with bubbles using synko. my point is that i did find the CG mixer a little slower and when your an impatient bastard like me that extra 15 to 30 seconds can feel like a real long time when in reality it's peanuts.
> 
> on a more positive note i did notice that it mixed up a mean batch of quickset . much more thorough right to the bottom and sides. seemed to mix at least as fast as my usual mixer and cleaned up faster.
> this tool will definately be staying in my arsenal.
> thanks Rick.:thumbup:


Thank you for the straight forward evaluation!

Yea, that's the thing, we scaled down the CG so it would fit in the Graco hoppers like the first DWT testers suggested. I don't remember anyone saying it was slower to mix but that may be a personal technique thing. Sounds like you're a candidate for the Life Time mixer. It's blade is 25% larger and it screams!

I respect honesty!!! It makes us better! :thumbup:


----------



## carpentaper

good morning Rick. i think i had unrealistically high expectations after reading all the reviews of the larger mixer. i also haven't tried using my older mixer much yet except for one bucket(BUBBLES!!!:furious so i haven't done much of a side by side comparison yet with my preferred mud.


----------



## rhardman

Hi Carpentaper, you're up way too early!

It's a tough one, trying to provide a single model that makes everyone happy. For $20.00, after distributor mark up, assembly and all of that, it aint bad! We're usually compared to the Sheetrock 4 post at twice the price so I think that say's a lot.

Our LT mixer costs more to make the blade than the entire CG costs to buy. (It is BADA$$ though...:thumbup

Thanks again for being honest!

:thumbsup:


----------



## 2buckcanuckjr.

WOW. Once you come out with them I would like to see them. I'm always excited to see new technologies.


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Haven't heard back from the new machining opportunity yet. Am picking up some of the unused pieces later this week that are left over from the big pump proto. This little pump is looking much better than I thought it might. I had a conversation with a vendor today which introduced some new ideas. This thing might actually be better than the big pump we've been waiting for. Certainly less expensive. :thumbup: Will take 30 minutes longer to rebuild but at a total of an hour or so...and for $ 300-$400 less, I'm thinking you won't care. _I wouldn't._ As I've said, we'll still keep working on the big one...no matter how long it takes. The lttle one will get us out the door faster. And honestly, you don't need 5 gpm so the smaller version should work just fine.

Something "big paint equipment company" weird happened. I can't be sure though. The information comes through a source I don't know very well. I'll try to verify the facts and if I can, I'll share.

That consulting gig I'm doing (while I'm waiting on the pump) is taking me to NYC for some presentations. I'm leaving Friday and will be returning the 19th. I'll be in Manhattan near Times Square the whole time so if anyone is in the neighborhood and would like to have breakfast on the 15th or 16th, I can probably make that happen.

I have to go "hermit" to get everything prepared. If anything DWT related comes up, I'll get to a computer. 

We're gettin' there...

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

guess what day it was for me today
















Today I went to my supply house, and guess what was there ????? my package from advance tools, everything was wrapped in paper, so it was just like Xmas.

So thank you advance and Rhardman, I think I got more presents in that box than I did at Xmas......it was fun.will yet you know when I try them

And unlike kiwiman, I won't be giving my mud pan to some







:whistling2:


----------



## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> And unlike kiwiman, I won't be giving my mud pan to some
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :whistling2:


Ooooh that ones awful purdy. 
Happy birthday old chap


----------



## rhardman

*From the "Trim Tex" thread...*



cazna said:


> Did someone say hooters,:notworthy::tongue_smilie:
> 
> Are you mad, Go man go, Dont miss out :yes:


(For those that don't know, I'm in NYC doing some consulting work.)

So we go back to the Irish bar for dinner. There's this young guy that is doing a great job and being that I always try to build bridges with people, I ask him, "how long did it take you to get your hair all styled like that?" He had these massive dreadlocks. He said, "...about and hour and a half." I said, "Their cool...I like it." Then he looks me in the eye and says..."I like your hair too!" 

Oh I miss Francesca!!!!








Cazna...that's why I go back to the hotel every night!

Pump and mud valve have been promised for mid June. The second source is progressing though the electronics guy we are using said his machine shop wasn't capable of working to the tolerences we require.

"
Hi Rick,

I've spent some time going through the pump drawings you sent over (thank you). Most of the inner-workings of the pump all require precision tolerances beyond the capability of our shop. All of our CNC equipment (lathe, mill, router tables, press-brake, etc...) and processes can machine parts down to 0.003'' - 0.005'' tolerance, but this will not be adequate for the innards of your pump design. It looks like ***X's outfit is much better suited to accommodate these tighter-tolerance areas.

I would be very interested, however, to assist with any of the more standard machining work you may need (i.e. housings, couplers, etc...). 

Safe travels on your trip to NYC this week. Please give me a call after you return home and settle in. I'd like to finish up the details on the electronics design and discuss any other upcoming machining requirements you may have. 

Take care,

***XX 
"

Putting Francesca's pictures up may appear to be a bit creepy...but she has a dance website which is where these photo's came from. She doesn't understand why I post it, but say's it's okay.

Consulting is going real well. One company wants me to fly to Finland in August to introduce the system to their corporate office. I'll probably pass, I'm not the right guy, we'll send the engineer instead. 

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

guess which one the kiwi's would choose:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

2buck...she's gonna get a kick out of that!

Friday night, 2 blocks off Time Square, I think the guy's are at "Cheetahs" and I'm in my room on DWT....:blink:

We met with FDNY to present our technology proposal that went great! They want us to come back later in the year to fine tune some things. After the meeting they gave us a tour of their command center. It's wild! They can monitor multiple fires across the entire city, pull up past building code problems, full viewing of the building from any exterior view and they have a streaming helicopter view from 2 different sources. It was cool!

I met the same guys that responded on 911 and the (same) guys that will be involved in any terrorist attacks in the city. In the lobby they have plaques for over 400 guys that died on 911.

Rick
Walked across the Brooklyn bridge to get back to Manhattan. Beautiful day, Staten Island and the Statue of Liberty were off to our left.


----------



## cazna

2buckcanuck said:


> guess which one the kiwi's would choose:whistling2:


She looks rather elegant :yes: The one on the righ..... i mean left that is :blink:


----------



## rhardman

cazna said:


> She looks rather elegant :yes: The one on the right..... i mean left that is :blink:


 
The one on the left is...
She gets mad when I say I'm the junk yard dog!


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> 2buck...she's gonna get a kick out of that!
> 
> Friday night, 2 blocks off Time Square, I think the guy's are at "Cheetahs" and I'm in my room on DWT....:blink:
> 
> We met with FDNY to present our technology proposal that went great! They want us to come back later in the year to fine tune some things. After the meeting they gave us a tour of their command center. It's wild! They can monitor multiple fires across the entire city, pull up past building code problems, full viewing of the building from any exterior view and they have a streaming helicopter view from 2 different sources. It was cool!
> 
> I met the same guys that responded on 911 and the (same) guys that will be involved in any terrorist attacks in the city. In the lobby they have plaques for over 400 guys that died on 911.
> 
> Rick
> Walked across the Brooklyn bridge to get back to Manhattan. Beautiful day, Staten Island and the Statue of Liberty was off to our left.


cousin left for Iraq 2 weeks ago . He's better off there than Afghanistan,,23 years old,, and READY to go. A GOOD KID. all around good kid.


----------



## cazna

:blink:


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> cousin left for Iraq 2 weeks ago . He's better off there than Afghanistan,,23 years old,, and READY to go. A GOOD KID. all around good kid.


Please forward our respect and appreciation!

I passed about 9 soldiers in front of Penn Station yesterday with sidearms.

I was both humbled and proud...


----------



## SaskMud

Just bought some 8 inch advanced taping knives about a week ago fro Princess Auto in Saskatoon and honestly they feel great! Like I did not believe that a simple handle would make a difference but they feel great I give them two thumbs up! 

I would also love to try one of their whips they look great also, might be doing that in a month or so....

Forgot to mention I also bought their mud pan, its slightly smaller then the regular mud buds but the grip also feels better.. Between a normal mud pan hawk and this mud pan i would say if i was feeling tired I'd grab onto the advanced mud pan. But I'm a hawk kind of guy

I would encourage everyone to try their knives! And if anyone finds themselves one mud mixer to heavy feel free to message me hehe


----------



## rhardman

SaskMud said:


> I would encourage everyone to try their knives! And if anyone finds themselves one mud mixer to heavy feel free to message me hehe


Gee...public guilt...there's a prime example of aggressive marketing.

I like it!!!! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Returned on the red eye from NYC. Incredible trip. It looks like we may be involved with the new Freedom Tower at ground zero. We hit a home run in every meeting.
______________________________________________________________

I'm calling Scott this morning at 9:00 about the 2nd pump/machining options. The first pump is still progressing.

I talked to a guy in NYC that wants to invest, but we want to self finance so we can focus on the integrity of the tools and not be forced into selling things just to make money. He's a great guy but I've been down the VC (Vulture Capitalist) route before working for other companies. First round of financing is fun and exciting. If you don't hit your sales targets and have to go for 2nd round financing, they (the money guys) get more demanding (wanting a bigger share). If you have to go 3rd round, you can plan on losing your company, probably the intellectual property and could very easily be shown the door.

If big money is needed, there are much better routes to go. 
That's why I gave Tom part of the company...:whistling2:

Rick
(My message box here is 97% full, I'll clear it out in the next couple of days. Until then, messages can be sent through the website. thx.)


----------



## rhardman

I'm reading the other thread about guys getting wiped out in these difficult times and I know very well how they feel. I've lived it as a child and like the Capt, lost everything in a divorce (ending up living in a house a church owned while I got back on my feet 6 months later).

The tools we're talking about may work out to be great or they may end up not doing what we think they will. And at the end of the day, to all of the guy's that can't find work...I must come across as an irrelevant lunatic.

Many of us are hurting and kids are confused. I remember it vividly and the alcohol and other abuse that occurred. It really hits home for me right now.

So please forgive me if I come across as pollyannaish sometimes. There are more important things going on and if I seem anything but respectful, I'm so very sorry.

Love those kids...you are their hero.

Rick
(...not to get all touchy-feely...for those having a hard time, things will get better. For those that don't understand and think it whiny....Kiss My A$$!!! :thumbup


----------



## rhardman

Neck deep preparing patent information for the attorney and ran across this...










Rick


----------



## rhardman

*I think I'm having a Jesus moment!*

Subject: Latest Pump Model drawing 
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:44:23 -0700 
From: Rick Hardman R&D / Corporate Alliances <[email protected]> 
Reply-To: [email protected] 
To: <***[email protected]******xx.com>, Scott HSI Pres <******x[EMAIL="******[email protected]"]@aol.com,[/EMAIL] Tom HSI CFO <*********@msn.com> 

Thanks ***xx,
The pump looks good and it appears that you were able to speak with ****** and/or *** at the other *********xx company. Also, we need to add ***x xx ***x so we need a groove spun around the lower ********* (your call). "They" can build whatever we need to fit. I need at least a 1/2" pipe thread for the hose and you can bet some of those guys are going to pull that thing across the floor (by the hose) so it needs to be strong. 

Is there anything I can to do help?
Rick

-------- Original Message -------- 
Subject: Latest Pump Model drawing 
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2011 17:04:51 -0700 
From: ***[email protected]******xx.com
To: <[email protected]> 

Hi Rick,

Here is the latest Pump Model drawing. Build drawings are being produced from this. Any comments, let me know before we make the parts.

Cheers, 


:batman::brows::lol::tt2::clap:


----------



## rhardman

*In my note above about the pump...*



rhardman said:


> And at the end of the day, to all of the guy's that can't find work...I must come across as an irrelevant lunatic.
> .....
> Love those kids...you are their hero.


_I haven't forgotten._


----------



## rhardman

*Finally...*

10 minutes ago I finally finished up my draft of the latest patent. 45 pages and 31 or 32 drawings on top of that. Waaaay overkill but that's okay.

Now it goes to the attorney.:thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Great progress today on all fronts. I'll hold off on specifics until everything is proven.

The trip to NYC proved a smart investment. The company I'm doing the consulting for received a quote for 6000 units a year with one of the world leaders. I don't think they've sold 1500 in the 25 years of their exisitence.

It was funny, when I told them, Frank responded, "Don't tell Tim! He'll s*** his pants." Tim is the engineer and a very traditional thinker. He and I have been butting heads from the first day I walked through their door. 

:thumbup:


----------



## Kiwiman

Well done sir, they won't know whats hit them. :thumbsup:


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## rhardman

*Here's to Elmer...*

Thanks guys! I called another world leader today (there are 5) and they want a quote too...

The pump is doing great....(I'll get back to you that one, just don't want to talk this time before it's in my hands). 

On the Apla Tech thread I just posted some pictures of the Versa Tool System (thanks to M.T. Buckets). In respect to Elmer Shrock, I thought I'd put them here too. He's in the picture and still at the phone number shown. Looks like he's responsible for much of the technology that's been out there. Good for Elmer! :thumbsup:















These are the tools that convinced my dad to try to build his own set in 1977. The pump was always the missing link. As soon as I have the new pump in my hands, I'll ask one of the DWT guys here to give you his impression of our tools. About 3 months ago when me missed the launch date, I showed him everything we have including photo's of my dad's original prototypes. I've asked him not to say anything publicly until the time is right. I'll request that he not get too specific but give you his honest opinion of what we are doing. :yes:

Rick


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## rhardman

Honestly, I don't know how the tape was cut. I remember it had a cam (that activated the cutting mechanism when it rolled backward) but since I was only 16 at the time I didn't take notice. Everything was completely contained in the head though.


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## rhardman

Mudslinger said:


> I was thinking the other day that I wish I would have kept a drywall journal with pics and notes from the day I started. It would be nice to know exactly what you did on a job years before, or look up pics and notes on equipment you were using.


...and I wish I also had pictures of an old welder, Gene Gora who helped me for years with free welding. That old man was very good to me.


----------



## rhardman

*The similarities are incredible...*

_Deleted the comments I had._

_They didn't help anyone find work._
_They didn't improve a drywall day._
_So they weren't needed._

_:thumbup:_

Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Things could be worse...*

I just received a call from Francesca saying that one of her past students went to the doctor because her leg was hurting so bad, she couldn't dance.

Turns out she has cancer in her leg, lungs and liver.
At best, she'll lose her leg.

As difficult as things are...we can count our blessings my friend(s). 

Rick


----------



## cazna

rhardman said:


> I just received a call from Francesca saying that one of her past students went to the doctor because her leg was hurting so bad, she couldn't dance.
> 
> Turns out she has cancer in her leg, lungs and liver.
> At best, she'll lose her leg.
> 
> As difficult as things are...we can count our blessings my friend(s).
> 
> Rick


Dam Dam Dam, Hearing things like this sure makes you feel blessed.


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> _Deleted the comments I had._
> 
> _They didn't help anyone find work._
> _They didn't improve a drywall day._
> _So they weren't needed._
> 
> _:thumbup:_
> 
> Rick


I do that myself rick ... more often than not.:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

*Update:*

Machinist is working to get the pump done by the first of July so we're finishing up the rest of the A-4 so we can mount it up and start testing. I'm using the earlier proto pump for what we're doing now. This is the pump I was testing last year here on DWT.

There is a 1/4 inch steel plate that we run hoses through from inside the texture machine to connectors on the outside. I'm looking for ways to keep things inexpensive so I had pipe nipples welded to the plate so the hose on the inside and the connectors on the outside could be spun on. Yesterday I got to looking at the plate and realized (since everything is put in so tight) that we may have burnt a hole in one of the nipples. A big part of this thing is the cost of labor so instead of screwing around with a potential problem in the future, I'm going with thru hole bulkhead fittings from now on. They cost around $6.00 each but will make a better machine. On the A-4 we're running outlets for 2 hoses so you can texture or tape/finish with 2 hoses at the same time. There is a 3rd set of hoses for painting so there is a total of 6 bulkhead connectors. That brings the cost up to $36.00 instead of $7.00 for the welded nipples...but...there is no welding time and with a lower paid person doing the assembly in 6 minutes the ultimate difference in cost (welders time, materials etc.) should only be $10 - $12.00 more.

Ultimately, I want this thing to be able to be completely rebuilt in a garage if ANYTHING ever goes wrong. Since this specific connection seems to be vulnerable, I want to do it the best we can.








I was planning on surprising everyone by launching the taping tools at the same time as the Raptor texture machines. That was until my attorney contacted me this week and talked more legal stuff. The tools will be finished but I have to dance through more of his hoops before I can show them.

I'm meeting with Aaron on the electronics between the 30th and the 4th down in Salem and will also be talking to the back up machinist to get him started on some new things.

Rick

_As I said before, as soon as I have the new pump in my hands, I'll ask the ("secret") DWT member (I showed my dad's prototypes to along with all my my tools) to tell you what he thinks of what we are doing_...:thumbup:


(Has anyone seen McDry? I think I loaned him some hand tools...)


----------



## rhardman

cazna said:


> Dam Dam Dam, Hearing things like this sure makes you feel blessed.


Found out that our friend had her leg amputated yesterday.
She has a 3% - 5% chance of living another couple of years.

Even with the economy, we're doing well gentlemen.


_(Respectfully submitted...)_


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> Found out that our friend had her leg amputated yesterday.
> She has a 3% - 5% chance of living another couple of years.
> 
> Even with the economy, we're doing well gentlemen.
> 
> 
> _(Respectfully submitted...)_


Sorry to hear that Rick, there's too much of it about now days, it's like the unlucky lottery and everyones got a ticket.


----------



## rhardman

Kiwiman said:


> Sorry to hear that Rick, there's too much of it about now days, it's like the unlucky lottery and everyones got a ticket.


 



I'm sure this is her husbands song right now. :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I have a Curtis Air Compressor mounted in an enclosed trailer. 13 hp. The CFM at 120lbs is something like 17, I think. It is plenty of air. The other end, I spray with a Kodiak. It has a Rotor Stator tube to drive the mud. Good setup.
> *All that said and I am soooo anxious for the setup that Rick Hardman is building. Believe it is called a Raptor A4. Now that is a machine to beat ALL machines! For texture and everything else we do in drywall. I am axiously awaiting it's arrival on the scene. I think it will be like nothing else we have seen in the market for texturing and running our tools. All of the other guys will want to_____*:surrender:





Tim0282 said:


> That is the compressor I have. Nice unit.
> *I don't think I am the "secret" member Rick is talking about. Based on the pictures and info he has shared on here, he is on to something really big.* :yes:


Tim, shared this on another thread.

Yes, it is Tim that I showed my dad's prototypes and a few of our tools to.

I received more drawings from the machinist yesterday. Everything is looking GREAT! 
We'll share more once I have the pump.

Rick
(This was never about a mixing paddle or creaser wheel. :batman


----------



## Tim0282

No, but it sure is a first class mixer and the creaser wheel works fantastic!:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

On 6/23/2011 9:11 AM, *** ***XX wrote: 
Rick,
Here is the quote. The ****** would be molded right into the base. The ****** can be as hard as you need. I attached a photo of a ****** that is molded this way. If you pay the engineering charge I will include X pcs at that cost.

****** (X pieces)
Engineering- $***.00 (molds and pilots for existing dies)
Lead Time- 3 weeks for initial shipment
25 pcs $14.20 ea (355.00)
50 pcs $11.60 ea (580.00)
100 pcs $7.65 ea (765.00)
250 pcs $4.30 ea (1075.00)
500 pcs $3.10 ea (1550.00)

Thanks,

***

Subject: Re: Fwd: RE: Can I have a ****** built for you? 
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:53:08 -0700 
From: Rick Hardman R&D / Corporate Alliances <[email protected]> 

To: ******@******X.com

***,

The prototype price is too high...though the production prices are certainly within the budget.

Can you live with $***.00 for 2-3 prototypes...?

If an appropriate adjustment can be made, we will happily provide payment....and move forward with the order. Please let me know if this is not business you would like to participate in so I can pursue other avenues.

Either way, thank you very much for the time you have invested in our project.

Best regards,

Rick​


----------



## rhardman

*"Truth"*

Well, I talk about truth and being honest so I guess this is one case where the proverbial rubber meets the road...

I received a PM today from one of us that I sent a mixer to. He told me he didn't like it. And he was a very "in my face" though moderately kind about it. I don't mean he didn't like it a little bit...he hates its guts!!! 

That's fine, I know that not everyone will like everything, but what this really drilled home was that whatever our tools tools are, no matter how much some people do like them, other guys are going to hate them with a passion...because they don't work like they are used to.*

Should be very interesting..._*if not bloody*._

Rick

*Nothing at all negative to the person that sent the message today...I truly appreciate his honest evaluation. *He's one of the good guys* here! :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

rhardman said:


> Well, I talk about truth and being honest so I guess this is one case where the proverbial rubber meets the road...
> 
> I received a PM today from one of us that I sent a mixer to. He told me he didn't like it. And he was a very "in my face" though moderately kind about it. I don't mean he didn't like it a little bit...he hates its guts!!!
> 
> That's fine, I know that not everyone will like everything, but what this really drilled home was that whatever our tools tools are, no matter how much some people do like them, other guys are going to hate them with a passion...because they don't work like they are used to.*
> 
> Should be very interesting..._*if not bloody*._
> 
> Rick
> 
> *Nothing at all negative to the person that sent the message today...I truly appreciate his honest evaluation. *He's one of the good guys* here! :thumbup:


 
(In fairness to Brandon and DeAnne, I have to make the comment that at least 90% of the mixer evaluations have been very good.:thumbsup


----------



## SaskMud

So I tried the mixing paddle, the things I noticed, mixed the mud smoother( didn't notice the 15 percent faster though) and the paddle is so small that once you wipe down the shaft ( as sexual as that sounds...) You only need 3 inches of water to immerse the paddle therefor not having any mud dry on your paddle. I know my water buckets get low and with my old paddle I'd run into the problem of dried mud of my whip.

Cons. Explaining the pros to my old taper friend... New tools and him don't get along lol


----------



## rhardman

*Well that makes sense...*

Thank you Sask!

What we're running into is people seeing the claims for the LT and they received the free sample of the $20.00 mixer (I know this happend with Carpentaper too). The LT (Life Time warrantee) is a completely different animal. It was my first mixer that I didn't care about costs or whether anyone would buy it. I just wanted the best that could be made. I figured "you" wouldn't care about the cost if it was the best tool out there. After we introduced it, nobody would pay the $129.00 and no material house (or internet supplier) would touch it either. The suppliers said they wanted a low price (they wanted a $10.00 mixer) and the early DWT testers wanted a smaller paddle that could mix right inside an RTX. So the steel mixer with the black blade was a compromise that would make the most people happy. And it's a good mixer!:yes:

However...the LT is freaking Bad A$$...but it's not for the faint of heart! 

Rick
_This has been discussed before, but I guess we're always getting new members that don't know there are 2 versions._ :thumbup:


(Fr8, I owe you...just got a note about it last week.)


----------



## carpentaper

i use it for mixing powders and for mixing when buckets get low or real bubbly. i've found good uses for it and it is not sitting idle. thanks Rick.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Well, I talk about truth and being honest so I guess this is one case where the proverbial rubber meets the road...
> 
> I received a PM today from one of us that I sent a mixer to. He told me he didn't like it. And he was a very "in my face" though moderately kind about it. I don't mean he didn't like it a little bit...he hates its guts!!!
> 
> That's fine, I know that not everyone will like everything, but what this really drilled home was that whatever our tools tools are, no matter how much some people do like them, other guys are going to hate them with a passion...because they don't work like they are used to.*
> 
> Should be very interesting..._*if not bloody*._
> 
> Rick
> 
> *Nothing at all negative to the person that sent the message today...I truly appreciate his honest evaluation. *He's one of the good guys* here! :thumbup:


 Okay, I guess yall know it was me, even tho Rick tried to throw ya off track with the "good guy" diversionary tacit.

Rick, I truly am sorry if I came across as mean spirited. I thought about that meassage a week before I sent it. Its one of those situations where someone says,"try this and give me your honest opinion". I know you don't want anyone blowing smoke at ya. Its true that everyone has differant expectations for tools. I have every type of paddle that I have ever seen, cause I try new tools and will change immediately if they perform better than the one I am currently using. 

Pros: It's cool looking,low profiled ,well built and durable.
Cons: Its slow, it doesn't scrape the sides of the bucket very well.

In the end I guess it comes down to what ya want out of a tool.


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Okay, I guess yall know it was me, even tho Rick tried to throw ya off track with the "good guy" diversionary tacit.
> 
> Rick, I truly am sorry if I came across as mean spirited. I thought about that meassage a week before I sent it. Its one of those situations where someone says,"try this and give me your honest opinion". I know you don't want anyone blowing smoke at ya. Its true that everyone has differant expectations for tools. I have every type of paddle that I have ever seen, cause I try new tools and will change immediately if they perform better than the one I am currently using.
> 
> Pros: It's cool looking,low profiled ,well built and durable.
> Cons: Its slow, it doesn't scrape the sides of the bucket very well.
> 
> In the end I guess it comes down to what ya want out of a tool.


Thanks Capt! I tested the early prototypes and approved everything about it based on what the testers suggested. I found that it cleaned the sides and bottom of bucket just fine for me. 

Hmmmmmmmmm. I guess that's just the way it is sometimes. Thank you for being honest with your opinion!

Rick
_(__...I didn't have permission to use your name so I didn't._ :thumbsup: )


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Ya know Rick, I'm a fanatic, (and abit nuts to boot). I mentioned that I try every new mixer I see. I use a "bow-tie" mixer simply cause its the fastest mixer that don't make a mess. The big cast mixer is faster, but heck, ya got to stand on the bucket to keep it from flying across the room, and it has a button on the bottom that prohibits you from getting to the bottom of the bucket. I don't think most guys care really how "fast" they get it mixed. If speed wasn't my main "defineing" issue on tools I'd look at em in a diferant light. I have a friend that uses a cage type mixer,like the tile guys use, its so slow you can sit down and take a break while he's mixing a bucket, yet he uses auto tools.

Since almost nobody uses the "bow-tie" mixer,,,, yours should go right to the top. The thing about the bowtie is that you have to keep it clean,, if you let it dry up and then "beat" the mud off it, you'll kill it in no time. Yours is definately stronger built and more durable, but I keep mine clean and it has lasted nearly 18 years.


----------



## moore

I'm with ya on that big cast mixer. I pull a muscle every time I pull the trigger. What ever you do keep that paddle on the bottom while mixing.
I use the cage mixer... yes it's slow.worst it's made of junk metal coated with chrome ,when the chrome starts to wear,,, burrs ,, needs filing often.
who makes the bow tie? Cant say that I've used one. ,,,but I'm sure cazna has,, have you seen the pic of his mixers? It's an arsenal.

Will ricks paddle bring the mud on the bottom of the bucket to the top?


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

moore said:


> I'm with ya on that big cast mixer. I pull a muscle every time I pull the trigger. What ever you do keep that paddle on the bottom while mixing.
> I use the cage mixer... yes it's slow.worst it's made of junk metal coated with chrome ,when the chrome starts to wear,,, burrs ,, needs filing often.
> who makes the bow tie? Cant say that I've used one. ,,,but I'm sure cazna has,, have you seen the pic of his mixers? It's an arsenal.
> 
> Will ricks paddle bring the mud on the bottom of the bucket to the top?


I got more in my arsenal than he has,,,, he's a youngin ya know,, still got a ways to go. I'll try to find a link for it and tomarrow I'll try to gather mine up and take a real "tool-whore" pic for ya


I forgot, I don't have a clue how to link stuff. Go to all-wall's site,,, look at taping tools, then mixers. Its the 28" advance easymud mixer.

Yes Ricks paddle will bring the mud off the bottom of the bucket, no doubt, its flat on the bottom. I'd have to say its good at getting the mud off the sides also, just not not good at getting the top "ring" of mud off the top of the bucket. So I guess i'm spliting hairs here, most guys take a knife and run it around the top of the bucket and either chunk the mud back in the middle or trash it, then mix, but since i use the bow-tie(I call it that, cause it looks like a bow-tie) I just raise it up and it sucks the top mud right down in the mix. Like I said, I'm all about speed.

Disclaimer: the bowtie WILL scrape up some plastic from the bucket whereas Ricks will not,,, can't really, since it ain't got no metal hitting the bucket.


----------



## rhardman

The perfect scenario with either pivoting mixer is using a variable speed drill. You can catch that top edge, no problem. On the LT, we're going to be offering replaceable blades later on to tailor the mixing to the type of material/viscosity you want. If we get any interest, I guess we could do the same thing for the Advance Tornado mixer too. Maybe the distributors would like the option to sell the accessory. We could increase the size of the blade so it's more aggressive

I went to the All-Wall site to see the Captains Bow Tie mixer and saw that they are carrying a "new pivoting mixer" on their home page.

Gotta love that!!!!:thumbup:

I know the site rules about "sales" and I always want to treat Nathan with the greatest respect so please understand my intention is not to try to push anything. It's just that (as you know) I'm in the final phases of a 30+ year goal here and I hope that by posting our developments and frustrations you can see how (with some luck...) just maybe the kid that was spotting nails at 8 years old might actually offer something better than a multi-million dollar international corporation. I may crash and burn and maybe nothing will eventually come of it. But the way I see it is that if everything does finally perform as the early testing has indicated, and I can sell our tools at a lower price than anything out there, then by having all the DWT interaction, you will know where this company comes from, we will already have a long relationship with you and with your help, we will tweak the final designs _*as you suggest*_ to make them better.

I'm not trying to sell anything right now. And when I do, I'll back off from posting so much about the internal company "stuff" and pay Nathan for advertising.

Talking about All-Wall selling the mixer isn't anything more than me looking out through the eyes of that 8 year old kid and being totally amazed. 

Rick


----------



## moore

Ahh ,,, Spotting nails at 8. Wish I could go back to those days
with what I know now,,,,,would of stayed In school.:yes:


----------



## Tim0282

For sure, Moore, for sure!! I would have sat next to you!:jester:


----------



## rhardman

*Just have to share...*





 
:thumbup:


----------



## cazna

Dam, Now thats impressive.

Amazing what man has made isnt it.


----------



## gazman

Thanks Rick.
That looks like the most amount of fun that you can have with your pants on.


----------



## cazna

gazman said:


> Thanks Rick.
> That looks like the most amount of fun that you can have with your pants on.


I would crap mine if one went past that close, I was at the Indy cars at surfers paradise a few years back and a jet flew by, Much higher than that and the boom was incredable, They are an amazing machine, Imagine how much damage an aircraft carrier full of them could do. Actually i couldnt even imagine it :blink:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Nice video Rick,,,, ahhhhh. was that a plane or a pic of my mixer????:thumbup:,,,,,,,,,,

Sorry, couldn't hep myself,,:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

*One step back, 5 steps forward.*

I went to Salem over the holiday to drop off the circuitry and the prototype A-4. The engineer needs to beef up the strength of the wiring harness and streamline everything so it can be hit with high pressure at a car wash. This kid is someone I met years ago when he was in high school and wanted to get into electronics. I took him to Portland and introduced him to some heavy hitters in the industry. Years later he went to Oregon State, got his degree and now travels around the country helping to design circuitry for other engineers. He makes very good money and bought into a machine shop. He's told me for the last few months that he wanted to show me their place and demonstrate their ability to help us build some of our tool systems. 

So I show up on Sunday to a building that's hard to find and we go in.

I went over some changes to the electronics I need and also show them one of the tapers I've designed along with my mid range box design. My buddy wanted his partners to see what we (HSI) are doing. The taper and box haven't gone through the "design for manufacturability" process, but they're pretty close to complete. They start throwing suggestions to improve them, and I started laughing saying, "...yea, I did that in the late 80's.." or "...around 1996..." so they began to understand why things are the way they are. 

Then they took me for a tour of their shop...

It was totally insane and nothing I expected to see. They have everything I need to go into production. My plan has been to add to the equipment I already have and outsource some vacuum forming, labels and engraving to other companies to keep our overhead as low as possible.

As we walked around the shop, the first area was huge, maybe 4000-4500 square feet, then they opened a door to a second area which was just a little smaller. Then we went to a 3rd area, a 4th area and then a 5th. I wasn't paying attention, because I was focusing on their robotic assembly equipment and CNC set up(s), but they must have 20,000 feet of manufacturing area available.

Then...they show me a machine they are building that is not the same but very similar in concept to the Raptor A-4. They have a service area for repair and I started laughing again. 

I looked at my buddy and said, "You can build everything I have...." He smiled and said, "Yea, that's why I wanted to show you the shop."

So I left all the prototypes with them and he and his partners are going to put some 3D models together for me to show their ideas for manufacturability.

Yesterday I went over to visit the first machinist to see what the situation is with the pump. He's waiting on some pieces from suppliers so he'll be a couple of weeks before he is finished. I'll get involved with his vendors and give them a (semi professional) kick in the butt to get them moving.

But as it turns out, if the pump had been finished back when it was originally promised, our direction for manufacturing would have gone down a completely different road. I would have had major capital expenditures which would have forced us to increase the price of the tools.

I told these "kids" with the shop that I want to custom build the taping systems to ergonomically fit the user based on his height, reach, and type of work he does. I said I want to have a video made so while they are waiting for their tools, they can see the progress of their system. And I want a plate engraved with the users name, address, serial number etc.

They said, "No problem, we have the ability to do all that...." (paraphrasing).

So, with all of the frustrating delays on the pump, we've actually catapulted ahead of where we would have been. I now have the ability to run 100 full taping/texturing systems a month with no major investment out of pocket. This means lower prices for everyone.

And all the guy's involved with HSI, this electrical engineer (the "kid"), upper management, finance, customer support, etc. (with the exception of the pump machinist) I've known for over 12 years.

_Every last piece is now on the table..._

It just goes to show that as we go through difficult times, we never know about the good things that are waiting around the corner for us, If we just don't give up. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Sounds like things are looking up!!!! I hope it works out for ya,,,,, We need more guys that REALLY care if their tools are doing what they are supposed too.

Even if you do get subjected to guys like 2buck and me,,,, someones got to keep ya straight!!:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Sounds like things are looking up!!!! I hope it works out for ya,,,,, We need more guys that REALLY care if their tools are doing what they are supposed too.
> 
> Even if you do get subjected to guys like 2buck and me,,,, someones got to keep ya straight!!:thumbsup:


 
I wouldn't expect anything less! :thumbup:


----------



## carberry drywall

send what you got to us, we have plenty of work going on here in nc, we can break them in for ya, or ware them out.:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

carberry drywall said:


> send what you got to us, we have plenty of work going on here in nc, we can break them in for ya, or ware them out.:thumbup:


Thank you. 

The samples aren't being offered any longer as we've received the input we needed. :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Disclaimer: the bowtie WILL scrape up some plastic from the bucket whereas Ricks will not,,, can't really, since it ain't got no metal hitting the bucket.


I was looking at the bazooka thread and the guy was talking about getting mud all over him. I remember when I was first learning the bazooka and didn't have a clue to how any of it worked. I got a pieace of plastic caught up in the filler tube, causeing mud to pour out of it while I was running it on the wall,,, talk about a MESS, it was a disaster. SO another pro to Ricks mixer that I over looked in my review is that SINCE it does not cut any plastic off the buckets, it won't clog your filler tube on the zooka, cornerbox or mudrunner.


----------



## Tim0282

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I was looking at the bazooka thread and the guy was talking about getting mud all over him. I remember when I was first learning the bazooka and didn't have a clue to how any of it worked. I got a pieace of plastic caught up in the filler tube, causeing mud to pour out of it while I was running it on the wall,,, talk about a MESS, it was a disaster. SO another pro to Ricks mixer that I over looked in my review is that SINCE it does not cut any plastic off the buckets, it won't clog your filler tube on the zooka, cornerbox or mudrunner.



Remember having that same thing, Capt. Good point!


----------



## rhardman

*Update....(?)*

Over the last week I've started several times to provide an update on our progress. After each attempt I've had to delete the message because in my excitement I'm giving out critical information that can't be shared yet.

In short, a decision has to be made tomorrow on whether I want the Raptor to be completely rebuildable on site or is working on it in your garage at home good enough? I'm always considering worse case scenarios and the end price of the machine. Repairing on site requires a more expensive machining process.

The pump machinist took off for a week on a motorcycle ride and we're getting together tomorrow to wrap everything up. After he knows what I want, it's just a couple of days to make the parts, then it's done.

I havent' heard from the "kids" with the huge shop in Salem. They're tweaking my medium box design and I don't want to influence their thinking so I'm leaving them totally alone. I'll alter what needs to be altered but for this step it's best to remove all barriers from their thinking process.

Patents are the big thing right now that I have on my plate. As I've said before, I do the preliminary work and then the attorney finishes everything up with the claims and professional expertise. While patents are vital, they don't mean anything if your marketing isn't first rate. The other question is what is actually needed to patent. I've got over 18 different new concepts but the chance that the competitors will care about all of them is virtually zero. So at $6500.00 for each patent, which ones should be done and which should be opened up for everyone to use freely?

The other issue is how good is the design I've come up with ("we" in the case of the pump)? Introducing a new concept is dangerous since there are 100 ways to do anything... I have to decide if my designs are the best or not. If they're not, someone else can run with my idea making it better. So I'm re-evaluating everything to see if it's the lowest cost way to do it. 

The other thing is, can I turn potential competitors into partners? If we can do this, everyone wins. Scott is working on this approach to the business.

So, that's what's going on right now.:thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Rick, thats a tough spot to be in for sure,,, just go with your gut.

Here's a cpl of things to ponder(even if there is no point to em)

Every tool company makes a bazooka, their parts are interchangable.

Only one company makes a mudrunner,,, the tool is great and its a great idea, but it has SERIOUS defects in design and delivery,,, yet no other tool company makes a competitor,,,,,,,

So, you have to ask yourself, why is everybody copying eachothers bazooka, but no-one is copying or improving on an screwed up tool that everyone wants,,,,, beats the heck out of me!!!!!!!

My take, for what thats worth,,,,,,,, patent the things that you don't want copied,,,,,, and forget the rest!!!!!! 

Either they are gonna copy it bolt for bolt, or they are gonna ignore it.

Just my 2cents


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> In short, a decision has to be made tomorrow on whether I want the Raptor to be completely rebuildable on site or is working on it in your garage at home good enough? I'm always considering worse case scenarios and the end price of the machine. Repairing on site requires a more expensive machining process.


If you go with the garage, could repairing on site be made an available option? Or is that option that much more expensive?

I know how costly it can be to be down with a core piece of equipment while on a job, especially one of some size, and how easy it often can be to recover additional equipment costs.



Capt-sheetrock said:


> Every tool company makes a bazooka, their parts are interchangable.
> 
> Only one company makes a mudrunner,,, the tool is great and its a great idea, but it has SERIOUS defects in design and delivery,,, yet no other tool company makes a competitor,,,,,,,


To me, the bazooka has the same. Serious defects. Like today. With so many building them, Why Isn't Anybody Fixing Those Defects?

In some ways I'm more impressed by the banjo design than I am by the bazooka design. The bazooka is like they kept sticking pieces together, in different combinations, till they got something to work.



Capt-sheetrock said:


> So, you have to ask yourself, why is everybody copying eachothers bazooka, but no-one is copying or improving on an screwed up tool that everyone wants,,,,, beats the heck out of me!!!!!!!


Could be that core features of the Mudrunner that make it work are patented, and those patents are still good for awhile yet. But I'm just guessing.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

hey!!!!!!!!! justme

I was going to start a thread on that, what would make a bazooka better, thoughts and Idea's for the manufacturers:yes:


----------



## JustMe

2buckcanuck said:


> hey!!!!!!!!! justme
> 
> I was going to start a thread on that, what would make a bazooka better, thoughts and Idea's for the manufacturers:yes:


Great!? Are we going to get paid? How about giving us an exclusive to using what comes from it for say 6 months? Prototypes. We get to use the prototypes. Good ones. Not garbagey ones.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

JustMe said:


> Great!? Are we going to get paid? How about giving us an exclusive to using what comes from it for say 6 months? Prototypes. We get to use the prototypes. Good ones. Not garbagey ones.


we all can't be inventors, some of us just want better production and performance from our tools, that's our pay back


----------



## 2buckcanuck

here's one of my idea's Justme, this is why I'm not a inventor.

I was very young at the time, and I thought it was B.S. that you had to coat the screws 3 times. So I was going to put some sugar and yeast into the mud, to see if I could make the mud swell. Well of coarse they wouldn't let me,they said I was being lazy and blah blah blah.

to me, we have hit the limit with tools, that are game changers, but with the materials, someone could invent a game changer:yes::whistling2:

Think materials:yes:


----------



## JustMe

2buckcanuck said:


> here's one of my idea's Justme, this is why I'm not a inventor.
> 
> I was very young at the time, and I thought it was B.S. that you had to coat the screws 3 times. So I was going to put some sugar and yeast into the mud, to see if I could make the mud swell. Well of coarse they wouldn't let me,they said I was being lazy and blah blah blah.


That's funny yet impressive thinking in its own way. It's an example of good innovating, if you add in the feature of using it for 'movement value' in one's thinking to find a solution.



2buckcanuck said:


> to me, we have hit the limit with tools, that are game changers


Could be right, but that's something that can't be really proven. Time will maybe tell, especially as new technologies comes available, &/or new concepts (concepts being the 'dna' of ideas) are thought of to make significantly better use of what already is available.



2buckcanuck said:


> but with the materials, someone could invent a game changer:yes::whistling2:
> 
> Think materials:yes:


An interesting direction. Any particular materials?


----------



## JustMe

JustMe said:


> An interesting direction. Any particular materials?



Maybe we should get off Rick's thread and discuss such somewhere else?


----------



## rhardman

Materials? :whistling2:


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Materials? :whistling2:


Hmmm.

How about some prototypes? - the good ones behind the counter.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Hmmm.
> 
> How about some prototypes? - the good ones behind the counter.


When the time is right. Not trying to be less than supportive, it's just that you wouldn't be able to apply them with the pumps that are out there right now. There are internal functions of the system that current technology is not able to provide.

_Actually..the trailer mounted rigs might be able to do it with a little tweaking...but that's not who we're focussing our attention on right now._

On another thread, I mentioned that we are working with Mel at Never-Miss. We'll be adding his technology to one of our materials to make it flow easier.

:yes:


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Rick, thats a tough spot to be in for sure,,, just go with your gut.
> 
> Here's a cpl of things to ponder(even if there is no point to em)
> 
> Every tool company makes a bazooka, their parts are interchangable.
> 
> Only one company makes a mudrunner,,, the tool is great and its a great idea, but it has SERIOUS defects in design and delivery,,, yet no other tool company makes a competitor,,,,,,,
> 
> So, you have to ask yourself, why is everybody copying eachothers bazooka, but no-one is copying or improving on an screwed up tool that everyone wants,,,,, beats the heck out of me!!!!!!!
> 
> My take, for what thats worth,,,,,,,, patent the things that you don't want copied,,,,,, and forget the rest!!!!!!
> 
> Either they are gonna copy it bolt for bolt, or they are gonna ignore it.
> 
> Just my 2cents


Very good advice compadre. I'm not concerned with most of the competitors as we can work with them and help them make more money than they are making right now.

