# Looking for feedback on my new mud pan design



## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

This is my new take on a mud pan. I have patented and developed this new design and I have used it extensively over the past two years. I am looking for feedback from other tradesmen, I would greatly appreciate any comments. Thanks! 

please see attachment


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Ummm, that looks like two mud pans. And it looks like it's made of plastic.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

losmud,

On some of your ad claims, I'm not really seeing them in the pan design. If you could explain them better, maybe I/we could assess it better.

The claims I'm meaning:

- 'Regulates with clean, precise control' - is your pan supposed to do it better than other pans can do it, and if so, how?
- 'Ergonomic design' - it looks more awkward than a single pan. Is it the rounded bottom you're referring to that's ergonomically designed?
- 'Excess storage bay' - is this the part you patented? Is it meant for the stuff you don't want to have getting back into your coating mud?


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

*Attributes of Mud Pan*

Here are attributes of the mud pan. Hope this helps explain.

1. Ergonomically designed, the rounded bottom bay filts naturally in the user's hand, and is much easier to hold; the bottom of the triangular bay is offset and angled, so that it rests comfortably on the user's forearm. This unique stability greatly reduces writs movement, compared with the single bay pans, and minimizes wrist fatigue. 
2. The pan's larger perimeter reduces accidental spilling when scooping compound onto any size of taping knife.
3. Joining two single bays creates a middle raking wall, which eases the scooping by causing excess compound to fall into either bay.
4. The curved bay shape enables a user to make a one pass, fast scoop of material from either bay onto the knife, reducing movements used with single bay pans.
5. When scooping compound with a knife, the pan's middle wall is designed to allow the user to maneuver the knife to distribute the plaster onto the middle section of the knife, and away from the ends. Then, when applying plaster to a wall, this keeps the plaster from squeezing off the ends of the knife, achieving a smoother surface.
6. The two bays and increased perimeter reduces the mess of mixing quick setting plaster, and there is less spilling when adding water to powdered compounds.
7. With premixed, light weight compounds, the double bays' larger volume allows the user to carry more material up a ladder, or scaffolding, meaning fewer trips down to refill, and faster job completion.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

SlimPickins said:


> Ummm, that looks like two mud pans. And it looks like it's made of plastic.


 
I was hoping to eventually make one out of stainless with plastic end caps. Thanks for feedback.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

losmudguy1 said:


> Here are attributes of the mud pan. Hope this helps explain.
> 
> 1. Ergonomically designed, the rounded bottom bay filts naturally in the user's hand, and is much easier to hold; the bottom of the triangular bay is offset and angled, so that it rests comfortably on the user's forearm. This unique stability greatly reduces writs movement, compared with the single bay pans, and minimizes wrist fatigue.
> 2. The pan's larger perimeter reduces accidental spilling when scooping compound onto any size of taping knife.
> ...


It does help. Thanks.

I'm thinking you've got some interesting thoughts there, that could be nice to have, at least at times, if your pan's benefits outweigh enough any downsides.

Question: Would you be willing to supply some of them to those of us who would be willing to try them, and give you an honest assessment on this thread?


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

losmudguy1 said:


> I was hoping to eventually make one out of stainless with plastic end caps. Thanks for feedback.


I'm sorry I was a little snotty.

I have some honest (but i don't know how helpful it will be) feedback.

-I think that the simple design of a mudpan is what makes it right for the job (for an even simpler design look at a hawk).
-I would find this pan to be bulky, and perhaps cumbersome. I'm guessing it would not rest on a windowsill very easily.
-While I can see the potential benefit to having a reservoir to throw garbage mud (chunks, etc), I'm not sure that it would require so much added size...most often I keep an empty box nearby and just flick it in there, or wipe it on a door jamb until i can clean it off later. i'm uber meticulous about pristine mud.
-my shift key isn't working, so i'm going to forgo anymore attempts at capitalization.

you state that when mixing setting compounds, the pan helps prevent overflows...i can see how this would work for one side, but not so much for the other.

I'd like to hear more about how the middle wall is designed to bring mud into the middle of the knife. I can't see it from looking at the photo. i generally load mud to one side of my knife or the other, and I spin my pan if I'm fuller at one end. Is it easy to spin your pan to access the other side?

I like the idea of a rounded bottom, but there is already another pan like that out there, albeit a single bay unit.

