# Anybody use a nail spotter?



## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

I own a 2" and 3" nail spotter. But I have never had much use for them. The first coat seems best to be done by hand to deal with bad screws and tapping in/adhering paper at screw gun misses. And the spotter seems to leave a small void at the top of the screw dimple. So the spotters work best on second coat and maybe third coat. But by the time you brush any edging with a sand pole, hand work seems about as fast. With the advantage of being able to run detail and some touchup while you are there. I am enquiring to see if anybody has a good system for using nail spotters.


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## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

think we are all in agreement on your outlook off them, I only use 2 inch spotter:whistling2:


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

PA has one, I think we used it one or twice. Really wasn't any faster considering that it doesn't leave a clean start, or was it a clean lift, or both? So one guy running the spotter, one guy cleaning up behind it took the same time as 2 his spotting by hand.


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

I use a 2 inch on some days it works great some days it doesnt. i used mine today and it was not being very cooperative. Ended up wiping half of them by hand anyways.


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

fr8train said:


> PA has one, I think we used it one or twice. Really wasn't any faster considering that it doesn't leave a clean start, or was it a clean lift, or both? So one guy running the spotter, one guy cleaning up behind it took the same time as 2 his spotting by hand.


If it's set right shouldn't need wiped behind, but it does leave ridges so there's more to sanding them. I would run em only on texture or level 5 jobs


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Philma Crevices said:


> If it's set right shouldn't need wiped behind, but it does leave ridges so there's more to sanding them. I would run em only on texture or level 5 jobs


 Ya I was getting a ceiling ready for level 5 and my spotter was leaving stop and goes on my butts and flats. Basically trying to make a good impression as the money guy will be coming over to pay me and discuss colors for the painting. They may not work great but the do look very professional. I was going to start sanding today but I ended up scraping, floors, sweeping Tightning up screws. Doubled up all seams with a 10". Busted out all butts with a 14" 3 wide. Then my 12 hour day was done. All this for a good first impression. Tommorrow I start to level 5


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

How are you doing the level 5? Spray, roll, hand, special product?


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Plan is to roll on with an 18" roller then skim tight with a magic trowel. I could spray and wipe but its pretty cold here and house is on a slab. Moisture could be an issue so I will take my time and keep moving the fans a dehumidifier as I go


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Forgot to mention we a looking at 20 plus inces of snow on prime day


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

fr8train said:


> How are you doing the level 5? Spray, roll, hand, special product?


We do level 5 by hand, one guy rolling mud on 2 wiping off with +3 mud, but... I got me a good spray rig now and will be trying the spray mud method soon


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

boco said:


> Plan is to roll on with an 18" roller then skim tight with a magic trowel. I could spray and wipe but its pretty cold here and house is on a slab. Moisture could be an issue so I will take my time and keep moving the fans a dehumidifier as I go


You guys keep the cold out that way, was a nice 80 today :yes:

Yet to try the Magic Trowel, might need to pick one up


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Philma Crevices said:


> We do level 5 by hand, one guy rolling mud on 2 wiping off with +3 mud, but... I got me a good spray rig now and will be trying the spray mud method soon


 I dont really break out my mark 5 unless we got more the 20k worth. Just takes to much time bagging everything off and just makes a mess.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

boco said:


> Forgot to mention we a looking at 20 plus inces of snow on prime day


What day Is that.....:blink:


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

boco said:


> I dont really break out my mark 5 unless we got more the 20k worth. Just takes to much time bagging everything off and just makes a mess.


I have 60kish coming up, all open area's for the most part. Hoping I'll have everything together when it's ready to try it out


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

moore said:


> What day Is that.....:blink:


 Thursday. Storm. Big storm a comin.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

boco said:


> Thursday. Storm. Big storm a comin.


Keep It up there with you!!! :thumbsup:


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## AplaDave (Feb 11, 2013)

We have a nail spotter that actually pimples the nail/screw head when passing over it. The pressure of Air or CFS compresses the compound in the nail spotter, you make your pass and when the compound in the nail/screw decompresses it still extends beyond the field of the board. Let dry, then scrape or sand before one more pass, let dry then sand and it is ready for level 5. It does save one step. For those that didn't know we are a 34 year old contracting company that has been manufacturing tools for over 18 years.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

AplaDave said:


> Let dry, then scrape or sand before one more pass, let dry then sand and it is ready for level 5. It does save one step.