But...you have 2 major powers with deep pockets. Let's say "some little goober whistling2" actually does start taking their market share away with new technology. They aren't going to simply drift into the sunset. First meeting Monday morning, they are going to have their legal team look at the patents and investigate to see if they (the patents and the company) are vulnerable. On Tuesday, they call in technical engineers and give them the results of their attorneys report. They say, okay, what's it going to cost to build something better? On Thursday they get back together and decide what the budget will be. On Friday, they call "the goober" and offer him a price to buy his technology. Upon hearing hysterical laughing on the other end of the phone and the comment...." multipy that by 10 and change your marketing material to say HSI / (fill in their name here)" they get back together and decide how they are going to save their company as well as their own jobs.

....then it gets either very friendly...or very, very ugly.:blink:


----------



## moore

2buckcanuck said:


> here's one of my idea's Justme, this is why I'm not a inventor.
> 
> I was very young at the time, and I thought it was B.S. that you had to coat the screws 3 times. So I was going to put some sugar and yeast into the mud, to see if I could make the mud swell. Well of coarse they wouldn't let me,they said I was being lazy and blah blah blah.
> 
> to me, we have hit the limit with tools, that are game changers, but with the materials, someone could invent a game changer:yes::whistling2:
> 
> Think materials:yes:


AMEN .. I can't list all the bad materials I have to deal with ,,there's too many.
At one time there was gold bond ,,,and ,,USG. That was It . both were usable .
now theres EVERYBODY. ,,, and It's mostly junk. The wallboard Is the worst . Pocs In the mud was never a problem in the 80s ,,and 90s.. 
What's up . Sugar and yeast sounds pretty damn good to me right now.

I don't supply materials . ,,,,But If I did the g/cs would have a fit ,,, and you know what I mean by this. :furious:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Very good advice compadre. I'm not concerned with most of the competitors as we can work with them and help them make more money than they are making right now.
> 
> But...you have 2 major powers with deep pockets. Let's say "some little goober whistling2" actually does start taking their market share away with new technology. They aren't going to simply drift into the sunset. First meeting Monday morning, they are going to have their legal team look at the patents and investigate to see if they (the patents and the company) are vulnerable. On Tuesday, they call in technical engineers and give them the results of their attorneys report. They say, okay, what's it going to cost to build something better? On Thursday they get back together and decide what the budget will be. On Friday, they call "the goober" and offer him a price to buy his technology. Upon hearing hysterical laughing on the other end of the phone and the comment...." multipy that by 10 and change your marketing material to say HSI / (fill in their name here)" they get back together and decide how they are going to save their company as well as their own jobs.
> 
> ....then it gets either very friendly...or very, very ugly.:blink:


 I understand your post,,, but let me re-iterate,,,,,,,,,(thats what ole red-necks do)

Every company makes a bazooka,,, but like 2buck said,, they are the same and they ALL lacking........ For insatnce,, why does NO-ONE offer a bazooka with an adjustable mud flow,,,,,,,,, well heck, they can't do THAT, but if your zooka is down,,, and you order parts,,, they will send em to ya,,,, they might be DM parts, they might be TT parts,,, they might be Bl parts,,,, etc etc,,,,,,, they are NOT trying to compete, or improve,,,,, they are just trying to TAKE the market from the OTHER guys.

Thats why I made the referance to the mudrunner,,,,,, SEE,,, if they were really trying to IMPROVE,,, they would have already offerd an ALLTERNITIVE,,,,, however, they are just waiting till the patents run out so they can offer the same ole piece of crap,,, just painted a differant color.

They don't KNOW what to do to improve it,,, so they just copy it. Its like,,,,, well lets send some guys to school for 17 years to learn how to count beans,,,,,,, no need to send someone out on a drywall job to see what the problem is,,,,,,, 

We just want the market share,,,, and we could care less about improveing the tool,,,,


Don't sell yourself short, or fall into that trap brother,,,,,,, stated diffrantly,,,, don't get above your raising,,,,,, your dad started this to IMPROVE the tools,,,,,, don't worry about the FOOLS at the big companies,,,, When ever you do,,, think about the bazooka's on the market and ask yourself if a patent infringement would effeact ANY of em?????


Peace Bro


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I understand your post,,, but let me re-iterate,,,,,,,,,(thats what ole red-necks do)
> 
> Don't sell yourself short, or fall into that trap brother,,,,,,, stated diffrantly,,,, don't get above your raising,,,,,, your dad started this to IMPROVE the tools,,,,,, don't worry about the FOOLS at the big companies,,,, When ever you do,,, think about the bazooka's on the market and ask yourself if a patent infringement would effeact ANY of em?????
> 
> Peace Bro


Thank you.

I have a bad habit of thinking too much sometimes...


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Thank you.
> 
> I have a bad habit of thinking too much sometimes...


 Thats why I just fell in love with your mixer,,,, that sucker WORKS !!!!


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> When the time is right. Not trying to be less than supportive, it's just that you wouldn't be able to apply them with the pumps that are out there right now. There are internal functions of the system that current technology is not able to provide.


Okay, I'll take your word for it - that there's no pumps, no current technology out there, that can do what's needed.

But there can be ways to design around the problems of many existing pumps and get them to deliver what you want well enough, with no new technology needed. Been there and done that. What it took was a different way of looking at things when building the rest of the system. 

But in this case maybe it wouldn't be enough(?) That would make for some interesting new materials you have. 



rhardman said:


> _Actually..the trailer mounted rigs might be able to do it with a little tweaking..._


I've been thinking a bit about converting one of me past built systems to something in the direction of a rig sprayer, with some possibly different features. I'd be a bit interested in seeing what it might be able to do. Or maybe trying a new design I was thinking of.
But maybe your advancements are enough ahead that you'd 'obsolete' such a sprayer and I should've bother(?) I await with bated breath  to find out.


----------



## rhardman

Listen my friend, don't wait for me...if you're satisfied with what you have, get it out there.

You should pursue your idea as far as it will go. :thumbsup:

Nothing is worse than looking back and wondering...."what if ?"

Rick


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Listen my friend, don't wait for me...if you're satisfied with what you have, get it out there.


Problem is that I won't be satisfied if yours proves better in significant enough ways. So, When can I look? I know, I know. When it's ready. 



rhardman said:


> You should pursue your idea as far as it will go. :thumbsup:


Limited resources - time, money, interest, ........ - makes me want to be selective about what to seriously pursue. I have other areas outside of drywall/drywall finishing that I'm also working on, which I consider more attractive right now. So how much in the way of resources to allocate to drywall things is something I have to consider when weighed against them. 



rhardman said:


> Nothing is worse than looking back and wondering...."what if ?"


A matter of perspective. I've told my wife that Nothing is worse than Not having as much sex as possible while one still can. :wheelchair:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

JustMe said:


> A matter of perspective. I've told my wife that Nothing is worse than Not having as much sex as possible while one still can. :wheelchair:


Sex??? did you say Sex?????


I love it,,, but I got so old,,, I can't remember which arm its under!!!!!!!


----------



## rhardman

*Update....?*

You know I thought about 2Buck and our friends down under....:jester:

----- Forwarded Message -----
*From:* Cory <[email protected]************x.com>
*To:* [email protected]
*Sent:* Monday, July 25, 2011 3:40:44 PM
*Subject:* RE: Cory and ******xx.

Hi Rick,

Try thinking about* UHMW coated sheep* next time you are up at 2 am. This does look interesting. Looking forward to hearing ******'s comments.

C

*From:* Rick Hardman R&D / Corporate Alliances 
*Sent:* Sunday, July 24, 2011 2:30 AM
*To:* x******@*********x.com
*Cc:* [email protected]*********xx.com
*Subject:* Cory and ******


Hi ******,

I met with Cory on Friday and gave him a copy of the ********* engineering information you provided us. Thank you again.

He will be reviewing the documentation and will get back to you with our requirements. As I mentioned during our phone discussion, we're behind the 8 ball as far as schedule goes so your assistance with expediting the ***xx solution will be very appreciated.

It's 2:00 am right now and I've been thinking about the benefits of a ***xx/*** all night. I came up with an idea that I'm wondering if it is possible. In the attached drawing I show an exterior UHMW ***xx/***. Is this something your company is capable of producing?

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

He you go Rhardman, this is where all the sheep jokes started http://www.drywalltalk.com/f12/favourite-lines-posts-1595/index2/

Start from post#34, I was adding to one of sauls comments, then Cazna piped in , going oh yeah with the sheep jokes. I had totally forgotten about sheep being the kiwi's number one thing about them. That's when a little light went off in my head







so if Cazna had said nothing,it would of ended there......... so it's all Cazna's fault:yes:


----------



## rhardman

*From electric taper thread...*



M T Buckets Painting said:


> Wow, that electric supertaper works almost as good as my electric paint brush. I was thinking about asking Rick Hardman about helping me market an electric drywall knife.:whistling2:


I wrote some things here and then decided I better confirm before I do.
Will update tomorrow.


Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> I wrote some things here and then decided I better confirm before I do.
> Will update tomorrow.
> 
> 
> Rick


 Me too, but unlike you, But decided to sober up tomarrow before I confirmed em


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Me too, but unlike you, But decided to sober up tomarrow before I confirmed em


 

Yea, things are getting to a new level so we talked "legal" today. I'm going to have to put a document together saying any assistance I provide is "best effort", "you need to pursue professional patent assistant with a registered attorney", Blah, blah...

Partners are getting nervous that by offering to help, it could backfire with legal issues if someone doesn't make a million dollars like they thought they would. Truly not a DWT issue...but one I need to take care of.

_Sheesh_! :blink:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Yea, things are getting to a new level so we talked "legal" today. I'm going to have to put a document together saying any assistance I provide is "best effort", "you need to pursue professional patent assistant with a registered attorney", Blah, blah...
> 
> Partners are getting nervous that by offering to help, it could backfire with legal issues if someone doesn't make a million dollars like they thought they would. Truly not a DWT issue...but one I need to take care of.
> 
> _Sheesh_! :blink:


 Tough spot, no doubt,,,,,, 

The biggest problems with human beings that I can see is the "peacefull co-existant" thing,,, ya know???

Why is everything so tough,, why is it that its all a catch me "sheep" me kinda thing????


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Mostly blue with black, Stainless Steel and orange accents.

Pump is moving forward. I pi$$ed everyone off wanting to improve another part of it. Today it was said to me.... " Rick, we might be pursuing a red herring. We know everything works fine, let's just stop and get it finished!"
Totally my fault...that's one reason it's taken 30 years to get this thing done:bangin:.

Found an even better mounting system for the A-1. Less expensive and easier to use. Basically we buy a frame from one of our vendors, make a few modifications and bolt our pieces to it. It's not as cool as my design but about 1/3 the cost. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Look forward to the updates. Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Look forward to the updates. Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:


Tim, plan on another sneak peek in 2 - 3 weeks. This time I'll show the taper in action. :thumbsup:

I owe SilverStilts a view pretty soon here. The only reason I haven't invited him to the party already is that I shot my mouth off offering him $500.00 if he isn't impressed with the tools. I need to have everything complete, together and perfect before I show him.

(I erased the part about pimping out sheep to pay Silver...:whistling2

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

No need to do that for sure!!


----------



## rhardman

*Another quick update*

On the 3 tapers there are some pieces we mounted that were a little funky in the earlier prototypes. The pieces were strong but the way they had to be mounted wasn't the best. I always figured that after I proved all the different theories I'd come up with a better way to do it. Another problem was that the way they sat on the tool(s) had lots of pieces where mud could collect and take more time to clean. 

Tried something new this week and it turned out great. 

The Systems:

Raptor Texture System
TomCat Taping System

I know the names seem strange right now, they will make sense later.




 

:thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## M T Buckets Painting

Rick, I have got some use of the creaser wheel that you sent me. I will say that so far I like it. I am going to give it more use, so that I can give the most accurate evaluation possible. 

Thanks,

M T Buckets Painting


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> Mostly blue with black, Stainless Steel and orange accents.
> 
> Pump is moving forward. I pi$$ed everyone off wanting to improve another part of it. Today it was said to me.... " Rick, we might be pursuing a red herring. We know everything works fine, let's just stop and get it finished!"
> Totally my fault...that's one reason it's taken 30 years to get this thing done:bangin:.
> 
> Found an even better mounting system for the A-1. Less expensive and easier to use. Basically we buy a frame from one of our vendors, make a few modifications and bolt our pieces to it. It's not as cool as my design but about 1/3 the cost. :thumbsup:
> 
> Rick


What's a few minutes more gonna cost you? I'M sitting on [email protected]


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> What's a few minutes more gonna cost you? I'M sitting on [email protected]


Well that's the thing. I think it will be a few minutes but by the time a new idea is tested it can take weeks. 

The real frustration will be the period of time we have to beat the " " out of them to make sure everything is dependable. A 10 year proving time would be best...but ridicuous. 2 weeks wouldn't find the true end of life failures. 

So, the better the tools are (measured by end of life cycle) theoretically, the longer the testing period would be. To solve that, we're going to set up some robotic test fixtures and operate all the activations (slide cutter, corner wheel, tape advance lever) at 20 - 30 times normal speed* to see how long they last. And then there are the metallurgy evaluations to make sure we're using the proper materials to reduce wear.  Then we have to determine if certain muds are more abrasive than others.

Rick

*Normal speed meaning 20-30 times the number (of times) each activation would be used in a day. Not 1/20th of a second to activate a corner wheel.:thumbsup: The pump is maxed at 4-5 times the normal speed. Gearing limits won't let us go any faster with the rpm(s) we are using.

Heat is the big thing with the pump...I plan on sitting next to it with a hair dryer to inflict extra punishment! :jester:


----------



## Tim0282

I plan on sitting next to it with a hair dryer to inflict extra punishment!


I want that job!! I'm sure I could do it correctly.


----------



## rhardman

It's begun...

From the Apla Tech CFS thread:


rhardman said:


> Well, would you look at that.....
> http://www.all-wall.com/Categories/Continuous-Flow-Taping-Tools
> These new Ames guys are smart.
> :thumbsup:


They could go lower on their pricing so their market research must show a significant number of sales at that price point. Not to mention it's a great advertiser for their rentals.

Apla Tech isn't going to take this lying down (I hope). If Apla Tech can reduce the price of their tools, with Ames legitimizing the "CFS" technology, both companies will start to grow that portion of the market. If the pricing gets low enough, no telling how much of the market "CFS" will eventually control. 

I have to be honest...the whole distribution network has me watching very closely. I've mentioned before that I suspect Ames will eventually start an online sales channel just like All-Wall selling many different products. They have a core group of people that could easily pull it off with only one or two new employees and an AdWords marketing campaign. With a very small investment, they could command the internet and be dominant again. I wonder if working with A-W is a step in that direction for them?

1. Use A-W to get the Ames technology into a new customer base they don't currently have access to. 
2. Gain market share.
3. Push back on A-W for lower margins so they can sell at a lower price.
4. Grow more market share.
5. Apla Tech (and other companies*) come out with new "CFS" tools/lower prices.
6. Ames introduces some new CFS products.**
7. Ames starts their own online sales campaign and website. They simultaneously eliminate the largest sales channel for all their Automatic Tool competitors.
8. Rental revenue increases.
9. Ames sells to investment company and makes $145,000,000.00 (more if they can wait 6-7 years).
10. Ames doubles down and dominates the internet with their CFS and rental tools.

It makes sense if the owners are thinking long term and want to sell the company as an exit strategy. After overhead, the online distributors aren't making real high margins. Ames could absorb those costs much easier and thus realize higher profits than any other (online) supplier. 

They are sitting on the solution to their problems...if they only have eyes and can think unconventionally.

I guess we'll find out.

Rick
*I know of 4 brand new technologies being developed. We are formally involved with only one of them. 
**The Ames R&D Guru is certainly up to something else; I've seen his resume and the guy is very intelligent.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> It's begun...
> 
> **The Ames R&D Guru is certainly up to something else; I've seen his resume and the guy is very intelligent.


what amazes me is this,,,,, It is understandable that he is smart, or he would not be in that posistion.....

But if they are THAT smart,,, why don't they want to embrace their customers and take over the market??

I know for a FACT, I'm not as smart as he is,,, but I'm smart enough to know they are and have been dropping the ball for years!!

Reckon they will EVER wise up and "LOSE" their aloof snobbery that has kicked them into the back seat??? Surely they wacth the internet and can see how they and TT have shot themselves in the foot by the way they relate to users??

Case in point,,,,,, I'm a useless old drunk that gives out more helpful advice than they do!!!! and I'm guessing 1/2 the time. As they say in the "hood",,,,,,, wazsupwitdat????:whistling2:


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> **The Ames R&D Guru is certainly up to something else; I've seen his resume and the guy is very intelligent.


One of my own gurus, someone who I once did an external diploma program of some of his works through an Oxford college (therefore I'm an expert, through the logical fallacy of 'appeal to authority')  once said that the very intelligent can be some of the poorest thinkers. That happened to also be the theme of the 1st module in the program I took.

My guru:

http://edwarddebono.com/index.php/edward-debono-biography


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> They could go lower on their pricing so their market research must show a significant number of sales at that price point.


Possibly. But market research can be flawed, even from big companies. Sometimes especially by big companies, as history has shown.

I mentioned Ames new system to a couple of my company's office guys the other day, including one who used to run the crews before he took on estimating. The 1st words out of his mouth was about how expensive Ames is. It was like 'End of discussion' for him.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

JustMe said:


> Possibly. But market research can be flawed, even from big companies. Sometimes especially by big companies, as history has shown.
> 
> I mentioned Ames new system to a couple of my company's office guys the other day, including one who used to run the crews before he took on estimating. The 1st words out of his mouth was about how expensive Ames is. It was like 'End of discussion' for him.


 
Thanks for saying what I was trying to say,,,,, 

You can be a genius and still be too dumb to pour pi*s out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel!!!


----------



## rhardman

Ah...who cares what anyone else is up to anyway?


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> Ah...who cares what anyone else is up to anyway?


I care most about this guy in Washington..... He has this REALLY interesting system....... Ames, you might as well stay in the backseat, and get used to it. :glare:


----------



## Tim0282

One of the major problems I see with the systems that require an airless is the airless. They are a high maintenance pump. I have three. One SpeeFlo 695. Nice pump. Sprays paint great. A Graco 1595. Sprays paint nice. And a SpeeFlo 1200SF. Sprays mud real nice. Even mud mixed as stiff as you would use for running beads by hand. All three are great pumps. All three generate about 3,000 pounds of pressure at the tip. Breakdown waiting to happen. And it does...


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Tim0282 said:


> One of the major problems I see with the systems that require an airless is the airless. They are a high maintenance pump. I have three. One SpeeFlo 695. Nice pump. Sprays paint great. A Graco 1595. Sprays paint nice. And a SpeeFlo 1200SF. Sprays mud real nice. Even mud mixed as stiff as you would use for running beads by hand. All three are great pumps. All three generate about 3,000 pounds of pressure at the tip. Breakdown waiting to happen. And it does...


I agree,,, I bought a Graco mark IV, now they are gonna discontinue it,,, cause,,,,, wait for it,,,,,,,, it won't do what they said it would.

where does that leave me??????


kinda obvious GRACO SUCKS,,,,,,,, period

They don't stand behind their tools, and once you buy one,,, you are on your own !!!!! (kinda reminds ya of TT don't it??)


----------



## Tim0282

Shore does.... And Ames........ Are we company bashing? I have a couple more.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I care most about this guy in Washington..... He has this REALLY interesting system....... Ames, you might as well stay in the backseat, and get used to it. :glare:


Thanks Tim. I've been sitting here writing, re-writing, erasing and starting over. I have some real good things I'd like to share but just can't yet.

I can say that we have all the pieces we were waiting for on the pump and everything looks fine...but...it doesn't tear down for garage rebuild very easy. Cory is making some CAD drawing to see what needs to be done. We can provide a sub assembly which you could have for a quick replacement but it's freaking (that's drywall talk for any "suit" reading this) expensive. We've been back and forth on this home rebuild thing 5 or 6 times in the last month or so.

We'll take care of it. 

The T-2 Taper is incredible. I started with the prototype and colored it up for the demonstrations. I see a piece that can be improved and it's also a little heavy. Easy fixes! 

It's really quite dramatic. In the 90's I painted an early proto white but other than that one, they've all been raw aluminum. Looking at the blue, black, silver and orange is really quite emotional for me. I see leaks in our ceiling as a kid, losing a 66 Vette to an exwife and A LOT of money spent over 33 years. 

When I run the mud through it and the new boxes, in a real big way, any future sales won't matter.

It'll be a private "Rick moment" when I hear myself say, _"Dam* yes! Well done kid....you did it!"_

Anything else is up to the market. I will have done my job! :thumbup:

Rick

(My dad painted his 3rd prototype gold. That's the one Tim saw.)


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Tim0282 said:


> Shore does.... And Ames........ Are we company bashing? I have a couple more.


 :lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Tim0282

(My dad painted his 3rd prototype gold. That's the one Tim saw.)

What???? I saw one???

I have selective memory...


----------



## rhardman

Sorry....I got a little misty with that last post... 





:gunsmilie:


----------



## Tim0282

Ah go ahead and_____

We'll understand :yes:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Ah go ahead and_____
> 
> We'll understand :yes:




Yea...I'm a wimp.




:brows:


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> Yea...I'm a wimp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :brows:




Riiiightttt....
Not convinced of that in Iowa!


----------



## JustMe

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Thanks for saying what I was trying to say,,,,,
> 
> You can be a genius and still be too dumb to pour pi*s out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel!!!


lol, and you're welcome, Capt.

'Dummy' vs. 'genius': http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/blog/2005/12/05/edward-de-bono-intelligence-trap


----------



## VANMAN

rhardman said:


> Thanks Tim. I've been sitting here writing, re-writing, erasing and starting over. I have some real good things I'd like to share but just can't yet.
> 
> I can say that we have all the pieces we were waiting for on the pump and everything looks fine...but...it doesn't tear down for garage rebuild very easy. Cory is making some CAD drawing to see what needs to be done. We can provide a sub assembly which you could have for a quick replacement but it's freaking (that's drywall talk for any "suit" reading this) expensive. We've been back and forth on this home rebuild thing 5 or 6 times in the last month or so.
> 
> We'll take care of it.
> 
> The T-2 Taper is incredible. I started with the prototype and colored it up for the demonstrations. I see a piece that can be improved and it's also a little heavy. Easy fixes!
> 
> It's really quite dramatic. In the 90's I painted an early proto white but other than that one, they've all been raw aluminum. Looking at the blue, black, silver and orange is really quite emotional for me. I see leaks in our ceiling as a kid, losing a 66 Vette to an exwife and A LOT of money spent over 33 years.
> 
> When I run the mud through it and the new boxes, in a real big way, any future sales won't matter.
> 
> It'll be a private "Rick moment" when I hear myself say, _"Dam* yes! Well done kid....you did it!"_
> 
> Anything else is up to the market. I will have done my job! :thumbup:
> 
> Rick
> 
> (My dad painted his 3rd prototype gold. That's the one Tim saw.)


Keep it lit lad u will get there!
Cant wait 2 c ur tools I could b ur first buyer in europe:thumbsup:
Buy the way i'm still waiting for my price for the tools i asked about !!!!!!!!!!!!
Did u notice my photo Rick? Its all ur tools u sent me!! That mixer is the best!


----------



## rhardman

(Thank you!)

I tried to call you a couple of times and sent 2 or 3 emails and didn't hear back. Figured it must be a lower priority to you. Sorry for any inconsistency there. 

The distributor we were talking to was very poor with communication and I didn't want somebody that bad at returning calls to represent our company. Without going through a source that will purchase minimum quantities, to ship a single unit (whatever that is) the cost is insane. I've backed off from Western Europe until the major tools come out.

The items that are on the website are mainly there to demonstrate that we're coming into the market from a completely different mental direction. I'm really not trying to sell anything yet.* When the texture machines and finishing tools come out, we're very confident that we'll have a tremendous number of suppliers (including those in your neighborhood) wanting to come on board. 

I'll PM you Monday with pricing.

Rick
*When we do start selling the tools I'll start advertising on DWT and ask Nathan if I should stop contributing to this thread. Until then, I hope our adventure is good positive reading. The industry needs new ideas and less strain on the body. Maybe others can learn from what we are going through.:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*We interrupt his far too serious thread for an announcement...*

Guess who is going to be featured in our video's demonstrating the tools?






(Be respectful...that's my wife gentlemen )

She has a student that's been winning some body building competitions that I want in them too but we haven't confirmed anything with her yet.

The thinking is that if you see 2 women running the systems, you'll see how easy they are to use.

_I've mentioned Francesca before but I don't think I said she'd be doing the videos._


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Guess who is going to be featured in our video's demonstrating the tools?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwNUrUN8Uik
> 
> (Be respectful...that's my wife gentlemen )
> 
> She has a student that's been winning some body building competitions that I want in them too but we haven't confirmed anything with her yet.
> 
> The thinking is that if you see 2 women running the systems, you'll see how easy they are to use.
> 
> I've mentioned Francesca before but I don't think I said she'd be doing the videos.


Maybe you'd want to use out of shape women for showing how easy the tools are to use. That might be more impressive. Those women you're thinking to use look in better shape than most tapers I know.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Maybe you'd want to use out of shape women for showing how easy the tools are to use. That might be more impressive. Those women you're thinking to use look in better shape than most tapers I know.


:drink::lol::laughing::icon_lol:


----------



## 800PoundGuerrilla

rhardman said:


> Guess who is going to be featured in our video's demonstrating the tools?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwNUrUN8Uik
> 
> (Be respectful...that's my wife gentlemen )
> 
> She has a student that's been winning some body building competitions that I want in them too but we haven't confirmed anything with her yet.
> 
> The thinking is that if you see 2 women running the systems, you'll see how easy they are to use.
> 
> _I've mentioned Francesca before but I don't think I said she'd be doing the videos._


 
A discipline, and artform ... left and right brain interplay and sensory engagement physically expressed ... mind body and soul. The Hustler - fast Eddie Felson ... "Why'd I do it? I coulda beat that guy, coulda beat 'im cold, he never woulda known. But I just hadda show 'im. Just hadda show those creeps and those punks what the game is like when it's great, when it's REALLY great. You know, like anything can be great, anything can be great. I don't care, BRICKLAYING can be great, if a guy knows. If he knows what he's doing and why and if he can make it come off. When I'm goin', I mean, when I'm REALLY goin' I feel like a... like a jockey must feel. He's sittin' on his horse, he's got all that speed and that power underneath him... he's comin' into the stretch, the pressure's on 'im, and he KNOWS... just feels... when to let it go and how much. Cause he's got everything workin' for 'im: timing, touch. It's a great feeling, boy, it's a real great feeling when you're right and you KNOW you're right. It's like all of a sudden I got oil in my arm. The pool cue's part of me. You know, it's uh - pool cue, it's got nerves in it. It's a piece of wood, it's got nerves in it. Feel the roll of those balls, you don't have to look, you just KNOW. You make shots that nobody's ever made before. I can play that game the way... NOBODY'S ever played it before."

I am not an animal ... I am a human being!!! Drywall hanging and finishing can be great, if a guy knows!!!


----------



## JustMe

Field General said:


> A discipline, and artform ... left and right brain interplay and sensory engagement physically expressed ... mind body and soul.
> 
> ...............and he KNOWS... just feels... when to let it go and how much. Cause he's got everything workin' for 'im: timing, touch. It's a great feeling, boy, it's a real great feeling when you're right and you KNOW you're right. It's like all of a sudden I got oil in my arm. The pool cue's part of me. You know, it's uh - pool cue, it's got nerves in it. It's a piece of wood, it's got nerves in it. Feel the roll of those balls, you don't have to look, you just KNOW. You make shots that nobody's ever made before. I can play that game the way... NOBODY'S ever played it before."


The pool shooting comments reminds me of a time when I was messing around with a way of drawing, starting with line drawings that you positioned upside down and copied them that way. It 'kicked you out' of your usual cognitive mode and into something else.

I recognized the mode it kicked me into. It was something I'd experienced previously, during a time when I once ran 2 tables of pool balls before losing it on the 3rd one. It was also what I'd experienced on occasion when doing things like playing hockey. A friend also said it was like that for him one year while playing hockey. He could do no wrong. But he lost that 'link' with 'it' the following year.

A bit on the drawing method: http://drawsketch.about.com/od/suppliesbooks/fr/draw_right_side.htm





Field General said:


> I am not an animal ... I am a human being!!! Drywall hanging and finishing can be great, if a guy knows!!!


Reminds me of a comment by psychologist Abraham Maslow, about his being Jewish. He said it was like having a semi-permeable membrane around him. It kept the pr*cks out.

He was referring to those who had a mindset that would discriminate against him because of his being born Jewish.

So maybe saying your a drywaller has other positives. Helps keep some of the pr*cks out.


----------



## rhardman

Field and JustMe,

You guys are far more deep than I am. 

Please talk s-l-o-w-l-y so I can keep up. :notworthy:

I'm a very shallow person.:blink:


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Field and JustMe,
> 
> You guys are far more deep than I am.
> 
> Please talk s-l-o-w-l-y so I can keep up. :notworthy:
> 
> I'm a very shallow person.:blink:


Uh-huh. Sure you are. 

Sorry. Didn't mean to high jack and diverge again from your thread's theme.

Consider the 'deep' to be residual leftovers from past years, that I'd like to be more separated from. I used to think it was a word to describe more 'profound' thinking. Now I think it's just as likely to lead to entrenched 'intelligence trap' thoughts.


----------



## rhardman

Write whatever you want...

I'll try to keep up! :wheelchair:


:thumbsup:


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Write whatever you want...
> 
> I'll try to keep up! :wheelchair:
> 
> 
> :thumbsup:


As long as you don't mind being given 1/2 the pieces and have to fill in the rest... 

Thanks, Rick.

A lot of what I say/half say are just sort of ramblings. I'm kind of in the same boat as you. The things I'd really like to write about and get feedback on, I can't really, without revealing things before I maybe should. So I have to deal more in 'what is' things, than 'what can be' and 'what could be' things. That's where my interest really is.

After this weekend I'm going to try to better stick to a promise of cutting back on posting, and get busier with some things I should be getting busier with.


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Spoke with a potential East Coast rep today. We seem to think along the same lines as far as the future of the drywall industry and how to solve some of the problems. We agreed to talk more.

Heading to Portland tomorrow for some consulting and to meet with the electronics guru. There are more electronics than I've mentioned so I need to address some things with him. Our finance guy is there too so I better meet with him while I'm in the neighborhood.

Everything is moving forward nicely.

Rick


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Spoke with a potential East Coast rep today. We seem to think along the same lines as far as the future of the drywall industry and how to solve some of the problems. We agreed to talk more.
> 
> Rick


So you are both gonna give up and start selling dope??????


----------



## rhardman

Capt-sheetrock said:


> So you are both gonna give up and start selling dope??????


 

Uhhhhhhh, no. :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*Update: Budgetary pricing for the A-1 pump frame.*

*From:** ****XX ******XX <******@*********.com>
*To: *Rick Hardman [mailto:[email protected]] 
*Sent:* Tuesday, August 16, 2011 9:36:26 AM
*Subject: *Raptor A-1 frame


Rick, I got the word back from our factory. We can make these carts in house for about $675 each, which is about 30% cheaper than ******x Mfg. Manufacturing time is about 8-10 weeks and we have to consider shipping as well, so this will take a little time. Let me know if this works for you. Thanx. 


*From:* Rick Hardman [mailto:[email protected]] 
*Sent:* Thursday, August 18, 2011 6:29 AM
*To:* ***XX ******XX <******@*********.com>
*Subject:* Re: Raptor A-1 frame

This is with shipping included? 
Rick 

*From:* ***XX ******XX <******@*********.com>
*To:* 'Rick Hardman' [mailto:[email protected]] 
*Sent:* Thursday, August 18, 2011 9:14:36 AM
*Subject:* RE: Raptor A-1 frame


Rick, this would include shipping. Thanx.


----------



## M T Buckets Painting

Are you going with something made in China???????


----------



## rhardman

M T Buckets Painting said:


> Are you going with something made in China???????


 
After you saw the post, I removed the China reference. I don't want anyone to misunderstand our intentions. We had to check the Chinese cost so we know what to compare the domestic prices to.

The last thing I want to do is buy Chinese product..._for about 32 different reasons_.


----------



## M T Buckets Painting

Rick, you edited your post. Now my question is to something that no longer exists. It will be OK. 

I have been using the creaser wheel lately, I like it. It isn't that hard to clean. I use a scrub brush on the taper head and the wheel. It's no more effort to clean it compared to anything else out there. More feedback to come in the future.....

I have told some finishers about your mixing paddle. I am leaving for Joplin Missouri today and am taking it with me. I'll give them a little demo.


----------



## rhardman

M T Buckets Painting said:


> Rick, you edited your post. Now my question is to something that no longer exists. It will be OK.
> 
> I have been using the creaser wheel lately, I like it. It isn't that hard to clean. I use a scrub brush on the taper head and the wheel. It's no more effort to clean it compared to anything else out there. More feedback to come in the future.....
> 
> I have told some finishers about your mixing paddle. I am leaving for Joplin Missouri today and am taking it with me. I'll give them a little demo.


 
Thank you. Yea, we're both writing on the thread at the same time so it can get a little confusing...

And I appreciate your feedback on the creaser wheel. The new vendor says they can make them at a more competitive price but I didn't want to go any further with them until I heard what you thought. I'll get back in touch with them. :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*Where is my part?*

"Rick, my guys said they put one of the ******X pieces in a box you left with."

_"I don't remember seeing it."_

"It's not here, you've got to have it."

_"I must have put it in the earlier proto pump I gave to Aaron so he can beef up the circuitry. It's down in Salem."_

"Alright, I'll make a new one."

:hang:


(That wasn't good....)


----------



## rhardman

*I need input please...*

We're working with different system options.

20 amps 110v is near the high end end of our power draw. Do you see a problem requiring a 30 amp circuit for using the A-1?

Is it a major inconvenience for you?

Thanks.

Rick :thumbsup:


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> We're working with different system options.
> 
> 20 amps 110v is near the high end end of our power draw. Do you see a problem requiring a 30 amp circuit for using the A-1?
> 
> Is it a major inconvenience for you?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Rick :thumbsup:


 I'm no sparky (Or bright spark for that matter), but what about converting to run on higher voltage and less amperage, that way more grunt and less heat? we are 240v system over here and 20 amp sounds like you are trying to power a bakers oven .


----------



## Mudslinger

....


----------



## gazman

rhardman said:


> We're working with different system options.
> 
> 20 amps 110v is near the high end end of our power draw. Do you see a problem requiring a 30 amp circuit for using the A-1?
> 
> Is it a major inconvenience for you?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Rick :thumbsup:


What? No 240v


----------



## rhardman

rhardman said:


> We're working with different system options.
> 20 amps 110v is near the high end end of our power draw. Do you see a problem requiring a 30 amp circuit for using the A-1?
> Is it a major inconvenience for you?
> Thanks.
> Rick :thumbsup:





Mudslinger said:


> I rarely see anything over 20 amps on the residential homes we work on, and most the time there's only 1 or 2 outlets. Then the siders might be running a compressor, and skill saw while the brick layers have a chop saw going. So for my jobs it could be a huge problem, requiring you to use a generator.


Yea, I know that world very well; but I don't want to finish this design based on my personal history.

Here's the thing; I want that A-1 to texture as well as tape and finish. Unless we can get the higher amp circuit or go 220, it doesn't look like we can add the compressor.

More input gentlemen....? 




(NZ/AUS and "across the pond" is easy, as everything operates at the higher voltage.)


----------



## Tim0282

I carry three different brands of 100 amp breakers to run a heater in the winter. I can carry three brands of 30 amp. Just my two cents worth.


----------



## rhardman

From a PM:
"
I think 30 amp is the max

I find throughout ontario, and I got around a lot of it, they always set up a receptacle in the the kitchen area because it's 30 amp, and a second one by the electrical panel. I think with the safety standards now it must have a gfci on it too,(circuit breaker) here's a link http://www.rona.ca/webapp/wcs/stores...rint_asset.jsp

I'm fairly sure it's 30 amp, B/c I know sometimes they will give one up stairs or in a garage, and their 20 amp, and have heard Builders (GC) warn guys not to run nothing heavy off them etc......

In the winter, with residential houses, I find most heat with these heaters http://www.ouellet.com/industrial-he...pecs.aspx?i=20 So they do hook these up to run those 220 heaters. But !!!!!1 with the safety stuff now, A qualified electrician must hook up the 220 amp and heaters. also, when it's summer or warm, there's no need for them to hook them up so.......

And I have found larger sites are not much better, Sometimes they have a gas/diesel generators that will have 220 on them. but most times it's a wall of gfci receptacles that guys are running 20 miles of extension cords to, which draws the amps up.

So I know they try to run off 30 amps, b/c of the power tools and so forth on job sites, but there's always that one idiot who will only have 20 amp service on his site

I guess power inverters don't have enough amps yet, those things that convert dc to ac power, and if they did , guessing a lot of $$$$$$$$. you could check those , but I think I would be wasting your time, just google power inverters

hope that helps you, but I don't think it's what you want to hear.....sorry"


_No, it's not what I want to hear (I want air on this thing).

Truth is always better! 

Thank you._ _:thumbsup:_


----------



## kgphoto

Here in LA unless they have an RV hook up or an electric dryer or oven, 30 amp outlets are hard to come by. Also they would be either 3 or 4 prong plugs.

Because in I work in more than one trade, I can adapt, but I think it may be tough for most. Also, most 30 amp outlets here are 220, not 110.


----------



## SlimPickins

I had a chance to use the Tornado mixer today, it has it pros and its cons. 

Pros:


didn't put any pressure at all on my drill, I couldn't even tell it was on there.
spun the mud nice and creamy
didn't clatter around in the bucket
Cons:



wish the paddle was a little bit longer to get the rpms going that I'm used to
the bracket where it attaches to the shaft is extremely difficult to clean...not a big deal for non-set muds, but wouldn't want to fuss with it when under the gun. Would also probably have a toothbrush handy to clean out the holes.
I couldn't feel the thickness of my mud like I can with my standard whip, so I spent more time checking the mix
When I got to the bottom of the colored clay bucket, I saw that there was unmixed material down there and had to respin, but the color wasn't exactly the same

Overall, I like the way the mixer handles, but it would definitely take some getting used to. I'll try it out again with regular mud and see how it works...


----------



## rhardman

Thanks Slim, If you head over to the mixing paddle thread you'll learn why there are two sizes and the best way to clean the mixer. There's even a video over there. Hope you end up liking it. :thumbsup:


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> Thanks Slim, If you head over to the mixing paddle thread you'll learn why there are two sizes and the best way to clean the mixer. There's even a video over there. Hope you end up liking it. :thumbsup:


I didn't know there was one, I'll head over there and take my post with me..


----------



## JustMe

SlimPickins said:


> I had a chance to use the Tornado mixer today, it has it pros and its cons.
> 
> Pros:
> 
> 
> didn't put any pressure at all on my drill, I couldn't even tell it was on there.
> spun the mud nice and creamy
> didn't clatter around in the bucket
> Cons:
> 
> 
> 
> wish the paddle was a little bit longer to get the rpms going that I'm used to
> the bracket where it attaches to the shaft is extremely difficult to clean...not a big deal for non-set muds, but wouldn't want to fuss with it when under the gun. Would also probably have a toothbrush handy to clean out the holes.
> I couldn't feel the thickness of my mud like I can with my standard whip, so I spent more time checking the mix
> When I got to the bottom of the colored clay bucket, I saw that there was unmixed material down there and had to respin, but the color wasn't exactly the same
> 
> Overall, I like the way the mixer handles, but it would definitely take some getting used to. I'll try it out again with regular mud and see how it works...


Adding to this - I don't know if it's just me, as I don't recall anyone mentioning these, but a couple thoughts that came to mind while trying the Tornado a few times, that could make it my favourite (unless I'm not considering something into my thoughts that I should be considering):

- I'd like to be able to draw down faster into the mud the water that I add to a bucket. The swivel head doesn't allow for that like my fixed head one does. Could it be possible to offer an optional piece that might make the Tornado a fixed head? Or offer as well a Tornado with a fixed head? Or a swivel head that doesn't swivel so much? I don't usually mix much in the way of powders, except occasionally a bit of concrete fill for patching of larger holes. Most of the time I do that in a pan. 
- I hand tighten my drill chuck - put the mixer end in the chuck and hold the chuck till it tightens on the mixer shaft. The downward pull of the mixer has pulled the shaft out of my chuck on occasion, so I'm a bit cautious when trying to pull the mixer end up and down in a bucket, while I still have the mixer going. Any chance of making the downward pull a little less aggressive?

One other thought: My drill (and me) could take a bit larger mixer no problem. I pay a few extra $ for that.

P.S. - I don't know which mixer paddle thread this should be at, so posted it here.



rhardman said:


> Thanks Slim, If you head over to the mixing paddle thread you'll learn why there are two sizes and the best way to clean the mixer. There's even a video over there. Hope you end up liking it. :thumbsup:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

kgphoto said:


> Because in I work in more than one trade, I can adapt, but I think it may be tough for most.


 
Yeah,, the rest of us ain't gay


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> - I'd like to be able to draw down faster into the mud the water that I add to a bucket. The swivel head doesn't allow for that like my fixed head one does. Could it be possible to offer an optional piece that might make the Tornado a fixed head? Or offer as well a Tornado with a fixed head? I don't usually mix much in the way of powders, except occasionally a bit of concrete fill for patching of larger holes. Most of the time I do that in a pan.
> - I hand tighten my drill chuck - put the mixer end in the chuck and hold the chuck till it tightens on the mixer shaft. The downward pull of the mixer has pulled the shaft out of my chuck on occasion, so I'm a bit cautious when trying to pull the mixer end up and down in a bucket, while I still have the mixer going. Any chance of making the downward pull a little less aggressive?
> 
> One other thought: My drill (and me) could take a bit larger mixer no problem. I pay a few extra $ for that.
> 
> P.S. - I don't know which mixer paddle thread this should be at, so posted it here.


1. We had the fixed head design over a year ago and started selling it 2 or 3 weeks ago.
2. I have always tightened by hand and never seemed to have a problem. This is the first I've heard of it. Maybe your chuck is smoother than most. The angles of the blade design were determined over several variations. The first one didn't have holes and actually mixed slower. I did have one major disadvantage...it literally shot the mud out of the bucket and covered the person that was testing it. It was hilarious! :thumbup:
3. There are two mixers available. The other has a 25% larger blade design, is made of self lubricating plastic and it stupid simple/easy to clean.

Fr8's kind contribution to the effort...
_*http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/mixing-paddle-evaluation-vids-2289/*_



SlimPickins said:


> the bracket where it attaches to the shaft is extremely difficult to clean...not a big deal for non-set muds, but wouldn't want to fuss with it when under the gun. Would also probably have a toothbrush handy to clean out the holes.


07-20-2011, 06:24 PM 


M T Buckets Painting said:


> It is quite obvious for all to see that the HSI mixers are the quickest to clean. I have noticed that it is a little hard to get the little bit of mud out of the U shaped part that contains the pivot pin. My daughters old tooth brush that I keep on the job seems to work fine for getting into that tight spot for cleaning.


Aren't you the clever one M T ....