Kudos for trying something new.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

JustMe said:


> It does help. Thanks.
> 
> I'm thinking you've got some interesting thoughts there, that could be nice to have, at least at times, if your pan's benefits outweigh enough any downsides.
> 
> Question: Would you be willing to supply some of them to those of us who would be willing to try them, and give you an honest assessment on this thread?


Thanks for the reply and sure, I would be willing to send one box of 6 pans for your consideration and an honest assessment. Please tell me where to send and I will comply first of next week. Carl


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

SlimPickins said:


> I'm sorry I was a little snotty.
> 
> I have some honest (but i don't know how helpful it will be) feedback.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your feedback. In answering some of your concerns, with this mud pan, there is no need to spin the pan around. The design of this pan is not so much as the way it might look cumbersome, but the way it feels in the palm of your hand and resting on your forearm. I have used it for a few years now and find it very comfortable. I like the fast and easy action. When I scoop mud onto my knife, I tilt the tray a bit and rake a little mud off of one end of the knife onto the middle wall, while the knife rotates a bit. I have the luxury of doing this because of the larger area. Thanks again, and if you have any more questions, I would be happy to answer. Carl


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

losmudguy1 said:


> Thanks for the reply and sure, I would be willing to send one box of 6 pans for your consideration and an honest assessment. Please tell me where to send and I will comply first of next week. Carl


Thanks for the offer, and I will take you up on it. I'll private message you the 'where to send' info this weekend.

If they do work out, I've got a few maybe 'unique' thoughts that might (or might not) be of some help to you in the marketing of them.


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## Checkers (Jun 25, 2010)

A first glance it looks like a bit of a joke, but don't knock anything until you've tried it!
Hell, I'll give it a go.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

Checkers said:


> A first glance it looks like a bit of a joke, but don't knock anything until you've tried it!
> Hell, I'll give it a go.


 
Would you like to try one? Send me an address......

Carl


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## carpentaper (Feb 28, 2009)

"-While I can see the potential benefit to having a reservoir to throw garbage mud (chunks, etc"

HAHA! i just throw those on the floor. ooops


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## rhardman (Jul 7, 2009)

carpentaper said:


> "-While I can see the potential benefit to having a reservoir to throw garbage mud (chunks, etc"
> 
> HAHA! i just throw those on the floor. ooops


I hit one of those on a pair of stilts one time. Catching the cornerbead on the way down left a scar I still brag about...:jester:


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

losmud,

Just a note to let you know the pans showed up, and together with a couple of other tapers whose opinions I value, will do assessment starting next week.


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## Checkers (Jun 25, 2010)

Same here, got the pan today but am not working until Monday. I'll try skip troweling with it! Thanks for the opportunity!


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## carpentaper (Feb 28, 2009)

i still haven't slipped on a gob yet in stilts, knock on wood. i have in shoes though. those are from drips though, i'm just talking about the crusty boogies off the side of my hawk usually. i just whip em into the corner where the floor meets the wall...ish.


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## alltex (Jan 31, 2009)

looks like the guy on the left is holding it backwards(The wiper blade is away from him so when he cleans his knife it falls on the floor but i could be wrong).It looks cumbersome and awkward to me. no thanks.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

*new mud pan*

In the picture, the guy on the left is holding it properly. The main wall is in the middle with this pan design. The outside mnetal edge is mostly used as an exit move when cleaning the knife for another initial pass (scoop) - handle protruding out of pan. 
Please check attributes posted on my thread. Thanks. Any further questions, feel free to ask, or if you would like to try one. 

Carl


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Finally got a chance to start trialing Losmud's new pan today. An interesting, even somewhat surprising experience so far.

I'd say there was some decent/good thinking that went into its design. The pics may not look like that, the pan itself doesn't look like that - but the useability of it, at least for what I was doing, suggested that to me.

Not that it's maybe as good as it could be, but even that's good. I'd say the basic design allows room to quite easily improve on it even further, in directions that could make it even more useful in some maybe interesting ways.

I'm drawing up a list of pluses and minuses about my experiences working with it, some of which I'll include here after I've used it a bit more.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

JustMe said:


> Finally got a chance to start trialing Losmud's new pan today. An interesting, even somewhat surprising experience so far.
> 
> I'd say there was some decent/good thinking that went into its design. The pics may not look like that, the pan itself doesn't look like that - but the useability of it, at least for what I was doing, suggested that to me.
> 
> ...


