# Box Settings...



## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

Just wondering what some of you guys are setting your boxes at for your second coat and skim coat. I know that every box brand is different and every mud shrinks differently and that we all get different bevels from the rock we are supplied, but I'm just looking for a general concensus. It seems that many people over crown their boxes for the 2nd coat, but i'm thinking that perhaps running the 2nd coat relatively tight may produce a flatter finish. The bevel isn't very deep at all...


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

1rst coat after the tapes dry I run 3 on flats and 1 or wide open on butts. On 2nd coat 3 on flats 1 or 2 on butts if they arnt flat, if flat a 3 setting. These are with Blueline boxes 8 and 10


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

Columbia boxes. 10 " Second coat I run 4 on ceilings 4 or 3 on walls (depends on bevel , crown of studs , duct and plumbing etc)and wide open on butts. 12" skim i run 4 on ceilings 3 on walls 4 on butts.


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## PrecisionTaping (Feb 2, 2012)

I run my 10" a little wider, I usually run it on 2, but I water the mud down a little thinner than most guys I think, so when it dries it shrinks back a bit.
Then our 12" we run as tight as we can. 4 or 5.
Your 12" shouldn't be filling anything. Should be exactly what it's supposed to be doing, skimming. A nice tight coat. No build outs.


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## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

is every box setting different, anyway I run tight allways


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

PrecisionTaping said:


> I run my 10" a little wider, I usually run it on 2, but I water the mud down a little thinner than most guys I think, so when it dries it shrinks back a bit.
> Then our 12" we run as tight as we can. 4 or 5.
> Your 12" shouldn't be filling anything. Should be exactly what it's supposed to be doing, skimming. A nice tight coat. No build outs.


Ill second what Moose boy is saying:yes:

If going 10 and 12. Hard to explain the bed coat, but most boxes should be around the middle #(most times #3), but you never know. I find changing new blades can affect what # you run it on also, especially if your supply house dude keeps changing his suppliers:furious: . Last blade I was on #3, one before that it was #2, and my current one is #4. You just know by looking, but you should go for a tighter coat though.

Your last coat (12"box), you should be skimming tight, not loading. You should be able to run a knife across the joint without taking any mud off. You bed coat should be where you want it to be, your last pass is to get rid of imperfections, not build out.:yes:

Also, if doing both sides of the butt joint with boxes, I don't run it wide open. If I'm doing my flats at #3, then I do my butts at #3. Wide open can build them out too much IMO. But if your doing the over the tape butt first (single pass), then I will run them wide open:yes:


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