The yokes were supposed to have a hole drilled in them to allow water to pass into that little spot where the mud likes to hide. When I got them, the hole wasn't there and they were already powder coated so it had to stay that way.

The hole is in the patent so in the future, you'll see it.

Nice catch! :thumbsup:


----------



## moore

I did have one major disadvantage...it literally shot the mud out of the bucket and covered the person that wa
s testing it. It was hilarious!


Sounds like the old bow tie brought up to close to the top:whistling2:
no paddle can be harder to clean than the bow tie..


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> 1. We had the fixed head design over a year ago and started selling it 2 or 3 weeks ago.
> 2. I have always tightened by hand and never seemed to have a problem. This is the first I've heard of it.  Maybe your chuck is smoother than most. The angles of the blade design were determined over several variations. The first one didn't have holes and actually mixed slower. I did have one major disadvantage...it literally shot the mud out of the bucket and covered the person that was testing it. It was hilarious! :thumbup:
> 3. There are two mixers available. The other has a 25% larger blade design, is made of self lubricating plastic and it stupid simple/easy to clean.


1. Who might be stocking those already? Wall Tools? ......?
2. It's possible that the drill's chuck is worn more than usual. It doesn't have a problem with the other mixers I've used. But the chuck also maybe tightens on them a little more, as they get more resistance from the mud while mixing than does the Tornado. And they're not designed to pull down into the mud as much.
3. The 25% larger one - is that the $100.00+ version, or is there a lower priced model like that? And is it available with a fixed head?


----------



## rhardman

In regard to our mixer, finishing systems and everything else we will ever do...

There are 2 versions:

One for the guy that wants the lowest possible price for a new technology and one for the guy that wants the absolute best tool that has ever been conceived.


Fixed mixer: Call DeAnne at Advance. No samples.

I don't want to come across as anything other than respectful to anyone that has been critical of the mixer. I truly value and appreciate the time you have taken to share your impressions, thank you. 

In the end, it's just a mixer. We hope everyone appreciates the benefits of what we are doing. For those that don't, we hope they are happy with their other choices.

Frankly, I made that thing in the 90's and kept it under wraps until I was confident of the new systems. It's main purpose is to introduce a new way of thinking and to get a gauge of the typical guy's reaction to new technology. I knew that with the (mixer's) responses, I would have the best information available to set up my marketing strategy for the more relevant products.

Here's what I've learned since jointing DWT...


Some guys truly like new ideas....period.
Some guys don't like anthing new.
Some guys want to be critical as it implies their superior expertise.
Some guys are critical in a sincere attempt to help improve our ideas.
Typical sales channels don't care about new technology as far as advancing concepts. They use it as a marketing tool. Their prime objective is to offer everything under the sun so they can make a percentage of anything that is sold under their umbrella.
Sales people make more money off a commission than the originator does.
People in the industry that don't have actual drywall experience cammoflage the things they don't know behind "professionalism."
The drywall contractor is so beat down by "what's available" that they don't know what they really need.
There are 2 Automatic Tool companies that have a true desire to be on the cutting edge.
There are 2 Automatic Tool companies that don't want anything to change.
Competitive "plants" criticize new ideas publicly (talk to Mel at Never Miss).
There is very little long term thinking going on right now. The economy is forcing everyone to focus on just paying their bills.
The largest players don't have any better answers than anyone else as far as the future goes.
Price will sell more tools than quality.
"Customer come to me for I am your god (small "G")" arrogance from a mfr is much more prevelent than I ever imagined. You wouldn't believe what I've seen behind he scenes...
Companies focus on their desire to sell what they want to make money from, far more than the best interests of their customer.
If I focus on making a lot of money, 34 years of my life might easily be wasted. If I focus on "success" being the ability to follow through on an idea to the end, I'm already successful.
Our future will be greatly enhanced by alliances.
And maybe the most valuable thing I've learned is that I am at the heart the very same as every other drywall guy out there. I think the same, I have the same quick temper at times and after giving my life to the trade, I will only (really) relate to others that have spent at least 20 years doing the same thing. There is a commoradorie (sp?) between us that the "professionals" will never understand. Not to get sentimental, but it is truly a brotherhood.
:thumbup: 


Rick


----------



## silverstilts

moore said:


> I did have one major disadvantage...it literally shot the mud out of the bucket and covered the person that wa
> s testing it. It was hilarious!
> 
> 
> Sounds like the old bow tie brought up to close to the top:whistling2:
> no paddle can be harder to clean than the bow tie..


Reminds me of years ago that I was sent to a job and the boss sent a suicide drill that the switch did not work, He said just plug it in when you want to mix, sure thing there with bag mud really created a big mess. Perhaps you are over doing the speed thing.... I have to agree on the new mixing paddle that Rick has put out there. I was the worst critic ever I think in bad mouthing this thing, but ever since I have one the rest of my old ones are retired. Mine has been put through some extreme mixing and still after a year and a half runs smooth and true. Even caught my guys several times beating it down on the top of a pail to knock off mud after mixing:furious: which is a no no. But still the shaft remains straight. I always tell others how mine is a prototype and it came from Rich the founder and inventor ,sound a little proud of it? Of course I am and will always be. There are others on the market which we all know that when some tool that comes out on the market which is great there are sure that others are going to get in on the market. But we all know who designed it in the first place and like they say there is nothing better to have than the original. I give a lot of credit to Rick for sticking to finding better methods to advance the taping industry for his convictions and perseverance's when facing obstacles. He has managed to hang in there. Anyone that can do this has my deep respect. Over the years many things have been developed in the field of taping most are junk and some are just plain great, but who ever comes up with new ideas now that are great are just plain geniuses....


----------



## silverstilts

kgphoto said:


> Here in LA unless they have an RV hook up or an electric dryer or oven, 30 amp outlets are hard to come by. Also they would be either 3 or 4 prong plugs.
> 
> Because in I work in more than one trade, I can adapt, but I think it may be tough for most. Also, most 30 amp outlets here are 220, not 110.


I always carry 20 and 30 amp circuit breakers (for 110-120 volt) and if I need them I just switch them in the panel box. I have even been known to hot wire past the breakers if needed with some alligator clips ( just make sure if you do this to an outlet already hooked up when finished put it back to original so you are not responsible for starting an electrical fire in the future. I even carry a hundred and fifty ft heavy cord for clipping directly in the panel box to make sure that I will not burn out any electrical runs buried in the walls if I have any doubts.


----------



## kgphoto

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Yeah,, the rest of us ain't gay


Methinks he doth protest too much. Ergo, you probably are gay and due to your homophobic nature, you hate yourself which results in your outlook on life and projections of your condition on others.


----------



## rhardman

kgphoto said:


> Methinks he doth protest too much. Ergo, you probably are gay and due to your homophobic nature, you hate yourself which results in your outlook on life and projections of your condition on others.


 
Please take it out in the parking lot guys....:boxing:

Thanks.:thumbsup:


----------



## moore

The drywall contractor is so beat down by "what's available" that they don't know what they really need.


:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## SlimPickins

I'm just full of it (superior expertise that is). 

Honestly though, I hope that my criticisms aren't interpreted as plain old negativity. Everything has pros and cons, and a lot of the time those will differ depending on the individual.

I like the mixer, and I think for regular mud it's going to be sweet...I may just even have to invest in a bigger version because I don't know that the small one will meet my needs. (which in itself is good marketing......."Here, try out this nice little mixer. Oh, and we have a bigger better one for sale if you're interested" Genius!)


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> ... I hope that my criticisms aren't interpreted as plain old negativity. Everything has pros and cons, and a lot of the time those will differ depending on the individual.





rhardman said:


> Some guys are critical in a sincere attempt to help improve our ideas.


:thumbup:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

SlimPickins said:


> I'm just full of it (superior expertise that is).
> 
> Honestly though, I hope that my criticisms aren't interpreted as plain old negativity. Everything has pros and cons, and a lot of the time those will differ depending on the individual.
> 
> I like the mixer, and I think for regular mud it's going to be sweet...I may just even have to invest in a bigger version because I don't know that the small one will meet my needs. (which in itself is good marketing......."Here, try out this nice little mixer. Oh, and we have a bigger better one for sale if you're interested" Genius!)


Slim,,,, Rick is like stuck twit a rock and a hard place. He sent me one of them small ones. I didn't think too much about it,,, so he sent me one of them big ones,,,,, now THATS a mixer.

So here he is, he's got the sh*t,,, but can't figure out how to market it!!!

I feel for him,,,, its got to be tough spot to be in !!!


----------



## SlimPickins

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Slim,,,, Rick is like stuck twit a rock and a hard place. He sent me one of them small ones. I didn't think too much about it,,, so he sent me one of them big ones,,,,, now THATS a mixer.
> 
> So here he is, he's got the sh*t,,, but can't figure out how to market it!!!
> 
> I feel for him,,,, its got to be tough spot to be in !!!


*long whistle* I was just over there at ...

http://www.hardmansystems.com/products/paddles/ 

...looking at the paddles, and clicked on 'check out' to see how much they were... I can see how that would be a tough sell, although I was looking at my gouged up buckets this morning thinking about a bigger model. It's hard to justify spending that kind of scratch on a mixer unless you've got a lot of expendable income. I buy a lot of tools, but mostly power tools (my wife hates it)....I'd have to be caught at just the right time to be able to buy one of those....after a really good payday, down at the supply house perhaps? 

Rick...are you familiar with GTS Interior Supply? They're based in your neck of the woods.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

SlimPickins said:


> *long whistle* I was just over there at ...
> 
> http://www.hardmansystems.com/products/paddles/
> 
> ...looking at the paddles, and clicked on 'check out' to see how much they were... I can see how that would be a tough sell, although I was looking at my gouged up buckets this morning thinking about a bigger model. It's hard to justify spending that kind of scratch on a mixer unless you've got a lot of expendable income. I buy a lot of tools, but mostly power tools (my wife hates it)....I'd have to be caught at just the right time to be able to buy one of those....after a really good payday, down at the supply house perhaps?
> 
> Rick...are you familiar with GTS Interior Supply? They're based in your neck of the woods.


 
Yeah, but ya got to ask yourself,,,, "how much did I pay for that pick-up,I'm driving?"

In reality,,, that mixer will last longer than 3 or 4 of them trucks,,,,

So is it really that costly????? I have a bow-tie mixer I bought in the late 70's for a few bucks,,,, reckon its paid for itself????


----------



## SlimPickins

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Yeah, but ya got to ask yourself,,,, "how much did I pay for that pick-up,I'm driving?"
> 
> In reality,,, that mixer will last longer than 3 or 4 of them trucks,,,,
> 
> So is it really that costly????? I have a bow-tie mixer I bought in the late 70's for a few bucks,,,, reckon its paid for itself????


Oh, I'm not arguing whether it's a good investment, just babbling about my own personal buying habits (a one man demographic?). You know how it is, and how a guy makes decisions about where his money goes....It's not always about whether the investment is worth it, it's about priorities. So the question is....how does one make this mixer a priority? Should it come with a 12 pack of beer?:whistling2: (making it a priority is actually a valid question)


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> *long whistle* I was just over there at ...
> 
> http://www.hardmansystems.com/products/paddles/
> 
> ...looking at the paddles, and clicked on 'check out' to see how much they were... I can see how that would be a tough sell, although I was looking at my gouged up buckets this morning thinking about a bigger model. It's hard to justify spending that kind of scratch on a mixer unless you've got a lot of expendable income. I buy a lot of tools, but mostly power tools (my wife hates it)....I'd have to be caught at just the right time to be able to buy one of those....after a really good payday, down at the supply house perhaps?
> 
> Rick...are you familiar with GTS Interior Supply? They're based in your neck of the woods.





SlimPickins said:


> Oh, I'm not arguing whether it's a good investment, just babbling about my own personal buying habits (a one man demographic?). You know how it is, and how a guy makes decisions about where his money goes....It's not always about whether the investment is worth it, it's about priorities. So the question is....how does one make this mixer a priority? Should it come with a 12 pack of beer?:whistling2: (making it a priority is actually a valid question)


Yea, I know GTS...I was in their Kirkland yard a couple of weeks ago. 

And I know the mixer is spendy. Nothing is going to sell in any significant quantity until the big systems come out so I've never tried. Once the other tools are available, we'll have the distribution support which will provide higher quantities so prices will become lower and the bigger paddle won't be as big of a purchase. Honestly, only one or two guys have come close to the real benefit/reason that I designed that thing for. Nobody's figured it out completely. :tt2:

Everyone has mentioned how well it mixes the mud and makes it creamy. It's really designed to keep air bubbles to a minimum in a CFS system. The blade design cycles the mud up from the bottom so the small bubbles break apart as they round over the surface of the mud. Then it pulls it back down the outer circumference of the bucket to drag them down the wall continuing to make them smaller and break apart. Then the material impacts the face of the blade shaking up powders and large air bubbles where they separate over and below the blade and simultaneously through the 2 holes (one larger/one smaller) in the face of the blade. Using anything but a paint sprayer* to pump mud has the vulnerability of pushing air bubbles through the hose (watch the formerly designed rotor/stator very closely). Air through the hose equates to tape on the wall with no mud behind it (first prototype taper/first pump 1977). The UHMW on the big mixer isn't just to make it clean easier...there is more going on.

To buy it as a single unit alone is more than most guys will want to spend. But if it's *part of a* *tuned* CFS *system* that costs less than any other system, even a $100.00 mixer won't be an issue.

Again, the cost is a result of the high quality and materials. We're not out to gouge anyone.

:thumbsup:

*The paint sprayer simply chops the air bubbles into smaller ones. This causes compression in the hose and rapid expansion when a CFS flow valve is opened. Whether it's noticeable or not is a matter of how much air is in there.


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> Yea, I know GTS...I was in their Kirkland yard a couple of weeks ago.
> 
> And I know the mixer is spendy. Nothing is going to sell in any significant quantity until the big systems come out so I've never tried. Once the other tools are available, we'll have the distribution support which will provide higher quantities so prices will become lower and the bigger paddle won't be as big of a purchase. Honestly, only one or two guys have come close to the real benefit/reason that I designed that thing for. Nobody's figured it out completely. :tt2:
> 
> Everyone has mentioned how well it mixes the mud and makes it creamy. It's really designed to keep air bubbles to a minimum in a CFS system. The blade design cycles the mud up from the bottom so the small bubbles break apart as they round over the surface of the mud. Then it pulls it back down the outer circumference of the bucket to drag them down the wall continuing to make them smaller and break apart. Then the material impacts the face of the blade shaking up powders and large air bubbles where they separate over and below the blade and simultaneously through the 2 holes (one larger/one smaller) in the face of the blade. Using anything but a paint sprayer* to pump mud has the vulnerability of pushing air bubbles through the hose (watch the formerly designed rotor/stator very closely). Air through the hose equates to tape on the wall with no mud behind it (first prototype taper/first pump 1977). The UHMW on the big mixer isn't just to make it clean easier...there is more going on.
> 
> To buy it as a single unit alone is more than most guys will want to spend. But if it's *part of a* *tuned* CFS *system* that costs less than any other system, even a $100.00 mixer won't be an issue.
> 
> Again, the cost is a result of the high quality and materials. We're not out to gouge anyone.
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> *The paint sprayer simply chops the air bubbles into smaller ones. This causes compression in the hose and rapid expansion when a CFS flow valve is opened. Whether it's noticeable or not is a matter of how much air is in there.


Awesome breakdown mister...We ALL know we could use less air bubbles, no matter what the system. Now I'm going to pay _strict_ attention when I spin some light mud next week....and, should I find a very noticeable difference in pocking you will sell a big mixer.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Yea, I know that world very well; but I don't want to finish this design based on my personal history.
> 
> Here's the thing; I want that A-1 to texture as well as tape and finish. Unless we can get the higher amp circuit or go 220, it doesn't look like we can add the compressor.
> 
> More input gentlemen....?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (NZ/AUS and "across the pond" is easy, as everything operates at the higher voltage.)


Haven't done enough texturing to give much input. For the little I have done - the odd room - I piggybacked a spare air tank onto a small compressor.

Maybe some site like http://www.electriciantalk.com/ could give some options not thought of yet?


----------



## M T Buckets Painting

JustMe said:


> Haven't done enough texturing to give much input. For the little I have done - the odd room - I piggybacked a spare air tank onto a small compressor.
> 
> Maybe some site like http://www.electriciantalk.com/ could give some options not thought of yet?


How did that work for you? I have thought of doing something similar to that. I hate dragging along a big compressor for a small texture job with a hand held hopper but, I also hate waiting on a small compressor to keep up. I like to run my compressor at about 35 to 40 psi and I just cant get the volume of air needed with a small compressor. 

Just the other day, I had a one sheet repair that had to be blended with an existing knock down and I ended up using a Red Tail hand pump touch up gun. That is alot of pumping!!!!!!


----------



## silverstilts

rhardman said:


> Yea, I know that world very well; but I don't want to finish this design based on my personal history.
> 
> Here's the thing; I want that A-1 to texture as well as tape and finish. Unless we can get the higher amp circuit or go 220, it doesn't look like we can add the compressor.
> 
> More input gentlemen....?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (NZ/AUS and "across the pond" is easy, as everything operates at the higher voltage.)


 Most using CFS probably have a compressor already, for spraying sure it would be nice but, compressors are easy to come by. As for the 220 again no big deal to hook into an existing panel. I myself am looking for something that is not going to weigh a ton so with out the compressor would not be a bad thing, besides that I like to leave the noisy thing outside or elsewhere so I do not have to listen to it. There are pros & cons either way. I am looking more for a good universal pump all for around use whether filling tools or spraying.


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> Awesome breakdown mister...We ALL know we could use less air bubbles, no matter what the system. Now I'm going to pay _strict_ attention when I spin some light mud next week....and, should I find a very noticeable difference in pocking you will sell a big mixer.



Honestly, I never went to that degree of testing. My primary purpose for removing the air was so I could use a rotor/stator concept. Air with this design causes big problems. 

Our "tuned" solution ended up being: 



 Hamilton AP or Taping mud thinned way down for taping. Beadex was the most problematic mud at the time as back then, if you cut a box in half, it looked like a sponge with all the air trapped inside. _Might still be the same...I don't know._
 A variable speed drill.
 Technique was huge. We put the mixer down into the mud and started slow. During the mixing process we made sure to keep the mixer deep in the bucket slowing the rpm as we came closer to the top to clean the sides. Then we increased speed again as we went back to the bottom of the bucket.
 
I don't know if the mixer alone will solve the fish eye problem without a variable speed drill. But it should certainly improve things quite a lot. 

Can't wait to see the results of your test. :thumbsup:


----------



## M T Buckets Painting

I showed the mixing paddle to some guy's in Joplin MO. They all think that the mixing paddle is pretty darn neat. Possibly a few sales for them... I showed the creaser wheel to some finishers and they looked at it and said that they didn't need something like that. After seeing their angles all sunk in... I thought to myself, yes you do need that! Joplin was hit with a devastating tornado and there are alot of remodels on framing that was a little twisted in the tornado. Some of the hanging in the angles is expected to be less than perfect. The three point creaser wheel is a great solution to some of these open angles. 

The creaser wheel is not that hard to clean. I would say that while one is scrubbing the taper head with a brush, it is little to no extra effort to scrub the creaser wheel during the cleaning process. I am proud to say that I clean everything to spotless condition after each use. Dried up crusty compound on the wheel may be hard to clean but, not any harder than trying to clean dried compound from the chain and sprockets, etc of the taper head. 

I should be using taper with creaser wheel again Thursday or Friday. Once again, I will keep posting updates with more feedback.


----------



## rhardman

M T Buckets Painting said:


> I showed the mixing paddle to some guy's in Joplin MO. They all think that the mixing paddle is pretty darn neat. Possibly a few sales for them... I showed the creaser wheel to some finishers and they looked at it and said that they didn't need something like that. After seeing their angles all sunk in... I thought to myself, yes you do need that! Joplin was hit with a devastating tornado and there are alot of remodels on framing that was a little twisted in the tornado. Some of the hanging in the angles is expected to be less than perfect. The three point creaser wheel is a great solution to some of these open angles.
> 
> The creaser wheel is not that hard to clean. I would say that while one is scrubbing the taper head with a brush, it is little to no extra effort to scrub the creaser wheel during the cleaning process. I am proud to say that I clean everything to spotless condition after each use. Dried up crusty compound on the wheel may be hard to clean but, not any harder than trying to clean dried compound from the chain and sprockets, etc of the taper head.
> 
> I should be using taper with creaser wheel again Thursday or Friday. Once again, I will keep posting updates with more feedback.



I look forward to learning more about what you think of it.:thumbup:

And I'm really not trying to sell anything right now. The items on the website are testing a marketing approach for later on. When I announce tools for sale, I'll start advertising with Nathan.
That's why I've sent out so many samples (..._in the past._..it's gotten very expensive).


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

SlimPickins said:


> Oh, I'm not arguing whether it's a good investment, just babbling about my own personal buying habits (a one man demographic?). You know how it is, and how a guy makes decisions about where his money goes....It's not always about whether the investment is worth it, it's about priorities. So the question is....how does one make this mixer a priority? Should it come with a 12 pack of beer?:whistling2: (making it a priority is actually a valid question)


I kinda make most of my decisions the same way. Alot of times when I re-read my replies, I realize I come across as an arse (which I usually am), but it is more because thats just the way I talk, but in the written word, it comes out abit condesending sometimes.


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> Honestly, I never went to that degree of testing. My primary purpose for removing the air was so I could use a rotor/stator concept. Air with this design causes big problems.
> 
> Our "tuned" solution ended up being:
> 
> 
> 
> Hamilton AP or Taping mud thinned way down for taping. Beadex was the most problematic mud at the time as back then, if you cut a box in half, it looked like a sponge with all the air trapped inside. _Might still be the same...I don't know._
> A variable speed drill.
> Technique was huge. We put the mixer down into the mud and started slow. During the mixing process we made sure to keep the mixer deep in the bucket slowing the rpm as we came closer to the top to clean the sides. Then we increased speed again as we went back to the bottom of the bucket.
> 
> I don't know if the mixer alone will solve the fish eye problem without a variable speed drill. But it should certainly improve things quite a lot.
> 
> Can't wait to see the results of your test. :thumbsup:


I used your mixer today to mix Ultra-Fill and Hamilton's 90 minute. It worked great on both muds, and mix time was comparable if not quicker than with my old paddle. The best part was that there was NO UNMIXED MUD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BUCKET. This is different than my clay experience, but the sand and pigments settle pretty badly with clay. 

With Ultra-Fill, pocks aren't a problem, but with the hot-mud they didn't go away  But a nice creamy mix, and simple pumping of the mixer in water cleaned both muds off quite easily (I was surprised at how easy the UF came off....it's similar to clay in some respects). I didn't have to expend any other effort to clean the mixer and that equals money in my pocket :thumbsup:

For now, this is my only mixer....I like it. A LOT.:thumbup:


----------



## Tim0282

I have the one that has a green shaft and white paddle.
It was busy the other day so I grabbed the Sheetrock brand mixer. It used to be my preferred mixer. I noticed how much unmixed mud it leaves around the perimeter of the bucket. About an inch. Just didn't want to mix into the rest of the mud. I sure Rick's mixer. And, by the way, I can barely contain myself in anticipation of the rest of the tools he is developing. :thumbsup:


----------



## SlimPickins

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I kinda make most of my decisions the same way. Alot of times when I re-read my replies, I realize I come across as an arse (which I usually am), but it is more because thats just the way I talk, but in the written word, it comes out abit condesending sometimes.


I don't think you're an arse...you're generally quite helpful (and sarcastic, which I like)...and then sometimes you're drunk, and that's just funny:thumbsup:


----------



## JustMe

M T Buckets Painting said:


> How did that work for you? I have thought of doing something similar to that. I hate dragging along a big compressor for a small texture job with a hand held hopper but, I also hate waiting on a small compressor to keep up. I like to run my compressor at about 35 to 40 psi and I just cant get the volume of air needed with a small compressor.
> 
> Just the other day, I had a one sheet repair that had to be blended with an existing knock down and I ended up using a Red Tail hand pump touch up gun. That is alot of pumping!!!!!!


It's been some years since I've used it for spraying a room or 2 in our place, in-laws and friends places, but I don't remember there being any real problems with supply @ 35-40 psi. Moving to another area in a room, re-loading the hopper, ........., helped let the system catch up. I wouldn't spray all that fast with it either, as I'm not a texturing pro, but it did the job.

The compressor is a 3/4(?) hp oil bath Emglo AirMate (125 psi, single tank - 1 1/2 gallons I believe), and I'd piggyback on a 5 gallon spare tank. I have a 150' hose reel on wheels that I'd set the compressor on top of, to move it in and out of yards. It's a handy enough set up for portability. I originally used it to power up some air pruners, when I did tree work.

I remember someone posting here that they used a 1(?) hp oil-less pancake Buffalo Tools compressor, without a piggyback tank, for a decent amount of spraying. I think they said it would last a year before destructing, and did a decent enough job of keeping up. They posted pics somewhere here of the spraying it could do.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Tim0282 said:


> I have the one that has a green shaft and white paddle.
> It was busy the other day so I grabbed the Sheetrock brand mixer. It used to be my preferred mixer. I noticed how much unmixed mud it leaves around the perimeter of the bucket. About an inch. Just didn't want to mix into the rest of the mud. I sure Rick's mixer. And, by the way, I can barely contain myself in anticipation of the rest of the tools he is developing. :thumbsup:


I have both, and the big one blows the little one out of the water

Just a idea, but I think Rhardman should apply a bit of the goldie locks theory. I would stick the head of the big mixer on the shaft of the little mixer, and drop the adjustable bolt, just an idea, maybe that might bring the price down to 40 to 60 range maybe.

I got stuck with my old mixer for a week, That's when you really miss Rhardmans big mixer

I also got stuck with Rhardmans little mixer for a week, I also missed the bigger mixer that week, see where I'm coming from


----------



## rhardman

*From The ToolDr's thread about Ames CFS.*



2buckcanuck said:


> I agree with gazmen and chris
> 
> Some will argue with a small job, that a hand taper can get most of his tapes on by the time a machine guy got out all his tools set up. On a larger job a machine will blast by a hand taper. So how big does the job got to be now, for the cfs to blow by the machine taper. There is that thing called drying time.
> 
> Even still, I have been on alot of large jobs, I have seen a lot of guys hang them selves by biting off more than they can chew. Easy to step in a building and blast of 20,000...... 30,000 sq ft with a zookie in one day, sanding a checking it in one day is not easy to do, and leave a perfect job:yes:


 
A good system in my opinion has to be as productive on a small job as well as on a big one. Less time from when you pull up to the site to when you drive away. 2 or 3 jobs in a day should be everyone's target. That kind of production can make your bids more competitive and you'll end up with a lot more money at the end of the month. It would be even more advantageous in a slow economy. 

Why work longer if a system does the same amount of production and allows you to leave earlier? Sure, if your option costs twice as much, we'll sacrifice our bodies...but if they are comparable in price.... (?) _The perfect system would be faster than a banjo on a 2 room remodel and still do large scale production work._

I look forward to the Dr's reasons why Ames is better than Apla Tech (asked on the other thread). Seems they're primarily selling on the basis of their name and a clever mud valve. I hope I'm wrong.

I'm also watching to see if the answers come from real experience or not. For instance, sure you have a wash tank, but first you have to empty the system, then hose and rinse everything down. Then you have to refill the tank and hose with clean water, and then you can start washing your tools. After you're done washing the tools, you have to emtpy the pump & tank and rinse everything down again. Why not just wash the tools the same time you're washing down and rinsing out the pump and tank the first time? Wouldn't that save a step or two? *Please correct me if I'm missing something here...*

Under real world conditions, isn't a completely separate wash station a better solution?

http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/my-home-made-portable-wash-station-1976/

Rick


*...and a smoking hot (easy clean) mixing paddle of course! :brows::tt2::thumbup1::lol:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> I have both, and the big one blows the little one out of the water
> 
> Just a idea, but I think Rhardman should apply a bit of the goldie locks theory. I would stick the head of the big mixer on the shaft of the little mixer, and drop the adjustable bolt, just an idea, maybe that might bring the price down to 40 to 60 range maybe.
> 
> I got stuck with my old mixer for a week, That's when you really miss Rhardmans big mixer
> 
> I also got stuck with Rhardmans little mixer for a week, I also missed the bigger mixer that week, see where I'm coming from


But then, we couldn't sell to the low end market at $20.00. Also, I don't know if I'm confident that a weld on such a small shaft and yoke would hold up with a bigger blade and massive drill in real thick mud. Look at how the shaft on the big mixer is connected by threads in a steel yoke. Then look at the bottom side of the threads, they're sealed so water can't back up the threads and cause rust. That wasn't by accident. :whistling2: Neither was the powdercoat finish we put on the yoke...instead of paint.

Give me some time and I'll get the price of the big one down to where you want it....I mean...that's what you're asking for...so wouldn't a smart company listen to what the customer wants and then make it happen? :thumbsup:


----------



## Tim0282

So you think the mixer is expensive?

How many buckets of mud do you mix in a week?

Do you use your bazooka more in a week than your mixer. Which is more important?
Well, they both are extremely important!
We mix more or less a hundred buckets a week. Every week. Fifty two weeks a year. I bet you do too.

So that mixer is pretty cheap, if you ask me! :thumbup:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Tim0282 said:


> So you think the mixer is expensive?
> 
> How many buckets of mud do you mix in a week?
> 
> Do you use your bazooka more in a week than your mixer. Which is more important?
> Well, they both are extremely important!
> We mix more or less a hundred buckets a week. Every week. Fifty two weeks a year. I bet you do too.
> 
> So that mixer is pretty cheap, if you ask me! :thumbup:


Thank ya now,,,, thats what I meant to say


----------



## Tim0282

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Thank ya now,,,, thats what I meant to say


 You're a good man, Capt!


----------



## SlimPickins

Tim0282 said:


> So you think the mixer is expensive?
> 
> How many buckets of mud do you mix in a week?
> 
> Do you use your bazooka more in a week than your mixer. Which is more important?
> Well, they both are extremely important!
> We mix more or less a hundred buckets a week. Every week. Fifty two weeks a year. I bet you do too.
> 
> So that mixer is pretty cheap, if you ask me! :thumbup:


So, did you buy the big mixer, or were you given one to test?

Lots of things are cheap when you get them for free!:jester:


----------



## JustMe

Tim0282 said:


> So you think the mixer is expensive?
> 
> How many buckets of mud do you mix in a week?
> 
> Do you use your bazooka more in a week than your mixer. Which is more important?
> Well, they both are extremely important!
> We mix more or less a hundred buckets a week. Every week. Fifty two weeks a year. I bet you do too.
> 
> So that mixer is pretty cheap, if you ask me! :thumbup:


Doing a little fun math:

If you do 5,200 buckets a year (and that's not including remixing some of them from time to time), and Rick's larger lifetime mixer saves you/makes you say .10 a bucket with: faster mixing; maybe fewer messes at times to clean up around mixing area from slopped over water and mud(?); faster mixer cleaning; having a better, easier mud mix to apply; no plastic thread shavings in the mud(?); re-used buckets maybe last longer; fewer deficiencies showing up; ......; that's 520.00 for the year in savings/earnings. (I'm using a probably very low earning/savings amount per bucket for demo purposes, as the probable actual amount earned/saved - based on comments made here already about the mixer - might get too large for me to calculate.) 

If the mixer costs 130.00 (extra 10.00? added for shipping) then your investment of 130.00 gets you a 400% return for that year (and if you write the tool expense off against taxable income, it would be more than a 400% return - but then you might have to pay some taxes on at least some of your investment profits as well, so it might be a bit of a wash). And because it's lifetime warrantied, it'll keep returning over the next .......# of years. Unless maybe you lose it or it gets stolen. Or a better mixer comes along in the years to follow - but by then you should more than have made money on it.

Not too bad(!?), if one is doing Any kind of mud mixing volume(?)


----------



## Tim0282

JustMe said:


> Doing a little fun math:
> 
> If you do 5,200 buckets a year (and that's not including remixing some of them from time to time), and Rick's larger lifetime mixer saves you/makes you say .10 a bucket with: faster mixing; maybe fewer messes at times to clean up around mixing area from slopped over water and mud(?); faster mixer cleaning; having a better, easier mud mix to apply; no plastic thread shavings in the mud(?); re-used buckets maybe last longer; fewer deficiencies showing up; ......; that's 520.00 for the year in savings/earnings. (I'm using a probably very low earning/savings amount per bucket for demo purposes, as the probable actual amount earned/saved - based on comments made here already about the mixer - might get too large for me to calculate.)
> If the mixer costs 130.00 (extra 10.00? added for shipping) then your investment of 130.00 gets you a 400% return for that year (and if you write the tool expense off against taxable income, it would be more than a 400% return - but then you might have to pay some taxes on at least some of your investment profits as well, so it might be a bit of a wash). And because it's lifetime warrantied, it'll keep returning over the next .......# of years. Unless maybe you lose it or it gets stolen. Or a better mixer comes along in the years to follow - but by then you should more than have made money on it.
> 
> Not too bad(!?), if one is doing Any kind of mud mixing volume(?)


Now that is a lot of good thinking, JustMe!


----------



## JustMe

Tim0282 said:


> Now that is a lot of good thinking, JustMe!


Thanks, Tim. My accountant has told me I can be pretty creative when it comes to making a case for justifying things. 

But in all seriousness, I think Rick's mixer (at least the larger one) shouldn't need creative arguments to justify its worth in making one money. At least that's how I'm seeing it right now, based on user reviews. I'm convinced enough that I'll be getting the larger version of it myself.


----------



## Tim0282

JustMe said:


> Thanks, Tim. My accountant has told me I can be pretty creative when it comes to making a case for justifying things.
> 
> But I think Rick's mixer (at least the larger one) shouldn't need creative arguments to justify its worth in making one money. At least that's how I'm seeing it right now, based on user reviews. I'm convinced enough that I'll be getting the larger version of it myself.


There is a huge difference between the small and the large. Like all of our good tools, they are worth the money. The expensive ones tend to make/save us more money.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

JustMe said:


> Thanks, Tim. My accountant has told me I can be pretty creative when it comes to making a case for justifying things.


Can we have a conversation then justme........ Lets say before April 30th, 2012, when the tax man comes knocking :whistling2:


----------



## SlimPickins

JustMe said:


> Doing a little fun math:
> 
> If you do 5,200 buckets a year (and that's not including remixing some of them from time to time), and Rick's larger lifetime mixer saves you/makes you say .10 a bucket with: faster mixing; maybe fewer messes at times to clean up around mixing area from slopped over water and mud(?); faster mixer cleaning; having a better, easier mud mix to apply; no plastic thread shavings in the mud(?); re-used buckets maybe last longer; fewer deficiencies showing up; ......; that's 520.00 for the year in savings/earnings. (I'm using a probably very low earning/savings amount per bucket for demo purposes, as the probable actual amount earned/saved - based on comments made here already about the mixer - might get too large for me to calculate.)
> 
> If the mixer costs 130.00 (extra 10.00? added for shipping) then your investment of 130.00 gets you a 400% return for that year (and if you write the tool expense off against taxable income, it would be more than a 400% return - but then you might have to pay some taxes on at least some of your investment profits as well, so it might be a bit of a wash). And because it's lifetime warrantied, it'll keep returning over the next .......# of years. Unless maybe you lose it or it gets stolen. Or a better mixer comes along in the years to follow - but by then you should more than have made money on it.
> 
> Not too bad(!?), if one is doing Any kind of mud mixing volume(?)


Yeah, I suppose that's the issue then...large volume mixing vs. small-time guys doing remodel work. I spend my time (as of late) doing a mix of demo, creative framing, hanging, taping, texturing, etc. Mixing buckets of mud accounts for very little of my time, but I need it to go well when I do it due to the large amount of set-muds I use. I'm sold on the mixer, and I can't wait to try it out when I earmark a little money. Lately I've been buying $4-500 carpentry tools (latest is a Roto-hammer for framing basements). I'm doing more and more of my own work now, but it usually runs a gamut of tasks.


----------



## JustMe

SlimPickins said:


> Yeah, I suppose that's the issue then...large volume mixing vs. small-time guys doing remodel work. I spend my time (as of late) doing a mix of demo, creative framing, hanging, taping, texturing, etc. Mixing buckets of mud accounts for very little of my time, but I need it to go well when I do it due to the large amount of set-muds I use. I'm sold on the mixer, and I can't wait to try it out when I earmark a little money. Lately I've been buying $4-500 carpentry tools (latest is a Roto-hammer for framing basements). I'm doing more and more of my own work now, but it usually runs a gamut of tasks.


Generalists can have a harder go of it than can those more specialized. But being a generalist might be a bit safer in some ways right now(?)

Is there a core area(s) you could get more focused on that could earn you good dollars? Are there little known specialized tools, like Rick's mixer, that could give you an advantage? (Ad eg.: 'Using the latest in special mixers, we can better ensure a more consistent colouring in your American Clay feature walls'.) 



2buckcanuck said:


> Can we have a conversation then justme........ Lets say before April 30th, 2012, when the tax man comes knocking :whistling2:


I didn't say he actually used a lot of my creativity. But as long as you don't use my name when they come knocking again after that......


----------



## SlimPickins

JustMe said:


> Generalists can have a harder go of it than can those more specialized. But being a generalist might be a bit safer in some ways right now(?)
> 
> Is there a core area(s) you could get more focused on that could earn you good dollars? Are there little known specialized tools, like Rick's mixer, that could give you an advantage? (Ad eg.: 'Using the latest in special mixers, we can better ensure a more consistent colouring in your American Clay feature walls'.)


Being a generalist right now is keeping my family fed:thumbsup: I do my share of specialty work though, my specialty is making rough stuff look nice :laughing: I don't think I need to market Rick's mixer to my clients, I just need to set aside the money on the next bigger job. In reality, it's not a lot of money when you go and pay $75 for a nice trowel:blink:, and it will see more action because specialty trowels only show up a small percentage of the time, while you're always mixing muds. 

While I may have balked at the price initially, more exposure to Rick's smaller mixer has me pretty well sold on it. I suppose I was just comparing it to regular off-the-shelf paddles (which it most definitely is not). If for no other reason, the speed of cleaning the sucker. And, it DOES make a really creamy mix.

By the way...that Pavan trowel I bought (see http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/new-trowel-2415/) is really really nice to work with.


----------



## rhardman

*Okay...and an UPDATE.*

Here's the deal with the bigger mixer. I have to work with a distributor outside of DWT to promote our tools. They need to make enough money to cover their overhead and make a fair profit. I've already had the conversation and have a tentative agreement with a very good company (I'm not going to say who it is as I don't want to be accused of trying to sell anything yet.)

Our weakness where a distribution partner really helps is outside of DWT. They can't do anything for us here. In fact, we'll be bringing more business to them.

So on our website we'll list the distribution price even if someone buys from us direct.

However, if someone has a DWT member name, we'll give them a 30% discount on anything we manufacture and direct contact to me at any time of the day or night.* I'll also move the pricing around so that with the DWT discount, you'll get the big mixer for $79.00. The current price allows for the distributor mark up.

That will support the distributor pricing level, bring them more business through our advertising on DWT and give DWT members a priviledged price point.

Work for you?

Rick
* Buy a system and to say _*"Thank you for trusting us with your business...through DWT"*_ I'll send you a turkey the following Thanksgiving! 

A big fat one!!! :thumbup:










UPDATE:

We've been waiting for 4 business days on a new part going to the machinist in Canada. Apparently it's in Customs. 

FYI...:thumbsup:


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> Here's the deal with the bigger mixer. I have to work with a distributor outside of DWT to promote our tools. They need to make enough money to cover their overhead and make a fair profit. I've already had the conversation and have a tentative agreement with a very good company (I'm not going to say who it is as I don't want to be accused of trying to sell anything yet.)
> 
> Our weakness where a distribution partner really helps is outside of DWT. They can't do anything for us here. In fact, we'll be bringing more business to them.
> 
> So on our website we'll list the distribution price even if someone buys from us direct.
> 
> However, if someone has a DWT member name, we'll give them a 30% discount on anything we manufacture and direct contact to me at any time of the day or night.* I'll also move the pricing around so that with the DWT discount, you'll get the big mixer for $79.00. The current price allows for the distributor mark up.
> 
> That will support the distributor pricing level, bring them more business through our advertising on DWT and give DWT members a priviledged price point.
> 
> Work for you?
> 
> Rick
> * Buy a system and to say _*"Thank you for trusting us with your business...through DWT"*_ I'll send you a turkey the following Thanksgiving!
> 
> A big fat one!!! :thumbup:
> 
> View attachment 1959
> 
> 
> 
> UPDATE:
> 
> We've been waiting for 4 businss days on a new part going to the machinist in Canada. Apparently it's in Customs.
> 
> FYI...:thumbsup:



Works for me!!
Off subject here_____I'm waiting for oil to heat so I can fry a turkey just like the one in your picture! Yummmm.....


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> Here's the deal with the bigger mixer. I have to work with a distributor outside of DWT to promote our tools. They need to make enough money to cover their overhead and make a fair profit. I've already had the conversation and have a tentative agreement with a very good company (I'm not going to say who it is as I don't want to be accused of trying to sell anything yet.)
> 
> Our weakness where a distribution partner really helps is outside of DWT. They can't do anything for us here. In fact, we'll be bringing more business to them.
> 
> So on our website we'll list the distribution price even if someone buys from us direct.
> 
> However, if someone has a DWT member name, we'll give them a 30% discount on anything we manufacture and direct contact to me at any time of the day or night.* I'll also move the pricing around so that with the DWT discount, you'll get the big mixer for $79.00. The current price allows for the distributor mark up.
> 
> That will support the distributor pricing level, bring them more business through our advertising on DWT and give DWT members a priviledged price point.
> 
> Work for you?
> 
> Rick
> * Buy a system and to say _*"Thank you for trusting us with your business...through DWT"*_ I'll send you a turkey the following Thanksgiving!
> 
> A big fat one!!! :thumbup:
> 
> View attachment 1959
> 
> 
> 
> UPDATE:
> 
> We've been waiting for 4 businss days on a new part going to the machinist in Canada. Apparently it's in Customs.
> 
> FYI...:thumbsup:


At the risk of sounding like a brown-noser...you're a pretty cool guy Rick:thumbup:


----------



## Tim0282

SlimPickins said:


> At the risk of sounding like a brown-noser...you're a pretty cool guy Rick:thumbup:


He seems to be a pretty fart smeller..........I mean a smart feller!


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> He seems to be a pretty fart smeller..........I mean a smart feller!


:shutup::lol::brows::tooth::tt2:


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> At the risk of sounding like a brown-noser...you're a pretty cool guy Rick:thumbup:


At the risk of sounding like a brown-noser...it's the least we can do for all the patience everyone is showing with things taking longer than we expected!:notworthy:


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> :shutup::lol::brows::tooth::tt2:


Why the guy in there brushing his teeth? Hmmmmm????


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Why the guy in there brushing his teeth? Hmmmmm????


Must be turkey.


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> Must be turkey.


And it was a tasty one. Then I got ambitious and got the old White Mountain out and cranked up some ice cream! Man that was good!