I'm quite surprised to hear this kind of feedback on the pan, I made the assumption it would be unpleasant to work with. I don't have trouble admitting I might have been wrong. Now I want to try one...


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

SlimPickins said:


> I'm quite surprised to hear this kind of feedback on the pan, I made the assumption it would be unpleasant to work with. I don't have trouble admitting I might have been wrong. Now I want to try one...


I used it today for skim coating some 14' high plaster walls in an old school, and taping and coating a few 5' standups, along with a long horizontal 'butt' joint that tied into them.

Some of the benefits that losmud had posted, when I'd asked for an expansion on them, I did experience. I didn't mix any powders in it, so I can't comment on those ones.

There were other benefits he didn't list, like the stability of the pan. It didn't tip over once, including when on a scaffold while it was being pushed around, and I had a 10" knife sticking out of it. That likely wouldn't have happened with my other pans. At least not with me.

At 1st it felt like I'd maybe have problems with my grip on it, when I tried holding it without mud in it. But it proved not to be a probem, especially once I'd put some mud in. Then it sort of settled into my hand.

The more rounded bottom did feel nice, when compared to the squared bottom of the plastic pans I've been using (I'm a little hard on the stainless ones at times. They can get bent when around me).

The more rounded bottom is nice for pulling mud out of as well.

The storage area was nice to have for things like putting dropped and contaminated mud in.

There's more, that I'll post later.

Tell the truth, if I was told I couldn't use my other pans and had to switch exclusively to this one, right now it wouldn't bother me like it would've earlier today, before I'd tried it. Tight areas and harder to reach areas could be more of a challenge with this pan, but I don't think as much as I'd originally thought.

I'll see how things go with it over the next few days. I'm going to be switching between a few pans, to give it more of a comparison.


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## S&SDRYWALL (Oct 21, 2008)

Shoot me a few of those pans I got 4 good journeyman that will give ya good assesment on them


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

S&SDRYWALL said:


> Shoot me a few of those pans I got 4 good journeyman that will give ya good assesment on them


Some things to keep in mind when it comes to such as journeymen testing things, is in a post of mine that was a response to Rick Hardman's comment about prototypes and testing:



JustMe said:


> Thanks, Rick. I do have some rough prototypes I was testing the other day. They gave me 'hope' enough that I'm going to upgrade them further.
> 
> As for the guys here testing them, what do they know.
> 
> ...


A little story about that head taper I'd mentioned in the above, and pans:

One day he was on a scaffold coating, and ran out of mud. He needed just a bit to finish off, so I handed him my pan. He took it, turned to the work he was doing, went to scoop some mud from my pan, and missed the whole pan with his knife, scooping thin air. I couldn't stop laughing for a couple minutes.

What had happened was that his body/reflexes knew his pan so well, that he usually wouldn't look down to see what he was doing when pulling mud out of it, but would just scoop out mud. His pan was a bit of an 'anamoly' to most, a wider than normal pan that he'd picked up from somewhere - he's got good sized hands, and likes lots of mud in a pan, because he can coat quickly. When he went to scoop from mine, that 'wiring' he had for his pan worked against him when it came to my pan.

So when people like journeymen test things, keep in mind that their minds and bodies can be very 'hard-wired' for a certain tool configuration, and when you're testing something as radically new as this pan, it can take a bit before mind and body adjust and become used to the difference. Till then, things can at times seem somewhat awkward, uncomfortable.

I won't get into things like how I'm suspecting (at this time) that tapers seem to fall more into such categories as being 'sensories', as opposed to say being more 'intuitives' - not all, but I'd say most, based on what I've seen so far (that could differ some, though, between companies and between regions). That can affect things as well, when it comes to such as trying significantly different tool designs.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Went through much of the day using losmud's new pan. I was taping and coating by hand 10 to 14' high walls, and installing and coating corner bead, doing a lot of it off a ladder. I found another use for the 2nd pan area - something to put my roll of FibaFuse tape in that I was using.

I would've used it for carrying spare knives as well, except I was wearing a holster for that. Knives, at least the ones I'm using, seem to sit down in that side without falling out.

The pan did sit on top of the ladder, if I put the side not weighted by mud pretty much over into mid-air. It might be nice if the pan could easily enough hook onto the ladder in some way, at such times.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

S&SDRYWALL said:


> Shoot me a few of those pans I got 4 good journeyman that will give ya good assesment on them


 
Sure......please provide me with an address.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

Can you please provide me with an address?


