# Box number



## Rickthetooler (Jul 16, 2017)

What number do you run the box on the top,skim and final coats?


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

You have to decide that as every box is different, The blades and brass bar will slowly get bent out, So sometimes taking them off and slightly bending them back will change it from a 4 setting to a 2 setting.

But generally tight settings, To loose and your gonna crown it, And you dont want that, To tight and it will ride centre blade and not edge nice, And you dont want that, Thickness of mud changes everything too so you mix the mud, Fill the box, set it to what you think, Run it a little, and adjust.


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

Initial box adjustment is to set spring adjuster dial to the first (#1) position. This is not the open position. It is the #1 position. Adjust the spring tensioners to where the spring barely makes contact with the dial at #1. As you push the box against the wall and load the brass crown bar, there will be very slight spring pressure against the crown bar at this setting. Once you have done this adjustment, you will notice that the spring tension against the crown bar will increase as you change to higher dial settings. (#2,#3, etc) . Another consideration is whether you choose to pre camber the blades before installing them. Some boxes, such as my Tape Techs, work best with a slight pre cambering (bending) of the blades before installation. I have noticed that this is overkill in my Columbia boxes. Which don't seem to benefit from pre cambering. Only after you have done these pre adjustments, are you ready to check which setting is right for your finish work. You should always have a straight broad knife blade to check your fill. First box on flats should leave enough mud to where they will be flat after accounting for slight mud shrinkage. Usually this is a setting where the broad knife (checker) will make slight contact with the fill mud across the recess band. It is up to you to decide which setting accomplishes this. Second box coat will require much less fill, providing you did a flat fill coat.


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## Controll (Jun 1, 2017)

I use Tape Tech boxes and have always run them wide open


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## Rickthetooler (Jul 16, 2017)

Thanks for the feed back


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

Controll said:


> I use Tape Tech boxes and have always run them wide open


How crowned is that fill? If I were to do that with mine, I would have a giant hump on the walls. And I am shooting for dead flat joints. So I think your initial setup isn't quite right.


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## Controll (Jun 1, 2017)

endo_alley_revisited said:


> How crowned is that fill? If I were to do that with mine, I would have a giant hump on the walls. And I am shooting for dead flat joints. So I think your initial setup isn't quite right.


I've never had any problem with crowns.May just be my boxes because all the boxes I've ever used seem to leave different amounts of mud


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

Controll said:


> I've never had any problem with crowns.May just be my boxes because all the boxes I've ever used seem to leave different amounts of mud


Do you even check the fill? Is the fill dead nutz flat? I set up my boxes to where they behave predictably.


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## Rickthetooler (Jul 16, 2017)

Endo, do you run all 3 boxes, or just the 10 & 12?


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

We usually fill with a 10"and finish coat with a 12". High shoulders on the board are always a problem when they occur. They take special attention to hide.


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## emmanuilteleshev (May 27, 2020)

Super useful stuff thanks a lot


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## OtherbrotherMoore (May 25, 2017)

Rickthetooler said:


> What number do you run the box on the top,skim and final coats?


keep an eye on your blade, flipping over after you see a bit of ware


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## emmanuilteleshev (May 27, 2020)

True the blades are important. I know that my friend rarely paid attention to it and he kind of f***ed it up. I had to remind him a few times. Dude screwed up his blades multiple times though. I think it was around 11 times. It's weird because he is often associated with the number11. He was interested in this number all his life and often read more about it. One of the most useful articles regarding the number 11 and it's hidden meaning is this one though: https://www.sunsigns.org/angel-number-11-meaning/ I found out a lot of info from it. And it really corresponds with his personality I have to say


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

Interesting. I like to set my guitar amp to eleven!


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