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Here's the deal with the bigger mixer. I have to work with a distributor outside of DWT to promote our tools. They need to make enough money to cover their overhead and make a fair profit. I've already had the conversation and have a tentative agreement with a very good company (I'm not going to say who it is as I don't want to be accused of trying to sell anything yet.)
> 
> Our weakness where a distribution partner really helps is outside of DWT. They can't do anything for us here. In fact, we'll be bringing more business to them.
> 
> So on our website we'll list the distribution price even if someone buys from us direct.
> 
> However, if someone has a DWT member name, we'll give them a 30% discount on anything we manufacture and direct contact to me at any time of the day or night.* I'll also move the pricing around so that with the DWT discount, you'll get the big mixer for $79.00. The current price allows for the distributor mark up.
> 
> That will support the distributor pricing level, bring them more business through our advertising on DWT and give DWT members a priviledged price point.
> 
> Work for you?
> 
> Rick
> * Buy a system and to say _*"Thank you for trusting us with your business...through DWT"*_ I'll send you a turkey the following Thanksgiving!
> 
> A big fat one!!! :thumbup:
> 
> View attachment 1959
> 
> 
> 
> UPDATE:
> 
> We've been waiting for 4 business days on a new part going to the machinist in Canada. Apparently it's in Customs.
> 
> FYI...:thumbsup:


That's a stand up offer.

Any idea yet as to what delivery time on the systems might be?


----------



## SlimPickins

Tim0282 said:


> Why the guy in there brushing his teeth? Hmmmmm????


Maybe during the act of brown-nosing he went a little too far?


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> That's a stand up offer.
> 
> Any idea yet as to what delivery time on the systems might be?


Everything is sitting on 3 tables waiting for the pump to be wrapped up and tested. 

I could put a $7500.00 price tag on it, use one of my tapers, the existing boxes and corner tools and use a paint sprayer to pump the mud right now just like the other companies. But that system is built to be easy to manufacture and make the most money from. It's not designed for the contractor.

As far as the date goes, first we finish the new "break down" pump design and test it in the shop. Then we have to field test it. Everything is already proven with the exception of the pump. Once we're satisfied with that, (and you'll read about everything as it happens) we'll send out 3 sets and listen to what the users recommend. We'll make the appropriate improvements and then offer them to the public.

I want these things to be perfect when they hit the streets. I want no problems and no surprises. I also want them at a price point where I could have afforded them when I was in my 20's. 

Ames and TT are promoting a new feature. Columbia and Drywall Master have new ideas all the time but they focus on maintaining their reputation, dependability and customer service.

Technology is only 15% of what's needed to support you guys.

I'm taking my lessons from Columbia and DM.

(Justme, the texture system will be much earlier than the taping tools but with the 110V 15-20 amp constraints, I've got to play with a couple of things to see how much air I can give you.)

*Tuesday UPDATE:* The part going to the machinist hasn't left customs yet. 
They said I should call again tomorrow to check its status.


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> Maybe during the act of brown-nosing he went a little too far?


No....it's turkey...I ASSURE YOU!!!!!:blink:


----------



## rhardman

*From the Dr's thread....I couldn't seem to stay quiet so I moved my observation here.*



P.A. ROCKER said:


> Heavy, difficult to feather and spread.


Here's what may have happened...

The USG MSDS report indicates in section 3 that expanded perlite is used in the formula. Perlite is common in mud. In some lightweight compound they use microscopic glass beads as a filler to reduce weight.

http://www.usg.com/rc/msds/joint-compounds/sheetrock/sheetrock-midweight-all-purpose-joint-compound-msds-en-61360002.pdf 

Under the high pressure, the (expanded) perlite may have been compressed to a more compacted material. Most of the other ingredients are of a solid structure. With Perlite at 5% of the material (by weight) and 5% Attapulgite being a type of clay (which would also be compactible by dispersing the water between the molecules*) it might account for what P.A. described. 

...my $ .02 anyway...:thumbsup:

I wonder if this means not all mud is fully compatible with CFS....(?) At least not at those pressures with a reciprocating pump. Could this also add to the edge problems Apla Tech had with the coaters? My dad used those coaters by hand (Versa Tool system) and I remember very distinctly that they feathered nicely. He liked them very much. I just looked at the Versa Tool coater I bought on ebay. Its blade is very flimsy where it meets the shoes. I think this "heavy mud" might have contributed to the problems Apla Tech encountered. **

Some guys liked the Apla Tech coaters...some didn't...I wonder if it was a difference in the formula of the mud?

I think P.A. has provided some new revelations about CFS!!! :thumbsup:

Someone correct me if I'm off base here...



*I have experience in the geotechnical world where they measure the dispersement of water from clay with an instrument called a piezometer. They do it before large structures such as bridges and dams are built when clay is in the area. They call it the "Dewatering" phase.

** With the standard boxes you're still pushing fairly hard to dispense the mud, where with the coaters, not nearly as much pressure was applied. So...the additional pressure "would" compensate for the harder feathering characteristics of CFS mud delivered with the paint sprayers.

This is the part I like the best...theorizing and then proving the idea correct...or proving it was wrong.:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

The piece we were awaiting for in customs was delivered at 4:45 today. Yesterday I received new drawings telling me I couldn't "beef up" part of the system any more. 


*From:* ******@*********.com>
*To:* 'Rick Hardman' [email protected]
*Sent:* Wednesday, September 7, 2011 4:09:39 PM
*Subject:* Latest


Hi Rick,

Here is the latest configuration for the ******. 
NO you may not add ******X J

:thumbup:


_Meanwhile back at the ranch..._

Getting the A-1 finalized is getting real interesting with the air/power draw issue. I've got 3 guys I'm working with on it; engineers with calculators telling me I can't do both.

Hmmmm. :blink:

_I still have 2 or 3 other cards up my sleeve..._:thumbsup: 

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I like your bluntness and truthfulness. You speak the truth. Good job, Capt.
> TT may be trying to gain back leadership, but seems they have shot themselves in the foot so many times in the last few years they are limping pretty badly. And may not be able to recover. They do have a larger boat load of cash than most, so maybe they can recover. Time will tell. Rick???


Our new friend from Tape Tech isn't some customer service guy that found his way to the site, Mike is the Director of Tape Tech. The good thing in my opinion is that Ames/TT is being forced to be more customer focused. Mike seems to be the guy to do it. One thing for sure, he will have pressures from his superiors to get tools out the door. If he can't do it, they'll find someone else. Don't mean to be rude...but that's the life he's chosen.

So it's in Mike's best interest to do whatever he can, in any way he can, as soon as he can, to bring in as much revenue as he can.

Whether it's a sincere respect for the contractor or a sales tactic will make itself obvious over time. 

If the truth be told, I feel like "David" watching Goliath looking back at me as he walks onto the field with his war chest and battle armor (I'm just an 8 year old drywall kid washing buckets for his dad....._with a slingshot_).



If not David...then we're certainly...


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> Our new friend from Tape Tech isn't some customer service guy that found his way to the site, Mike is the Director of Tape Tech. The good thing in my opinion is that Ames/TT is being forced to be more customer focused. Mike seems to be the guy to do it. One thing for sure, he will have pressures from his superiors to get tools out the door. If he can't do it, they'll find someone else. Don't mean to be rude...but that's the life he's chosen.
> 
> So it's in Mike's best interest to do whatever he can in any way he can as soon as he can to bring in as much revenue as he can.
> 
> Whether it's a sincere respect for the contractor or a sales tactic will make itself obvious over time.
> 
> If the truth be told, I feel like "David" watching Goliath looking back at me as he walks onto the field.
> 
> (I'm just an 8 year old drywall kid washing buckets for his dad....._with a slingshot_).


So if we could get Mike fired, do you think someone from DWT could get his job:whistling2:

I wonder how much money mike makes









I wonder if mike has ever ran any drywall tools









just kidding Mike:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> So if we could get Mike fired, do you think someone from DWT could get his job?
> 
> just kidding Mike:thumbup:


 
I may have gone over the line with my previous comments...just playin' but Mike's not a drywall guy and could have misinterpreted the sense of humor.

Thought it might be better if I delete it and leave a cordial..."uhhh, nevermind."


----------



## Tim0282

Ahhh....confidence! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Ahhh....confidence! :thumbsup:


Yea...I deserved that.

There's a guy with one of the large drywall companies that I hope to build an alliance with in the future. His last call to me was about my "abrasiveness" toward Ames, saying the new group is better than other guys that ran the show in the past. So, especially in respect to him, I deleted it.



2buckcanuck said:


> So if we could get Mike fired, do you think someone from DWT could get his job?:thumbup:


...it was just a little comment to 2Buck's statement about getting Mike fired so a DWT guy could get his job...something about everyone on DWT sending Mike books wrapped in plain brown wrappers and 2Buck calling Mike's secretary saying he was Mike's love slave...


...._or something like that._


_It's better that I deleted such a dasterdly comment...:thumbsup:_


----------



## Tim0282

Confidence is not bad! You best have confidence! In any area/job one has. Or the sharks will eat you for lunch!


----------



## rhardman

Confidence isn't the problem...

Now it's potential liabel suits and burning relationships I have to be careful of. You've seen what I have, I can't just tell people to go screw themselves any more..._as much as I might like to._...(not TT related of course...just saying in general).

As things get closer I see a whole new set of responsibilites I need to step up to.

That's all it is...

:thumbup:


----------



## Tim0282

I so understand!


----------



## rhardman

*Update.*

Pump:

"We can't make it rebuildable at home..."
"I said we would...it has to be"


A-1:

"Sure for $1500.00...."
"I need $350.00 at the most....at less than 6 amps...."


Another A-1 issue:

"It was easy until you said that..."


_People are frustrated with me right now...._


_I had a couple of questions asking for your input. Revealed a little too much I think...I'll PM for advice._

Rick


----------



## carpentaper

just wanted to let you know Rick the CG mixer is the only one i have been using for a while now. not to change the subject or anything.


----------



## rhardman

*Behind the scenes PM.*



Tim0282 said:


> I don't see a problem with ***x ***x *********.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Tim.
> 
> I've been waiting for the mud valve from the machinist before I can show you the taper demo.
> 
> They said I should be able to pick it up tomorrow.
> 
> Rick
> 
> 
> I'm going to post this on the thread....


:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

http://www.vogelsangusa.com/principal/pumpprinc.htm

I love pump videos. 

Richard and I tested this principle for our system in about 1984. It's like a gear pump Robert Ames used for his CFS. 

It has some huge advantages...cheap...powerful but with today's mud it only lasted about an hour and a half.

Like all the other pumps I built, I got all excited...for a very short period of time.:blink:


We're using some of this systems features..._but differently._

:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*LT Mixer Contest....I need a little help...*

I picked up the mud valve yesterday thumbup and connected it to the taper. It looks great but clearances are tricky so before I can go any further I need to find a Z swivel and confirm its dimensions before I can finish the thing.


Here's the contest....:clap:

The only swivel I could find yesterday was the Graco 207948. It's a beast of Stainless Steel and perfect for the application. But...I can't take the chance of a Graco product just in case they ever feel we are threatening their drywall market. Last thing I need is to run into a vendor that stops delivery of a component (I've seen competitors do it in the electronics industry...deliberately). If that happened, orders would be late as we searched for another source.








So...

The first person that sends me contact information for a stainless steel substitute for the Graco swivel, (it needs to be 3/8 (better) or 1/2 inch and 3 dimensional) will receive one of our NE-516 Mixers 

http://www.hardmansystems.com/products/paddles/

Data sheet: 

http://www.hardmansystems.com/downloads/files/New%20HIgh%20Tech%20Mixing%20Paddle%20HSI.pdf

and a set of the Advance ergonomic pan and the 6,8, 10 and 12 inch Stainless Steel Cool Grip II taping/finishing knives. I'll pay for them personally as this contest is not sponsored in any way by Advance. 

I just want to include the best hand tools I've ever used along with the best mixer I've ever used to get the best help I can get finding this part.

On our site contact page, check my name and you'll get a form you can send. It's the best way for me to keep things organized.

The first person that sends a workable replacement gets the tools. It has to be through a source I can make repeated purchases from. The orginal manufacturer is the best information but a distributor is okay too.

This contest will last until Wednesday September 21.:thumbsup:

Thank you,

Rick
_(Hydraulic swivels aren't an option for the contest.)_


----------



## rebel20

Rick are you looking for a z swivel or a z swivel with spray nozzel as by Graco?
and does it need to be 6000psi or what is the psi rating there are quite a few z swivels out there. something like the pics below


----------



## rhardman

Thanks,

Definitely high pressure and Z so it moves in any direction.

The more compact unit on the left would be less apt to snag.

I've seen a ton of the aluminum so with the pressure, I'm looking for Stainless. I may have found a good substitute today but don't want to make any decision until everyone has chimed in. I might not have the best solution.

For the tools, a specific recommendation can go to the site, email or pm me.

Haven't seen you around for a while...always a pleasure Sir! :thumbup:


----------



## rebel20

rhardman said:


> Thanks,
> 
> Definitely high pressure and Z so it moves in any direction.
> 
> The more compact unit on the left would be less apt to snag.
> 
> I've seen a ton of the aluminum so with the pressure, I'm looking for Stainless. I may have found a good substitute today but don't want to make any decision until everyone has chimed in. I might not have the best solution.
> 
> For the tools, a specific recommendation can go to the site, email or pm me.
> 
> Haven't seen you around for a while...always a pleasure Sir! :thumbup:


Been here just haven't been logged in that much trying to catch up on things after a 30 day vacation


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> Thanks,
> 
> Definitely high pressure and Z so it moves in any direction.
> 
> The more compact unit on the left would be less apt to snag.
> 
> I've seen a ton of the aluminum so with the pressure, I'm looking for Stainless. I may have found a good substitute today but don't want to make any decision until everyone has chimed in. I might not have the best solution.
> 
> For the tools, a specific recommendation can go to the site, email or pm me.
> 
> Haven't seen you around for a while...always a pleasure Sir! :thumbup:


This isn't high pressure, but it's a great style...snagging isn't much of an issue at all (I have one on my framing nailer). I'll keep digging.


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> This isn't high pressure, but it's a great style...snagging isn't much of an issue at all (I have one on my framing nailer). I'll keep digging.


Please do...:thumbsup: Where it is positoned on the taper, there is a piece that might interfere with the full rotation of the hose. This is the reference to "snagging" I'm talking about. Depending on the final swivel, I may need to alter the taper a bit.

Thank you very much for your help guys!


----------



## rhardman

*Moved from the Ames CFS thread out of respect for the ToolDr....*

This was the last post on the other thread...




Tim0282 said:


> I will be spraying mud with Never/Miss Final Coat on a job in a couple days. I have two coats to put on the job first, then I'll be able to spray. But I better tape a different job tomorrow, so I will be closer to the end of the week. Will let you know how it goes. It is fascinating how spraying mud with an airless seems to change the make up of the mud. Thought it was just me. Good to see others saying the same.


Okay, so it appears that there is something going on with pumping high pressure mud then. Cormac is using 1/2" & 3/8" hose and P.A. was using 1/4.



Cormac said:


> No heat is generated in that hose from pumping action or frictional losses.


I disagree with Cormac that "no" heating or frictional issue is occuring because it is a scienfic fact that pumping water will result in a a rise in temperature. Even with a constant flow of cool water behind it, at the microscopic point of contact, there is a frictional effect. What's probably the case here is that with 3/8" or 1/2" hose, there is not enough friction to notice any temperature rise just by touching the hose. Maybe there isn't enough to even matter. But with the high number of particulates per cubic inch of material...the more it cycles...as stated by the packing that occurs at the tip, something is happening.

The tip packing has to be caused by pressure (forcing the water out the tip) while the coarser solids won't pass the tight tolerances. That's easy to figure out.

But if that's the case, I still think there is strong evidence for the mud consolidating. It's proven in the tip...the only question is...what happens to the moisture in the mud if it can't escape? Does that prevent the possibility of compacting?

This is getting far afield from the Drs. original intention and my over active enthusiasm has already interferred with him promoting Mike's new PR approach, Tape Tech and the Ames CFS System.

Don't mean to be disrepectful...so if nobody minds I'll move over to the other thread. 

:thumbsup:


----------



## Tim0282

I have noticed when spraying mud that the hose is warm while spraying. Cools down quickly when I stop. And it was a higher temp. when spraying with a quarter inch hose. I am using a 3/8ths inch hose now. It stills warms as the mud flows.
Have also noticed it does not increase in temperature when spraying primer or paint. Just my .02 worth.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> I disagree with Cormac that "no" heating or frictional issue is occuring because it is a scienfic fact that pumping water will result in a a rise in temperature.


A decent infrared temperature gun should be able to accurately enough tell the difference in the mud in the container before it goes through the pump, and a pile of mud that's just come out of the hose end.


----------



## rhardman

*Warning: Boring to a lot of people...*

A "Come to Jesus" statement should be made...

My reasons for beating this dead horse has multiple levels. 

*First,* I think Apla Tech may have received a bad reputation based on a material issue that nobody knew about and they had no control over. In the introduction of their "coaters" we already know that some people really liked them and other people thought they were junk. If mud does consolidate with pressure (as I suspect*) it would explain why there were reports of edges left behind. I've looked at a coater that was on a Versa Tool I bought on ebay and it's been confirmed to me that this is the same source Apla Tech used for theirs. When looking at the blade adjustment the metal that contacts the mud is very thin. If the mud from the hose is not the same viscocity that was originally mixed, feathering could become difficult and it's easy to see how an edge could be left where the coater blade meets the shoe that rides on the wall.

Some guys really liked the coaters so some mud(s) could be more compatible with CFS and the paint sprayers than others.

*Second,* I will need to change 2 designs I came up with that I wanted to retrofit to the Graco and Titan/Speeflo pumps. 

*Third,* it also substantiates the fact that at the end of the day, even an international pump company still boils down to a few guys trying to figure something out. If they do not understand what it means to be a finisher, they don't know what to look for and can easily send a product to market when they shouldn't have. Throw the issue of unlimited resources aside, it proves people are people doing the best they can...and everyone has the potential to make a mistake.

*Forth,* I need to know if my theory is wrong or not.


**Here's what I think...*

With the heavy concentration of fillers in drywall mud used to provide the lowest possible material cost per gallon, these fillers need to be absorbant and still occupy a given area within the compound. Being absorbant, I believe that this means they are compressible. Under normal use and manipulation (standard knife and pan work and using automatic tools) the most pressure applied to the material is hand and arm powered resulting in just a few pounds per square inch of material. In this context the mud handles just as the manufacturer designed it.

When used for texturing, the water content is considerably higher so the absorbing fillers are greatly reduced in quantity per cubic inch of texture mud. High water content is the medium to deliver the mud through the hose. After it hits the wall or lid, it evaporates into the atmosphere and dries in the pattern applied. You can see that the fillers are saturated with water because the mud shrinks as it dries. Pressure is limited to a couple of hundred pounds to push the watered down mud through the hose.

The cruxt of my theory lies in how thicker filler material (used for finishing) reacts to the repeated fast cycling forces that are appled to it. The mud is pressurized exceeding 1500 psi. 

The pump "rests" for a fraction of a second at the top and bottom of every stroke. Under pressure in the period of time that the pump is pushing up or down (it pushes mud in both directions) the fillers contract and during the resting period when the pump changes direction, they expand. 

Being reatedly impacted at (maybe) 40 cycles a minute this "
pound...release...pound...release" effect would eventually deteriorate the molecular structure of the filler to where it breaks down and is unable to return to it's orginal size occupying the (original) area of space. So the longer the pump cyles without expelling mud, the more dramatic the effect would be.

If I'm right, this would consolidate the fillers making the mud thicker and causing it to handle differently.

What we do know:

On the Ames CFS thread, P.A. stated that he was using 100 feet of hose 1/4 inch in diameter and he witnessed the thicker effect happening. He was using it with the Apla Tech system mixing it thicker to run through the finishing tools (not fully saturated fillers).

Cormac was pushing 150 feet with 3/8 inch with no handling problems but he was thinning the mud down to spray (saturated with water and fewer fillers within a cubic inch of material). He did have a nice feathering effect after he sprayed the mud over the seams with a tip...but that would be the higher water concentrated material again.

Tim, what size hose are you using? What length and what diameter?
What mud are you using?


Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Tim, what size hose are you using? What length and what diameter?
What mud are you using?

Using a 3/8 hose 100' long.
Murco All Purpose.
Tried their light. Too dense. Their light is so much different than USG or Gold Bond. It is not "fluffy". Real creamy, but doesn't spray very good for smooth finish. Orange peels or more accurately, fish eyes. Craters rather than bumps.
The AP is real creamy and smooth. And doesn't create as much heat through the hose as the light.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I have noticed when spraying mud that the hose is warm while spraying. Cools down quickly when I stop.* And it was a higher temp. when spraying with a quarter inch hose*. I am using a 3/8ths inch hose now. It stills warms as the mud flows.
> *Have also noticed it does not increase in temperature when spraying primer or paint*. Just my .02 worth.


Wouldn't that make sense? The friction would be higher with the particulates passing over the inside wall of the hose. With a smaller diameter, more material makes contact with the hose so the temperature would be higher.

With primer and paint, you don't have such a high particulate count. The main body of the material is liquid.


Good point.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> A decent infrared temperature gun should be able to accurately enough tell the difference in the mud in the container before it goes through the pump, and a pile of mud that's just come out of the hose end.


Good idea. It will have to wait a while though.

Flir was one of my customers when I was in electronics. I might know someone that would let me do some testing...

http://www.flir.com/CA/


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> A "Come to Jesus" statement should be made...
> 
> My reasons for beating this dead horse has multiple levels.
> 
> *First,* I think Apla Tech may have received a bad reputation based on a material issue that nobody knew about and they had no control over. In the introduction of their "coaters" we already know that some people really liked them and other people thought they were junk. If mud does consolidate with pressure (as I suspect*) it would explain why there were reports of edges left behind. I've looked at a coater that was on a Versa Tool I bought on ebay and it's been confirmed to me that this is the same source Apla Tech used for theirs. When looking at the blade adjustment the metal that contacts the mud is very thin. If the mud from the hose is not the same viscocity that was originally mixed, feathering could become difficult and it's easy to see how an edge could be left where the coater blade meets the shoe that rides on the wall.
> 
> Some guys really liked the coaters so some mud(s) could be more compatible with CFS and the paint sprayers than others.
> 
> *Second,* I will need to change 2 designs I came up with that I wanted to retrofit to the Graco and Titan/Speeflo pumps.
> 
> *Third,* it also substantiates the fact that at the end of the day, even an international pump company still boils down to a few guys trying to figure something out. If they do not understand what it means to be a finisher, they don't know what to look for and can easily send a product to market when they shouldn't have. Throw the issue of unlimited resources aside, it proves people are people doing the best they can...and everyone has the potential to make a mistake.
> 
> *Forth,* I need to know if my theory is wrong or not.
> 
> 
> **Here's what I think...*
> 
> With the heavy concentration of fillers in drywall mud used to provide the lowest possible material cost per gallon, these fillers need to be absorbant and still occupy a given area within the compound. Being absorbant, I believe that this means they are compressible. Under normal use and manipulation (standard knife and pan work and using automatic tools) the most pressure applied to the material is hand and arm powered resulting in just a few pounds per square inch of material. In this context the mud handles just as the manufacturer designed it.
> 
> When used for texturing, the water content is considerably higher so the absorbing fillers are greatly reduced in quantity per cubic inch of texture mud. High water content is the medium to deliver the mud through the hose. After it hits the wall or lid, it evaporates into the atmosphere and dries in the pattern applied. You can see that the fillers are saturated with water because the mud shrinks as it dries. Pressure is limited to a couple of hundred pounds to push the watered down mud through the hose.
> 
> The cruxt of my theory lies in how thicker filler material (used for finishing) reacts to the repeated fast cycling forces that are appled to it. The mud is pressurized exceeding 1500 psi.
> 
> The pump "rests" for a fraction of a second at the top and bottom of every stroke. Under pressure in the period of time that the pump is pushing up or down (it pushes mud in both directions) the fillers contract and during the resting period when the pump changes direction, they expand.
> 
> Being reatedly impacted at (maybe) 40 cycles a minute this "
> pound...release...pound...release" effect would eventually deteriorate the molecular structure of the filler to where it breaks down and is unable to return to it's orginal size occupying the (original) area of space. So the longer the pump cyles without expelling mud, the more dramatic the effect would be.
> 
> If I'm right, this would consolidate the fillers making the mud thicker and causing it to handle differently.
> 
> What we do know:
> 
> On the Ames CFS thread, P.A. stated that he was using 100 feet of hose 1/4 inch in diameter and he witnessed the thicker effect happening. He was using it with the Apla Tech system mixing it thicker to run through the finishing tools (not fully saturated fillers).
> 
> Cormac was pushing 150 feet with 3/8 inch with no handling problems but he was thinning the mud down to spray (saturated with water and fewer fillers within a cubic inch of material). He did have a nice feathering effect after he sprayed the mud over the seams with a tip...but that would be the higher water concentrated material again.
> 
> Tim, what size hose are you using? What length and what diameter?
> What mud are you using?
> 
> 
> Rick


Another thought to maybe add to the mix is that heat causes expansion, and cooling, contraction. If the mud is going on the wall warmed up, it might cool and condense some pretty quick. And cooling mud Might skim on the surface some, making it a little hard to handle, like what I think P.A. once mentioned.

Also, some of the product in some muds Might be affected more by heat.


----------



## Tim0282

JustMe said:


> A decent infrared temperature gun should be able to accurately enough tell the difference in the mud in the container before it goes through the pump, and a pile of mud that's just come out of the hose end.


I have one of those guns. I will take it with me when I spray and see what it says. Could be very interesting! It shows where a stud is on an exterior wall. Usually two degrees cooler where a stud is compared to where the insulation is. (in the winter )
Will be interesting how the mud reads.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Good idea. It will have to wait a while though.
> 
> Flir was one of my customers when I was in electronics. I might know someone that would let me do some testing...
> 
> http://www.flir.com/CA/


Or I could send you my gun - preferably with me along, when it gets cold up here. :yes:


----------



## JustMe

Tim0282 said:


> I have one of those guns. I will take it with me when I spray and see what it says. Could be very interesting! It shows where a stud is on an exterior wall. Usually two degrees cooler where a stud is compared to where the insulation is. (in the winter )
> Will be interesting how the mud reads.


Look forward to hearing what comes from it, Tim.


----------



## Tim0282

Thinking the when spraying mud with an airless, the pattern is so wide by the time it hits the wall it has cooled. When spraying Never/Miss Final Coat, the pattern is about three feet wide. So that mud has a wide area to cool while air born before making contact with the wall. But I go along with your thinking that the compaction changes the make up of the mud.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Another thought to maybe add to the mix is that heat causes expansion, and cooling, contraction. If the mud is going on the wall warmed up, it might cool and condense some pretty quick. And cooling mud Might skim on the surface some, making it a little hard to handle, like what I think P.A. once mentioned.
> 
> Also, some of the product in some muds Might be affected more by heat.


Like the glues that were mentioned before...:thumbsup:




Tim0282 said:


> I have one of those guns. I will take it with me when I spray and see what it says. Could be very interesting! It shows where a stud is on an exterior wall. Usually two degrees cooler where a stud is compared to where the insulation is. (in the winter )
> Will be interesting how the mud reads.


See...this is what's great about a new idea...at the base level, every opinion is valid and equal. It's after the structural concept is proven, guys with degrees figure out the specifics and fine tune everything!!!:thumbup::yes:


----------



## rhardman

I've been reading...

*Rheopecty*

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search 








This article *does not cite any references or sources*. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. _(December 2009)_*Rheopecty* or *rheopexy* is the rare property of some non-Newtonian fluids to show a time-dependent change in viscosity; the longer the fluid undergoes shearing force, the higher its viscosity. Rheopectic fluids, such as some lubricants, thicken or solidify when shaken. The opposite type of behaviour, in which fluids become less viscous the longer they undergo shear, is called thixotropy and is much more common.
Examples of rheopectic fluids include gypsum pastes and printers inks.
There is ongoing aggressive research into new ways to make and use rheopectic materials. There is great interest in possible military uses of this technology. Moreover, the high end of the sports market has also begun to respond to it. Body armor and combat vehicle armor are key areas where efforts are being made to use rheopectic materials. Work is also being done to use these materials in other kinds of protective equipment, which is seen as potentially useful to reduce apparent impact stress in athletics, motor sports, transportation accidents, and all forms of parachuting. In particular, footwear with rheopectic shock absorption is being pursued as a dual-use technology that can provide better support to those who must frequently run, leap, climb, or descend.



And....from: http://physics.info/viscosity/

Viscosity is normally independent of pressure, but liquids under extreme pressure often experience an increase in viscosity. Since liquids are normally incompressible (like texture mud), an increase in pressure doesn't really bring the molecules significantly closer together. Simple models of molecular interactions won't work to explain this behavior and, to my knowledge, there is no generally accepted more complex model that does. The liquid phase is probably the least well understood of all the phases of matter.

With a partially saturated filler, there would (in my theory) be room to compress in addition to the natural tendency gypsum has toward higher viscosity anyway.


And lastly....
ftp://ftp.unicauca.edu.co/Facultades/FIET/DEIC/Materias/Instrumentacion%20Industrial/Instrument_Engineers__Handbook_-_Process_Measurement_and_Analysis/Instrument%20Engineers'%20Handbook%20-%20Process%20Measurement%20and%20Analysis/1083ch8_62.pdf


In the graphic below it states: 

_*Rheopectic Substances*_
Rheopectic substances (curve 6) also display hysteresis, but, instead of a shear-thinning behavior,
they display shear thickening. Their viscosity appears to increase, and some will “set” after some duration of agitation.​ 
Gypsum in water, for example, behaves in this manner.











So....in conclusion... :whistling2:

This certainly looks like the reason some people loved the Apla Tech coaters and other guys hated them. All the different formulas the mud companies use in their different brands, undoubtedly has an effect on how much the material does or does not thicken up...

What Apla Tech tried to do was save your back from having to push those boxes. The force the CFS guys are using at the point of contact (with the traditional boxes) is compensating for the thicker mud.

In my humble opinion.


Rick

Tim, looking forward to those temperature readings! 


Update: I was thinking last night that the evidence posted above proves that with gypsum content, material will thicken under the pounding and shearing (agitation) Cormac detailed in the Ames CFS thread. But it really doesn't address anything about my thought that the fillers change composition and also consolidate. I think I'm right but thickening is already proven and going into any greater detail on the subject would probably reach a boredom level never before reached on the internet....:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

I double posted....


----------



## P.A. ROCKER

I'd like to say that we were coating drywall seams and beads and ran the mud as thick as we could to pump, still it was mixed looser than if we used conventional taping machines. If the coat got on the seam too heavy and some would have to be removed by hand it would slump on the wall a bit. Loss of structure or too wet to hold form? I don't know. I'd like to add I've never had to deal with this issue any other time.


----------



## Tim0282

Are you saying the company that makes the different machines needs to make a mud that will work best in their machine? That does make sense.


----------



## P.A. ROCKER

Tim0282 said:


> Are you saying the company that makes the different machines needs to make a mud that will work best in their machine? That does make sense.


By "conventional" I meant standard coating boxes, bazooka...
I think to pump mud at a high PSI a different mud should be developed to handle the stress differently and improve it workability. Just my opinion.


----------



## Tim0282

What you are saying makes good sense.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Are you saying the company that makes the different machines needs to make a mud that will work best in their machine? That does make sense.


In my day dreams years ago, I thought that would be the way to go (I think I was in my 20's). Wouldn't work though...everyone likes their own brand and the cost would be insane. :thumbsup:

I wasn't aware of the thickening until P.A. mentioned it. I found the theorizing and research to be a ton of fun.


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> In my day dreams years ago, I thought that would be the way to go (I think I was in my 20's). Wouldn't work though...everyone likes their own brand and the cost would be insane. :thumbsup:


Have to agree with you.


----------



## rhardman

*Obama's new patent laws...*

The new rules for patents greatly limit the freedoms the individual inventor has to share his idea and test market it before the large fees are required. 

It's now more like the European platform where the first person to file has all the rights (regardless if they are the orignator or not). This is a huge advantage for large corporations. 

I have literally boxes of notes and drawings with dates and witness signatures over the years documenting what I was doing. We are fine legally but it does effect how much I can share in the future.

My plan was to PM 8 or 9 of you and set up a teleconference at your local Kinko's office and have a show and tell presentation as soon as the pump is online. NDA's would be signed. We could do it over the internet but my attorney went nuts saying there is a vulnerability with screen prints and we can't take that chance.

The drywall industry is a small one. If anyone was dishonest (with anyone) the marketing backlash would be devastating. But when you are talking pumps, the market is 200 (?) times bigger and nobody in another industry would ever know that our idea originated here.

So the "inventor" paranoia raises it's ugly head and it's something I'm going to have to deal with.

I promised to let you know what progress we are making every step of the way. And our team says I've already been too specific.

_We'll figure it out._:thumbsup:

Rick


(To repeat myself...I know there is an advantage to all of this once we're on the market. But today, right now, there are huge challenges and absolutely no guarantees of anything. I'm hoping that by sharing what is going on as we walk down this road, you will find it valuable and for someone that eventually develops "a better system" they might look back on what we're going through and find some encouragment.)


----------



## rhardman

*Pulled over from the Ames CFS thread out of respect for the ToolDr.*



Capt-sheetrock said:


> I spray alot of paint. (yes I'm a closet painter)
> 
> I have noticed that the mud that is run through an airless (AT hooked to a Graco Mark IV) is real shiney, like looking at semi-gloss sprayed, rather than looking at flat sprayed on walls. I have also noticed that it does not shrink back much, like mud that is run through boxes or a pan does. Wouldn't hurt to check that out Rick, if I'm right about that observation, it would be a great selling point for your rig.
> 
> But then again, I drink alot of beer.:yes:


The mud not shrinking back (and maybe "the shiny" too) makes sense with the data shown above. It may also go back to my theory that the fillers are breaking down and compacting the mud too. 

That is the problem with the constant pounding the mud is getting from the rapid fire piston paint sprayers use. Our pump is based on smooth flow so we'll be able to bypass all those problems and offer some features they can't. Not with their piston pumps anyway.


----------



## rhardman

*I don't know whether to keep writing here or back over there...?*



Cormac said:


> Regarding heat generated in 3/8" hose, there is not enough frictional losses or friction to generate heat. If any heat were to be generated it would take place as a result of mud continually passing through the tight tolerances of the pump and the circ valve and nothing to do with the hose. In my estimation, unless the mud was drastically reduced a 1/4" Hose would be a challenge. Real numbers, if you use the same mud for a test and delivering the identical flow rate (if possible), the move from 3/8" to 1/4" will consume a lot of the pump's available pressure, roughly 5 times. Fairly drastic! Think about it, If 50' of 3/8" consumes 300 PSI at a given flow, 1/4" by 50' will consume approximately 1500 PSI. If you start with 3000PSI at the pump, with the 3/8" hose you will have 2700PSI available at the gun. with 2 lengths of 3/8' (100' total) you will have 3000 - 600 or 2400 PSI. With the 1/4" at the suggested or implied flow you will have 3000 - 1500 or 1500PSI at the gun. Squeeze the gun and you get a "kick" but it dies of within seconds to 1500PSI.


 
I agree the heat is caused by the pump and any impact the hose has, would be "mice nuts" (_really small and insignificant_).

Great contribution with the diameters and pressures! You've been around the block a time or two.:thumbsup:


Update to this post....reading JustMe's comment below I should clarify I meant I didn't think there would be a big difference in the 3/8 inch hose. He makes a great point about going smaller...I'm going to have to do some testing when we get everything bolted back together...


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> I agree the heat is caused by the pump and any impact the hose has, would be "mice nuts" (_really small and insignificant_).


A thought: Fluid moving from higher to lower pressure, while not doing anything in between, creates heat. One thing we haven't been factoring in is the amount of heat that would also be lost, thrown off, by the hose - if it's more than what's being created in the hose. I'm thinking that could be what Tim was mostly experiencing when he said his hose gets warmer - the hose is throwing off heat created mostly by the pump, with a smaller amount created by the hose/flow.

I'm still wondering if there are any changes with the mud going from a warm to cooler state, even if it's within the hose - if for instance there is some condensing of materials, some texture change. Whether it would really make much difference when it actually comes out........


----------



## rhardman

*Update.*

We've figured out how to do it economically.
You can completely rebuild the pump in your garage. 

By electronically measuring the degradation of the mating surfaces, we will tell you when the tolerances are 80% used, 90% and at 98% you will have to manually bypass the safety over ride if you want to use it any further. There will be a 10% safety margin.

At 0 - 79% you will see a green L.E.D.. At 80% there will be a solid yellow L.E.D., at 90% a red flashing L.E.D. will tell you to rebuild the system. At 98% the system stops. This is where you will need to hit the over ride each time you want to use it.

If you damage the pump it will be easy to repair with a replacement module...but be aware, if the pump is deliberately abused I'm going to charge through the nose for that piece. We want to encourage respect for the system and weekly cleaning.

Not daily....weekly cleaning. This is where the high tech materials come into play. We can also seal the pump from the hopper.:thumbsup:

If you would like to use our wall treatments like paint, level 5 (with Never Miss) and "something else"...you don't have to wash those out either.

The hopper is removeable so it's a quick rinse if you are changing materials. Just push the new material through the hose, emptying out the wall treatment into a bucket for later use.

Rick

P.S. Remember when I said this system is specifically designed for the drywall contractor? Daily cleaning is a PIA that shouldn't be necessary. I mean..._you don't get paid for cleaning so why do it more than you have to? _:thumbsup:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> ._you don't get paid for cleaning so why do it more than you have to? _:thumbsup:


 
I keep telling the ole lady that when she says its time for me take a shower!!!!:thumbup:


----------



## Tim0282

Capt-sheetrock said:


> I keep telling the ole lady that when she says its time for me take a shower!!!!:thumbup:


Capt. you always bring a smile to the table! Thanks!!


----------



## Tim0282

Rick, I certainly hope yours will spray mud with Never/Miss! I just blew the guts out of my "new" Titan sprayer again today trying to spray mud for Level 5 finish! The second time. I sprayed ten buckets last time and nine today. Nice! Sounds like yours will last a bit longer. :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

That's the plan.

I don't get the issue with the Titan... What's happening? :blink:

Instead of blowing those pumps, couldn't you run the Titan to a gun with air and fog it on so the pressure isn't so high?

Maybe Cormac will chime in. He won't say who he works for but he has mentioned Graco a few times...

He may be able to shed some light on the subject.


----------



## Tim0282

I'm not sure the issue with the Titan, either. All I know is after less than ten buckets the metal "thing" that the ceramic ball sits in to allow it to build pressure, blows a section out. No more pressure. They have told me there must be rocks in my mud. Seems I would notice rocks in my mud while using it with a knife or tools. A bit frustrating.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Tim0282 said:


> I'm not sure the issue with the Titan, either. All I know is after less than ten buckets the metal "thing" that the ceramic ball sits in to allow it to build pressure, blows a section out. No more pressure. They have told me there must be rocks in my mud. Seems I would notice rocks in my mud while using it with a knife or tools. A bit frustrating.


re-read the post,,,,,,,nevermind


----------



## P.A. ROCKER

Tim0282 said:


> I'm not sure the issue with the Titan, either. All I know is after less than ten buckets the metal "thing" that the ceramic ball sits in to allow it to build pressure, blows a section out. No more pressure. They have told me there must be rocks in my mud. Seems I would notice rocks in my mud while using it with a knife or tools. A bit frustrating.


Tell 'em they have rocks in their heads. They know the issues with their product line.


----------



## Tim0282

The rep told me yesterday that they are not designed to spray mud. Wonder why it comes with a gun to spray texture. I asked him. He said, well it will spray texture. I asked him how thick the mud is that I am spraying. He said he didn't know because he is in Minnesota and I am in Iowa. Exactly. It was no thicker than texture. He said I am not spraying texture, I am spraying mud to make it smooth. I guess that is different! Hmmm...


----------



## rebel20

JustMe said:


> A thought: Fluid moving from higher to lower pressure, while not doing anything in between, creates heat. One thing we haven't been factoring in is the amount of heat that would also be lost, thrown off, by the hose - if it's more than what's being created in the hose. I'm thinking that could be what Tim was mostly experiencing when he said his hose gets warmer - the hose is throwing off heat created mostly by the pump, with a smaller amount created by the hose/flow.
> 
> I'm still wondering if there are any changes with the mud going from a warm to cooler state, even if it's within the hose - if for instance there is some condensing of materials, some texture change. Whether it would really make much difference when it actually comes out........


The temp diff is minimal to have any effects.


----------



## rebel20

Tim0282 said:


> I'm not sure the issue with the Titan, either. All I know is after less than ten buckets the metal "thing" that the ceramic ball sits in to allow it to build pressure, blows a section out. No more pressure. They have told me there must be rocks in my mud. Seems I would notice rocks in my mud while using it with a knife or tools. A bit frustrating.


_The (Thing) which is a seat in the back pressure valve is being hammered the ball constantly moving up and down on the seat at a high pressure drop the same effect as above a Kick. And if the seat is to thinly designed it will crack then break off. The question here would be the amount of water in the mud and in the texture if they are the same. As water when the pressure drop is to High will implode thus also creating the hammering effect and blow out the valve seat.. _


----------



## rebel20

rhardman said:


> I agree the heat is caused by the pump and any impact the hose has, would be "mice nuts" (_really small and insignificant_).
> 
> Great contribution with the diameters and pressures! You've been around the block a time or two.:thumbsup:
> 
> 
> Update to this post....reading JustMe's comment below I should clarify I meant I didn't think there would be a big difference in the 3/8 inch hose. He makes a great point about going smaller...I'm going to have to do some testing when we get everything bolted back together...


 
_ Because pressure is proportional to flow in order to get the same flow and pressure drop you would need to put an orifice before the ¼” hose. _


----------



## rhardman

rebel20 said:


> _ Because pressure is proportional to flow in order to get the same flow and pressure drop you would need to put an orifice before the ¼” hose. _


Do you mean a reducer so it's a more gradual transition? Power needs to be dramatically increased (for sure) to maintain the same flow rate.

Update: I'm still tangling with getting enough air to the spray gun on a 15 - 20 amp circuit. Had a solution today_ until I was quoted $1800.00._

The main issue is that we have to adapt the pump to a smaller system than I orginally designed it for. The A-2 will be rock solid and everything you want. The A-1 is the least expensive unit possible. Wanting to compete with the other units _and provide air..._is very difficult. :blink:


Rick


----------



## Mudslinger

Tim0282 said:


> I'm not sure the issue with the Titan, either. All I know is after less than ten buckets the metal "thing" that the ceramic ball sits in to allow it to build pressure, blows a section out. No more pressure. They have told me there must be rocks in my mud. Seems I would notice rocks in my mud while using it with a knife or tools. A bit frustrating.


That would suck to only get 10 bucket before breaking down! My old under powered electric Titan is still spraying without being touched. If I remember right I bought it somewhere around 2001. I've seen a lot of guys mess up there sprayers by trying to spray level V to thick. Try thinning down your material it sounds like the sprayer is hammering itself to death. For me looser material works better, because I can flow it rather than pile the material.