Correct me if I'm off with this Dave (which I'm fairly confident you will)  - never used one of your systems: Saves on a mudding pass, but seems to add a sanding/scraping pass that wasn't needed before. So isn't that a bit of a wash? And especially having to drag a hose around to do the spotting? 

How does your nail spotter handle hitting screws that are sitting out beyond the face of the board? It's okay with that?


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

JustMe said:


> never used one of your systems


I'll correct myself on this. I did run one of your air cannons for a brief time, doing some internal angles.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

JustMe said:


> I'll correct myself on this. I did run one of your air cannons for a brief time, doing some internal angles.


How about your system ? How's that coming along?


OH !. and..Hows that shoulder ?


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

endo_alley said:


> I own a 2" and 3" nail spotter. But I have never had much use for them. The first coat seems best to be done by hand to deal with bad screws and tapping in/adhering paper at screw gun misses. And the spotter seems to leave a small void at the top of the screw dimple. So the spotters work best on second coat and maybe third coat. But by the time you brush any edging with a sand pole, hand work seems about as fast. With the advantage of being able to run detail and some touchup while you are there. I am enquiring to see if anybody has a good system for using nail spotters.


I do


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

moore said:


> How about your system ? How's that coming along?


SystemS. 

They're still a go. The fundamentals for them are still seeming solid, which I haven't changed in the last while, even after giving them a few more looks.

I did tweak a few finer things the last while - a different option for loading them and a different flow control valve. Both seem worthwhile enough to keep.

Biggest thing for me is still to work out how to get them into the marketplace in a sensible enough fashion. I was talking to someone yesterday a little bit on that.



moore said:


> OH !. and..Hows that shoulder ?


The one that likes to pop out of place at times? It's great.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

JustMe said:


> SystemS.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Family doctor says I should get a desk job! LMAO!!! I'm right behind ya JM!


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

moore said:


> Family doctor says I should get a desk job! LMAO!!! I'm right behind ya JM!


I did a bit of a stretch behind a sales desk and as a shipper receiver. I was bad at them. Kept falling asleep.

You're on my short list for getting what I've got power systems wise. I think they could keep you working maybe longer than you should. Old man. :thumbsup:

Btw, been meaning to ask - How's the bazooka-ing going?


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

JustMe said:


> Btw, been meaning to ask - How's the bazooka-ing going?


I'll get to it !!! I need to get a roller and a 3'' head to do It proper ... I know PA's pissed at me ! But I'll get on the ball soon.. At the moment I'm fighting the worst board known to man!!! It's really bad!


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## mld (Jul 2, 2012)

Wow, Moore, that's bad!

I hope that's not LW.

I'M SO PISSED AT LW ROCK RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY.

Unbelievable how horrible this stuff is. The shrinking and swelling is atrocious!


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Man I just burned through 200 sheets of certainteed. Some of the best stuff I have used in moths Did you try the advanced 20" knife yet. I bought one last summer and I use it more and more often. Most of the time vor blowout patches but helpful leveling. I just put mud on with a 10" then pass through with my 20" For finish I use a 12 and double it up. Its like Butta


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

mld said:


> Wow, Moore, that's bad!
> 
> I hope that's not LW.


 The sad part is that's regular board ,,It's what I asked for! ..In the last 3 homes it was fine ! But this batch is a total cluster ! 

The next time you go to wal-mart and some skinny little white boy hands you a cart and says 'have a nice day' It might be me!!
**** this chit !! I'm tired of it!


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Im not into nail spotters much either, Ive tried several, But when I do its one coat by hand, One coat 3 inch spotter, One coat DM 5.5 box, That goes well.

chit board moore, Glad its not that bad here, If It was, I would jump on the makers fast, They would listen...........................Then give me the finger behind my back........Haha, No they wouldn't, Actually not a bad company here winstones, They would sort it.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

boco said:


> Man I just burned through 200 sheets of certainteed. Some of the best stuff I have used in moths Did you try the advanced 20" knife yet. I bought one last summer and I use it more and more often. Most of the time vor blowout patches but helpful leveling. I just put mud on with a 10" then pass through with my 20" For finish I use a 12 and double it up. Its like Butta


the advance 20'' blade is a floor scraper !!!!