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

I did a little handling comparison yesterday between losmud's pan and my usual 12" plastic pan, and Advanced's new 12" stainless steel rounded corner one (I kept it, instead of giving it to the head taper, as I said on here that I would. He replaced his old beat up 'fat' 12" one with a 14", because he wanted the same mud as his old one gave him). I really didn't have any much more problem handling losmud's pan, when I compared it to the others.

Today I did a kick around test of losmud's pan - kicking it along the floor a few times while doing some touch-ups to old plaster walls. It kicked/slid well. I wasn't kicking it around hard, but it didn't tip, even when I kicked it from the side. It hit a cord in one spot, and started to go over, then righted itself.

The old plaster was giving off some garbage at times, especially while completely skimming out some walls. Instead of throwing the contaminated mud back into my pan's mud, or on the floor - they'd put new sheeting down and don't really want us doing that - I put it into the 2nd pan compartment. It was nice to have for that.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

On cleaning the 3 pans in the above post of mine: It seemed that with its rounded bottom and more sloped sides, on all 4 sides, losmud's pan was just as easy to clean with my knife. Maybe even easier. I could even scrape the ends clean decently with my 6". 

One other thing about his pan is that it seems to be longer than the 12" ones I was using - maybe 13". It seems a nice length to work with, and does allow for a decent amount of mud to be put in it.

As for concerns mentioned about not being able to flip the pan around and get at mud at the end where it can build up, I had little problem with flipping it. Even worked a bit with it like that. Also, it doesn't seem to create a build up of mud at the one end like other pans I've used. Don't really know why.

The bit of mud that was at that end didn't seem to offer any real problem with getting it out, even without flipping the pan around.

I do like its weight. Light for its appearance/its size.

I'm also liking more the way the rounded bottom lets me pull mud out of it.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

I got a chance today to talk for a minute with the one other taper that was given one of losmud's pans to try. As far as the tapers that I know go, he's usually pretty open minded. But he didn't like the pan. Said that he likes to get in close to the corners, and the pan affects that for him. I myself didn't have problems working with it in corners, but maybe my lesser years of doing this haven't made me quite so particular yet.

He also mentioned in passing about the extra mud it can carry, as opposed to what he's used to. I didn't think that should really be a problem, but maybe a benefit. But he mentioned it. Maybe he didn't like the 'loose' feel of having such a larger pan area to work within. But I'm just guessing on that.

I mentioned a couple of the benefits I said I seemed to see in the pan, but he kind of blew them off - I don't think he was in a mood to really discuss it. He seemed a little ticked because his winger/helper had made some lame excuse to not come in.

I used a losmud pan again all day, while skimming out old plaster walls. It didn't bother me. But then I can usually adapt pretty easy to changing my methods of doing something, if it makes sense to do so, or to try doing so.

My pan assessment so far: I wish I could give this pan a big thumbs up, but I really can't right now. It has some decent to good concepts going for it I think. But the delivery of them - the ideas for bringing them about - aren't quite there enough yet I think, for most to change over and be happy about it.

But it's not a pan I'd necessarily rule out as having, even if the ideas aren't maybe the best yet. I think it could have its place, for at least some, for the right situations - like if you want to keep the floor cleaner of mud; or would like a place to carry your tape, or screw driver when spotting screws 1st time; or don't want your pan possibly tipping; or would like extra mud at times.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

A btw: Just because I can't give losmud's pan a big thumbs up right now, I'm not going to stop using it. What I am going to do is work with it through the week, then see how it is to switch back to a regular pan. I might find the extra features of his pan to be something that I'll miss more than any inconvenience some of his design might present.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

JustMe said:


> A btw: Just because I can't give losmud's pan a big thumbs up right now, I'm not going to stop using it. What I am going to do is work with it through the week, then see how it is to switch back to a regular pan. I might find the extra features of his pan to be something that I'll miss more than any inconvenience some of his design might present.


 
Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate your honest assessment so far. All is not lost on one opinion. When I designed this pan, I thought of it as an option or as another tool in a mud guy's arsenal. I myself have never gone back to using a single pan, but I could see a person having both in their grip. The way I see it, for almost every tool on the market there are different sizes , shapes and varieties.


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## S&SDRYWALL (Oct 21, 2008)

S&S DRYWALL
2216 14th st NW
Minot, North dakota 58703


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

....