----------



## Mudslinger

rhardman said:


> That's the plan.
> 
> I don't get the issue with the Titan... What's happening? :blink:
> 
> Instead of blowing those pumps, couldn't you run the Titan to a gun with air and fog it on so the pressure isn't so high?
> 
> Maybe Cormac will chime in. He won't say who he works for but he has mentioned Graco a few times...
> 
> He may be able to shed some light on the subject.


Me personally I would fix the problem so i could still spray as an airless, or sell the machine. If Tim was to go with air breakup he could just use his Kodiak with a good gun, and a 1/2" whip hose. Fighting a 3/4" hose at the gun while fogging sucks, but it still works.:thumbsup:


----------



## rebel20

rhardman said:


> Do you mean a reducer so it's a more gradual transition? Power needs to be dramatically increased (for sure) to maintain the same flow rate.
> 
> Update: I'm still tangling with getting enough air to the spray gun on a 15 - 20 amp circuit. Had a solution today_ until I was quoted $1800.00._
> 
> The main issue is that we have to adapt the pump to a smaller system than I orginally designed it for. The A-2 will be rock solid and everything you want. The A-1 is the least expensive unit possible. Wanting to compete with the other units _and provide air..._is very difficult. :blink:
> 
> 
> Rick


Rick,
My Mistake wrong end of the hose. To many beers the night before. (And for info an Orifice is a Throttle)
Take a 1/8 pipe plug and drill a hole in the center. I don’t have the data what you are trying to do so here is what you should try. I imagine before the nozzle you have a quick disconnect, Where the quick disconnect is connected to the hose tap an internal 1/8” straight pipe thread in the end of the QD connected to the hose and take a 1/8 pipe plug and start with a 3mm or equivalent in Inch and drill a hole through the center and so forth going down in size until you get the flow you need. What this does is give you constant flow and pressure to the Nozzle. It also takes away the Kick (Decompression) as Cormac calls it. This is the cheapest and simplest way. You could also buy an inline throttle valve. To make it simple for testing take a round stock of Plastic that fits in the end of the hose connection and drill various diameters. 

I'm still tangling with getting enough air to the spray gun on a 15 - 20 amp circuit. Had a solution today_ until I was quoted $1800.00._
This may also take care of this


----------



## rhardman

rebel20 said:


> Rick,
> My Mistake wrong end of the hose. To many beers the night before. (And for info an Orifice is a Throttle)
> Take a 1/8 pipe plug and drill a hole in the center. I don’t have the data what you are trying to do so here is what you should try. I imagine before the nozzle you have a quick disconnect, Where the quick disconnect is connected to the hose tap an internal 1/8” straight pipe thread in the end of the QD connected to the hose and take a 1/8 pipe plug and start with a 3mm or equivalent in Inch and drill a hole through the center and so forth going down in size until you get the flow you need. What this does is give you constant flow and pressure to the Nozzle. It also takes away the Kick (Decompression) as Cormac calls it. This is the cheapest and simplest way. You could also buy an inline throttle valve. To make it simple for testing take a round stock of Plastic that fits in the end of the hose connection and drill various diameters.
> 
> I'm still tangling with getting enough air to the spray gun on a 15 - 20 amp circuit. Had a solution today_ until I was quoted $1800.00._
> This may also take care of this


Sounds like what they did for hydraulic mining. And thank you for the suggestion for the air, but our issue isn't pressure...it's providing the required cfm _at an affordable price._

...I always thought "orifice" was a brass fitting you screwed onto a hand hopper nozzle to adjust the amount of air pushing through.

Always learning....:thumbsup:


----------



## JustMe

JustMe said:


> One other thought: My drill (and me) could take a bit larger mixer no problem.


I've given this a bit of a re-think.

I find the Synko mud that they're still mostly giving us can use more water and re-mixing while using a pail of it - not so much the ProRoc that I've been pushing to get them to order more of for job sites, but it's still nice to be able to re-mix it a bit at times as well.

The smaller Tornado mixer I have could be good for re-mixing an already mixed pail when especially I'm a ways away from where we have our mixing set up. It's lower torque requirements, when compared to my other whips, means a smaller cordless drill can be more easily used on it. I just cut a slot in the bucket lid and leave the whip and drill sticking out of the bucket.

Also, the girl trainee I have likes the lower physical requirements of mixing with the smaller Tornado version, when compared to my other whips. So 'his and hers' whips for us.


----------



## rhardman

Neck deep in legalities.

I was presented with a stack of final drawings yesterday for approval.

Things are good.:thumbsup:


Rick


----------



## rhardman

*A-4 is great, this is about something else.*

(Originally the engineering sample was free...)



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: One last question: Sales quotation
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:54:29 -0700
From: Bxx ****** <B******@******x.com>
To: Rick Hardman R&D/Corprate Alliances <[email protected]>​ 
I think we can get you a sample for $ 780.00, working on some info for you.​ 
From: Rick Hardman R&D/Corprate Alliances 
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 9:11 AM
To: Bxx ****** <B******@******x.com>
Subject: One last question: Sales quotation​ 
Hi Ben,
One last question...
Why did the pricing go up from $780 (for an engineering sample) to $849.00 when I asked for a formal quote?
Do you have the data sheets I've been asking for?
Thanks,
Rick​


----------



## rhardman




----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> (Originally the engineering sample was free...)
> 
> 
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: RE: One last question: Sales quotation
> Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:54:29 -0700
> From: Bxx ****** <B******@******x.com>
> To: Rick Hardman R&D/Corprate Alliances <[email protected]>​
> I think we can get you a sample for $ 780.00, working on some info for you.​
> From: Rick Hardman R&D/Corprate Alliances
> Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 9:11 AM
> To: Bxx ****** <B******@******x.com>
> Subject: One last question: Sales quotation​
> Hi Ben,
> One last question...
> Why did the pricing go up from $780 (for an engineering sample) to $849.00 when I asked for a formal quote?
> Do you have the data sheets I've been asking for?
> Thanks,
> Rick​


You could file a formal grievance: http://bureauofcommunication.com/compose/air

And from same site, a new N.D.A. for you: http://bureauofcommunication.com/compose/nda


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> View attachment 2289


Looks like The Tape Buddy: http://www.walltools.com/store/tape-buddy-drywall-taping-machine.html


----------



## rhardman

*Update.*

Insane last couple of weeks.

Stunner wife told me to pack my bags. Caught me completely off guard. No infidelity or anything like that, I need to look at things through other peoples eyes more than my own. 

Brutal lesson.


I'm heading back down to Salem for fine tuning on the A-4 this weekend. The A-1 (110V) is still costing more than I want so we're working on that.

We're also waiting on some internal parts of the pump. This is the high tech part of it so we can't proceed until we get the pieces. They said 10 days so that would put delivery early next week.

:thumbsup:


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> Insane last couple of weeks.
> 
> Stunner wife told me to pack my bags. Caught me completely off guard. No infidelity or anything like that, I need to look at things through other peoples eyes more than my own.
> 
> Brutal lesson.
> :thumbsup:


I hope you can work things out Rick.


----------



## VANMAN

SlimPickins said:


> I hope you can work things out Rick.


 Yea Rick think u will have 2 wine and dine for a while!!
Bloody women r never happy and u tryin ur best 2 get things up and running
Hope things turn out ok lad


----------



## Kiwiman

There you go fella's, there's a man so dedicated to drywall he lost his cook over it.
Sorry to hear that Rick, believe it or not there's more than one fish in the sea.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Bad news Rick,,, I can feel your pain. I lost three wives(AND THREE HOUSES),,, turned out they ALL hated me,,LOL

Maybe its something in the drywaLL MUD!!!!

Seriously tho, sometimes people just grow apart.

Peace Bro,,,

On a ligter note, the Bible says, "its better to live on the corner of a roof top, than in a mansion with a brawling women",,,,,,, see my sig line


----------



## moore

Sorry Rick  You can have my cook.


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Insane last couple of weeks.
> 
> Stunner wife told me to pack my bags. Caught me completely off guard. No infidelity or anything like that, I need to look at things through other peoples eyes more than my own.
> 
> Brutal lesson.


That does bite. Sorry to hear of it, Rick.

I got caught once like that. Not from a wife, but with someone who could've been.

But I came to decide to be a little optimistic about it. I figured that losing one gave me the opportunity to find another. And maybe another. And maybe ...... .


----------



## P.A. ROCKER

rhardman said:


> Insane last couple of weeks.
> 
> Stunner wife told me to pack my bags. Caught me completely off guard. No infidelity or anything like that, I need to look at things through other peoples eyes more than my own.
> 
> Brutal lesson.


I'd a told her you can't threaten me with freedom.


----------



## rhardman

Thanks guys I really appreciate it.

_Things happen.:blink:_





I think she suspected that I was having an affair with some aluminum...

That would be very difficult to deny! :thumbsup:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

rhardman said:


> Thanks guys I really appreciate it.
> 
> _Things happen.:blink:_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think she suspected that I was having an affair with some aluminum...
> 
> That would be very difficult to deny! :thumbsup:


I know!!!!!! 

Aluminum doesn't NEED to be cuddled with !!!! or validated. Its SO cheap !!!!!:thumbsup:


----------



## Workaholic

rhardman said:


> Insane last couple of weeks.
> 
> Stunner wife told me to pack my bags. Caught me completely off guard. No infidelity or anything like that, I need to look at things through other peoples eyes more than my own.
> 
> Brutal lesson.
> 
> 
> I'm heading back down to Salem for fine tuning on the A-4 this weekend. The A-1 (110V) is still costing more than I want so we're working on that.
> 
> We're also waiting on some internal parts of the pump. This is the high tech part of it so we can't proceed until we get the pieces. They said 10 days so that would put delivery early next week.
> 
> :thumbsup:


Damn sorry to hear that Rick, you should of opened up when we were on the phone. Call me anytime you want to talk.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> Insane last couple of weeks.
> 
> Stunner wife told me to pack my bags. Caught me completely off guard. No infidelity or anything like that, I need to look at things through other peoples eyes more than my own.
> 
> Brutal lesson.
> 
> 
> I'm heading back down to Salem for fine tuning on the A-4 this weekend. The A-1 (110V) is still costing more than I want so we're working on that.
> 
> We're also waiting on some internal parts of the pump. This is the high tech part of it so we can't proceed until we get the pieces. They said 10 days so that would put delivery early next week.
> 
> :thumbsup:


Yours is a Canadian beaver Rhardman, when the drive way fills up with snow and the nights become cold again, she will think about taking you back:yes:

Time or....... cough,, cough, money heals everything with women


----------



## gazman

Sorry to hear that Rick. Hope there is a way to work it out.


----------



## JustMe

....


----------



## P.A. ROCKER

Give her the boot!


----------



## moore

Like I said rick .. You can have mine .Her cooking tastes like chit !!!really thou .. I'M thinking about ya .. hell !! My wife told me to leave once .. Then I broke It down for her .. you know ...the money part.. were still together ...she loves me !:blink:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

P.A. ROCKER said:


> Give her the boot!


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

2buckcanuck said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXieR34Gy3I&ob=av3e


Most excellant post !!!!!!!

You want to make a point????????

Show your ex that your life has gotten better since she left ya !!!!

Nothing more devestating to a woman's delicate ego than IF your life gets better and easier after they leave ya !!!!!!!!!

Just be sure to send em a "Thank you note":thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*2 Updates.*

1. Thank you for the support guys. I really appreciate the public and private messages.

The cool thing is that I'll be moving back across the border so I'll be about 10 minutes from my shop so I can get in there more often.


2. A few posts ago I mentioned a high tech piece we're waiting on. I stopped by today and they said 2 weeks, maybe sooner.

Dropped off the A-4 and Aaron and his guys will be doing the wiring harness and probably the shroud. I'll keep you up to date on developments.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

I may have shared this before...but never enough!


----------



## E.K Taper

Nice one Rick, you should've sent that wife of yours on one of them. Just hope she hits the water a bit harder............


----------



## rhardman

Happy Thanksgiving guys!

I'm neck deep in dividing up property and will get back with a status as soon as this process is done.

Things are very good.:thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## cazna

Good to hear from you Rick, Plenty more fish in the sea to mount.


----------



## rhardman

*Update*

Gentlemen!

New life has begun...a few legal things to finish up but all looks good on the horizon. Thank you again for the messages.:thumbsup:

At the moment the infamous pump is being wrapped up for testing. Some anodizing on the frame, a little stainless steel shroud and should be good to go. We may have a heat issue on one piece but we won't know for sure until it's tested. 



Rick

Would someone tell Tim0282 to give me a call? I need to track him down.


----------



## cazna

HEY Tim0282, Give rick a call, He wants to have a beer with you.


----------



## Tim0282

cazna said:


> HEY Tim0282, Give rick a call, He wants to have a beer with you.


I hear you yelling all the way from New Zealand! I will call today!
I noticed Rick tried to call me last night. 
But since it was my 36! anniversary, figured I better shut my phone off for the evening. Cannot believe I have been married 36 years! Some days I don't feel any older than 36.


----------



## SlimPickins

Tim0282 said:


> I hear you yelling all the way from New Zealand! I will call today!
> I noticed Rick tried to call me last night.
> But since it was my 36! anniversary, figured I better shut my phone off for the evening. Cannot believe I have been married 36 years! Some days I don't feel any older than 36.


Congratulations Tim, that's a big accomplishment. I've only got 15 years, and most days I feel like I'm 15 years old


----------



## Kiwiman

Tim0282 said:


> I hear you yelling all the way from New Zealand! I will call today!
> I noticed Rick tried to call me last night.
> But since it was my 36! anniversary, figured I better shut my phone off for the evening. Cannot believe I have been married 36 years! Some days I don't feel any older than 36.


Yep, congrtats Tim, 25 years myself.... :glare:......you did the right thing Rick :whistling2:


----------



## gazman

Congratulations Tim. Thats a fantastic effort for both your self and your wife. We are coming up on 22 years and i cant believe how quick it has gone.


----------



## rhardman

Good job Tim! Congratulations!
Marriage is a great thing! :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*Update:*

We've had to make so many changes to the original pump system that it's become an entirely new technology from where it was 90 days ago. Even as late as last week, we've implemented improvements that require different patent coverage.

This means that we are going to discard the entire "Raptor" product line and opt for the more advanced designs.

I'm also removing the purchasing capabilities from the website for now. I recommend you contact DeAnne at Advance Equipment, Walltools or All-Wall. 

I'll be sure to let you know what's going on as we move forward. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Workaholic

When you coming back to town Rick? I owe you a meal.

Hope all is well.


----------



## rhardman

Workaholic said:


> When you coming back to town Rick? I owe you a meal.
> 
> Hope all is well.


Thanks for the note 'holic, not sure of the time frame for my next SE trip. Looks like New England is next on the schedule and then Chicago and West Coast soon afterward. After that it's Texas then back to your neighborhood.

I've been making some great contacts.

Yea, dinner was great, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. What do you think of the paddle?

We're making steady progress on everything but until I have something new to say here on DWT, frankly I'm getting tired of hearing myself talk.

I'll address any question someone might have by PM or by contacting me on the website.

And to confirm, I've discontinued sales through our website primarily for 2 reasons. In the volumes we're doing, we can't offer you the best pricing out there. That's better left to Brandon at Walltools or the guys at All-Wall.

Secondly, spending part of our time dealing with the sales (not a huge amount coming in yet) takes away from our R&D focus.


:thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Workaholic

rhardman said:


> Thanks for the note 'holic, not sure of the time frame for my next SE trip. Looks like New England is next on the schedule and then Chicago and West Coast soon afterward. After that it's Texas then back to your neighborhood.
> 
> I've been making some great contacts.
> 
> Yea, dinner was great, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. What do you think of the paddle?
> 
> We're making steady progress on everything but until I have something new to say here on DWT, frankly I'm getting tired of hearing myself talk.
> 
> I'll address any question someone might have by PM or by contacting me on the website.
> 
> And to confirm, I've discontinued sales through our website primarily for 2 reasons. In the volumes we're doing, we can't offer you the best pricing out there. That's better left to Brandon at Walltools or the guys at All-Wall.
> 
> Secondly, spending part of our time dealing with the sales (not a huge amount coming in yet) takes away from our R&D focus.
> 
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> Rick


Well when ever you get back this way give me the heads up and it will be my treat. Hopefully you will be able to have a drink too. 

I have used the new paddle a couple times and it is a big difference from the smaller one, I use the smaller one a lot for mixing paint which it does really well. 

I understand, I know you are putting your focus on the pump.


----------



## spacklinfool

rhardman said:


> Gentlemen,
> 
> We will be launching 18 new drywall and plastering tools in the next year. The products are great and we want to get some feedback so we know how to better address our marketing campaign before we hit the streets.
> 
> We will send a new tool to you to test for 30 days. Then we will ask for your opinion(s). After the first tool is evaluated we'll send another...and so forth.
> 
> We will send an NDA for you to sign and ask that you not comment on what the product is until we launch it officially.
> 
> We would like to work with one contractor from each of the following geographic areas, NW, SW, Central, NE, SE and Western BC.
> 
> Most of the products are for drywall but we also have a couple of fantastic tools for guys that do thin wall plaster.
> 
> Let me know if you want to participate and let us know what sort of projects you specialize in.
> 
> Thanks for your consideration.
> 
> Rick


I am on Long Island and am always seeking new tools to try..Please let me know if any are still available, I would also be interested in doing demo's and selling them..


----------



## rhardman

*Strange navigating around the new format...*



spacklinfool said:


> I am on Long Island and am always seeking new tools to try..Please let me know if any are still available, I would also be interested in doing demo's and selling them..


 
Thank you for the question. We're focusing on other areas right now so we're not sending out any samples.

_This has nothing to do with you..._but we had a lot of money invested in the samples and very few people followed through with their promises for feedback. We have to be more discretionary with our resources.

Rick

_(...Sheesh....how do you send a PM in this new format?)_


----------



## Philma Crevices

rhardman said:


> _(...Sheesh....how do you send a PM in this new format?)_


 Hoops and barrels my friend. Click usersname, top left option Message


----------



## rhardman

Philma Crevices said:


> Hoops and barrels my friend. Click usersname, top left option Message


Thank you. :thumbsup:


----------



## moore




----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RFeIj-xwEM&feature=related


 
Ohhhh Yeeaaaa!!!!!!! :boxing:


----------



## rhardman

*Mixing Paddle Question...*

2Buck, Sir Mixalot, ******, Darren...and you other guys that have the premium mixing paddle...

I need your advice.

I have some guys wanting to buy the anodized version but I'm having a tough time trying to determine a fair price. Having been a drywaller, naturally I want to price it as if I were buying it. But on the other side of the coin, the thing cost a fortune to make.

Anodized...longer machined aluminum shaft, UHMW self lubricating plastic, pivtoting, Powder coated steel, stainless steel tensioning bolt, easier to clean...

Having used it, what do you think would be a fair price? I don't care what USG or anyone else offers, and I don't care what their pricing is.

I don't see this mixer has having a "competitor." :whistling2:

Thank you,

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Having used it for some time now. I wouldn't want to do without it. It is very valuable. The paddle has been cracked for three or four months and no change in mixing. It out performs all the other mixers I have on the shelf. I am pretty sure I own every one that is made.
Can you make money at 100.00? It is worth that to me.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Having used it for some time now. I wouldn't want to do without it. It is very valuable. The paddle has been cracked for three or four months and no change in mixing. It out performs all the other mixers I have on the shelf. I am pretty sure I own every one that is made.
> Can you make money at 100.00? It is worth that to me.


 
What do you mean cracked?

How did that happen?

Anyone else have that problem?

Want a new blade?


----------



## Tim0282

Respectfully, there is a huge difference between the one that DeAnne has and the "real" thing. I have both. 
And the pump. Gas is hard to beat.... Adds a ton of power over electricity. Kinda like an electric on demand water heater compared to a gas on demand water heater. (for in floor heat) The BTU's are so much greater than what is gained out of electricity. Same, I think in running a pump. There, I threw in my .02 worth.


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Respectfully, there is a huge difference between the one that DeAnne has and the "real" thing. I have both.
> And the pump. Gas is hard to beat.... Adds a ton of power over electricity. Kinda like an electric on demand water heater compared to a gas on demand water heater. (for in floor heat) The BTU's are so much greater than what is gained out of electricity. Same, I think in running a pump. There, I threw in my .02 worth.


 
Ahhhh Tim, I kind of messed up with the thread and you responded before I went back to the cracked issue. To bring everyone up to speed, I was saying that we're having a tough time making the new texture / CFS system compatible with 110v. The goal is to have a texture machine and then adapt the automatic tools you are already using to the pump. That way you have CFS and don't have to pay $10,000.00 for it.

We do have everything working with 220 (probably best for pre-built homes) and gas.

To be fair to DeAnnes version of the mixing paddle, I worked with her (and the guys at Advance Equipment) for a couple of months to provide the best $20.00 mixer on the market. For the price, I think we nailed it. I took the anodized mixer to 2 of the online disty's but they wouldn't touch it. I think All Wall has Deanne's version and Brandon at Walltools is a great supporter of it. By the way...Brandon's ordering 3-Point Creaser wheels...if anyone wants one. 

What about that cracked blade Tim?


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> 2Buck, Sir Mixalot, ******, Darren...and you other guys that have the premium mixing paddle...
> 
> I need your advice.
> 
> I have some guys wanting to buy the anodized version but I'm having a tough time trying to determine a fair price. Having been a drywaller, naturally I want to price it as if I were buying it. But on the other side of the coin, the thing cost a fortune to make.
> 
> Anodized...longer machined aluminum shaft, UHMW self lubricating plastic, pivtoting, Powder coated steel, stainless steel tensioning bolt, easier to clean...
> 
> Having used it, what do you think would be a fair price? I don't care what USG or anyone else offers, and I don't care what their pricing is.
> 
> I don't see this mixer has having a "competitor." :whistling2:
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Rick


Can't really answer that for you Rhardman, I'm just a taper, not a tool manufacturer like you:whistling2:

But maybe a few ideas......

keep the one model you have, keep the price high and offer a life time warranty on it. (increase the price if you must). Then have other models under it, that may not have the powdered steel, nor the pivoting head, shorter shaft, or what ever it takes. What will sell most guys on it is what the head looks like on it. Right now it has a "hhhhmmmmm that looks interesting" look to it, till they check the price tag.

I do not like the small version at all, the head on it is too tiny. it could give the good mixer a bad name IMO. (but small one is good for mixing paint, not mud) Now the big one is too good:yes:, only thing I dont like about it is, leaving it on the job. They see that pretty coloured handle, and steal it.

I also know you like the idea of the head being able to pivot, it may serve a purpose. But I was trying to tighten it last week so it would not pivot. (did not have proper tools on me so....) I could be wrong, but for mixing mud, I find it's nice when you can tilt the mixer, you can draw water into your mix faster. Something I will experiment with next week,,,,, let you know.

Also, I hope your marketing to other trades too, like maybe tile guys, stucco workers, cement guys etc,,,,, more market share

Not trying to be critical or nothing, I love that mixer:thumbup:

Now back to my game of Civ 5, those barbaric kiwi's are invading again, trying to steal my sheep,,,,,,,, later


----------



## Tim0282

I'll have to take a picture of it for you. It is cracked on both sides of the bolt. Not a big deal. Just wear. It has mixed two semi loads of mud. I'd say that is a pretty amazing mixer!


----------



## Tim0282

2buckcanuck said:


> Can't really answer that for you Rhardman, I'm just a taper, not a tool manufacturer like you:whistling2:
> 
> But maybe a few ideas......
> 
> keep the one model you have, keep the price high and offer a life time warranty on it. (increase the price if you must). Then have other models under it, that may not have the powdered steel, nor the pivoting head, shorter shaft, or what ever it takes. What will sell most guys on it is what the head looks like on it. Right now it has a "hhhhmmmmm that looks interesting" look to it, till they check the price tag.
> 
> I do not like the small version at all, the head on it is too tiny. it could give the good mixer a bad name IMO. (but small one is good for mixing paint, not mud) Now the big one is too good:yes:, only thing I dont like about it is, leaving it on the job. They see that pretty coloured handle, and steal it.
> 
> I also know you like the idea of the head being able to pivot, it may serve a purpose. But I was trying to tighten it last week so it would not pivot. (did not have proper tools on me so....) I could be wrong, but for mixing mud, I find it's nice when you can tilt the mixer, you can draw water into your mix faster. Something I will experiment with next week,,,,, let you know.
> 
> Also, I hope your marketing to other trades too, like maybe tile guys, stucco workers, cement guys etc,,,,, more market share
> 
> Not trying to be critical or nothing, I love that mixer:thumbup:
> 
> Now back to my game of Civ 5, those barbaric kiwi's are invading again, trying to steal my sheep,,,,,,,, later


But, 2 Buck, you can tilt it back and draw the water down. Even with it pivoting. It just doesn't seem like you should be able to. But I feel like it does.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Tim0282 said:


> But, 2 Buck, you can tilt it back and draw the water down. Even with it pivoting. It just doesn't seem like you should be able to. But I feel like it does.


You and me can:yes: But my stupid newb can't:furious:

Mud and water every where


----------



## Tim0282

Good one 2!!


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Can't really answer that for you Rhardman, I'm just a taper, not a tool manufacturer like you:whistling2:
> (I'm a taper/finisher/texture/old style plaster/stucco guy and the mfg is something we have to do to sell the things...I have a partner that has the facility and will manage that portion of the business.)
> 
> 
> But maybe a few ideas......
> 
> keep the one model you have, keep the price high and offer a life time warranty on it. (increase the price if you must). Then have other models under it, that may not have the powdered steel, nor the pivoting head, shorter shaft, or what ever it takes. What will sell most guys on it is what the head looks like on it. Right now it has a "hhhhmmmmm that looks interesting" look to it, till they check the price tag. (That's why I went to DeAnne.)
> 
> I do not like the small version at all, the head on it is too tiny. it could give the good mixer a bad name IMO. (but small one is good for mixing paint, not mud)(We made it smaller because in the early testing on DWT the guys said they wanted to mix right in the Graco hopper/sprayers) Now the big one is too good:yes:, only thing I dont like about it is, leaving it on the job. They see that pretty coloured handle, and steal it. (....yea...that's a problem :yes:)
> 
> I also know you like the idea of the head being able to pivot, it may serve a purpose. But I was trying to tighten it last week so it would not pivot. (did not have proper tools on me so....) I could be wrong, but for mixing mud, I find it's nice when you can tilt the mixer, you can draw water into your mix faster. Something I will experiment with next week,,,,, let you know. (DeAnne will be introducing a fixed head mixer with the same blade design real soon. I know about tilting to pull water into the mud. I had a fast drill and did it with the pivot head all the time.)
> 
> Also, I hope your marketing to other trades too, like maybe tile guys, stucco workers, cement guys etc,,,,, more market share (We sent one to a tile guy in Seattle to get his opinion. They are used to letting the mud sit on their mixers and not cleaning them right away. And since they use a sand aggregate, it chews up the plastic. Just focusing on drywall right now. That's the world I know best.)
> 
> Not trying to be critical or nothing, I love that mixer:thumbup:
> 
> (And I'm sure the mixer loves you too! You northern based, sheep lovin' Canadian, Hockey starved off season, drywaller you!)
> 
> Now back to my game of Civ 5, those barbaric kiwi's are invading again, trying to steal my sheep,,,,,,,, later


....,,


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I'll have to take a picture of it for you. It is cracked on both sides of the bolt. Not a big deal. Just wear. It has mixed two semi loads of mud. I'd say that is a pretty amazing mixer!


I'll send you a new blade Tim. I don't like the idea of a broken HSI tool out there.

I have to ask, how did it crack? I used to mix hot mud and plaster with mine and deliberately let it set so I could beat the plastic blade with a hammer to remove the set mud. It always worked, and I never had mine crack.

Do you store it in the cold? 

Reeaaallly interested in this...helps make it better!:thumbsup:

Thank you.


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> You and me can:yes: But my stupid newb can't:furious:
> 
> Mud and water every where


 
I can't do anything about your newb....:jester:

Wait...tell him to take it out of the drill and spin it between his hands!

That'll keep the water in the bucket! :thumbup:


----------



## Tim0282

Not sure how or when it cracked. Just happened to notice it. I don't think it is from abuse. We are nice to it. And it is stored in the tool box (locked) in the side of the topper. So, yes it is in the cold. Hmmm.... Hadn't thought of that being hard on it. Whoops! I bet looking at it, you will know what is up with it. It still has no issues in mixing. And hasn't completely broken so I wasn't gonna tell you till it broke. And I don't think it will!


----------



## D's

I've been using the Advance version for a year and still love it. Fits great in the throat of my Graco hopper and isn't too burly for labourers to control. Definitely like being able to start mixing in at an angle to incorporate water. I'd pay another $25-30 to upgrade to the easy clean UHMW material. Don't see much value in the other features of the anodized version but you don't know what your missing until you've tried something.

Regarding your CFS system, I've been using the Aplatech/markV setup for two years and don't see your system being 240v as a big disadvantage. Most jobs big enough for CFS will have 240v fixtures the electrician could power up. Sounds like your going with a lower pressure pump. I do like being able to spray my final coat but 80% of the productivity gains of CFS come from the finishing that doesn't require that much pressure. I get away most of the time with 50' of hose but sometimes being able to add another 50' comes in handy. The cost of the pump is presently the greatest barrier to entry into CFS for a DWC. Your pump might even work better with the Aplatech tools as they tend to be a bit "surgey" with the MarkV, especially the taper. 

I wanted to mention as well that the z-swivel I got loses a lot of it's mobility under higher pressure so keep that in mind for your design. Still woudn't trade it for a whip though.

If you're selling a corner creaser for the AplaTaper I'd be interested.

Regards,
Darren


----------



## rhardman

D's said:


> I've been using the Advance version for a year and still love it. Fits great in the throat of my Graco hopper and isn't too burly for labourers to control. Definitely like being able to start mixing in at an angle to incorporate water. I'd pay another $25-30 to upgrade to the easy clean UHMW material. Don't see much value in the other features of the anodized version but you don't know what your missing until you've tried something.
> 
> Regarding your CFS system, I've been using the Aplatech/markV setup for two years and don't see your system being 240v as a big disadvantage. Most jobs big enough for CFS will have 240v fixtures the electrician could power up. Sounds like your going with a lower pressure pump. I do like being able to spray my final coat but 80% of the productivity gains of CFS come from the finishing that doesn't require that much pressure. I get away most of the time with 50' of hose but sometimes being able to add another 50' comes in handy. The cost of the pump is presently the greatest barrier to entry into CFS for a DWC. Your pump might even work better with the Aplatech tools as they tend to be a bit "surgey" with the MarkV, especially the taper.
> 
> I wanted to mention as well that the z-swivel I got loses a lot of it's mobility under higher pressure so keep that in mind for your design. Still woudn't trade it for a whip though.
> 
> If you're selling a corner creaser for the AplaTaper I'd be interested.
> 
> Regards,
> Darren


Thanks Darren. The mixer was anodized and made with the aluminum shaft and powder coating to be the absolute best mixer I could think of. Everything will be like that...the most cost effective we can come up with (so we are our own competition) and then the most insanely inhuman tool that could ever be concocted.

...in regard to the CFS...my friend, you've tapped into our little secret... Today CFS is associated only with large jobs. We're going to change everything...including the term "CFS." You'll be able to be productive using our tools on everything from a 2 room remodel to large projects. That's why the 110v is important.

I need to provide a system for every level of drywall. (..._especially _aimed at myself when I was 22..._without a pot to piss in...) _

_Our pump/texture system will work perfectly with any tool out there...including the automatic tools._

I had a brief email conversation with Apla Tech a while ago about using our creaser on their taper. We had already done the research so I sent a graphic over to show a slight modification that would need to be done to their creaser arm to make it fit.

I never heard back.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Oh...as an FYI, Clint with Walltools ordered some 3 point creaser wheels today. We'll be getting them machined and shipped to him on the 29th.

Price is higher than we would like because we lathe them one at a time and are using the UHMW self lubicating plastic. Again...the absolute best we can make it. After you use it, you'll see how much easier it makes stringing angles. I'm sure you'll be happy after the first job.


NOTE: I'm not going to be doing "sales" here on DWT. I only mention this one time because the guys here have been with me for the entire ride from the beginning. They tested the prototypes, read the updates, gave feedback and now see our first real sale to a distributor*.

Thank you everyone for your support.

:thumbsup:

*We had an order early on from a distributor for a few pieces...but we never received payment so I'm not counting that as a "real" order.


----------



## Philma Crevices

UHMW from wikipedia


> Ballistic vests can be made of UHMWPE.
> *Dyneema* and *Spectra* are gel spun through a spinneret to form oriented-strand synthetic fibers of UHMWPE, which have yield strengths as high as 2.4 GPa (350,000 psi) and specific gravity as low as 0.97 (for Dyneema SK75).[4] High-strength steels have comparable yield strengths, and low-carbon steels have yield strengths much lower (around 0.5 GPa). Since steel has a specific gravity of roughly 7.8, this gives strength-to-weight ratios for these materials in a range from 10 to 100 times higher than steel. Strength-to-weight ratios for Dyneema are about 40% higher than for aramid


I can't wait for more bullet-proof tools! Seriously though, today first mixing hotmud with my new Advance Tornado paddle, the freshly set mud just shook off with no effort. Good schhhtuff


----------



## fr8train

Rick, I know I mentioned this before, but I'm too lazy to read back through 47+ pages to find the answer. If you remember I have both of your paddles, haven't used the small one in a while. ( why use it when I have the big one). My problem with the big one is that is shakes the CRAP out of the bucket. Any solutions? I have it set so that it will pivot, should I tighten it down a bit?

Mike


----------



## rhardman

View attachment 3365


fr8train said:


> Rick, I know I mentioned this before, but I'm too lazy to read back through 47+ pages to find the answer. If you remember I have both of your paddles, haven't used the small one in a while. ( why use it when I have the big one). My problem with the big one is that is shakes the CRAP out of the bucket. Any solutions? I have it set so that it will pivot, should I tighten it down a bit?
> 
> Mike


Thanks Mike,

Are you using a drill with over 700 rpm?

When I first made the mixer I didn't put any holes in the blade and the "twist" was much more prevalant. It acted like a boat propeller and under high rpm would send the mud out the top of the bucket.:blink:

When I added the holes and reduced the twist angle, I noticed some vibration especially in thinner mud for orange peel. With thicker mud it wasn't a problem.

First I tried to rearrange the hole pattern but some minor vibration still seemed to remain. I checked the blade balance and it looked good so the conclusion we arrived at was that since there is so much mixing going on...

turbulence is created in the bucket moving in several different directions at the same time. Combine that with a flexible container and it can be more enthusiastic.

Another thing to consider is that this thing was built to grab into the oncoming material and separate the mass into 2 "pieces" with the inner flow being directed to the 2 small ports in the blade (look at the forward edges of the blade in the drawings above). This will make it handle different than typical paddles. To me, any vibration was minimal and didn't create a problem. 

That being said...go ahead and tighten the blade a little. If it's real loose, it could cause a slight fluctuation in the center of gravity.

You may also try rolling the shaft along a table to make sure it isn't bent. Being aluminum when you tap it on a bucket to knock off loose mud, you want to be sure the impact is at the end of the shaft near the yoke.

The blades as I've mentioned were hand made. Maybe you got one that isn't quite "right."
If you would like to try another blade, I can send one to you. :thumbsup:

Rick
(This mixer is like listening to fine music when it's used with a variable speed drill.)


----------



## VANMAN

rhardman said:


> Oh...as an FYI, Clint with Walltools ordered some 3 point creaser wheels today. We'll be getting them machined and shipped to him on the 29th.
> 
> Price is higher than we would like because we lathe them one at a time and are using the UHMW self lubicating plastic. Again...the absolute best we can make it. After you use it, you'll see how much easier it make stringing angles. I'm sure you'll be happy after the first job.
> 
> 
> NOTE: I'm not going to be doing "sales" here on DWT. I only mention this one time because the guys here have been with me for the entire ride from the beginning. They tested the prototypes, read the updates, gave feedback and now see our first real sale to a distributor*.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your support.
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> *We had an order early on from a distributor for a few pieces...but we never received payment so I'm not counting that as a "real" order.


 Rick did u ever get any1 in uk ur paddles/creaser wheels shipped 2? I have a order with Brandon for a creaser wheel that i am waiting for!!


----------



## rhardman

VANMAN said:


> Rick did u ever get any1 in uk ur paddles/creaser wheels shipped 2? I have a order with Brandon for a creaser wheel that i am waiting for!!


I sent some samples over there but the main guy I was hoping to set up as a distributor wouldn't return my messages for months at a time so I finally gave up. Weren't you supposed to get something from me? It's been a long time, but f I remember correctly, I sent everything in one box and asked that they get it to you.

To be honest, for now "selling" is a lower priority and will detract from more important things I need to take care of.

Talk to Brandon if you want anything we have. We'll support him on creaser wheels and anything else he needs. 

Last I heard All-Wall is carrying the Advance mixing paddle too.


----------



## fr8train

Rick, 

I'll check that the shaft is straight, and I'll tighten the the pivot up a bit and let you know how it goes. That being said, it still does an awesome job!


----------



## VANMAN

rhardman said:


> I sent some samples over there but the main guy I was hoping to set up as a distributor wouldn't return my messages for months at a time so I finally gave up. Weren't you supposed to get something from me? It's been a long time, but f I remember correctly, I sent everything in one box and asked that they get it to you.
> 
> To be honest, for now "selling" is a lower priority and will detract from more important things I need to take care of.
> 
> Talk to Brandon if you want anything we have. We'll support him on creaser wheels and anything else he wants.
> 
> Last I heard All-Wall is carrying the Advance mixing paddle.


 Yea Rick i got a box of goods from u:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

*I promised I would tell you bad news as well as good things that are happening.*


It doesn't look like we're going to get the full texture system to run on 110VAC. I hate the idea of asking a contractor to set up a completely separate compressor to spray texture but that might be what ends up happening.

We're at the end of this (particular) 110 volt road. I have one more engineer that thinks he might have a solution that I'll be talking to in a couple of weeks.

The problem is the pump. Like I've said, there's nothing like it (_blah, blah, blah_:thumbup. It takes nearly all the 20 amps to move the mud like I want it to. Mounting an on board compressor sends the power requirements over the top of what is available.

220 is always doable....but very inconvenient. Gas is a done deal without question...but more expensive.

We won't sell crap and we won't try to force you to do things our way. A system should be designed with the goal of being exactly what you are asking for...


I'll keep you up to date with all new developments. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## fr8train

Rick,
I checked the shaft, and it is NOT bent, and I tightened the pivot. This helped with a lot of the vibration, but it still shakes much more than a normal paddle. Just giving you a heads up like I said I would

Also, you can ask PaRocker for his opinion on it since we have been using it for the past week or so.


----------



## rhardman

fr8train said:


> Rick,
> I checked the shaft, and it is NOT bent, and I tightened the pivot. This helped with a lot of the vibration, but it still shakes much more than a normal paddle. Just giving you a heads up like I said I would
> 
> Also, you can ask PaRocker for his opinion on it since we have been using it for the past week or so.


 
Thanks, glad to hear its still in good shape. I wonder if you might have an off center blade or something. Let me know if you want another and I'll send it out.

Are you mixing real thin mud when you notice it? 

May be characteristic of the blade grabbing into the oncoming mud. I never had an issue.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Since the computer board went out of my Kodiak, I was thinking about you the last couple weeks.


----------



## fr8train

rhardman said:


> Thanks, glad to hear its still in good shape. I wonder if you might have an off center blade or something. Let me know if you want another and I'll send it out.
> 
> Are you mixing real thin mud when you notice it?
> 
> May be characteristic of the blade grabbing into the oncoming mud. I never had an issue.
> 
> Rick


You can send me another blade, I'll let ya know if that fixes the issue, also I haven't been mixing thin mud with it, if anything I like my mud a little thicker than PA does :yes: Go ahead, ask him, he'll tell ya


----------



## 2buckcanuck

fr8train said:


> You can send me another blade, I'll let ya know if that fixes the issue, also I haven't been mixing thin mud with it, if anything I like my mud a little thicker than PA does :yes: Go ahead, ask him, he'll tell ya


HHHmmmmm









Sorta sounds like someone who is starting to boss their boss around:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> HHHmmmmm
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorta sounds like someone who is starting to boss their boss around:whistling2:


2buck, you're a class act and my brother in every sense of the word! Thank you my friend.

Basically what's going on is you have a knucklehead whose dad had an idea and for whatever reason, his son just couldn't walk away from it. I'm not smart...I just don't give up. I announced the tools (way too long ago) thinking that I was about to launch them and then we ran into the pump delays which (now that I'm going through the divorce) I'm kind of glad took too long. I love that girl but there is no doubt that if things had been further along, she would have gone for half of everything...including the tools.

So here we are...the pump looks good. The 110VAC is very questionable and the other automatic tool guys are wondering if I'm totally full of s*** or if I actually have something. I guess time will tell. 

In the meantime, there are a hand full of journeyman who know what mud tastes like...just as I do...and for whatever reason...they're in my corner.

At the end of the day...
At the end of every road...
At this moment...

I don't know how things are going to end up...

But to "my people...."

I want to thank you for your support and for not giving up on us.

I'll be as open and forthright as I can with every step we travel..whether we're running...or crawling.

Rick

Fr8 and Tim0282, I'm traveling for the consulting thing and should be able to ship those blades out next week.

SDR...you too.


----------



## rhardman

The top link won't show a picture...but it's great!

http://vba.sh/z8bzbK


----------



## Mudshark

Well Rick - Wall Tools is pushin your creaser wheel on facebook - welcome to the new world. 

http://www.walltools.com/store/hsi-...or-columbia-tapetech-and-g2-hsi-3pcw-025.html


----------



## rhardman

Thank you MudShark!

I didn't know. That's a great little wheel, I've never had anything but positive reviews for it.

:thumbsup:

And thank you Nathan, it was given birth here on DWT :thumbup: 


Rick


----------



## rhardman

*Let the games begin!*

I was talking to Advance about the increasing popularity of DWT and mentioned that Marshalltown is in the playground...


...then being the mischievious type :jester: I asked if they would donate 4 sets of knives and pans for a "shootout" between Advance and Marshall tools?

We figure that the reviews will divide pretty evenly as so many things are temperamental to the individual.

So if our friendly competitor is into it...and willing to donate 4 sets of finishing tools (6,8, 10, 12, pan and a mixing paddle :whistling2, let's have the number 3, 9, 17 and 20th guy that sends me an email (with your address and phone number to 
[email protected]) Friday after 7:00 am Pacific time and I'll announce the winners on Saturday.

Let the games begin!:thumbsup:


*The only rule:* This isn't about being critical of either mfr. Your reviews need to be positive. We just want some good clean fun! :thumbup:


_*First I guess we need MarshallT's "okay."*_ :yes:


----------



## silverstilts

That is nice of you to get something like this going. I would be jumping at the chance but you know me and how stubborn I can be to change a tool (like the mixing paddle that took many a days to coax me into trying) which is the best by the way) but I will bow out of this chance and stick to my trusty ole wallboard knife for now till after the reviews then perhaps we will see. And by the way nice to see you still lurking around Rick, I don't think there is anyone on this site that does not like hearing what you have to say, it's all good.


