# Mud boxes



## perrogrande82 (Feb 11, 2015)

I am a carpenter who has gone back to doing my own taping and finishing and since both of my tapers have retired, and I have been thinking about investing in a set of boxes. I recently got a good deal on a Columbia 10” Fat boy, a 12” regular, pump, and a Hydra extendable box handle. I do enough taping to justify the cost, but have a number of questions about them. After reading the forums when I was trying to decide on a brand, I figured this was the best place to get some answers. So here we go:
- Should I get a 7” or 8” (Fat Boy?) box? If so, what is this usually used for?
- What size angle heads do most guys get (2”, 2.5”, 3”, 3.5”)?
- What size(s) angle box do most guys get? These work in conjunction with the angle heads, correct?</P>
- How do you deal with off angles? Are there any angle heads made for them?
- What spare parts/repair kits should I try to always have with me?
- Do the extra weight of the Fat Boy type boxes tend to fatigue the user more than regular boxes?
- What are the most common problems when using boxes?
- What are the most common mistakes users make when working with boxes?
- Are the nail spotters worth buying? While I am fast at spotting, I guess they could speed things up.
- What type of maintenance do the boxes and pumps require?

Thanks in advance for your help and time


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Dude most of us like to help but your questions take most people a few years posting and trial and error to figure out, We cant answer all that, 

If you search the threads and spend time reading for yourself the answers are all there, We have typed it all out many times. Good luck.


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

Also you carpenters use mesh with light compounds. Try using the correct materials first


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## sheep (May 11, 2015)

Cmon ice. No need to bash the guy with generalisations like that. 

Honestly though, this site has some great knowledge, but this isn't a trade you can learn by reading. Theres just so much trial and error involved. 

If you're serious about it, your best bet is to pay the retired finisher to teach you.


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## krem (Mar 20, 2016)

how bouts just a few ppl telling this guy wat they use??
will give him a rough idea of wat the go is.
i use tapepro 200mm, 250mm and 300mm boxes, i have a 900mm handle and also a 1200 handle for higher ceilings.
im not familiar with the fat boy boxes, i guess they hold more mud, the way i look at it, the boxes save enough time as it is, just kick the bucket of mud around with you and fill up more often
i done see the point of a pump, i simply use a 6" scraper to fill my boxes, just open the lid and fill it up, takes around 20 secs each fill, they might be good for filling tubes tho, but i can comment as i dont have a pump!! just another thing to clean up anyways.
i have a tapepro tube, i dont use an applicator head, just use it with the nozzle as it comes, run a bead like a caulking gun and then use the flushers.
i use a elcheapo taping banjo for all my joins, and then switch the end to the internal wheel and use a roller and then follow up with the 55mm flusher.
to topcoat my internals, just run a bead up the centre of the internal with the tube and then use the 90mm flusher, 
square setting, i have just bought the ezybead system, but i dont use the ezy beads or the **** roller, i just use the hopper to apply mud to paper faced metal beads, slap them on, use my normal roller and the finish off with the 55mm flusher, then go around them all with my 4" scraper to tidy them up, 2nd coat with all purpose using the tube to run a bead thru the centre and then use 75mm flusher, top using the same system but the 90mm flusher!!
then just go around when its all dry and touch everything up, the 3ways, externals, anything that dont look nice, 
hope that elps a little
krem


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

The thing is and what makes me sick about this site is so many repeats.take some time and read the posts


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

Looks like more and more know my process


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