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

losmudguy1 said:


> Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate your honest assessment so far. All is not lost on one opinion. When I designed this pan, I thought of it as an option or as another tool in a mud guy's arsenal. I myself have never gone back to using a single pan, but I could see a person having both in their grip. The way I see it, for almost every tool on the market there are different sizes , shapes and varieties.


That's exactly the way I see it as well, and was going to add what you said to my next post, when I'd tried the pan out for a few more days, and then tried switching back, giving my assessment as to how I felt about the switch back. Right now, I believe I'd miss the benefits of your pan, at least for some things.

To me, it's like having a bazooka, banjo, and knife and pan, for taping. Or knife and pan, and mud boxes, for coating. One tool doesn't usually seem to fit all situations the best, when it comes to drywall finishing.


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## S&SDRYWALL (Oct 21, 2008)

Thats actually a great point, I recently was working in some skylights 28feet in the air and i kept having to climb down the scaffold to get more mud bc no where to put bucket up there, sure would have been nice to have double the amount to work with, at least while in akward places


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

S&SDRYWALL said:


> S&S DRYWALL
> 2216 14th st NW
> Minot, North dakota 58703


 
Will get in mail tomorrow. Thanks.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

S&SDRYWALL said:


> Thats actually a great point, I recently was working in some skylights 28feet in the air and i kept having to climb down the scaffold to get more mud bc no where to put bucket up there, sure would have been nice to have double the amount to work with, at least while in akward places


I have one of those ladder buckets for painting, a must for when you've got to do a slap texture a billion feet in the air in a 2 ft. x 8 ft. skylight.:yes:


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## betterdrywall (May 4, 2010)

Coating mud on one side, Texture mud on the other = coat and texture at the same time!!! That's a sick thought,, Think I'll go stick my head in a bucket of mud now ...


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

betterdrywall said:


> That's a sick thought,, Think I'll go stick my head in a bucket of mud now ...


 Now THAT'S a sick thought!


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

betterdrywall said:


> Coating mud on one side, Texture mud on the other = coat and texture at the same time!!! That's a sick thought,, Think I'll go stick my head in a bucket of mud now ...


 :thumbup:


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Yesterday I took to skimming out old plastered walls again in an old school. There was a lot of old wood trim and old exposed lines to work around, and I needed a lot of different sized knives for it. losmud's 2nd pan section came in handy for carrying those knives.

Rather than have to keep pulling the sponge out of my pocket that I sometimes like to kneel on, I also used it to carry the sponge. It was handy for that as well.

I also used the sponge to kneel on at times when I might not have pulled it out of my pocket, because it was a little more convenient to do so now. So the design of his pan is ergonomic to me in another way as well.


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks for shooting it straight Just-Me :thumbup:

I would think that the real benefit would be the trash scrape like you mentioned but not sure if the plus would be enough to make me get rid of my stainless standard pan. Looks bulky.


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

S&SDRYWALL said:


> Thats actually a great point, I recently was working in some skylights 28feet in the air and i kept having to climb down the scaffold to get more mud bc no where to put bucket up there, sure would have been nice to have double the amount to work with, at least while in akward places


Sounds like your scaffold is smaller then our scaffold or maybe I should ask how many S&S Drywallers it takes to work around a skylight?

JS


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Workaholic said:


> Thanks for shooting it straight Just-Me :thumbup:
> 
> I would think that the real benefit would be the trash scrape like you mentioned but not sure if the plus would be enough to make me get rid of my stainless standard pan. Looks bulky.


Welcome and you're welcome, Workaholic.

I was sanding all day today. I used it to carry around my sponges and other things I found handy for this 'ugly' old plastered school job I'm on. Worked good for that. Especially when I could kick the thing along the floor as I went along the walls, and not have it tip.

The only time I've had any kind of real issue with the size of it is when on a ladder, and I would've liked to have put it down on the top of the ladder. 

As for it and stainless pans, its somewhat lighter than the stainless one I've got.


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## wopachop (Dec 14, 2010)

Im impressed you made it all the way to patent and prototype stage good job man!!


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

wopachop said:


> Im impressed you made it all the way to patent and prototype stage good job man!!


 

Thanks! Its been a trip!................