----------



## moore

silverstilts said:


> That is nice of you to get something like this going. I would be jumping at the chance but you know me and how stubborn I can be to change a tool (like the mixing paddle that took many a days to coax me into trying) which is the best by the way) but I will bow out of this chance and stick to my trusty ole wallboard knife for now till after the reviews then perhaps we will see. And by the way nice to see you still lurking around Rick, I don't think there is anyone on this site that does not like hearing what you have to say, it's all good.


Wallboard knifes :whistling2: Let me send you some real knifes Silver!


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> *The only rule:* This isn't about being critical of either mfr. Your reviews need to be positive. We just want some good clean fun! :thumbup:


I guess I won't even bother signing up if I can't be honest.


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> I guess I won't even bother signing up if I can't be honest.


Everyone else understood the point.

We'll miss your evaluation...


----------



## moore

I want free tools :notworthy:


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> I want free tools :notworthy:


_That's what I'm talking about!!!_ :thumbup:

I'm starting to get emails...everyone please hold off until Friday 7am (Pacific) to send in your name and address ([email protected]). That way it's fair for everyone.

Also...I need your DWT name to keep things simple.

I talked to MarshallT and they're looking into it.
He's a good guy!

_________________________

On a side note...after our next patent is filed I'm sending prototypes out to two DWT testers for evaluation. I've already spoken with them. Expect 2 rounds of tweaking before it's perfect.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> _That's what I'm talking about!!!_ :thumbup:
> 
> I'm starting to get emails...everyone please hold off until Friday 7am (Pacific) to send in your name and address ([email protected]). That way it's fair for everyone.
> 
> Also...I need your DWT name to keep things simple.
> 
> I talked to MarshallT and they're looking into it.
> He's a good guy!
> 
> _________________________
> 
> On a side note...after our next patent is filed I'm sending prototypes out to two DWT testers for evaluation. I've already spoken with them. Expect 2 rounds of tweaking before it's perfect.


I too shall half to back out of the competition also:yes:

Everyone knows where my heart lies, I would not want to break DeAnne's heart from Advance tools, if she heard I hooked up with a different knife:whistling2:


----------



## PrecisionTaping

Ya, I'm a trowel guy so I'm not really interested either. lol.
But great idea Rick! And all company's involved!


----------



## Mudshark

Thats good, PT and his buddy 2 buck are out of the competition. Looks like the first 2 emails will be from SlimPickens and Moore and the 3rd will be from me. :whistling2:

Hey we can all use more knifes and pans.


----------



## PrecisionTaping

Mudshark said:


> Thats good, PT and his buddy 2 buck are out of the competition. Looks like the first 2 emails will be from SlimPickens and Moore and the 3rd will be from me. :whistling2:
> 
> Hey we can all use more knifes and pans.


Have you entered the drywall sculpting contest Mudshark?
That's another chance to win some free stuff :thumbsup:


----------



## SlimPickins

nevermind.


----------



## rhardman

Don't forget to sign up gentlemen! 

7:00 am Pacific Time this morning...

If MarshallT can't play, the least you will win is a new set of Advance Equipment tools!

See below if you missed it.

Rick





rhardman said:


> I was talking to Advance about the increasing popularity of DWT and mentioned that Marshalltown is in the playground...
> 
> 
> ...then being the mischievious type :jester: I asked if they would donate 4 sets of knives and pans for a "shootout" between Advance and Marshall tools?
> 
> We figure that the reviews will divide pretty evenly as so many things are temperamental to the individual.
> 
> So if our friendly competitor is into it...and willing to donate 4 sets of finishing tools (6,8, 10, 12, pan and a mixing paddle :whistling2, let's have the number 3, 9, 17 and 20th guy that sends me an email (with your address and phone number to
> [email protected]) Friday after 7:00 am Pacific time and I'll announce the winners on Saturday.
> 
> Let the games begin!:thumbsup:
> 
> 
> *The only rule:* This isn't about being critical of either mfr. Your reviews need to be positive. We just want some good clean fun! :thumbup:
> 
> 
> _*First I guess we need MarshallT's "okay."*_ :yes:


----------



## rhardman

First winner is Trey Schmidt of Omaha. 
_His was the 3rd email I received._:thumbup:


You can enter more than once guys. I see several regular post *hores that have signed in but missed the winning number (3, 9, 17 and 20th guy).

I'll announce the other winners tomorrow.

Rick

And to publicly answer a private message I received...if MarshallTown can't participate, DeAnne will still give 4 sets of tools for your review anyway.


----------



## JustMe

Rick,

If you could line something up between Advance and USG Sheetrock on their offset knives.....I'm thinking that would be especially interesting to give a go, since they're not a well known knife design, but at least some of those here who've tried them seem to really like them.


----------



## JustMe

SlimPickins said:


> I guess I won't even bother signing up if I can't be honest.


My thoughts at this time on the 2 knives would be that Marshalltown would be more the power type knife - good at getting mud on the wall faster - and Advance would be more the finesse type knife.


----------



## sdrdrywall

I us the usg offsets 8"10" :for bead work great knives take a little getting used to just a different design and feel once your used to them they're great.


----------



## moore

Marshall/t cant afford to give away 4 starter kits ?:blink:


or....do they not want to hear what we have to say about there blades? :whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> Marshall/t cant afford to give away 4 starter kits ?:blink:
> 
> 
> or....do they not want to hear what we have to say about there blades? :whistling2:


 
Their DWT guy was going for approval last I heard. I was supposed to get a phone call today but didn't hear anything...

I guess we'll see. :yes:


----------



## rhardman

sdrdrywall said:


> I us the usg offsets 8"10" :for bead work great knives take a little getting used to just a different design and feel once your used to them they're great.


The offset knives are really great for skip trowel too. Nice tight pattern that leaves a "leopard" effect. Just hold them very lightly and focus the mud along the extreme edge as you pull them across the surface. :thumbsup:

With straight mud laying the blade "flatter" you can match a 1940's plaster texture. With #30 silica, and pulling in circular motions, its just darn pretty! :thumbup:

Rick
(Pardon the following plug...Advance has great Offset knives....:whistling2


----------



## sdrdrywall

rhardman said:


> The offset knives are really great for skip trowel too. Nice tight pattern that leaves a "leopard" effect. Just hold them very lightly and focus the mud along the extreme edge as you pull them across the surface. :thumbsup:
> :whistling2:
> With straight mud laying the blade "flatter" you can match a 1940's plaster texture. With #30 silica, and pulling in circular motions, its just darn pretty! :thumbup:
> 
> Rick
> (Pardon the following plug...Advance has great Offset knives....:whistling2


If that's a hint rick. Ill they them against each other :whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

sdrdrywall said:


> If that's a hint rick. Ill they them against each other :whistling2:


 
I'll "they them" what? :blink:


----------



## sdrdrywall

rhardman said:


> I'll "they them" what? :blink:


Darn spell check i meant to say test them against each other.I've been planning to buy a 12 and a 16 anyway


----------



## rhardman

sdrdrywall said:


> Darn spell check i meant to say test them against each other.I've been planning to buy a 12 and a 16 anyway


 
:thumbsup:

Advance only goes up to 14 wide, I'm not sure about MarshallT. 

http://advance-equipment.com/Advance-Offset-Drywall-Knives.php

Rick


----------



## rhardman

And the winners of our Advance Equipment vs. MarshallTown shootout are.....


Ken Lund of Nanaimo BC, Trey Schmidt of Omaha Nebraska, Chris Chiatovich of Kimberly Idaho and Richard Moore of Dillwyn Virginia.


I'll get in touch with DeAnne on Monday so we can get everything shipped out right away.

Thank you to everyone that participated. :thumbsup:

To the winner that wants a "T" shirt too.... _Nice try! _:thumbup:


MarshallT... will you be able to play? Send me your email address and I'll forward the guys' addresses to you.

Rick

(I counted sequentially as the emails came in. 2 of the winners entered multiple times so after they won I deleted their subsequent emails and continued counting as if their follow up emails hadn't been sent. Otherwise one of the guys would have one twice.)


----------



## machinemud

rhardman said:


> And the winners of our Advance Equipment vs. MarshallTown shootout are.....
> 
> Ken Loud of Nanaimo BC, Trey Schmidt of Omaha Nebraska, Chris Chiatovich of Kimberly Idaho and Richard Moore of Dillwyn Virginia.
> 
> I'll get in touch with DeAnne on Monday so we can get everything shipped out right away.
> 
> Thank you to everyone that participated. :thumbsup:
> 
> To the winner that wants a "T" shirt too.... Nice try! :thumbup:
> 
> MarshallT... will you be able to play? Send me your email address and I'll forward the guys' addresses to you.
> 
> Rick
> 
> (I counted sequentially as the emails came in. 2 of the winners entered multiple times so after they won I deleted their subsequent emails and continued counting as if their follow up emails hadn't been sent. Otherwise one of the guys would have one twice.)


Its nice from you rick ! Congrats to all the winners !


----------



## Mudshark

Yes thanks Rick.

And thats Lund not Loud.


----------



## rhardman

Mudshark said:


> Yes thanks Rick.
> 
> And thats Lund not Loud.


Sorry...I knew that...just typed wrong.

I corrected it above compadre!

:thumbup:


----------



## chris

:thumbup: Awesome . Thank you Rick.


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> To the winner that wants a "T" shirt too.... _Nice try! _:thumbup:


Like I wonder who that would be.......did he ask for size xxLarge :laughing:


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> The offset knives are really great for skip trowel too. Nice tight pattern that leaves a "leopard" effect. Just hold them very lightly and focus the mud along the extreme edge as you pull them across the surface. :thumbsup:


The 14" applies what I like to call a "micro" skip....very unique. A little more time consuming to get it right, but oh-so-delicate and really quite pretty in skilled hands:thumbsup: (I suppose that means I'm calling myself "skilled"....how presumptuous and .......appropriate :laughing


----------



## moore

Thanks Rick..DeAnne ,,and Advance tools :thumbup: 

Koolamundo!!!! ..Thanks guys/pretty lady!!!:yes:


----------



## moore

Kiwiman said:


> Like I wonder who that would be.......did he ask for size xxLarge :laughing:


 No ...I'm a large after they shrink up a bit!! LOL!!!
Hey !! It was worth a try!

I gotta catch up with gaz and 2buck anyway I can!


----------



## Advance Equipment

rhardman said:


> And the winners of our Advance Equipment vs. MarshallTown shootout are.....
> 
> 
> Ken Lund of Nanaimo BC, Trey Schmidt of Omaha Nebraska, Chris Chiatovich of Kimberly Idaho and Richard Moore of Dillwyn Virginia.
> 
> 
> I'll get in touch with DeAnne on Monday so we can get everything shipped out right away.
> 
> Thank you to everyone that participated. :thumbsup:
> 
> To the winner that wants a "T" shirt too.... _Nice try! _:thumbup:
> 
> 
> MarshallT... will you be able to play? Send me your email address and I'll forward the guys' addresses to you.
> 
> Rick
> 
> (I counted sequentially as the emails came in. 2 of the winners entered multiple times so after they won I deleted their subsequent emails and continued counting as if their follow up emails hadn't been sent. Otherwise one of the guys would have one twice.)


 
Congratulations Guys,

Thank you for participating in this event. We at Advance Equipment look forward to your reviews on our drywall tools. The assorted tools will be shipped this week for your evaluation.
 
Best regards,

DeAnne Shallcross:thumbup:


----------



## Mudshark

Thanks DeAnne for letting Rick talk you into this. 

Looking forward to trying out the Advance Equipment knifes. :thumbsup:


----------



## Advance Equipment

Mudshark said:


> Thanks DeAnne for letting Rick talk you into this.
> 
> Looking forward to trying out the Advance Equipment knifes. :thumbsup:


 

It is our pleasure to be part of the evaluation. This is an opportunity for the professionals to work with Advance Equipment U.S.A. made drywall tools. :yes: 

Thanks again,
DeAnne


----------



## moore

DeAnne called me a Professional!!:blush::brows:


----------



## Bazooka-Joe

moore said:


> DeAnne called me a Professional!!:blush::brows:



Moe's been Flattered

scuse the Pun


----------



## rhardman

Has anyone heard if MarshallT is going play?

How 'bout the disty's offering tools from their arsenal to compare to Advance?

Everyone watches DWT...let's see who really believes in what they sell?:thumbup:

_1 pan, a 6, 8, 10 & 12 and a mixing paddle..._

Send me a note competitors ([email protected]) and I'll forward you the addresses of the winners.

Rick

_(This is an open invitation to all the distributors and mfrs... :thumbsup_


----------



## Mudshark

rhardman said:


> Has anyone heard if MarshallT is going play?


Have not heard anything on here Rick. Checking his profile, doesnt look like he has been online on this site for a few days.

Joined: 09/24/2012 | Last Login: 10/03/2012 
:blink:


----------



## MarshalltownCoMkt

Hey everyone, sorry about the late response to this. I've actually been on some jobsites this last week, trying to learn a few things from some experts. A few of them were even DWT members.:thumbup:

As far as the taping knife contest goes, we are going to pass this time. Marshalltown does have a few new items that we are want your guys' feedback on though. My boss would rather concentrate on that at this point in time. He must know I have a hard time keeping track of two things at once 

Even though free tools weren't sent out this time, I promise you there will be plenty of stuff sent out soon. I like this group of guys, I'm glad I joined.


----------



## Kiwiman

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> Hey everyone, sorry about the late response to this. I've actually been on some jobsites this last week, trying to learn a few things from some experts. A few of them were even DWT members.:thumbup:
> 
> As far as the taping knife contest goes, we are going to pass this time. Marshalltown does have a few new items that we are want your guys' feedback on though. My boss would rather concentrate on that at this point in time. He must know I have a hard time keeping track of two things at once
> 
> Even though free tools weren't sent out this time,* I promise you there will be plenty of stuff sent out soon*. I like this group of guys, I'm glad I joined.


I like him :yes:


----------



## rhardman

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> Hey everyone, sorry about the late response to this. I've actually been on some jobsites this last week, trying to learn a few things from some experts. A few of them were even DWT members.:thumbup:
> 
> As far as the taping knife contest goes, we are going to pass this time. Marshalltown does have a few new items that we are want your guys' feedback on though. My boss would rather concentrate on that at this point in time. He must know I have a hard time keeping track of two things at once
> 
> Even though free tools weren't sent out this time, I promise you there will be plenty of stuff sent out soon. I like this group of guys, I'm glad I joined.


While disappointed, it's tough not to respect such a level of class and distinction....:thumbsup:


----------



## Mudshark

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> Even though free tools weren't sent out this time, I promise you there will be plenty of stuff sent out soon. I like this group of guys, I'm glad I joined.


I like him too Kiwiman.


----------



## SlimPickins

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> Hey everyone, sorry about the late response to this. I've actually been on some jobsites this last week, trying to learn a few things from some experts. A few of them were even DWT members.:thumbup:
> 
> As far as the taping knife contest goes, we are going to pass this time. Marshalltown does have a few new items that we are want your guys' feedback on though. My boss would rather concentrate on that at this point in time. He must know I have a hard time keeping track of two things at once
> 
> Even though free tools weren't sent out this time, I promise you there will be plenty of stuff sent out soon. I like this group of guys, I'm glad I joined.


I'm an expert at trying out free stuff!:thumbsup:

And aside from my fancy Italian trowels for specialty finishes/products, I only use Marshalltown trowels:yes:


----------



## Mudshark

SlimPickins said:


> I'm an expert at trying out free stuff!:thumbsup:
> :yes:


I think you deserve a free pencil or two.


----------



## SlimPickins

Mudshark said:


> I think you deserve a free pencil or two.


Nah, I don't _deserve _anything! I just like giving my opinion on stuff, and if I get to keep it, swell! 

I don't think everyone likes my opinion though, because I choose to be honest.

I wish I had some ice cream to try right now :laughing:


----------



## Philma Crevices

SlimPickins said:


> I wish I had some ice cream to try right now :laughing:


 Ben & Jerry's Everything But The :thumbup:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> Even though free tools weren't sent out this time, I promise you there will be plenty of stuff sent out soon. I like this group of guys, I'm glad I joined.


"T" shirts









We want free "T" shirts









Except for Gazman, he don't like "T" shirts:whistling2:


----------



## Mudshark

And they have nice ones too!


----------



## gazman

2buckcanuck said:


> "T" shirts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We want free "T" shirts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Except for Gazman, he don't like "T" shirts:whistling2:



I dont like "T" shirts. I love "T" shirts, wanna see my collection:whistling2:.


----------



## machinemud

Dear Santa Claus marshalltown

My name is eric, I am 34 years old and I live in montreal . 

I have tried to be good all year and hope that you and your sheep will be able to deliver me a nice present. 

At the moment my special item is a baseball cap but I would really like a hoodie or a beanie to wear !

I know that you and your helpers must be very busy at the moment and hope that you will also have time to deliver some nice gifts for my DWT family.

I will leave you a glass of milk and some cookies next to our Christmas Tree and there will also be some for your sheep .


----------



## br549

That baseball cap is niiice :whistling2: That jacket is really niiice!:whistling2: 

Since 1890?! Holy chit! :thumbsup:

It's sad to see Marshalltown about to go bankrupt... they were doing fine until they started posting on DWT - where we all want a wardrobe of free stuff!


----------



## rhardman

Thank you DeAnne for your generous samples and for participating in our "Shoot-Out."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm packing everything up and leaving for L.A. this weekend so I'll be away from DWT for a couple of days.

When the winners get their tools, please give them the full test and provide your honest evaluation. 

*Topic suggestiions:*
_(What would you guys like to see for 6-10?_

*1. Flexibility*
*2. "Feel"*
*3. Shape of blade for running along inside angles and for running metal.*
*4. Cleanability*
*5. Pan*
*6. ?*
*7. ?*
*8. ?*
*9. ?*
*10. ?*



Thank you everyone for playing! :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## A smooth finish

Thanks. I just got back in town yesterday. And saw my tools. I cant wait to try them out. I will try them and get back to you. Not sure when it will be I dont have much work lined up atm but when I do I will try them out. 

Thanks again


----------



## MarshalltownCoMkt

That's quite the wardrobe you're eyeing there.


----------



## MarshalltownCoMkt

Well gents, thanks for not being too hard on me.  I'll be in contact with some of you guys in the next few months to test out some fun stuff, accompinied with t-shirts, hats, and everything. :thumbup:

As Rick probably knows, good fieldtesters are hard to find, so you gotta take care of them.


----------



## moore

Thanks Advance! :thumbup:

We start hanging one Tomorrow..I will put these tools to work very soon. I like the feel of those handles..and...I may just fall in love with that mixer....:yes: :thumbsup:


----------



## A smooth finish

I got some T&M work coming up just the right thing to test these tools.


----------



## Philma Crevices

moore said:


> Thanks Advance! :thumbup:
> 
> We start hanging one Tomorrow..I will put these tools to work very soon. I like the feel of those handles..and...I may just fall in love with that mixer....:yes: :thumbsup:


 Nice lookin' stuuuuuff! THose are Rick's knives right?


----------



## 2buckcanuck

moore said:


> Thanks Advance! :thumbup:
> 
> We start hanging one Tomorrow..I will put these tools to work very soon. I like the feel of those handles..and...I may just fall in love with that mixer....:yes: :thumbsup:


If you don't like the six inch or eight inch knife, just send them to your favourite internet Canadian buddy................Me

Just don't dip them in sheep chit like Kiwiman did:furious:


----------



## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> If you don't like the six inch or eight inch knife, just send them to your favourite internet Canadian buddy................Me
> 
> Just don't dip them in sheep chit like Kiwiman did:furious:


Mmmmmmm, Raisins


----------



## br549

Kiwiman said:


> Mmmmmmm, Raisins


----------



## Mudshark

moore said:


> Thanks Advance!
> 
> We start hanging one Tomorrow..I will put these tools to work very soon. I like the feel of those handles..and...I may just fall in love with that mixer.... :thumbsup:




Thanks Advance and Thanks Rick for getting this together. Mine just arrived minutes ago and already like all of it. Best mudpan I own I can see already. Knifes am looking forward to and that Tornado mixer, well once again thanks Rick for designing it. 


 

http://yoursmiles.org/t-en.php?page=2


----------



## chris

Got mine last night and got to use today:thumbsup: I skimmed and textured some walls today with them. Very nice knives and they felt much better than the stainless knives Ive used before. Handels are sweet:thumbsup:. Will try to post some pics later. Thank you . Chris


----------



## Advance Equipment

Mudshark said:


> Thanks Advance and Thanks Rick for getting this together. Mine just arrived minutes ago and already like all of it. Best mudpan I own I can see already. Knifes am looking forward to and that Tornado mixer, well once again thanks Rick for designing it.


Hello Mudshark,

Glad to hear you received taping knives, mud pan and new mixer. I look forward to your feedback!
Thank you,
DeAnne


----------



## Advance Equipment

chris said:


> Got mine last night and got to use today:thumbsup: I skimmed and textured some walls today with them. Very nice knives and they felt much better than the stainless knives Ive used before. Handels are sweet:thumbsup:. Will try to post some pics later. Thank you . Chris


 
Hello Chris,

I ma very happy to hear that you you liked our Cool Grip II stainless steel taping knives!! I look forward to viewing the pictures you post

Thanks again,
DeAnne


----------



## spacklinfool

can a fellow spackler from long island get some taping tools to try and tell others about??
LOVE FIELD TESTING..


----------



## A smooth finish

I got to use the Knives and pan and mixer today. I really like the mixer it clean off well.

The 12 inch knife worked well. Cleaned well. I dont think they hold as much mud as my big knife I had before but its close.

Im real happy with them. thanks again guys


----------



## Advance Equipment

A smooth finish said:


> I got to use the Knives and pan and mixer today. I really like the mixer it clean off well.
> 
> The 12 inch knife worked well. Cleaned well. I dont think they hold as much mud as my big knife I had before but its close.
> 
> Im real happy with them. thanks again guys


Hello A smooth finish,

Thank you for your feedback. Advance has had a lot of positive feedback on the new Tornado Mixer designed by Rick Hardman.

Enjoy your new tools!

Thanks again,
DeAnne


----------



## chris

The mixer passes the test:thumbsup: Was skeptical at first as I was mixing a bucket of 40 min Hammies and dont like to try new things so I used my older mixer. When came time to texture I used the tornado to mix up some soup. The mud seemed to be just fine and it took the same time to mix as other paddel.I have used it now a couple time and will be mixing spray mud with it today. I still havnt tried it with hotmuds


----------



## sdrdrywall

Thats the mixer we use for hot mud. Its the easiest to clean off:jester:


----------



## chris

Used the mixer more today for some spray mud and it worked very well:thumbsup: As some may know that when mixing spray mud ( ready spray hamilton) it may get a lil messy with all the water added sometimes water or mud will splash up on my legs with my other mixer. That did not happen today the Tornado kept the water and mud goin down and around:thumbsup:


----------



## Advance Equipment

chris said:


> Used the mixer more today for some spray mud and it worked very well:thumbsup: As some may know that when mixing spray mud ( ready spray hamilton) it may get a lil messy with all the water added sometimes water or mud will splash up on my legs with my other mixer. That did not happen today the Tornado kept the water and mud goin down and around:thumbsup:


Hi Chris,

Thanks for sharing your feedback on the Tornado mixer. Advance has had a lot of positive comments on the unique design by Rick Hardman.

DeAnne
:thumbup:


----------



## moore

:d:d:d:d


----------



## rhardman

Well I'm now in Sherman Oaks and fyi...my new cell is 818-815-8909.

Rick

Divorce "stuff" came back on me...more paperwork to file....:blink:

I'll be right back! :thumbsup:



(Tim, thanks for the note, I'll call tomorrow.)

-------- Original Message -------- 
Subject: ReviewDate: Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:37:06 -0400From: He can say who he is...I didn't ask permission to post this email...To: DeAnne Advance <[email protected]>CC: Rick Hardman <[email protected]>



Good day both of you ! First , let me tell you that everyone that try my tornado mixer wants one ! I hope that you will contact the store that i gave you because they will be a buzz for the tornado ! Ok , for myself , i think the tornado is the perfect mixer , perfect size , my back is not bent when i mix my mud . No plastic bucket in my mud , smooth mixing everytime . 10/10 The mud pan is lightweight , easy to clean and loads enough mud , the only downside is that i cut myself with the top edge*** . 9/10 but i will definitely buy a mud pan holder to go with it . The pail scoop was my biggest surprise , this is the tool that was missing in my tool bag , perfect to clean bucket and to fill my mud pan 11/10 ( i would suggest to think of creating a pail scoop holder ) Finally the cool grip 2's are amazing , i loved them for flat joints , filling corner bead , wipe the tape after my bazooka , the grip feels very lightweight ( suggestion ) create a adaptor for the cool grip and a pole sander to be able to wipe the ceiling tape of by bazooka from the floor . I let people try the tornado and the 10 inch cool grip 2 and they were all positive responses ,they asked me if they could try the cool grip in 8 inch for the corner bead first coat and the 6 inch for the 3 way in the angle . I am doing my best on the jobsite to promote your great tools ! If you need anything from me , just let me know ! ***x
Envoyé de mon iPhone


*** DeAnne said that all of their tools are hand sanded to prevent edges so she's going to look into the issue...thanx!


----------



## moore

:notworthy:I love the tornado mixer. [Rick your a genius] Compared to the ole bowtie ,,The tornado mixes the entire bucket It brings the heavy to the top and wipes the heavy off the sides . I use black top a/p for pretty much everything A very dense mud. With the bowtie 3/4 down I would have to remix..not with the tornado :no: .

What impressed me the most was my texture mud...[usg advanced formula] With the bow and box paddles I would have to pour bucket to bucket ,,wipe the heavy from the sides and bottoms as I went .. There was no need for this procedure after mixing with the tornado! 

Mixing with hot mud went well..but hard [timely] to clean ..though I use a stiff bristle dunny brush to clean the paddles .
[I buy my dunny brushes NEW!:whistling2:] Once I find a good fine bristle brush for hot mud clean up .It should clean up just fine. after that the box paddle will join the bow tie In the [don't use anymore] side of the tool shed!!:yes: I LOVE THIS MIXER ! :thumbup:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Moore, if you liked that mixer, then you would get a great big stiffy , every time you mixed mud with this paddle:whistling2::thumbup:


----------



## sdrdrywall

2buckcanuck said:


> Moore, if you liked that mixer, then you would get a great big stiffy , every time you mixed mud with this paddle:whistling2::thumbup:


No doubt that mixer will suck a bucket through a knothole:thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> :notworthy:I love the tornado mixer. [Rick your a genius] Compared to the ole bowtie ,,The tornado mixes the entire bucket It brings the heavy to the top and wipes the heavy off the sides . I use black top a/p for pretty much everything A very dense mud. With the bowtie 3/4 down I would have to remix..not with the tornado .
> 
> What impressed me the most was my texture mud...[usg advanced formula] With the bow and box paddles I would have to pour bucket to bucket ,,wipe the heavy from the sides and bottoms as I went .. There was no need for this procedure after mixing with the tornado!
> 
> Mixing with hot mud went well..but hard [timely] to clean ..though I use a stiff bristle dunny brush to clean the paddles .
> [I buy my dunny brushes NEW!:whistling2:] Once I find a good fine bristle brush for hot mud clean up .It should clean up just fine. after that the box paddle will join the bow tie In the [don't use anymore] side of the tool shed!!:yes: I LOVE THIS MIXER ! :thumbup:


Thanks for the evaluation! Before you take the brush to the mixer "stomp" it in a bucket of water. Depending on the thickness of mud, it should clean off most (if not all) of the mud. I designed the twists and channels to move mud in specifc directions...when I "stomped" it the first time I was surprised how well it helped to clean it up. :thumbup:

Rick

_(Has anyone seen that video? I want to repost it but can't seem to find it...)_


----------



## smisner50s

rhardman said:


> Thanks for the evaluation! Before you take the brush to the mixer "stomp" it in a bucket of water. Depending on the thickness of mud, it should clean off most (if not all) of the mud. I designed the twists and channels to move mud in specifc directions...when I "stomped" it the first time I was surprised how well it helped to clean it up. :thumbup:
> 
> Rick
> 
> (Has anyone seen that video? I want to repost it but can't seem to find it...)


I stomp mine off and it comes nice and clean..good design


----------



## fr8train

Are you referring to my vid Rick?


----------



## fr8train

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jehqlohMyo&feature=youtube_gdata_player


----------



## rhardman

Yep, that's it.


Thank you Fr8! :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

*Don't open an email from hardmansystems.com*

Hey guy's,


Moving the website, we've been hacked and apparently you might receive a bad email.

Don't open it...

Subject line: Company 2013 Report


I have someone working on it.

Divorce is nearly over. When I can come up for air I'll be back in touch.

:thumbsup:


Rick


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

Welcome to Los Angeles Rick, looking forward to meeting up monday and putting a face to the gadgets


----------



## rhardman

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Welcome to Los Angeles Rick, looking forward to meeting up monday and putting a face to the gadgets



:thumbsup:


----------



## Workaholic

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Welcome to Los Angeles Rick, looking forward to meeting up monday and putting a face to the gadgets


My advice grab the check immediately for the meal or Rick will grab the tab and you will feel like a douche. 

lol


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

Workaholic said:


> My advice grab the check immediately for the meal or Rick will grab the tab and you will feel like a douche.
> 
> lol


Done, I already know the waitresses


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Done, I already know the waitresses



Lunch (or drinks rather) with Rick went great. He's a great guy... A little hush hush but that was expected. Hoping this is the start of a great future relationship (this guys got some brain babies just waiting to birth)


----------



## moore

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Done, I already know the waitresses


 I bet you do.


----------



## br549

Speaking of that Tornado mixer, I went to  this page  on Walltools and ordered it last week. I was looking forward to using a new mixer that "pivots and conforms to the bottom of the bucket, mixing quicker without fishing for the powder" as it was advertised. 

It showed up today. Here's what I got -



??? 

It has the same model number, that's how the mixers are made now? What happened to the "pivoting" and "conforming"?


----------



## moore

br549 said:


> Speaking of that Tornado mixer, I went to this page on Walltools and ordered it last week. I was looking forward to using a new mixer that "pivots and conforms to the bottom of the bucket, mixing quicker without fishing for the powder" as it was advertised.
> 
> It showed up today. Here's what I got -
> 
> 
> 
> ???
> 
> It has the same model number, that's how the mixers are made now? What happened to the "pivoting" and "conforming"?


 Send it back br549...Looks like somebody dropped the ball..
 Deanne:whistling2:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

br549 said:


> Speaking of that Tornado mixer, I went to  this page  on Walltools and ordered it last week. I was looking forward to using a new mixer that "pivots and conforms to the bottom of the bucket, mixing quicker without fishing for the powder" as it was advertised.
> 
> It showed up today. Here's what I got -
> 
> 
> 
> ???
> 
> It has the same model number, that's how the mixers are made now? What happened to the "pivoting" and "conforming"?


It started with this mixer head









But Rhardman was saying it would half to retail for around $120 American. (250 Canadian, 500 kiwi land:whistling2 so they came out with the tornado ( one you got).

So either Rhardman is trying to cut down on the retail price, or has got complaints about the pivoting head, or deemed it unnecessary. Personally , I would say the pivoting head is not needed. maybe for mixing paint, but not mud.

But still, you did not get what was shown in the picture (head that pivots). Guess Brandon has to update his web page, and I'm sure he will make it up to you.

Maybe I should send you mine, then you can experiment with which head is better, the one that pivots or not. I own the white one, the black one is a back up mixer, only been used a couple of times:yes:


----------



## silverstilts

2buckcanuck said:


> It started with this mixer head
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But Rhardman was saying it would half to retail for around $120 American. (250 Canadian, 500 kiwi land:whistling2 so they came out with the tornado ( one you got).
> 
> So either Rhardman is trying to cut down on the retail price, or has got complaints about the pivoting head, or deemed it unnecessary. Personally , I would say the pivoting head is not needed. maybe for mixing paint, but not mud.
> 
> But still, you did not get what was shown in the picture (head that pivots). Guess Brandon has to update his web page, and I'm sure he will make it up to you.
> 
> Maybe I should send you mine, then you can experiment with which head is better, the one that pivots or not. I own the white one, the black one is a back up mixer, only been used a couple of times:yes:


 The pivoting head is nice so you don't have to be perpendicular mixing.


----------



## br549

2buckcanuck said:


> It started with this mixer head
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But Rhardman was saying it would half to retail for around $120 American. (250 Canadian, 500 kiwi land:whistling2 so they came out with the tornado ( one you got).
> 
> So either Rhardman is trying to cut down on the retail price, or has got complaints about the pivoting head, or deemed it unnecessary. Personally , I would say the pivoting head is not needed. maybe for mixing paint, but not mud.
> 
> But still, you did not get what was shown in the picture (head that pivots). Guess Brandon has to update his web page, and I'm sure he will make it up to you.
> 
> Maybe I should send you mine, then you can experiment with which head is better, the one that pivots or not. I own the white one, the black one is a back up mixer, only been used a couple of times:yes:


The more I look at it... is the gap right above where it pivots a pain in the a$s to clean at all? It looks like mud could easily get caked in there. Maybe he just simplified it with the fixed paddle, it could be a winner.

Thanks for the offer 2buck but I don't know when I'll get a chance to use it. I'm still not back in this full time yet, got a few more tools to buy :whistling2: before I can be a one man show and knock out any sort of decent sq footage. Appreciate it though:thumbsup:


----------



## Philma Crevices

Mud can get caked in there if you leave your paddle dirty out of water. The paddle cleans easy though, a few swishes in 4" of water takes care of it. I've been using the "Tornado" that pivots for maybe 6 months now, no complaints except maybe that the thing goes nuts in a butcket going at full speed, because of the pivoting.


----------



## br549

It sounds like good news that I got a "new" paddle then. I just bought a 1200 rpm drill, I don't think the pivoted one would have handled it 

If it comes clean just by stomping it in a water bucket a few times, why not encase the shaft in the same material, say about 3/4 of the way up it?:yes: Just a thought..


----------



## Workaholic

br549 said:


> The more I look at it... is the gap right above where it pivots a pain in the a$s to clean at all? It looks like mud could easily get caked in there. Maybe he just simplified it with the fixed paddle, it could be a winner.
> 
> Thanks for the offer 2buck but I don't know when I'll get a chance to use it. I'm still not back in this full time yet, got a few more tools to buy :whistling2: before I can be a one man show and knock out any sort of decent sq footage. Appreciate it though:thumbsup:


I have the original and the pivoting Tornado. 

Send this one back or give it a go.


----------



## Advance Equipment

moore said:


> Send it back br549...Looks like somebody dropped the ball..
> Deanne:whistling2:


Hello br549,

I am sorry for the error on behalf of Advance Equipment. We actually make to versions of this mixer, one that pivots No. EC28, Tornado Mixer, Pivots and No. EC28F Tornado Mixer fixed. You received the No. EC28F, Fixed blade. Please send me you address and I will send you the correct mixer. Thanks for letting me know.

DeAnne


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> Gentlemen,
> 
> We will be launching 18 new drywall and plastering tools in the next year. The products are great and we want to get some feedback so we know how to better address our marketing campaign before we hit the streets.
> 
> We will send a new tool to you to test for 30 days. Then we will ask for your opinion(s). After the first tool is evaluated we'll send another...and so forth.
> 
> We will send an NDA for you to sign and ask that you not comment on what the product is until we launch it officially.
> 
> We would like to work with one contractor from each of the following geographic areas, NW, SW, Central, NE, SE and Western BC.
> 
> Most of the products are for drywall but we also have a couple of fantastic tools for guys that do thin wall plaster.
> 
> Let me know if you want to participate and let us know what sort of projects you specialize in.
> 
> Thanks for your consideration.
> 
> Rick


:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> :whistling2:


Hi Icerock,

It's been an interesting ride the last couple of years and if you go back through the posts you will see what's been going on... The regional players are still a part of the plan but we need to get a little further along. My meeting with Wrenchmonkey last week was the first step down that road. We've had some _unsuspected_ challenges...

Thank you for your patience. 


2buck,

Muchacho!!! 


*"Personally , I would say the pivoting head is not needed. maybe for mixing paint, but not mud."*


Oh hush you contemptible, sheep shagging, mud spreading, misguided Canadian, wrong hockey team supporter you!!! 

The pivoting head is the best part of the mixer! :tt2: You're right about the cost of the first anodized and powder coated version. DeAnne and Advance came to the rescue and with their help we've been able to drop the price to $20.00.The fixed blade is another option...still doing the "squeegee thang" across the bottom and sides of the bucket. :thumbup: 



br549,

Sorry about the mix up with the order. Not sure what you mean about the mixer not handling a 1200 rpm drill? Structurally it's very strong. I designed it for an rpm range which most guys use (650 - 900). With higher rpm, don't try to muscle the drill, ride with it. It might travel a bit because of the holes in the blade passing mud through each revolution.

Encasing the shaft would be a much more expensive mold for the plastic...and add to the cost.
The constant analyzing of cost vs. benefit is a never ending struggle. If I've learned anything it's that the bulk of the industry doesn't want a Cadillac...lowest possible price is what's important.

Please let me know what you think of the mixer. :thumbsup:



DeAnne,

Thank you for the rapid response! 


Tim0282 and Silver,

Gentlemen, Just thought I'd say Hi!


Rick

(Oh, the website has turned into a billboard. It's deliberate and I'll explain why later.)


----------



## rhardman

Hey Fr8!!!

Where is your video?

Youtube says it doesn't exist...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jeh...e_gdata_player


I was going to send it to someone I was talking to recently.




Rick


021513 UPDATE: LInk is working...must have been operator error.
NEVERMIND....


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

rhardman said:


> Hi Icerock,
> 
> It's been an interesting ride the last couple of years and if you go back through the posts you will see what's been going on... The regional players are still a part of the plan but we need to get a little further down the road first. My meeting with Wrenchmonkey last week was the first step down that road. We've had some unsuspected challenges...
> 
> Thank you for your patience.
> 
> 2buck,
> 
> Muchacho!!!
> 
> "Personally , I would say the pivoting head is not needed. maybe for mixing paint, but not mud."
> 
> Oh hush you contemptible, sheep shagging, mud spreading, misguided Canadian, wrong hockey team supporter you!!!
> 
> The pivoting head is the best part of the mixer! :tt2: You're right about the cost of the first anodized and powder coated version. DeAnne and Advance came to the rescue and with their help we've been able to drop the price to $20.00.The fixed blade is another option...still doing the "squeegee thang" across the bottom and sides of the bucket. :thumbup:
> 
> br549,
> 
> Sorry about the mix up with the order. Not sure what you mean about the mixer not handling a 1200 rpm drill? Structurally it's very strong. I designed it for an rpm range which most guys use (650 - 900). With higher rpm, don't try to muscle the drill, ride with it. It might travel a bit because of the holes in the blade passing mud through each revolution.
> 
> Encasing the shaft would be a much more expensive mold for the plastic...and add to the cost.
> The constant analyzing of cost vs. benefit is a constant struggle. If I've learned anything it's that the bulk of the industry doesn't want a Cadillac...lowest possible cost is what's important.
> 
> Please let me know what you think of the mixer. :thumbsup:
> 
> DeAnne,
> 
> Thank you for the rapid response!
> 
> Tim0282 and Silver,
> 
> Gentlemen, Just thought I'd say Hi!
> 
> Rick
> 
> (Oh, the website has turned into a billboard. It's deliberate and I'll explain why later.)


As for the 1200 rpm drill not handling the paddle- I have seen a great number of armatuers and fields (the electric motor) burnt to a crisp in drills not suited for mixing (low rpm-high torque). Even using regular drills at half speed isn't good for em' as they aren't geared for the work. Let the paddle do the work with the correct power source and save the headache of an expensive repair.


----------



## rhardman

rhardman said:


> Hi Icerock,
> 
> 2buck,
> 
> Muchacho!!!
> 
> 
> *"Personally , I would say the pivoting head is not needed. maybe for mixing paint, but not mud."*
> 
> 
> Oh hush you contemptible, sheep shagging, mud spreading, misguided Canadian, wrong hockey team supporter you!!!
> 
> _The pivoting head..... _ :thumbup:




....actually I thought by poking 2buck I'd instigate an international incident...sounded like fun at the time...:blink:


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> Hey Fr8!!!
> 
> Where is your video?
> 
> Youtube says it doesn't exist...
> 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jeh...e_gdata_player
> 
> 
> I was going to send it to someone I was talking to recently.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick


 I may be wrong [not] Thats hot mud being sloshed off those paddles....A/P Is a different story...I use a paint brush .

No complaints with my tornado ..I love It ..use it daily:yes: just sayin.


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> ....actually I thought by poking 2buck I'd instigate an international incident...sounded like fun at the time...:blink:


Tag me in, we might need to poke a little harder than that to get a response


----------



## SlimPickins

rhardman said:


> The constant analyzing of cost vs. benefit is a never ending struggle. If I've learned anything it's that the bulk of the industry doesn't want a Cadillac...lowest possible price is what's important.


So sad, and so true. 

"I want the best, but I want it at the price of the not-best."

Or, as was said to me the other day "I want smooth-wall on welfare" Nope. Not going to do _that_ again.

Am I an anomaly in that I don't mind paying more for a good product?


----------



## chris

You are not alone Slim:thumbsup: With PROFIT being the only goal in mind of most tool makers these days its hard to determine what worth buying. I know for a fact the tools I bought before 07 08 were way nicer than tools I get today. Back in the day companies were full of guys that worked physically and mentally,, now its mostly mental and like 1 guy that actually works. Im glad I dont have to play in that tank. Nice mixer, why change?? Oh ya....


----------



## VANMAN

SlimPickins said:


> So sad, and so true.
> 
> "I want the best, but I want it at the price of the not-best."
> 
> Or, as was said to me the other day "I want smooth-wall on welfare" Nope. Not going to do _that_ again.
> 
> Am I an anomaly in that I don't mind paying more for a good product?


Well slim,smooth wall is all i do, Every job is smooth wall!!:whistling2:
If u cant do it well thats all and good!!:blink:
But as for paying for something that Rick says has a lifetime waranty,well just give me it as if it breaks it will b replaced!:thumbsup:
By the way i cant rememmber the last time i got asked for a price!!


----------



## SlimPickins

VANMAN said:


> By the way i cant rememmber the last time i got asked for a price!!


Lucky you! I have builders who ask for estimates just so they know what to expect (shoot high, give them a break, everyone is happy) and builders who want a solid bid....I still shoot high:laughing: Take it or leave it!

Sorry to go off topic Rick


----------



## rhardman

SlimPickins said:


> Lucky you! I have builders who ask for estimates just so they know what to expect (shoot high, give them a break, everyone is happy) and builders who want a solid bid....I still shoot high:laughing: Take it or leave it!
> 
> Sorry to go off topic Rick


I thought it WAS the same topic.

Don't forget that I did drywall from 78 - 92 until I tore up my knees falling down some stairs on stilts. I still do side jobs to make extra money. That's how I financed "_the tool adventure..._" *


My dad and I were doing a stucco repair for a doctor one time and he started getting all upset about the charges for extra work he piled on. My father, not being one to hide is feelings (to say the least...) asked (in a loud tone), "John, how long have you been a doctor? "Well with school about 20 years" was the reply. "Well I've been doing my trade for over 25 so I think my time is worth just as much as yours!" The doctor didn't like that but seeing and hearing a VERY animated man in his face:boxing:...quieted down and offered to pay more...but refused to pay what we billed....

It's a topic I relate very well to. 


Rick

*Thanks again for everyone's patience...:thumbup:


----------



## moore

I got more tools than a Doctor :yes:
,,But don't make as much...

I lost it last week with a G/C...The words just spurted out without thought .. Worked out for the best tho..A little new found respect never hurts..The night before I was watching some bs on tv and jeff foxworthy made a comment that pissed me..

''I'M REALLY NOT THAT SMART..I READ FROM Q CARDS ..I'M ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS AWAY FROM BECOMING A DRYWALLER''

When the G/C started in with his bs..I spoke my mind! FELT GOOD!:yes:


----------



## moore

VANMAN said:


> Well slim,smooth wall is all i do, Every job is smooth wall!!:whistling2:
> If u cant do it well thats all and good!!:blink:
> But as for paying for something that Rick says has a lifetime waranty,well just give me it as if it breaks it will b replaced!:thumbsup:
> By the way i cant rememmber the last time i got asked for a price!!


 Because they all know what you prices are. :blink: beer money?


----------



## sdrdrywall

moore said:


> Because they all know what you prices are. :blink: beer money?


Think that much?:blink:


----------



## VANMAN

sdrdrywall said:


> Think that much?:blink:


I'm not cheap thanks!! About the most expensive about this place!! But i'm f*ckin good at it and i drink sh*t loads of beer so prices have 2 b high!!


----------



## Mr.Brightstar

VANMAN said:


> I'm not cheap thanks!! About the most expensive about this place!! But i'm f*ckin good at it and i drink sh*t loads of beer so prices have 2 b high!!


I drink Heinekens not the most expensive beer but not the cheapest. A quality beer for a fair price. Just like my work.


----------



## icerock drywall

moore said:


> I may be wrong [not] Thats hot mud being sloshed off those paddles....A/P Is a different story...I use a paint brush .
> 
> No complaints with my tornado ..I love It ..use it daily:yes: just sayin.


 
I see the one in the back you use it as well


----------



## moore

icerock drywall said:


> I see the one in the back you use it as well


 I use the small box paddle for hot muds Icerock..The tornado works fine with the hot mud ,but prefer to use the box paddle when mixing powder..


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> ...._but prefer to use the box paddle when mixing powder.._



_You can lead a horse to water, but you can't....._:blink:







:tt2: :thumbup: Just playin! :lol::thumbup1:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

rhardman said:


> You can lead a horse to water, but you can't.....:blink:
> 
> :tt2: :thumbup: Just playin! :lol::thumbup1:


Creatures of habit Rick.... Glad people are trying and liking it though. Coulda been a great idea lost. Still got guys I'm trying to talk into an auto taper!


----------



## rhardman

Moore's sharp! No doubt about that!


Wrench, did you ever get that disty package from DeAnne?

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> Moore's sharp!  No doubt about that!
> 
> 
> Wrench, did you ever get that disty package from DeAnne?
> 
> Rick


Are you talking about a "FREE" package,,, if so,, mine is not here yet:whistling2::whistling2::whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> Are you talking about a "FREE" package,,, if so,, mine is not here yet:whistling2::whistling2::whistling2:




Ahhhh you got me 2buck!!!! I wrote a complete reply to Wrench before I saw your name there...

Well done!

That deserves something...I'll get back to you!

Quick question...have you ever had a problem getting something delivered (to you) from me or DeAnne? I promised a guy in Montreal something a looooooong time ago and just found out that it came back to us...like the 2nd or 3rd time. We also had a payment from Ontario for some creasers never show up after the company promised 3 times. He's a good guy so I don't doubt his word...

Rick

When I was still living in the Vancouver (BC) area I had a letter take over a month to be delivered from a friend in Portland.....


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

rhardman said:


> Moore's sharp! No doubt about that!
> 
> Wrench, did you ever get that disty package from DeAnne?
> 
> Rick


Not yet Rick... Excited to see it though
Creaser went on a tool, visiting the customer again in the AM and will see how much they liked it
2Buck, the guys given enough free stuff away.... Now we gotta help him pay some bills here so he can finance the next... whatever he's got in the works


----------



## rhardman

Thanks Wrench,

It's all good!!! :thumbup:

But yea, I sent out A LOT of samples so we have to scale down to establish local distributors...


...all part of the plan. :thumbsup:


Let me know about that creaser if you would...so far it's 100% positive. :batman:



(I'll give DeAnne a call Tuesday.)


----------



## 2buckcanuck

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Not yet Rick... Excited to see it though
> Creaser went on a tool, visiting the customer again in the AM and will see how much they liked it
> 2Buck, the guys given enough free stuff away.... Now we gotta help him pay some bills here so he can finance the next... whatever he's got in the works












But you got to try:thumbup:


----------



## Mudslinger

Hi Rick,
I just picked up a fixed blade version of your mixer at Menards under the Masterforce brand. I wasn't too fond of the pivoting blade, but the fixed blade version is working great for me.:thumbsup:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

rhardman said:


> Moore's sharp! No doubt about that!
> 
> Wrench, did you ever get that disty package from DeAnne?
> 
> Rick


Rick
Got the package and it ALL looks great to me... 
Now let's get it dirty!

DeAnne 
Thank you so much
please message me on here or LinkedIn regarding distributor info


----------



## br549

The mixer showed up yesterday, can't wait to compare them on the job. Actually it was here Saturday but I missed the mailman. Thanks again DeAnne! :thumbup:


----------



## Pytlik

Really great tools..

I only use the tornado mixer to mix hotmud !! perfect every time !!
But when I mix a bucket I prefer to use your boomerang mixer.

when tapeing I use your heliarc mud pan + 6" cool grip 

and I love your outside trowel....


----------



## Mudshark

rhardman said:


> .....
> When I was still living in the Vancouver (BC) area I had a letter take over a month to be delivered from a friend in Portland.....


Well you know there was a lot of cross border shipments of envelopes in those days that needed checking....


----------



## rhardman

Pytlik said:


> Really great tools..
> 
> I only use the tornado mixer to mix hotmud !! perfect every time !!
> But when I mix a bucket I prefer to use your boomerang mixer.
> 
> when tapeing I use your heliarc mud pan + 6" cool grip
> 
> and I love your outside trowel....



Hey, DeAnne!

I think someone's giving you a compliment!

:thumbup:


----------



## Advance Equipment

Pytlik said:


> Really great tools..
> 
> I only use the tornado mixer to mix hotmud !! perfect every time !!
> But when I mix a bucket I prefer to use your boomerang mixer.
> 
> when tapeing I use your heliarc mud pan + 6" cool grip
> 
> and I love your outside trowel....


Hello Pytlik,

It is very rewarding for Advance Equipment to hear that you enjoy our tools! We are always working on new tools that will meet the approval of the drywall contractor. 

Thanks for your feedback! 
DeAnne


----------



## icerock drywall

Advance Equipment said:


> Hello Pytlik,
> 
> It is very rewarding for Advance Equipment to hear that you enjoy our tools! We are always working on new tools that will meet the approval of the drywall contractor.
> 
> Thanks for your feedback!
> DeAnne


It more rewarding just to make your own tools that work better then any tool out in the stores:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> It more rewarding just to make your own tools that work better then any tool out in the stores:whistling2:


Gee...you must be really smart!

Why not market it if you have a better mouse trap?

Better yet, build a few and have the guys here give you an evaluation.

Show us whatcha got Sherlock...


----------



## Mr.Brightstar

rhardman said:


> Gee...you must be really smart!
> 
> Why not market it if you have a better mouse trap?
> 
> Better yet, build a few and have the guys here give you an evaluation.
> 
> Show us whatcha got Sherlock...


I didn't realize you made that tool kudos.


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

Mr.Brightstar said:


> I didn't realize you made that tool kudos.


Sarcasm is hard to write....
(Hardman does it well though)
If you have built a better tool, credit to you... If your just gonna make a known statement of how satisfying it is to create something from nothing (most of us know the feeling in some way) its unnecessary. Seems as though a compliment was being torn at and an ally was standing up.... Good on you Rick


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> Gee...you must be really smart!
> 
> Why not market it if you have a better mouse trap?
> 
> Better yet, build a few and have the guys here give you an evaluation.
> 
> Show us whatcha got Sherlock...


 
I do ...


----------



## rhardman

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Sarcasm is hard to write....
> (Hardman does it well though)
> If you have built a better tool, credit to you... If your just gonna make a known statement of how satisfying it is to create something from nothing (most of us know the feeling in some way) its unnecessary. Seems as though a compliment was being torn at and an ally was standing up.... Good on you Rick



Thank you Wrench,

After all the samples Advance/DeAnne has provided on DWT, to hear an indirect insult without substantiating his claim with any proof, I'm going to ask for some sort of example.



icerock drywall said:


> I do ...



:wacko:




Rick


----------



## rhardman

Re: Creaser Wheel

Wrench,

Did you ever get the feedback on that 3 point creaser wheel?

If so, please share...even if it's bad...:thumbsup:

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## moore

icerock drywall said:


> I do ...


 I've seen all of your homemade tools Ice.:thumbsup: That's what these tool companys need ..Guys who use the tools showing them how to make them better [like rick] Same goes for the materials !!

Rick ...Theres moore than just one thread on this forum:whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> I've seen all of your homemade tools Ice.:thumbsup: That's what these tool companys need ..Guys who use the tools showing them how to make them better [like rick] Same goes for the materials !!
> 
> Rick ...Theres moore than just one thread on this forum:whistling2:



I'm in!

He or someone should put the url here so he get's even more exposure. :thumbsup:

I just said, prove it...which is the motto we all have for each other from time to time :thumbup:


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> I'm in!
> 
> He or someone should put the url here so he get's even more exposure. :thumbsup:
> 
> I just said, prove it...which is the motto we all have for each other from time to time :thumbup:


the prove is there ...and if want to see it be smart and find it:yes:


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> the prove is there ...and if want to see it be smart and find it


*"...find it?" * My friend that's not a very good tag line for your product.:blink:

Gee we're just not going to get along are we?

Too bad. 


(Dude, don't burn bridges that might be able to help... For instance, are you aware that you have one year from the time you publicly disclose an idea to protect it? The clock is ticking my friend so pull out $6500.00 for a patent attorney unless you know of someone that has gone that route :whistling2: and can show you how to save a ton of $ in the process. Perhaps such a person could even introduce you to a company that can retail a $130.00 mixing paddle for $20.00...that is unless you have publicly bashed them .)


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> *"...find it?" *My friend that's not a very good tag line for your product.:blink:
> 
> Gee we're just not going to get along are we?
> 
> Too bad.
> 
> 
> (Dude, don't burn bridges that might be able to help... For instance, are you aware that you have one year from the time you publicly disclose an idea to protect it? The clock is ticking my friend so pull out $6500.00 for a patent attorney unless you know of someone that has gone that route :whistling2: and can show you how to save a ton of $ in the process. Perhaps such a person could even introduce you to a company that can retail a $130.00 mixing paddle for $20.00...that is unless you have publicly bashed them .)


dont get all upset I am just like to have fun...all I do is play in the mud and make tools :yes: also I cant show all my tools online


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

moore said:


> I've seen all of your homemade tools Ice.:thumbsup: That's what these tool companys need ..Guys who use the tools showing them how to make them better [like rick] Same goes for the materials !!
> 
> Rick ...Theres moore than just one thread on this forum:whistling2:


Nobody's doubting you guys have ideas.... Afterall necessity is the mother of all invention, and who needs the goods more than you mothers-
Just don't make us guess which pocket its in....
2buck was gracious enough to provide links to dash my parts washer idea (one of u guys) - Then (last week) Dave at aplatech one upped that one with his version.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> 2buck was gracious enough to provide links to dash my parts washer idea (one of u guys) - Then (last week) Dave at aplatech one upped that one with his version.


I did:blink:

But you and Rhardman dashed my transparent Bazooka tube idea









But you guys were right though:thumbup::yes:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

2buckcanuck said:


> I did:blink:
> 
> But you and Rhardman dashed my transparent Bazooka tube idea
> 
> But you guys were right though:thumbup::yes:


Still it would be a sweet tube (for a month)


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> dont get all upset I am just like to have fun...all I do is play in the mud and make tools :yes: also I cant show all my tools online



I am an A$$!



...but let's be nice to DeAnne huh?:thumbup:


----------



## icerock drywall

I have a transparent mud tube...one good thing about it is ...its very light:thumbsup:


----------



## MarshalltownCoMkt

I'll give Icerock some credit. I've been to a couple of his job sites and you won't find a single tool that isn't modified somehow, usually for the better. Are his tools for the masses? Some of them are and some of them aren't, but he definately has a pretty sweet system and it definately works for him. 

If he doesn't hit a home run with is tools, he could at least write a book on how to modify stuff :thumbup:

And he's not the jerk he comes across as on here


----------



## Kiwiman

Sounds like we've got something in common Icerock, I'm a habitual tweaker as well, sometimes I'll even modify a new tool before I even first time try it.


----------



## rhardman

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> I'll give Icerock some credit. I've been to a couple of his job sites and you won't find a single tool that isn't modified somehow, usually for the better. Are his tools for the masses? Some of them are and some of them aren't, but he definately has a pretty sweet system and it definately works for him.
> 
> If he doesn't hit a home run with is tools, he could at least write a book on how to modify stuff :thumbup:
> 
> And he's not the jerk he comes across as on here





Kiwiman said:


> Sounds like we've got something in common Icerock, I'm a habitual tweaker as well, sometimes I'll even modify a new tool before I even first time try it.



That's what it's all about!:thumbup::thumbsup::yes:


----------



## moore

MarshalltownCoMkt said:


> I'll give Icerock some credit. I've been to a couple of his job sites and you won't find a single tool that isn't modified somehow, usually for the better. Are his tools for the masses? Some of them are and some of them aren't, but he definately has a pretty sweet system and it definately works for him.
> 
> If he doesn't hit a home run with is tools, he could at least write a book on how to modify stuff :thumbup:
> 
> And he's not the jerk he comes across as on here


 Iv'e never known ice to be a jerk at anytime here on DWT:blink:


----------



## j.a.g drywall

I'm always interested in trying new tools. Look me up If you want [email protected]


----------



## icerock drywall

moore said:


> Iv'e never known ice to be a jerk at anytime here on DWT:blink:


 :drink::drink: Thanks moore


----------



## Workaholic

Drama on DWT? wtf I would have showed up sooner.


----------



## rhardman

Workaholic said:


> Drama on DWT? wtf I would have showed up sooner.



It would have been fun you have you "play" too! :thumbup:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

rhardman said:


> Thanks Wrench,
> 
> It's all good!!! :thumbup:
> 
> But yea, I sent out A LOT of samples so we have to scale down to establish local distributors...
> 
> ...all part of the plan. :thumbsup:
> 
> Let me know about that creaser if you would...so far it's 100% positive. :batman:
> 
> (I'll give DeAnne a call Tuesday.)


Took a while to actually get to the user through the company "suits" but he likes it.
Gotta get together again soon....
I still have one more but I'm gonna throw that on my new drywall master unit I'm gonna use as a demo so everyone can get a spin with it


----------



## Workaholic

I love a train wreck. Not sure what the drama was about but I would have loved to join in.


----------



## SlimPickins

Workaholic said:


> I love a train wreck. Not sure what the drama was about but I would have loved to join in.


.....:thumbsup:


----------



## Deezal

Wondering if you guys would like to share these tweaks at all or if they are personal lol. New on here. Thx


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

Deezal said:


> Wondering if you guys would like to share these tweaks at all or if they are personal lol. New on here. Thx


Tweaks? If your a contractor I think your welcome to any insights we got.... If your a diy homeowner just looking to cut out our guys.... RUN!


----------



## Deezal

I am a drywall contractor, mostly doing commercial work, last 4 projects have all been chain resteraunts, next 2 are 14000ft2 homes with vaults and coffered ceilings. Not sure why I fealt the need to say that but i did lol


----------



## SlimPickins

Deezal said:


> Wondering if you guys would like to share these tweaks at all or if they are personal lol. New on here. Thx


What tweaks are you referring to?


----------



## Deezal

Just tweaks on tools, I'm not a tinkerer and only really have ever seen guys mess with their pouches ie tubes for cordless routers and strips of auto load screws (do not use auto loaders myself).


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

Deezal said:


> I am a drywall contractor, mostly doing commercial work, last 4 projects have all been chain resteraunts, next 2 are 14000ft2 homes with vaults and coffered ceilings. Not sure why I fealt the need to say that but i did lol


I can help with "tweaks" on auto taping tools if needed (personal msg me, try not to "hijack" or deviate from the topic of the thread.) Start a new one if you got a ?


----------



## moore

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> I can help with "tweaks" on auto taping tools if needed (personal msg me, try not to "hijack" or deviate from the topic of the thread.) Start a new one if you got a ?


 
Try not to ''hijack'' or deviate from the topic of the thread?


----------



## SlimPickins

moore said:


> Try not to ''hijack'' or deviate from the topic of the thread?


:lol:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

moore said:


> Try not to ''hijack'' or deviate from the topic of the thread? http://smileyshack.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/smileyslaughing_lol_computer_100-100.gif


?????


----------



## moore

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> ?????


 Come on Cali. Don't be so dry.


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

moore said:


> Come on Cali. Don't be so dry.


I participate on a couple forums and this one wanders the most... I'm all for jabbing here n there but I jump in on a tool thread only to find it changed to a fight over mesh tape? How's a guy with an opinion on mesh tape supposed to know he should be looking at the "what tool should I buy" thread? 
Maybe I'm just a little obsessive compulsive...
Btw I'm not dry, I'm completely sauced


----------



## moore

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> I participate on a couple forums and this one wanders the most... I'm all for jabbing here n there but I jump in on a tool thread only to find it changed to a fight over mesh tape? How's a guy with an opinion on mesh tape supposed to know he should be looking at the "what tool should I buy" thread?
> Maybe I'm just a little obsessive compulsive...


 YEAH! But It's alot more fun over here..Aint it Cali??


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

moore said:


> YEAH! But It's alot more fun over here..Aint it Cali??


If it wasn't, I woulda stopped posting


----------



## moore

Hey Cali. Speaking of fftopic: My first time of changing a blade holder ..any tips? Looks pretty cut n dry but it is my first time so...


----------



## sdrdrywall

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> I participate on a couple forums and this one wanders the most... I'm all for jabbing here n there but I jump in on a tool thread only to find it changed to a fight over mesh tape? How's a guy with an opinion on mesh tape supposed to know he should be looking at the "what tool should I buy" thread?
> Maybe I'm just a little obsessive compulsive...
> Btw I'm not dry, I'm completely sauced


I hate mesh tape:yes:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

moore said:


> Hey Cali. Speaking of fftopic: My first time of changing a blade holder ..any tips? Looks pretty cut n dry but it is my first time so...


Start a new topic.... lol
Pretty straight forward... I spread a little silicone where the rubber meets the box (seals and holds your holes lined up.
You don't need to remove the crown adjustment if your good but it makes it easier.
Make sure your screws aren't too long and going into your box (have seen this a lot and don't know if its manufacturer error or another local svc center but it'll tear up your wiper) same with the screws on your skids/shoes


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> start a new topic.... Lol
> pretty straight forward... I spread a little silicone where the rubber meets the box (seals and holds your holes lined up.
> You don't need to remove the crown adjustment if your good but it makes it easier.
> Make sure your screws aren't too long and going into your box (have seen this a lot and don't know if its manufacturer error or another local svc center but it'll tear up your wiper) same with the screws on your skids/shoes


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

moore said:


> Hey Cali. Speaking of fftopic: My first time of changing a blade holder ..any tips? Looks pretty cut n dry but it is my first time so...


 Don't know how cali would go about it,,, but I'd drink a 12 pack,,,,real fast,,,,, then close one eye,, and swap it out,,,,,

works for me,, ya know !!!!


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Don't know how cali would go about it,,, but I'd drink a 12 pack,,,,real fast,,,,, then close one eye,, and swap it out,,,,,
> 
> works for me,, ya know !!!!


Sounds like a plan, I save my 12er for after- I gotta do paper work on em too....


----------



## moore

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Don't know how cali would go about it,,, but I'd drink a 12 pack,,,,real fast,,,,, then close one eye,, and swap it out,,,,,
> 
> works for me,, ya know !!!!


 Well then! No better time than the present!
I'm off to the tool shed!:thumbup:


----------



## 2buckcanuck

moore said:


> Hey Cali. Speaking of fftopic: My first time of changing a blade holder ..any tips? Looks pretty cut n dry but it is my first time so...


Whats the matter Moore:whistling2:

Did your blade holder not come with Left/Right marked on it like your stilts did


----------



## moore

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Start a new topic.... lol
> Pretty straight forward... I spread a little silicone where the rubber meets the box (seals and holds your holes lined up.
> You don't need to remove the crown adjustment if your good but it makes it easier.
> Make sure your screws aren't too long and going into your box (have seen this a lot and don't know if its manufacturer error or another local svc center but it'll tear up your wiper) same with the screws on your skids/shoes


Thanks for the tips Cali. This blade holder cost me $109 so I only had 1 beer ...I didn't remove the crown adjustment all went well.
New blade holder, new blade, new skids. Good ta go!:thumbsup:
This is an old master box .15-20 years in age? All I need next is a wheel kit then it will be like new.


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

moore said:


> Thanks for the tips Cali. This blade holder cost me $109 so I only had 1 beer ...I didn't remove the crown adjustment all went well.
> New blade holder, new blade, new skids. Good ta go!:thumbsup:
> This is an old master box .15-20 years in age? All I need next is a wheel kit then it will be like new.


Don't forget to put those adjustment screws in from the old one on the very ends


----------



## moore

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> Don't forget to put those adjustment screws in from the old one on the very ends


 :thumbsup: I'm not that hillbilly!!!


----------



## gazman




----------



## moore

gazman said:


> Dueling Banjos Deliverance - YouTube


Hey!! Say what you want about that kid..But he can throw down on some banjo.:yes:


----------



## gazman

moore said:


> Hey!! Say what you want about that kid..But he can throw down on some banjo.:yes:



Absolutely :yes:.


----------



## rhardman

This is all "Good Stuff!!!"


Before too long the guy that started the thread should provide an update so (too many) people don't consider him crazy....

:thumbup:


----------



## wrenchmonkey4

rhardman said:


> This is all "Good Stuff!!!"
> 
> Before too long the guy that started the thread should provide an update so (too many) people don't consider him crazy....
> 
> :thumbup:


You mean this thread is back on topic now???


----------



## 2buckcanuck

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> You mean this thread is back on topic now???


back on topic, your too funny











gazman said:


> Dueling Banjos Deliverance - YouTube


Love that song, had to listen to it right now...

But what blew me away this time, Burt gets his car filled up in gas/petrol, and it was $4.99,,,,, $4.99, WTF

Bet that Hill Billy was ripping him off too, and charged him double the going rate:blink:


----------



## rhardman

wrenchmonkey4 said:


> You mean this thread is back on topic now???



Oh perish the thought !!!


It's party time!!! :thumbup::thumbup1::batman:


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> Oh perish the thought !!!
> 
> 
> It's party time!!! :thumbup::thumbup1::batman:
> 
> 
> 
> http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw7guzT6ANI


:yes::yes:...


----------



## Tim0282

rhardman said:


> This is all "Good Stuff!!!"
> 
> 
> Before too long the guy that started the thread should provide an update so (too many) people don't consider him crazy....
> 
> :thumbup:


Yes you should! :yes:


----------



## icerock drywall

Tim0282 said:


> Yes you should! :yes:


I am crazy


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> I am crazy



Welcome to the land of dreams, stubbornness and the belief that there must be a better way!

I like your style! :thumbup:


----------



## alwaysastudent

*where can I get these tools ?*

So I have been lurking here and reading through the thread. I am NOT a drywall guy, I am a handyman. I know most of you guys seem to have great disdain for Handymen(handyman) :blink: but I really try to help out on the small jobs that are too small for single trades to come in and do. 1 or 2 patches and paint, a single room ceiling scrape and paint, etc. My biggest drywall job to date is starting next week and it is 14 sheets. 

Anyway I am a tool nerd to start and looking at the mixing paddle and the knives I am very interested. I did not read every page of this thread, so I did not see if there is a way to obtain some of these? Buy is fine but where do I get them?

BTW when I get to a larger job that is more than I can take on I do have a pro taper and hanger also a sparky, plumber, GC, exterminator etc basically a nice network to ensure the customer gets the repair/reno done correctly. 

If anyone can guide me to how I can get my hands on the paddle and knives please let me know... Thanks 

Sean


----------



## sdrdrywall

Waltools has them. And there great guys


----------



## Mr.Brightstar

alwaysastudent said:


> So I have been lurking here and reading through the thread. I am NOT a drywall guy, I am a handyman. I know most of you guys seem to have great disdain for Handymen(handyman) :blink: but I really try to help out on the small jobs that are too small for single trades to come in and do. 1 or 2 patches and paint, a single room ceiling scrape and paint, etc. My biggest drywall job to date is starting next week and it is 14 sheets.
> 
> Anyway I am a tool nerd to start and looking at the mixing paddle and the knives I am very interested. I did not read every page of this thread, so I did not see if there is a way to obtain some of these? Buy is fine but where do I get them?
> 
> BTW when I get to a larger job that is more than I can take on I do have a pro taper and hanger also a sparky, plumber, GC, exterminator etc basically a nice network to ensure the customer gets the repair/reno done correctly.
> 
> If anyone can guide me to how I can get my hands on the paddle and knives please let me know... Thanks
> 
> Sean


Don't buy from Drywall zone.


----------



## rhardman

sdrdrywall said:


> Waltools has them. And there great guys


I'd suggest going with Advance as they're the best knives I've ever used. They are also strong supporters of DWT. 

:thumbsup:







....and fyi guys, looks like Brandon is selling the 36 inch pivoting mixer for $13.61 :blink: ...pardon the plug...I've never seen it that low.








http://www.walltools.com/products/d...s/advance-36-in-cyclone-power-mixer-ec36.html


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> I'd suggest going with Advance as they're the best knives I've ever used. They are also strong supporters of DWT.
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> Advance Cool Grip II Drywall Taping Knives - Wall Tools Video Description - YouTube
> 
> 
> ....and fyi guys, looks like Brandon is selling the 36 inch pivoting mixer for $13.61 :blink: ...pardon the plug...I've never seen it that low.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I loaned out my tornado mixer to my Dad this week Rick.
> He's 68.. A d/c for 45 years so.. I'll let ya know what the ole fart thinks about it.
> http://www.walltools.com/products/d...s/advance-36-in-cyclone-power-mixer-ec36.html


....


----------



## Square Foot

rhardman said:


> I'd suggest going with Advance as they're the best knives I've ever used. They are also strong supporters of DWT.
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq0skJMuWyQ
> 
> ....and fyi guys, looks like Brandon is selling the 36 inch pivoting mixer for $13.61 :blink: ...pardon the plug...I've never seen it that low.
> 
> http://www.walltools.com/products/drywall-tools/drywall-taping-tools/advance-36-in-cyclone-power-mixer-ec36.html


They're just Ok knives. Handles are too small for my hands.


----------



## rhardman

Square Foot said:


> They're just Ok knives. Handles are too small for my hands.


All feed back is good for everyone. :thumbsup:

Quick question...did you use the Cool Grips with stainless blades? I'm 6'3 with pretty big paws and they fit me fine.

I know every set DeAnne sent out as samples, had evaluations came back as very positive.


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> I loaned out my tornado mixer to my Dad this week Rick.
> He's 68.. A d/c for 45 years so.. I'll let ya know what the ole fart thinks about it.


Good deal! I'll be looking forward to hearing his feed back.

Please be sure to tell him to stomp it in water to wash it. That's the best way to clean out that space in the yoke that can be tricky to get at.

Rick


----------



## Square Foot

rhardman said:


> All feed back is good for everyone. :thumbsup:
> 
> Quick question...did you use the Cool Grips with stainless blades? I'm 6'3 with pretty big paws and they fit me fine.
> 
> I know every set DeAnne sent out as samples, had evaluations came back as very positive.


Cool grip II Blue steel. Don't much care for stainless knives, although...I keep trying them hoping to find a decent one.


----------



## Mr.Brightstar

Square Foot said:


> Cool grip II Blue steel. Don't much care for stainless knives, although...I keep trying them hoping to find a decent one.


Why don't you like the stainless steel?


----------



## icerock drywall

I have the hole set ...they rock and I only use ss :thumbup:


----------



## Square Foot

Mr.Brightstar said:


> Why don't you like the stainless steel?


The last decent stainless steel knives I used was back in the 80's. They were made by Harrington (good then, sucked on last try). Stainless offerings now just don't hold proper shape as well as spring steel or carbon.


----------



## rhardman

Gentlemen,

I just mailed off (what should be :blink the final papers for the divorce. 

Once they are recorded (2 weeks I hope - her attorney has been a huge obstacle since October) I'll deliver that update I've been promising. Briefly, we haven't been able to solve the heating issue in the pump but we have made some great progress in other areas.

It's a roller coaster story! You won't be disappointed. :thumbsup:

Rick


----------



## Checkers

rhardman said:


> Gentlemen,
> 
> I just mailed off (what should be :blink the final papers for the divorce.
> 
> Once they are recorded (2 weeks I hope - her attorney has been a huge obstacle since October) I'll deliver that update I've been promising. Briefly, we haven't been able to solve the heating issue in the pump but we have made some great progress in other areas.
> 
> It's a roller coaster story! You won't be disappointed. :thumbsup:
> 
> Rick


Congratulations!


----------



## rhardman

UPDATE: Her attorney received the documents on the 16th...I'm waiting for the filing.


I figure I owe you something so below you will find an article I wrote a couple of years ago for an online magazine. The designated topic was, "A Dream." 

I hope you find it relevant to the topic at hand. :thumbsup:



*He was born *to a woman less than loving and a father who had better things to do.

His earliest memories are of freezing winter snows living in a shack made of railroad ties in Salt Lake City. He told me how the cold would blow between the wooden beams and through his brothers and sisters on its way out the other wall. Each night they would have to brush the bed bugs out from under the blankets before going to sleep. His next memories are at the age of 8 years sitting around a table drinking beer and playing cards with his mother and the new man she had married. Through the years there were fights, jail and a world of pain and uncertainty. 

When he was in his early 20’s he, his wife, 2 year old son and their friends were driving up a gravel road along side a steep cliff in Idaho. They turned leftward to navigate the bend when another car came racing down the hill taking the inside corner far too wide. The force of the impact threw them over the precipice and into the reservoir below. As the car settled upside down on the lake bottom his wife took their child into her arms, said a prayer and pushed herself out through the broken rear door window and headed for the surface. I remember looking rearward from my position in the front of the boat and seeing him lying across the back seat. I was told later, that his back had been broken and he was laid up for months while he recuperated. Two small babies drown in the accident.

My next memory of him is as an employee washing his buckets and drywall tools on different construction sites. I don’t know how many times I watched him designing truck mounted texture machines with their various motors and steel framing. When planning a remodel on his house he was back at the notebook with pencil in hand. Watching the process from crude drawings to the actualization of a physical machine that was fully functional (just as he planned) was fascinating to me. He seemed like the smartest man in the world. I remember his wife telling me that if he had been born in a different situation he could have been a college professor. 

He was a happy person with dreams and what seemed to me, a fantastic ability to accomplish the impossible.

The years brought him to Salem, Oregon where he started his own drywall company and found a very respectable level of success. I remember that a couple of his employees (Billy and Garcia) needed a place to stay so he moved them into his house while they saved money and built lives for themselves. Many Sundays he would open his house to visitors from the Chemawa Indian School which was close by. Those days included a trip to church, a big Sunday dinner and an afternoon of socializing. One day he decided to teach Tony how to ride his Honda 150 motorcycle. He tried and tried but things just didn’t seem to work. The lesson was unusually frustrating until they realized that Tony didn’t know how to ride a bicycle (which is a rather important prerequisite to any motorcycle training). Apparently growing up in Alaska didn’t afford Tony the opportunity to play in any reindeer games.

After a while his brother graduated from Bible College and moved to Albany, Oregon to pastor a small neighborhood church. Warren was full of ambition with deep desire to set the world on fire for God. Our subject of focus discontinued the Sunday socials at his house and each week drove (clan in hand) to Albany to support his younger brothers’ efforts. Since his family totaled 7 with 5 kids ranging from 9 to 14 the long trips were just as difficult as you might imagine. With an average Sunday attendance running between 25 and 35, his family was a significant part of the congregation.

The older brother invited the younger to work with him to build his drywall company. While business continued to build, the young preacher never really had the desire to grow the company so our champion slowly allowed his dream to stagnate, settling on a path less than what he was capable of. Business slowed down, and the decision to buy the property in Independence (Oregon) slowly died never to be relived. The next few years included a slow spiral downward and he began drinking. I knew there had to be some reason but was never able to understand why or how I might be able to help. He stopped drawing pictures on napkins and became disillusioned. While his wife wanted to be supportive she was never able to see exactly what he needed. She didn’t have time to dream as she was far too busy making sure the bills were paid and taking care of the kids. 

Things maintained for a while when unbeknownst to him the purchase of a Versa Tool drywall taping machine was about to throw him into an oncoming lane of ambition and creativity. While working with the taper he found many areas he thought could be improved and slowly began to believe that he could build the proverbial mouse trap. With his texture machine designs and on site project experience he began drawing on napkins again. As he designed the various prototypes he never flinched when “mistakes” were encountered. I remember being amazed as he would build, retry, build again and retry again…and again…and again.

I saw how his entire appearance changed. He was happy and always seemed to be drawing. His excitement when he brought a new prototype to the job site never diminished and changed to a very positive analytical process when the new tools encountered problems. He would have a moment of disappointment but never felt sorry for himself. He rose, addressed the issue and contemplated various solutions as he ran for the next hurdle.

During this time he came across Don who was a drywall contractor and was looking for an experienced person to partner with. As the two men began working together Don learned about the tools and being an addict of public recognition began telling Salem area contractors about the tools and how he and his partner were going to be rich. The area became excited and while our inventor knew there would be a long R&D period, he tried to down play the project. As surely as the sun sets, the 90 day rule of expectation developed and the cheers of support were diminished to criticism and ridicule by those early emissaries of faith and encouragement.

He worked on the tools for several more years until one day he sat the project down and never picked it up again.

The following years repeated his earlier path of downward mobility. The painful back injury that was birthed in Idaho continually tormented him while the day after day boredom of a job he had mastered 30 years earlier provided no avenue for his unique design skills, or creative expression. He settled for a mindset of ambivalence and with every breath suffered the pain that happens when a dream is slowly ripped from a person’s heart. 

As you would guess, his marriage dissolved as a result of his solitude and his reoccurring depression. The more pain he suffered the more self destructive he became. My spirit was torn as I saw the champion of my earlier years slowly dissolve away.

Yesterday my brother called to tell me that he is writing songs in Memphis. I haven’t spoken with my father for probably 10 years and have often wondered if he was still alive.

Cole told me that dad is recording a CD and may have a chance to sell some of his songs. Knowing the man, his life and being his oldest son I understand his path all too well. I too have walked on, fallen to the side and dragged myself back to the trail he blazed for me. To hear that he is back on the road, lifts my spirit and makes me proud.
As I told my brother, “…some people will die without a dream!”

The greatest gifts my father ever gave me are the promise of an idea, the importance of a goal and the life saving hope of a dream!

*I will forever be in his debt…*


Rick

I'll continue with the status of things as soon as the attorney files the papers.* 
Thank you for your patience. :thumbup:
*


----------



## Tim0282

Wow! Heavy duty stuff!
Great article!


----------



## Capt-sheetrock

Better to live on the corner of a roof top, than in a mansion with a brawling woman,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The Bible


----------



## 2buckcanuck

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Better to live on the corner of a roof top, than in a mansion with a brawling woman,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The Bible


Gods married:blink::blink::blink:


----------



## gazman

I like Proverbs 27:15.


----------



## Tim0282

2buckcanuck said:


> Gods married:blink::blink::blink:


He knows better!!


----------



## Tim0282

Proverbs 27:15
International Standard Version (©2012)
A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.


----------



## moore

Tim0282 said:


> Proverbs 27:15
> International Standard Version (©2012)
> A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.


:laughing::laughing:


----------



## Tim0282

I have never heard this before today. Preachers probably don't preach on this much. :no:


----------



## rhardman

Is anyone else receiving this message here?

Content Encoding Error

The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression.

Please contact the website owners to inform them of this problem.

http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/looking-help-testing-new-tools-520/index59/#post85266

DeAnne has a new tool out and we want to offer 3 samples, but I can't post the image right now.

Rick


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> Is anyone else receiving this message here?
> 
> Content Encoding Error
> 
> The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression.
> 
> Please contact the website owners to inform them of this problem.
> 
> http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/looking-help-testing-new-tools-520/index59/#post85266
> 
> DeAnne has a new tool out and we want to have offer 3 samples, but I can't post the image right now.
> 
> Rick


I understand 3 free samples:thumbup:

Whats ya got:thumbup::whistling2:


----------



## rhardman

Now we're stylin! :thumbup1:

The first two guys that promise a youtube evaluation video will get a free sample from DeAnne and the guy's at Advance Equipment.

In addition...if Tim0282 and Silver will PM DeAnne through DWT with your mailing address, you get one too!!!

:clap:


----------



## rhardman

2buckcanuck said:


> I understand 3 free samples:thumbup:
> 
> Whats ya got:thumbup::whistling2:



Okay 2buck...send DeAnne your address too! 

I was only supposed to give out three....:blink:

Now two videographers please!!!:thumbsup:


_(uhhhhh....DeAnne.....there's something I need to tell you.......)_


----------



## A smooth finish

I needed on of those a week ago. I just tapped a knife to a pole.


----------



## rhardman

I've done that for long reaching skip trowel too. Works fine in a pinch.

This wipe down knife is not our father's tube knife.


----------



## 2buckcanuck

rhardman said:


> View attachment 8155
> 
> 
> Now we're stylin! :thumbup1:
> 
> The first two guys that promise a youtube evaluation video will get a free sample from DeAnne and the guy's at Advance Equipment.
> 
> In addition...if Tim0282 and Silver will PM DeAnne through DWT with your mailing address, you get one too!!!
> 
> :clap:


No need for a review on it, something like that will sell,,,, but since I'm blunt........

Only problem I see is the position of the wing nut.:yes:

The majority of the time, a knife like that would be used for wiping down flat tapes. The mud is runny, and can get running down the length of the knife blade. If you went to wipe the mud off on a bucket or a mud pan, it could get hung up on the wing nut..

Something with a lower profile would not.

Just being honest


----------



## saskataper

I'm up for doing a review, could have used one of those today


----------



## 2buckcanuck

saskataper said:


> I'm up for doing a review, could have used one of those today


You can step in for me saskataper, if it's ok with Rhardman

I have already got free stuff from Deanne (the knives and mixer), plus you sent me that adapter head thingy for the sander.

Plus the biggest problem I have, sorta hard to do a video review when I work by myself.:blink:

You and Toontown can do one:thumbsup:


----------



## icerock drywall

yep...good beer


----------



## rhardman

Okay Sask...since 2buck re-gifted....
PM your address to DeAnne.

And if you will...test 2Bucks critique to see if he's right.

I've got one of each type. The thumb screw is big enough to easily tighten the blade and isn't too bulky. The other side of the handle is flat. Personally, I like it. And I do understand 2Bucks point.

The only thing I can think of to possibly make it better would be a larger blade to hold more mud; but then you run into issues with bulkiness. I think it would be good for coming out of high angles too. I haven't tried it yet. That's why we're asking for the video reviews. 


Thanks.


----------



## chris

If one is still available for video test I would like one.... please:yes:


----------



## rhardman

chris said:


> If one is still available for video test I would like one.... please:yes:



You're in! :thumbsup:

PM DeAnne and let her know of our conversation. Please post the video to YouTube and then post your review here.
All we ask is that you are straight forward honest.


Hey Fr8...don't you do videos? 


One thing guys, there is a trade off in the manufacturing process. If you mould plastic too thick, it's heavy, deforms and loses structural integrity. The handle design DeAnne's team came up with had to be light and yet strong so it has an inset surface that runs along the center within the outer frame. It's clean and smooth. It will take a little more effort to clean than a tube knife but the tube knife doesn't rotate so there you go. If you think you find a negative, then go ahead and offer a solution too. That's only fair.


----------



## Toontowntaper

I like testing out new tools but sask and I can try it out can we split it Scott lol.....


----------



## gazman

If Deanne will post to the land of OZ I am in. :thumbsup:


----------



## plugger

rhardman said:


> Okay 2buck...send DeAnne your address too!
> 
> I was only supposed to give out three....:blink:
> 
> Now two videographers please!!!:thumbsup:
> 
> (uhhhhh....DeAnne.....there's something I need to tell you.......)


My boy gets on stilts to wipe off after me! 

More than happy to give a feedback report if we can organise it!


----------



## pipercub17

I could get the go pro out and do a video 
I would love to try one !


----------



## rhardman

pipercub17 said:


> I could get the go pro out and do a video
> I would love to try one !


If you can video...then PM DeAnne.

That'll finish it up then gentlemen. I'll give DeAnne a call tomorrow
and we'll get this show on the road...:thumbsup:


Rick


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> View attachment 8155
> 
> 
> Now we're stylin! :thumbup1:
> 
> The first two guys that promise a youtube evaluation video will get a free sample from DeAnne and the guy's at Advance Equipment.
> 
> In addition...if Tim0282 and Silver will PM DeAnne through DWT with your mailing address, you get one too!!!
> 
> :clap:


there are two things I would do two this knife that would make it better...so dont sent my a set to try..you know I would just cut them up:thumbup: but most people will like them :yes: nice job


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> there are two things I would do two this knife that would make it better...so dont sent my a set to try..you know I would just cut them up:thumbup: but most people will like them :yes: nice job



Ice,

I'm going to be announcing a new direction for HSI this weekend. Part of it will include a new website with a tab for creative ideas. We'll be posting a lot of DWT information and I hope that you will allow us to share your innovations! :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Advance Equipment

rhardman said:


> If you can video...then PM DeAnne.
> 
> That'll finish it up then gentlemen. I'll give DeAnne a call tomorrow
> and we'll get this show on the road...:thumbsup:
> 
> 
> Rick


 
Hello Rick,

Thanks for getting the contest started! 

My user name is: Advance Equipment

The two knives are our new 7" and 11" Stainless Steel Adjustable Wipedown Knives (Blade angle adjustable to 45 degree left or right), 18" handle with a threaded end for extension.

Thank you,

DeAnne


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> Ice,
> 
> I'm going to be announcing a new direction for HSI this weekend. Part of it will include a new website with a tab for creative ideas. We'll be posting a lot of DWT information and I hope that you will allow us to share your innovations! :thumbup:
> 
> Rick


I'am in :thumbup:


----------



## Kiwiman

rhardman said:


> Ice,
> 
> I'm going to be announcing a new direction for HSI this weekend. Part of it will include a new website with a tab for creative ideas. We'll be posting a lot of DWT information and I hope that you will allow us to share your innovations! :thumbup:
> 
> Rick


Good to see you back on your game Rick :thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

Okay here goes...