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

So besides kicking losmud's pan all over the old school I've been working on (and not tipping it), I took it to another job for parts of Wednesday thru Friday - a fix on some new construction. But since I knew I would be working off a ladder for much of it, I used his pan only to carry my new designed Advance stainless pan DeAnne was good enough to supply (nice pan), and to carry whatever tape and knives I needed. It worked well enough for that - better in some ways than my usual just throw it all into a bucket.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

JustMe said:


> So besides kicking losmud's pan all over the old school I've been working on (and not tipping it), I took it to another job for parts of Wednesday thru Friday - a fix on some new construction. But since I knew I would be working off a ladder for much of it, I used his pan only to carry my new designed Advance stainless pan DeAnne was good enough to supply (nice pan), and to carry whatever tape and knives I needed. It worked well enough for that - better in some ways than my usual just throw it all into a bucket.


 
Thanks, Just Me, for all your feedback. Really has helped out tremendously. I feel like you are a real honest assessor and that is much appreciated, plus, you have an eye for understanding design. I do appreciate your time you have taken.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

You're welcome, losmud.

I'll be wrapping up shortly the trialing of your pan, and then turn over some thoughts and findings I haven't mentioned here to someone I'm going to be doing some innovation projects with, for some of their input. Once that's done, I'll contact you with what comes up that might further help.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Wrapping up (I think) trialing losmud's pan - places and ways I found that his pan seemed handy:

- when I wanted more mud than my regular plastic and stainless 12" pans can hold
- when I didn't want to garbage up the floor with mud that I didn't want to put back in my pan
- when I wanted a way to more conveniently carry around a bunch of different sized knives, to deal with different mudding width requirements, like at the old plastered school I've mostly been working on the last while
- when I wanted to carry tape and sponges and what have you, a little more conveniently than in the past
- when I wanted something less likely to tip
- scooping mud out of a round bottomed pan was a plus

One of the painters was looking at the pan today. He thought it interesting enough, seeing it being useful for him at times, especially the function of having a place to put corrupted mud while doing patch/prep work for re-painting in existing. Whether it would be something that would actually motivate him to buy such a pan if it was available to him, I couldn't say.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Guess I'm not quite done with my review. I found another way to use losmud's pan. I put my stainless pan I was using in the one side, and other things like tape and knives in the other side, to help carry stuff around to different areas. Made things a little more convenient, and better protected my knives from potentially getting damaged.


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

JustMe said:


> Guess I'm not quite done with my review. I found another way to use losmud's pan. I put my stainless pan I was using in the one side, and other things like tape and knives in the other side, to help carry stuff around to different areas. Made things a little more convenient, and better protected my knives from potentially getting damaged.


 It is refreshing to have an honest assessment, because............I know it works well for me and especially ergonomically. This was one of the major features of the design. I hope to help other tradesmen with this product. Thanks again, Just Me.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

losmudguy1 said:


> It is refreshing to have an honest assessment, because............I know it works well for me and especially ergonomically. This was one of the major features of the design. I hope to help other tradesmen with this product. Thanks again, Just Me.


And you're again welcome, losmud.

I haven't found the pan as handy on the current job I'm on - lots of smaller rooms and narrower hallways, so I'm finding it bulkier to work with than the wider spaces on my last job. I'm also always close right now to the room where we have our tools, so it's not a long walk to get things, rather than have to carry them with me - which is what I was using your pan for in part.

I can also throw corrupted mud around on the floor without a problem, so it's not much help that way right now, either.

So I've stuck with using a traditional pan for the last few days.

I did use your pan today to mix some concrete fill. Seemed to work well enough for that.

I'm glad you sent me more than one pan. I'm going to be modifying one, and will get back to you about it, after I've tried it.


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

*losmudguy1*

I thank you for letting me try your mud pan design. I have used it exclusively since I have received it and here is what I think. 

First impression was that it was bulky with the double sides, as I used it I found it to be less bulky because it was not uncomfortable to use and I as I understand it was your reasons for designing it. I also think that if you take it the next step further and offer the pan in stainless rather than plastic it would be a better product. 

The double side did not have much benefit for me but since I am a painter and do less mudding than a dedicated finisher that might be different for other guys that have or are trying it. I did like how it hung on a slop sink when I was cleaning it out though. It was nice to have a place to scape off some trash but on my uses it was just as easy to have a box near by to serve the same purpose. I found the second side was better served too throw extra tools and accessories in as Just-Me mentioned.

The rounded bottom was my favorite thing about this pan and I think it is a great feature and I like how the mud scoops out of a the rounded design and imo it should become the standard design for a mud pan. 