I thought the ex and I were doing pretty good until it blew up one night. I was being an arse and upset that her time was totally consumed by her dance studio. We split up and then things went sideways. It got real nasty. At one point her attorney got fired from the practice she was at. 

I can't say for sure why, but when the attorney(s) I had been talking to heard what was going on, 3 of them asked where she (her lawyer) worked. One of the attorneys helping me said she (her attorney) was (and I quote) "...a nut job!" 

I went in to deliver some papers to her on a Monday as we had agreed, and the senior partner of the firm said she didn't work there any longer. He knew exactly who I was and he was very kind to me. She (her attorney) started getting tough with me after that until I threatened to file a complaint with the Law Society of British Columbia. At that point her attitude improved. 

In the end, we had a court date. I went after everything including the dirt under her fingernails because they were going after the tools. A week before we went to court, they dropped everything so I looked like a selfish bas**** just trying to hurt her. The judge was pissed. His attitude began to change when I said I wanted to apologize for everything (no infidelity or anything like that, just selfishness). Then he asked why I wanted everything. To paraphrase the rest of the proceedings, I learned that she (the ex) had not told me the truth about something to protect my feelings. I knew it was a fabrication at the time but I didn't know the details so I became upset and guarded. Looking back on it all, it was at that point that the ex started to pull away. In the end, the marriage was destroyed by a misunderstanding and two people not communicating. 


In the process I drained my reserves so I haven't had the means to solve the heat problem with the pump. I've given it a lot of thought and what I really enjoy the most is coming up with an idea and making it work. So I've talked to my partners and we're not going to manufacture the tools if we don't have to. Initially we will be offering a licensing agreement. If nobody wants to play, then we will build them. We know how to solve the heat issue so I've begun the patent process on the pump and a low cost taping/finishing system. After that's done, I'll get back to the real tools. The pump has applications in at least 3 industries so we'll be looking to license it as well as everything else.

In the next month I'll be changing the website to offer sales opportunities as a manufacturers representative for all of the tool mfrs. If we can work out a licensing deal, then I will already have a new distribution channel ready to sell "my own tools" in conjunction with the other tools we'll be representing. I'll get the licensing royalty plus a sales commission so I'll probably take home more money faster than if I start from the ground up just selling my own stuff.

The first thing we are offering is a licensing opportunity for the 3 Point Creaser. We'll open it up to all of the automatic tool players for .50 per unit. We'll show them the technical drawings or we'll make them for them. The UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) plastic is self lubricating so it cleans easier but ABS works too and is much less expensive. We won't offer any creasers here in the States as an accessory until Wall-Tools has sold all of the units we sold them.

If anyone wants to talk, a PM here is the best way to reach me right now.

As a part of the mfrs. rep path we will be taking, we intend to purchase advertising on DWT. It will be a road that takes some time, but I think from where I stand now, it makes the most sense.

Gentlemen, you've been great and I really want to thank you for your patience. Those "God fearing" of you out there, please drop a prayer for the "ex" because (while she had her share in the situation) it tore her up too.

Rick
For you on the opposite sides of "the ponds" that want 3 Point Creasers, have your distributor contact me here. We can set up mfg in your area so your shipping charges are local.


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> there are two things I would do two this knife that would make it better...so dont sent my a set to try..you know I would just cut them up:thumbup: but most people will like them :yes: nice job



That is the direct result of a creative...and semi-destructive:blink: mind!

Gotta admire that!


:thumbup:


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> That is the direct result of a creative...and semi-destructive:blink: mind!
> 
> Gotta admire that!
> 
> 
> :thumbup:


you are starting to know me now:yes:to bad I started on the wrong foot


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> you are starting to know me now:yes:to bad I started on the wrong foot


If I remember correctly, that's on me.:blink:

Rick


----------



## P.A. ROCKER

rhardman said:


> Okay here goes...
> 
> I thought the ex and I were doing pretty good until it blew up one night.
> 
> One of the attorneys helping me said she (her attorney) was (and I quote) "...a nut job!"



I already told you once to GIVE HER THE BOOT. 
This time follow through.:whistling2:


----------



## chris

Trying to get info to DeAnne at Advanced Tools but inbox is full and so is yours rhardman. Does she still have my info?


----------



## rhardman

P.A. ROCKER said:


> I already told you once to GIVE HER THE BOOT.
> This time follow through.:whistling2:


 
I'll just let her walk away...

Too much effort to get upset. 


_...and your previous "follow through" took 18 months because of the legalities._


:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

chris said:


> Trying to get info to Diane at Advanced Tools but inbox is full and so is yours rhardman. Does she still have my info?


 
I'll clean mine up. DeAnne's been out of town on business so I'll give her a call Monday if she's not around tomorrow. 


You can also get hold of her by phone or email here: 

http://www.advance-equipment.com/contact.php


----------



## moore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5SHOX6eomk&list=RD02flkByutsgT


I thought Abby from dance moms would be in bad taste ...so I picked ahhh!!! My CHILD HOOD DREAM!!!!


----------



## rhardman

My people!

I spoke with DeAnne and she's cleaned up her inbox.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Please contact her with your contact info (for the knife contest we had a few days ago).


Thank you,

Rick


----------



## Advance Equipment

rhardman said:


> My people!
> 
> I spoke with DeAnne and she's cleaned up her inbox.
> 
> Sorry for the inconvenience.
> 
> Please contact her with your contact info (for the knife contest we had a few days ago).
> 
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Rick


Thanks Rick!

DeAnne


----------



## rhardman

I spoke with DeAnne,

She only has the contact info for a couple of the people that will be evaluating the long handled (rotating blade) taping knives.

Be sure to get in touch by Wednesday, otherwise we'll need to open it up to more players.

Thanks, :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Bazooka-Joe

2buckcanuck said:


> If you don't like the six inch or eight inch knife, just send them to your favourite internet Canadian buddy................Me
> 
> Just don't dip them in sheep chit like Kiwiman did:furious:


thought Hash chips were illegal in dwt


----------



## Bazooka-Joe

moore said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5SHOX6eomk&list=RD02flkByutsgT
> 
> 
> I thought Abby from dance moms would be in bad taste ...so I picked ahhh!!! My CHILD HOOD DREAM!!!!



we all got old Moe


----------



## moore

Bazooka-Joe said:


> we all got old Moe


That's OK..


----------



## A smooth finish

moore said:


> That's OK..


Whos that


----------



## moore

A smooth finish said:


> Whos that


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKJbjl9LcXo


----------



## A smooth finish

I know who wonder woman is Im talking the woman in that picture


----------



## moore

A smooth finish said:


> I know who wonder woman is Im talking the woman in that picture


That's Bazooka Joe's ole lady!!!:whistling2::yes:


----------



## Bazooka-Joe

moore said:


> That's OK..



wowee moe stoped my mind and the ole lady sitting here seen me


----------



## Bazooka-Joe

mudslingr said:


> She was the cause of premature ejaculation for 5 wonderful years !


not so sure we need to know,


----------



## rhardman

Has anyone received (and tried out) DeAnne's new knives?


----------



## pipercub17

I got mine 
Will be testing them within the next week 
Just waiting for boarders the finish the next place I go into


----------



## Tim0282

I received mine and have used them. Great knives! I prefer the blade to be a bit stiffer, but not an issue. Used the seven inch to touch up end of butt joints on a vaulted ceiling. Tried screwing an extendable paint pole to it and it worked great.(to reach higher) Used the 11 inch to do the same. Then on texture day, we used it to reach up in the corner of the vault to scrape ceiling texture off the wall. They are keepers! As expected, Advance puts out a quality product. Thank you Advance for fine work. Making it more productive on our end.


----------



## chris

Yes, I have them just nothing to tape at the moment. My poles screw right into them. As soon as I get a good opportunity to use them and get some on video I will. They look like they will work for a number of things:thumbsup:


----------



## Advance Equipment

Tim0282 said:


> I received mine and have used them. Great knives! I prefer the blade to be a bit stiffer, but not an issue. Used the seven inch to touch up end of butt joints on a vaulted ceiling. Tried screwing an extendable paint pole to it and it worked great.(to reach higher) Used the 11 inch to do the same. Then on texture day, we used it to reach up in the corner of the vault to scrape ceiling texture off the wall. They are keepers! As expected, Advance puts out a quality product. Thank you Advance for fine work. Making it more productive on our end.


Hello Tim0282,

Thanks for the feedback on the knives. Since we introduced the new knives we have had all positive feedback. Thanks again for testing our tools.

DeAnne


----------



## Advance Equipment

chris said:


> Yes, I have them just nothing to tape at the moment. My poles screw right into them. As soon as I get a good opportunity to use them and get some on video I will. They look like they will work for a number of things:thumbsup:


Hi Chris,

I look forward to your feedback!

DeAnne


----------



## icerock drywall

Advance Equipment said:


> Hi Chris,
> 
> I look forward to your feedback!
> 
> DeAnne


I have the 6'' to the 14'' advance knives and my rivets come loose ...:furious: my blades are loose and I'am not happy. dont think I will buy any more advance tools


----------



## moore

icerock drywall said:


> I have the 6'' to the 14'' advance knives and my rivets come loose ...:furious: my blades are loose and I'am not happy. dont think I will buy any more advance tools


You A big boy Ice !! There aren't many knifes out there that will withstand the force your throwing behind them. :laughing: 


Put the Ice to em! Cut em up and make them better!

Iv'e been using the advance 8'' for a wipe down knife for a while with no problems...And we all know the hell a wipe down knife can catch.


----------



## Workaholic

I am waiting for Ricks motorized drywall sander.


----------



## Advance Equipment

icerock drywall said:


> I have the 6'' to the 14'' advance knives and my rivets come loose ...:furious: my blades are loose and I'am not happy. dont think I will buy any more advance tools


Hello Icerock,

I'm sorry to hear the rivets came loose on two of our knives. Please send me a private message with your address and I will replace both knives. Please let me know which taping knives you have so I can replace the same style.

Thank you,
DeAnne


----------



## Advance Equipment

moore said:


> You A big boy Ice !! There aren't many knifes out there that will withstand the force your throwing behind them. :laughing:
> 
> 
> Put the Ice to em! Cut em up and make them better!
> 
> Iv'e been using the advance 8'' for a wipe down knife for a while with no problems...And we all know the hell a wipe down knife can catch.


Thanks for indicating you have no problems with your 8" Advance knife.

DeAnne


----------



## 2buckcanuck

icerock drywall said:


> I have the 6'' to the 14'' advance knives and my rivets come loose ...:furious: my blades are loose and I'am not happy. dont think I will buy any more advance tools


You just half to treat your knives with some special raisins:yes:. Kiwimans sheep made these ones for my 6" knife. That 6" knife has been through hell and back, think it's almost been 3 years now.

Best 6" knife on the market, and I like the the 8" for wiping tapes out.

Maybe if you send Kiwiman a PM, he can send you some raisins to coat your knife with them. Worked for me:thumbsup:

Unless kiwiman has ate Julie and Tiny


----------



## cazna

Hi DeAnne

I have a BIG problem with my cool grip 6, I love it, Its great, Been 3 or 4 years i think, Problem is im worried i will damage it or loose it and would like to get some back ups...........BUT, Walltools are straight out theives with there shipping and all wall does not carry them.

Rick said he was going to set something up so the shipping for us wasnt so high, Oh, Gaz kiwi and i want some 3 point creasers as well, Happy to pay, But not happy to pay enough to send an elephant half way around the world (Slight exaggeration)

Please help DeAnne, Feel free to give Rick a good swift kick up the backside from us too (Just cause you can )


----------



## rhardman

cazna said:


> Hi DeAnne
> 
> I have a BIG problem with my cool grip 6, I love it, Its great, Been 3 or 4 years i think, Problem is im worried i will damage it or loose it and would like to get some back ups...........BUT, Walltools are straight out theives with there shipping and all wall does not carry them.
> 
> Rick said he was going to set something up so the shipping for us wasnt so high, Oh, Gaz kiwi and i want some 3 point creasers as well, Happy to pay, But not happy to pay enough to send an elephant half way around the world (Slight exaggeration)
> 
> Please help DeAnne, Feel free to give Rick a good swift kick up the backside from us too (Just cause you can )


:thumbsup:

I've been talking with DeAnne about the 3 point creaser. Looks like they will be mfg them for us. With their volume and production facility, they should be able to do a better job of distribution all around the world. The trick will be to get your local disty's to contact DeAnne and talk about the tools you guys have been testing here. With ongoing business, pricing for everything will go down.

Because of other responsibilities, I won't have time to be involved in the creaser. Maybe the other automatic tool mfrs will finally give them a try. 

We've done all we can with the pricing/distribution situation Tom is working on for your guys. I haven't heard anything. I have a design that he could use for his particular (narrow) wheel mount. :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> I have the 6'' to the 14'' advance knives and my rivets come loose ...:furious: my blades are loose and I'am not happy. dont think I will buy any more advance tools



Cantankerous old far*

:yes::whistling2::thumbup1:





_(...he said with a respectful grin...)_


----------



## fr8train

Ice rock, how long have you had your advance knives?


----------



## icerock drywall

fr8train said:


> Ice rock, how long have you had your advance knives?


my first set with the bigger handle I had for a year or so ...and my 8" went bad...so I got the new grips with smaller handle and now that lasted about 10 jobs :furious:


----------



## chris

http://youtu.be/ZW3709IV0zQ. A video with the New Advanced Wiping Knives. Please excuse the cameramans noises . This is a burn unit , only 1 out of 20 apartments that got a total tearout so we had some sheets to tape. I really like the flex on these knives:thumbsup:. When wiping tape it is nice to be able to wipe all the way to the angle without changing direction or grip. I have used them with the pole on some exterior entryways at it was slick. I have a bigger commercial job coming up with lots of board to test these knives on ( lotsa lid and highwall). Im curious to see how it performs on the 8' wall flats. The flexiness is a bit different than what Im used to but doesnt take to long to get the hang of it.


----------



## Advance Equipment

chris said:


> http://youtu.be/ZW3709IV0zQ. A video with the New Advanced Wiping Knives. Please excuse the cameramans noises . This is a burn unit , only 1 out of 20 apartments that got a total tearout so we had some sheets to tape. I really like the flex on these knives:thumbsup:. When wiping tape it is nice to be able to wipe all the way to the angle without changing direction or grip. I have used them with the pole on some exterior entryways at it was slick. I have a bigger commercial job coming up with lots of board to test these knives on ( lotsa lid and highwall). Im curious to see how it performs on the 8' wall flats. The flexiness is a bit different than what Im used to but doesnt take to long to get the hang of it.



Hello Chris,

Thanks for the feedback and the video. You make it look so easy! We would like any additional feedback when you do the big commercial job.

Thanks again!

DeAnne


----------



## moore

......


----------



## JustMe

moore said:


> ......


Advance is maybe still manufacturing tools for others as well.


----------



## moore

JustMe said:


> Advance is maybe still manufacturing tools for others as well.


I'm not sure about that..can't say.....I stopped by blowes this morning for sanding pads...When I saw that 6'' Impulse item! I really can't say one is better than the other ..I've only used the Kobalt 6'' for 1 day. 

Just for the record...I despise Kobalt knives,,,,But the only difference I can see between this Kobalt 6 and the Advance 6 Is the handle.


----------



## cazna

I have been using the advance 6 for four years now, Love it, It my most used knife and still going great.


----------



## sdrdrywall

moore said:


> I'm not sure about that..can't say.....I stopped by blowes this morning for sanding pads...When I saw that 6'' Impulse item! I really can't say one is better than the other ..I've only used the Kobalt 6'' for 1 day.
> 
> Just for the record...I despise Kobalt knives,,,,But the only difference I can see between this Kobalt 6 and the Advance 6 Is the handle.


I tried one too sucks too stiff rusts Pos


----------



## moore

sdrdrywall said:


> I tried one too sucks too stiff rusts Pos


That didn't take long!


----------



## Corey The Taper

I swear I bought it today


----------



## rhardman

cazna said:


> Hi DeAnne
> 
> Feel free to give Rick a good swift kick up the backside from us too (Just cause you can )


----------



## JustMe

Hey there, Rick. Good to see an old face back. What brings you by? The tools R&D? .......?


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Hey there, Rick. Good to see an old face back. What brings you by? The tools R&D? .......?



Don't want to get all dramatic, it's been a long road back and I've learned a lot about life. Mostly, I've learned to (at least try to) keep my big mouth shut.

:yes:

Thanks.


----------



## rhardman

cazna said:


> Hi DeAnne
> 
> I have a BIG problem with my cool grip 6, I love it, Its great, Been 3 or 4 years i think, Problem is im worried i will damage it or loose it and would like to get some back ups...........BUT, Walltools are straight out theives with there shipping and all wall does not carry them.
> 
> Rick said he was going to set something up so the shipping for us wasnt so high, Oh, Gaz kiwi and i want some 3 point creasers as well, Happy to pay, But not happy to pay enough to send an elephant half way around the world (Slight exaggeration)
> 
> Please help DeAnne, Feel free to give Rick a good swift kick up the backside from us too (Just cause you can )



Before Christmas I was working with Scott over at WallTools to get you guys some 3 pt. creaser wheels. We had a scheduling delay at the machinist and it ended up being a full court press to get them to WT on time. Did they ever show up over there? I'm not sure who the end customer was.

I know shipping is a major pain. I ran into the same thing trying to get tools to the U.K.

Rick


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Don't want to get all dramatic, it's been a long road back and I've learned a lot about life. Mostly, I've learned to (at least try to) keep my big mouth shut.
> 
> :yes:
> 
> Thanks.


When you learn that lesson, could you teach it to me? 

Nothing wrong with having a dream, a worthy goal. Hope it's still alive for you.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> When you learn that lesson, could you teach it to me?
> 
> Nothing wrong with having a dream, a worthy goal. Hope it's still alive for you.


Absolutely, but I lost everything in the divorce and have had to start over from scratch. Good lessons. I learned a lot about the industry too. At the end of the day, it's the guys on the street (on DWT) that I've held the greatest respect for.

Good people!


----------



## Tim0282

Wow! Your drawings? Your prototype?? Wow!


----------



## cazna

rhardman said:


> Before Christmas I was working with Scott over at WallTools to get you guys some 3 pt. creaser wheels. We had a scheduling delay at the machinist and it ended up being a full court press to get them to WT on time. Did they ever show up over there? I'm not sure who the end customer was.
> 
> I know shipping is a major pain. I ran into the same thing trying to get tools to the U.K.
> 
> Rick


I was trying with Scott at walltools Rick but it didn't work out.

They didn't have the Blueline creasers in stock, So I waited what was supposed to be a couple of weeks turned into a few months with no reply, I asked again then they were in stock and scott was trying to add some free ts, But then I couldn't pay the standard way, Then It got all confusing trying to place the order, They quoted me a sharper deal on the shipping but then that couldn't go through payment method and had to be done a different way.

Then I couldn't work that out either, I was supposed to hit reorder but all that did was double everything up, Then I tried to delete the double ups and try again right from the beginning with over priced shipping which was right back at the start of the two month process so I gave up, Tried Lynda at westtechtools, She had them, And advance 6 knifes, And great shipping options so in a few simple emails it was done, About 4 days later I had them then sent them on to gazman and kiwiman. The 3 point creasers go very well and I have spare 6inch advance knifes now.

Walltools is just to hard, The webpage is confusing and slow, To many products listed its overloaded. Shippings crazy, Corey the taper is waiting on backordered tools he didn't know was to be back ordered.

Westtechs easy and simple, Like All wall. The two stand out online drywall companys.


----------



## moore

You will always be one of us Rick. You have no choice .


----------



## Tim0282

moore said:


> You will always be one of us Rick. You have no choice .


Yep! :thumbsup:


----------



## JustMe

Tim0282 said:


> Wow! Your drawings? Your prototype?? Wow!


So when Rick said "lost everything", that, too? THat would be brutal.


----------



## Tim0282

JustMe said:


> So when Rick said "lost everything", that, too? THat would be brutal.


That would be very discouraging. Knowing Rick as little as I do though, I know he will come back full force. And he has an amazing, game changing set of tools! Cannot wait to hold them in MY hands! He is brilliant! And if you have seen any clips of the tools, you know.


----------



## rhardman

Thanks for the support guys! I really appreciate it.

I didn't know that Westtech has the creasers, I'll have to give them a call to say thanks.

No, I still have the prototypes and everything as far as the rights go. There was a mix up when I moved from Canada to L.A. so some of the patent documentation didn't follow me. I'm getting that taken care of.

We just had a couple of things to finish up and then we could have launched the tools. After my last divorce update, it all came back on me for another round. That's when I exhausted my reserves. Moving to L.A. it's been tough finding a decent job so I've been doing some consulting work.

Thanks Tim, you're the only person that has seen the tools other than the internal team.

It's going to be a little while before I get back on my feet.

All is good, and it's great to be talking with everyone again. :thumbup:

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

I saw nothing! I know nothing!:euro:


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> I saw nothing! I know nothing!:euro:


:thumbup:


----------



## VANMAN

rhardman said:


> Thanks for the support guys! I really appreciate it.
> 
> I didn't know that Westtech has the creasers, I'll have to give them a call to say thanks.
> 
> No, I still have the prototypes and everything as far as the rights go. There was a mix up when I moved from Canada to L.A. so some of the patent documentation didn't follow me. I'm getting that taken care of.
> 
> We just had a couple of things to finish up and then we could have launched the tools. After my last divorce update, it all came back on me for another round. That's when I exhausted my reserves. Moving to L.A. it's been tough finding a decent job so I've been doing some consulting work.
> 
> Thanks Tim, you're the only person that has seen the tools other than the internal team.
> 
> It's going to be a little while before I get back on my feet.
> 
> All is good, and it's great to be talking with everyone again. :thumbup:
> 
> Rick


Rick, glad ur still on the go!!
Hope athin is ok!:thumbsup:
U gave me so much free stuff!:thumbup: That little mixer is still going good and I have the bigger mixer thanxs 2 the Captain! Great mixers and thanx again:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

I just received this and thought someone might find it interesting. If the link in the graphic doesn't work so use the one below.

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/275303/67ae925ca4/1465746421/efc4aefb17/




:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

rhardman said:


> View attachment 10182
> 
> 
> I just received this and thought someone might find it interesting. If the link in the graphic doesn't work so use the one below.
> 
> http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/275303/67ae925ca4/1465746421/efc4aefb17/
> 
> :thumbsup:


For some reason I can't edit the post above. The Fusion gun is for spray foam. But it's worth a couple thousand dollars. So if you win, they might give you something more relevant to painting...or maybe put it on ebay.


----------



## moore

rhardman said:


> For some reason I can't edit the post above. T.


I think ya got 3 hours.


----------



## JustMe

moore said:


> I think ya got 3 hours.


Gone are the days when you could change your posts days, weeks, ....... later. I think the change happened right after mudslingr threatened to delete all his posts over the 'DWT is now on Facebook' issue.


----------



## moore

JustMe said:


> Gone are the days when you could change your posts days, weeks, ....... later. I think the change happened right after mudslingr threatened to delete all his posts over the 'DWT is now on Facebook' issue.


The pic needs a little touch-up......2buck holding a zook!!!!!:yes:


----------



## Corey The Taper

You can edit your posts on the phone app


----------



## moore

JustMe said:


> Gone are the days when you could change your posts days, weeks, ....... later. I think the change happened right after mudslingr threatened to delete all his posts over the 'DWT is now on Facebook' issue.


I think they want the OP [thread starter] to stay on track..If there's a bunch of edits and deletes then some visitors may get really confused with our [very seldom!] off topic discussions . It Is the visitors that pay the bills on DWT..They hit those little thingy's that bring the site the$$ 

??


----------



## Mudslinger

moore said:


> I think they want the OP [thread starter] to stay on track..If there's a bunch of edits and deletes then some visitors may get really confused with our [very seldom!] off topic discussions . It Is the visitors that pay the bills on DWT..They hit those little thingy's that bring the site the$$
> 
> ??


It's a bunch of BULLSH!T!!! When I'm posting on my phone the damn auto-correct will mess up and you can't come back later and change it. Nobody's going to visit this site if everyone leaves, then who's going to advertise with them?:

Look at that I just edited my post twice, because I wanted to! Wait make that 3 times.


----------



## Corey The Taper

How come I can edit my posts from the app

Ohh your talking about the autocorrect ya it sucks


----------



## rhardman

Mudslinger said:


> It's a bunch of BULLSH!T!!! When I'm posting on my phone the damn auto-correct will mess up and you can't come back later and change it. Nobody's going to visit this site if everyone leaves, then who's going to advertise with them?:
> 
> Look at that I just edited my post twice, because I wanted to! Wait make that 3 times.


_He's really quite sensitive...isn't he???? _

Slinger! Good to talk with you again!



Rick


----------



## Mudslinger

rhardman said:


> _He's really quite sensitive...isn't he???? _
> 
> Slinger! Good to talk with you again!
> 
> 
> 
> Rick


Me and my morning Red Bull's just calling it how it is lol! Good to see you on here again Rick.


----------



## rhardman

I have a buddy that is testing out a new political website. It has the possibility of being pretty big so he needs local website addresses in different countries. To have a URL address (in a given country), you have to be a resident there. 

It's not slamming Politician's or giving opinions, just making voting easier.

He needs the U.K., Australia, and Germany. If you will register his website address in your country, he will give you a royalty for anything that comes of it. You don't have to do anything and he will provide you with a legal agreement that fully protects you. You don't pay him a dime...just register the URL.

He said that within 90 days, he'll pay you back for the registration...and give you the royalties...:thumbsup:

If anyone is interested, send me a PM and I'll introduce you.

Thanks.

Rick

_Meanwhile, back on the topic of drywall....._ :thumbup:


----------



## rhardman

Thanks for the support guys! Apparently that project is moving forward.

Rick.


----------



## nodnarb

I see you make a good bit of taping tools, how about trying your hand at some tools for the hangers , framers?


----------



## abaway

Don't have time to read through the whole thread now. Was thinking about trying the cool grip 2 knives. I've always used stainless knives because I hate rusty tools but keep hearing how some guys say the blue steel works better so which would you get? 

Should I go stainless because that's what I'm used to or make the switch? I'm down to my last 10" and the edge is as sharp as a knife, cut myself last job. Others are too bent from dropping.


----------



## moore

abaway said:


> Don't have time to read through the whole thread now. Was thinking about trying the cool grip 2 knives. I've always used stainless knives because I hate rusty tools but keep hearing how some guys say the blue steel works better so which would you get?
> 
> Should I go stainless because that's what I'm used to or make the switch? I'm down to my last 10" and the edge is as sharp as a knife, cut myself last job. Others are too bent from dropping.


I have the Advance knives. I Love the 6'' and 8'' . I do prefer blue steel when it comes to broad knives ..Mint Craft are the knives I use daily. I'm lucky enough to have a local small town hardware store that carries them for me ..


----------



## abaway

moore said:


> I have the Advance knives. I Love the 6'' and 8'' . I do prefer blue steel when it comes to broad knives ..Mint Craft are the knives I use daily. I'm lucky enough to have a local small town hardware store that carries them for me ..


I think I might have seen those Mintcraft knives at a nearby hardware store. If they have them I'll give them a try. 
I've been using Marshalltown durasoft stainless knives for years. Hate ordering them because either they always ship the bent blades or they get bent in shipping. Local store had a bunch a few years ago and I bought all of them.


----------



## mudslingr

JustMe said:


> Gone are the days when you could change your posts days, weeks, ....... later. I think the change happened right after mudslingr threatened to delete all his posts over the 'DWT is now on Facebook' issue.


Ya think !
The grasshopper sure jumped on that quick,didn't she !?
The thought police have acted.
Sorry JM. I don't like it either.


----------



## JustMe

mudslingr said:


> Ya think !
> The grasshopper sure jumped on that quick,didn't she !?
> The thought police have acted.
> Sorry JM. I don't like it either.


Thanks, ms. But no apologies needed. You were standing up for your likes and dislikes.

Unfortunately for guys like Rick and I, who like editing a lot, it makes us (at least me) have to think more at the beginning about what I say and how I say it. Can't babble things quite like I'm used to. 

How you guys can understand the way I say some things, especially initially, before I edit them.....I think Capt Sheetrock once said he at times couldn't understand.


----------



## rhardman

JustMe said:


> Thanks, ms. But no apologies needed. You were standing up for your likes and dislikes.
> 
> Unfortunately for guys like Rick and I, who like editing a lot, it makes us (at least me) have to think more at the beginning about what I say and how I say it. Can't babble things quite like I'm used to.
> 
> How you guys can understand the way I say some things, especially initially, before I edit them.....I think Capt Sheetrock once said he at times couldn't understand.



For me, I just can't spell...or construct a decent sentence at times. :blink:


----------



## rhardman

*Drywall hanger Rod Picott tried music, nailed it*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVjYxYJ4FzI


Rod Picott was a drywall construction worker for many years before building upon a bigger dream.

It’s been 14 years since the 49-year-old former construction worker hung up his tool belt and emerged as an Americana singer-songwriter. Picott now has six self-released albums under his belt, with the latest being “Hang Your Hopes on a Crooked Nail.”

Picott promises Northern California fans a show that features his latest tunes, a scatter of older favorites and personal stories to accompany the songs, he said. 

“There’s nothing to hide behind when it’s just me and the guitar, and that makes for really wonderful intimacy,” Picott said. Live performances are simultaneously “humbling and empowering” for Picott, he said. “A great show doesn’t feel like an experience that I had – it feels like an experience we, the entire room, had,” Picott said.
Storytelling has become an integral part of Picott’s performances, he said. He has a trove of thoughtful stories that are connected to his expressive songs.

“It’s funny, there’s some shows when I end up talking and telling stories as much as I’m singing,” Picott said. “I found that the response when I do that is even bigger than when I’m doing songs. My father is a really great storyteller – maybe I inherited that from him.”

Although Picott was good at what he did, being a drywall guy for years was beating up his body, he said. The first couple years of delving into his music career were tough, but Picott has always been determined to do “whatever it takes to make it work.”

“Eventually I threw the tools out and bit the bullet,” he said. “If I want to make a living, I’m going to have to stop this and book shows. I had to sit there at the computer for eight hours at a time and get every gig that I could possibly get.” 

Whether he is scribbling soulful lyrics, strumming his guitar, booking his own shows or driving in solitude across the country, the Maine-native-turned-Nashville-musician puts his all into it.

Picott said he’s the kind of songwriter who pulls off to the side of the road to jot down lyrics inspired by the scenery. If he can’t stall his travels, he records on his phone while driving.

“To be honest with you, I write so much I wish I could shut it off sometimes,” he said. “I know that other writers struggle with writer’s block, and I’m sure it’ll happen to me eventually.”

Picott’s soulful and rugged voice belts out lyrics depicting vivid characters, such as welders and drinkers, and the beauties and tragedies of everyday life.

“A lot of songs are narratives,” he said. “Maybe it’s the type of song that I write that makes it easy to find characters, settings and concepts.”

He finds it “simultaneously exciting and disappointing” when other people interpret his music. However, he appreciates when friend and fellow folk musician Slaid Cleaves interprets his work. 

“I’ve known Slaid for so long that it’s easy to take,” Picott said. “With other people it’s sort of a joke, but always very flattering.”

Picott has tours booked across the country until next spring, he said. 

Breaks from work are rare because they are “too scary” for the musician, who prefers to keep busy.

“I don’t even unpack at this point,” he said. “I just live at my house like I’m living in a hotel.”
The lone traveler drives from venue to venue and soaks in the sights America has to offer.

“Truth is, the whole country is so beautiful,” he said. “I find something beautiful about everywhere I go. It’s an amazing country, it really is.” 


You can order Rod's CD's here: :thumbsup:

http://rodpicott.com/physical-cds/





Rick




​


----------



## Whitey97

Are you getting into music promotions now?


----------



## nodnarb

rhardman said:


> *Drywall hanger Rod Picott tried music, nailed it*
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVjYxYJ4FzI
> 
> 
> Rod Picott was a drywall construction worker for many years before building upon a bigger dream.
> 
> It’s been 14 years since the 49-year-old former construction worker hung up his tool belt and emerged as an Americana singer-songwriter. Picott now has six self-released albums under his belt, with the latest being “Hang Your Hopes on a Crooked Nail.”
> 
> Picott promises Northern California fans a show that features his latest tunes, a scatter of older favorites and personal stories to accompany the songs, he said.
> 
> “There’s nothing to hide behind when it’s just me and the guitar, and that makes for really wonderful intimacy,” Picott said. Live performances are simultaneously “humbling and empowering” for Picott, he said. “A great show doesn’t feel like an experience that I had – it feels like an experience we, the entire room, had,” Picott said.
> Storytelling has become an integral part of Picott’s performances, he said. He has a trove of thoughtful stories that are connected to his expressive songs.
> 
> “It’s funny, there’s some shows when I end up talking and telling stories as much as I’m singing,” Picott said. “I found that the response when I do that is even bigger than when I’m doing songs. My father is a really great storyteller – maybe I inherited that from him.”
> 
> Although Picott was good at what he did, being a drywall guy for years was beating up his body, he said. The first couple years of delving into his music career were tough, but Picott has always been determined to do “whatever it takes to make it work.”
> 
> “Eventually I threw the tools out and bit the bullet,” he said. “If I want to make a living, I’m going to have to stop this and book shows. I had to sit there at the computer for eight hours at a time and get every gig that I could possibly get.”
> 
> Whether he is scribbling soulful lyrics, strumming his guitar, booking his own shows or driving in solitude across the country, the Maine-native-turned-Nashville-musician puts his all into it.
> 
> Picott said he’s the kind of songwriter who pulls off to the side of the road to jot down lyrics inspired by the scenery. If he can’t stall his travels, he records on his phone while driving.
> 
> “To be honest with you, I write so much I wish I could shut it off sometimes,” he said. “I know that other writers struggle with writer’s block, and I’m sure it’ll happen to me eventually.”
> 
> Picott’s soulful and rugged voice belts out lyrics depicting vivid characters, such as welders and drinkers, and the beauties and tragedies of everyday life.
> 
> “A lot of songs are narratives,” he said. “Maybe it’s the type of song that I write that makes it easy to find characters, settings and concepts.”
> 
> He finds it “simultaneously exciting and disappointing” when other people interpret his music. However, he appreciates when friend and fellow folk musician Slaid Cleaves interprets his work.
> 
> “I’ve known Slaid for so long that it’s easy to take,” Picott said. “With other people it’s sort of a joke, but always very flattering.”
> 
> Picott has tours booked across the country until next spring, he said.
> 
> Breaks from work are rare because they are “too scary” for the musician, who prefers to keep busy.
> 
> “I don’t even unpack at this point,” he said. “I just live at my house like I’m living in a hotel.”
> The lone traveler drives from venue to venue and soaks in the sights America has to offer.
> 
> “Truth is, the whole country is so beautiful,” he said. “I find something beautiful about everywhere I go. It’s an amazing country, it really is.”
> 
> 
> You can order Rod's CD's here: :thumbsup:
> 
> http://rodpicott.com/physical-cds/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​


Do you know Rod Picott? I really enjoy his music and the americana genre, had no clue he was a rocker! I saw him live with slaid cleaves a long time ago. He cowrote black tshirt with Slaid, one of my favorites. 

Strange turn for this thread!!


----------



## rhardman

Whitey97 said:


> Are you getting into music promotions now?


Naw, I get updates on new drywall information and he came across the screen. After looking into it I had to admire the guy.

I sent an email to Rod on his website and invited him to visit DWT. He's on the road for a few days and said he would stop by when he gets a chance.


:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

nodnarb said:


> Do you know Rod Picott? I really enjoy his music and the americana genre, had no clue he was a rocker! I saw him live with slaid cleaves a long time ago. He cowrote black tshirt with Slaid, one of my favorites.
> 
> Strange turn for this thread!!


 That's great!

I don't know him personally.

Yea strange turn I admit....


I learned a few things bringing out the first tools. 

1. Inexpensive carries the most weight.
2. Don't talk too much about specifics until after launch.
3. Have videos first.


R


----------



## Magic

Come out with a soft handle that dispenses some morphine or something for numb hands and i will be first in line to buy them out


----------



## JustMe

Magic said:


> Come out with a soft handle that dispenses some morphine or something for numb hands and i will be first in line to buy them out


That's the kind of thing that got me into trouble in the 1st place with broken body parts - thinking cortisone shots were enough of an answer. Masking the problem, rather than dealing with it.

Mud power delivery systems, that help with body wear - one possible solution, as I'm seeing it. That, or get a singing career happening.


----------



## moore

JustMe said:


> That's the kind of thing that got me into trouble in the 1st place with broken body parts - thinking cortisone shots were enough of an answer. Masking the problem, rather than dealing with it.




I spent the last 5 weeks getting over a blown left shoulder..I refused the cortisone shot. I figured it was either a pulled or slightly torn muscle ..Which I've been through before ...It just needed time to heal...One Doctor said It was a bone spur that needed to be removed ASAP!! Another said It was my rotary cuff ,,And It would need surgery ASAP!!!


All I needed was time to heal! The left shoulder Is doing great!! The only problem I have now Is... I've favored my right for so long that now my right shoulder Is shot!!! I can barely lift my right hand over my head...I love Drywall!!


----------



## JustMe

moore said:


> I spent the last 5 weeks getting over a blown left shoulder..I refused the cortisone shot. I figured it was either a pulled or slightly torn muscle ..Which I've been through before ...It just needed time to heal...One Doctor said It was a bone spur that needed to be removed ASAP!! Another said It was my rotary cuff ,,And It would need surgery ASAP!!!
> 
> 
> All I needed was time to heal! The left shoulder Is doing great!! The only problem I have now Is... I've favored my right for so long that now my right shoulder Is shot!!! I can barely lift my right hand over my head...I love Drywall!!


I did the same. Borrowing from one body part to compensate for another damaged body part, till I had 2 damaged body parts.

Good on you for refusing the cortisone shot.


----------



## moore

JustMe said:


> I did the same. Borrowing from one body part to compensate for another damaged body part, till I had 2 damaged body parts.
> 
> Good on you for refusing the cortisone shot.


What's so bad about the cortisone shots? I've never had one..But I hear they will only give you one every 9 months apart.. Hell !!! I could use 2 of em a year! So I figure ...Why even start!!


----------



## JustMe

moore said:


> What's so bad about the cortisone shots? I've never had one..But I hear they will only give you one every 9 months apart.. Hell !!! I could use 2 of em a year! So I figure ...Why even start!!


I'd think twice before ever getting cortisone shots again for injuries. A sample of reasons why:

One old post of mine on cortisone - http://www.drywalltalk.com/f2/glucosamine-vitamins-2623/#post47925


From this article - http://www.caringmedical.com/prolotherapy/questions-and-answers/prolotherapy-vs-cortisone/

"They inhibit the release of growth hormone, which further decreases soft tissue and bone repair." 

"Chronic shoulder pain or elbow pain: cortisone further degenerates the already degenerating ligament or tendon."

More reasons for saying No to cortisone are given in that article.


----------



## icerock drywall

where is the tools


----------



## rhardman

moore said:


> I spent the last 5 weeks getting over a blown left shoulder..I refused the cortisone shot. I figured it was either a pulled or slightly torn muscle ..Which I've been through before ...It just needed time to heal...One Doctor said It was a bone spur that needed to be removed ASAP!! Another said It was my rotary cuff ,,And It would need surgery ASAP!!!
> 
> 
> All I needed was time to heal! The left shoulder Is doing great!! The only problem I have now Is... I've favored my right for so long that now my right shoulder Is shot!!! I can barely lift my right hand over my head...I love Drywall!!


Yea...rotary cuff in my left shoulder and left knee damage from a fall down some stairs on stilts....I truly feel your pain!


----------



## rhardman

There's an idea for a thread.... "War wounds!":yes:


----------



## JustMe

rhardman said:


> Yea...rotary cuff in my left shoulder and left knee damage from a fall down some stairs on stilts....I truly feel your pain!


Same drywall dings and dongs for me, as well. Left shoulder, left knee.


----------



## mud bud

Wow Richard worlds longest thread. Remember Gary with the Wallboarder's Buddy drywall cutter? I have a new tool in the works and have started a crowd funding campaign to get it going. Check it out. I think I have changed the tape measure for ever. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/garymccallum/ergonomic-multifunctional-tape-measure?ref=email 
Would appreciate it if you could help spread the word. As an inventor you know how it is getting ideas to market.


----------



## rhardman

Yea, of course I remember Gary!

Well done, it's a very clever idea.

Let us know how kickstarter goes.

Rick


----------



## Tim0282

Rick Hardman! Back from the world unknown? You have been incognito for the longest time! Welcome back!


----------



## prjwebb

Hey rhardman. I'm trying to figure out how to get a 3point creaser wheel to the uk? I tried emailing a dealer in the US but never heard back. Do you have any ideas?
Thanks


----------



## gazman

Try West tech tools.


----------



## rhardman

Walltools should still have some. Make sure that you specify the brand of autotaper you are using. There are 2 sizes available.

Rick


----------



## rhardman

Tim0282 said:


> Rick Hardman! Back from the world unknown? You have been incognito for the longest time! Welcome back!


Thank you Tim. 

The lessons I learned from the industry were brutal...but good in an educational way.

The divorce was devastating financially. I should be back on track pretty soon.

Rick


----------



## prjwebb

rhardman said:


> Walltools should still have some. Make sure that you specify the brand of autotaper you are using. There are 2 sizes available.
> 
> Rick


I think it was wall tools that I emailed, no response. Their website international shipping stated $60 but there's no way it would cost that to send such a small, light item over here but without an email response I couldn't discuss a better option with them.


----------



## cazna

prjwebb said:


> I think it was wall tools that I emailed, no response. Their website international shipping stated $60 but there's no way it would cost that to send such a small, light item over here but without an email response I couldn't discuss a better option with them.


Westtech tools dude, I to tried walltools for some three point creasers, Hopeless, Just send Lynda at westtech an email and she will sort it.


----------



## prjwebb

Cheers. I emailed them for a shipping quote, will see what they come back with. Hopefully can get some new wheels for a premier/blueline nail-spotter too.


----------



## prjwebb

Lynda's responded all ready. Westtech win!


----------



## icerock drywall

I am testing tools


----------



## gazman

Need some help Ice


----------



## rhardman

Ice...

Bring it on!


----------



## icerock drywall

rhardman said:


> Ice...
> 
> Bring it on!


 you know I will Rick


----------



## rhardman

icerock drywall said:


> you know I will Rick


Oh I like your style!:yes:

It's that drywall, in your face, no PC concerned, obstinate attitude that is so fluent with everyone at DrywallTalk!!!!

It's like being with family!:thumbsup:


----------



## rhardman

rhardman said:


> Oh I like your style!:yes:
> 
> It's that drywall, in your face, no PC concerned, obstinate attitude that is so fluent with everyone at DrywallTalk!!!!
> 
> It's like being with family!:thumbsup:


...except for the sheep!


----------



## rhardman

There's a good article on branding your company over at contractortalk.com.


http://www.contractortalk.com/articles/2014/10/pros-and-cons-of-decals-and-other-on-site-branding/?utm_source=EmailDirect.com&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Pros+and+Cons+of+Decals+and+Other+On-site+Branding


----------