Over all I like the round bottom I wish it was made of SS and I think you are on to something but am not sure if the double pan is it but another user may feel differently. I could see this pan being sold in the big box stores and probably selling well. I find the pan to be comfortable to use but find the double aspect unnecessary but better served for sanding sponges, tape and knives. 

Thanks for letting me try your design. :thumbsup: If you have any questions for me feel free to ask me.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Workaholic said:


> I thank you for letting me try your mud pan design. I have used it exclusively since I have received it and here is what I think.
> 
> First impression was that it was bulky with the double sides, as I used it I found it to be less bulky because it was not uncomfortable to use and I as I understand it was your reasons for designing it. I also think that if you take it the next step further and offer the pan in stainless rather than plastic it would be a better product.
> 
> ...


Work,

There is a round bottomed stainless pan, with plastic ends, now being put out by Marshalltown: http://www.walltools.com/store/marshalltown-grabber-pans-mtt-gp478-gp479.html

I thought that since I was testing out losmud's and Advance's new pans, I might as well get one and try it out, so I picked one up the other week. 1st thing that happened after using it a couple times was one of the nice shiny metal ends that cover the plastic ends fell off.

The pan was alright, but I think I'd prefer losmud's plastic over the stainless. The knives seem to have less 'friction'/less 'stickiness' when in contact with the plastic, vs. the stainless.

And the metal of the Marshalltown is pretty thin. Nice for weight reduction, but I could see it not liking taking a header off of something like a scaffold, while the plastic should do better.

If I was losmud, one thing I might consider is having just the round pan, with attachments for various situations. It was one suggestion I was going to send him about considering.


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## muddermankc (Apr 6, 2009)

still havent received mine


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

JustMe said:


> Work,
> 
> There is a round bottomed stainless pan, with plastic ends, now being put out by Marshalltown: http://www.walltools.com/store/marshalltown-grabber-pans-mtt-gp478-gp479.html
> 
> ...


I think a single would be better too. 
Attachments would be an interesting idea. I know you had mentioned ideas to improve or modify the design losmudguy1 should listen to you I think. 
 


muddermankc said:


> still havent received mine


You should pm him, He sent mine pretty fast. I am glad I tried this pan it is not a bad pan but like I said for me I just don't think I need two sides.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Workaholic said:


> That was a good idea to compare the two. rhardman has a rounded metal pan on his site, I have only heard good things of his products so maybe his pan is a better option than the Marshalltown one.


I checked his site, but wasn't getting a pic. It looks like Rick is selling a # of Advance's tools, and from the description, I'm thinking the pan could possibly be Advance's new pan that I was testing along with losmud's: http://www.walltools.com/store/adva...-with-no-slip-grip-adv-10hrg-12hrg-14hrg.html

If not, maybe Rick will enlighten.

Advance's new pan is a nice pan. Although it doesn't have a rounded bottom, but rounded sides, it feels good in the hand compared to 'sharp' cornered pans, and is well welded where other stainless pans tend to crack.


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Let me just add that I applaud losmudguy1 for thinking out side the box and taking an idea to improve a product and not only get it from his head to paper but then to go through the patent process and devote so much of his time to get this off the ground and then to offer free ones to guys like me to try is a awesome thing. Like I said for ergonomics I think it passed the test because it was comfortable to hold and I think he is a creative guy that has taken an innovative idea and turned it into a physical patented product. 

Not to mention all the guys that surely have told him he was crazy, so don't get discouraged. 

Hope it turns into a money maker for you. Thanks again for offering me one.


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## rhardman (Jul 7, 2009)

> I checked his site, but wasn't getting a pic. It looks like Rick is selling a # of Advance's tools, and from the description, I'm thinking the pan could possibly be Advance's new pan that I was testing along with losmud's
> If not, maybe Rick will enlighten.
> 
> 
> ...


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## losmudguy1 (Oct 27, 2010)

Workaholic said:


> Let me just add that I applaud losmudguy1 for thinking out side the box and taking an idea to improve a product and not only get it from his head to paper but then to go through the patent process and devote so much of his time to get this off the ground and then to offer free ones to guys like me to try is a awesome thing. Like I said for ergonomics I think it passed the test because it was comfortable to hold and I think he is a creative guy that has taken an innovative idea and turned it into a physical patented product.
> 
> Not to mention all the guys that surely have told him he was crazy, so don't get discouraged.
> 
> Hope it turns into a money maker for you. Thanks again for offering me one.


Thanks again to all who have given me responses. Please keep in touch!


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