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## mudslingr (Jul 18, 2010)

moore said:


> I'll get to it !!! I need to get a roller and a 3'' head to do It proper ... I know PA's pissed at me ! But I'll get on the ball soon.. At the moment I'm fighting the worst board known to man!!! It's really bad!


Time to flood a Facebook page again ? I'm struggling with the same bullsh1t.


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

moore said:


> the advance 20'' blade is a floor scraper !!!!


 I guess you could scrape floors with it. i just sanded it up and put a very slight bow in it,


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

mudslingr said:


> Time to flood a Facebook page again ? I'm struggling with the same bullsh1t.[/QUOTEI
> 
> 
> It is sad .... The struggle we go through to ''REPAIR '' what they call a quality product ! I'll be on there ass tomorrow night ...Don't think I won't ...But IT won't manner Slingr....You and I are trash !


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

AplaDave said:


> We have a nail spotter that actually pimples the nail/screw head when passing over it. The pressure of Air or CFS compresses the compound in the nail spotter, you make your pass and when the compound in the nail/screw decompresses it still extends beyond the field of the board. Let dry, then scrape or sand before one more pass, let dry then sand and it is ready for level 5. It does save one step. For those that didn't know we are a 34 year old contracting company that has been manufacturing tools for over 18 years.


I think what you call pimpling (on the first coat) is when the compound does not adhere well to the screw and sags down and away. A little crowned spot is left with a pinhole at the top of the screw dimple. I can remedy this by wiping the screw field from down to up with a 6" knife while the mud is fresh. But this does not save time. I would never use a spotter for level 5 work. We single coat the screws on level 5 finish. Otherwise the multiple coats create a ridge which is still noticeable even after heavy sanding, in bright lighting situations. I'm not hearing anything so far that would entice me to pull out the nail spotter again.


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

endo_alley said:


> I think what you call pimpling (on the first coat) is when the compound does not adhere well to the screw and sags down and away. A little crowned spot is left with a pinhole at the top of the screw dimple. I can remedy this by wiping the screw field from down to up with a 6" knife while the mud is fresh. But this does not save time. I would never use a spotter for level 5 work. We single coat the screws on level 5 finish. Otherwise the multiple coats create a ridge which is still noticeable even after heavy sanding, in bright lighting situations. I'm not hearing anything so far that would entice me to pull out the nail spotter again.


 What mud are you using for single coat on screws.?


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

mudslingr said:


> Time to flood a Facebook page again ? I'm struggling with the same bullsh1t.


Your turn! :laughing:


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## mld (Jul 2, 2012)

boco said:


> What mud are you using for single coat on screws.?


I think what he means is hit each screw individually instead of striping them.

I would guess he's still coating them 3 times.


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

mld said:


> I think what he means is hit each screw individually instead of striping them.
> 
> I would guess he's still coating them 3 times.


Yes, I must have worded that badly. For smooth finish we coat the screws individually. Sometimes with full strength taping mud and a 4" knife on the first coat. Usually lightweight for the other two coats. When I am really getting picky I might use smooth set 90 for the second coat for almost no shrinkage. Sometimes it seems that lightweight doesn't bond well to the screw heads hence the taping compound on the first coat. No matter the finish, even when stripping them, I try to avoid any mud buildup over the screws. I sure wish I could find a method where the nail spotter works well. But (unlike the other mechanical tools) it never seems to do as good a job as by hand.


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Ok i see. I usually stripe the first coat with plus 3 then spot the next two. Hit them with porter cable. Done. though I do try and get as much dust off walls before level 5 or primer. Blower on shop vac. Dont sponge much anymore but I do use the wooster dusters


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## steinkii lardaus (Mar 17, 2014)

Yup, I used my 2" spotter back in 1977 or was it 1976? Nope it was before that because some boarders were still double nailing. Anyhow it was fast, tight and clean. I ran it once to the left side and on the next coat I ran a strip down the the right side. This way it was not doubled up on the edge. I did not like the 3" so I staggered the 2". I put the third on with my 6" knife. The mud shrank more back the and everything got three coats but the angles got two coats. We only had one mud then. Powder in a bag. It was hard to sand so we kept everything tight. I got good at changing the blade also from nail hits or screws later. Then I gave up and carried a screw driver and did them by hand. It was so fast all you could hear was pop, pop, pop. It was after the nail spotter that more tapers started finishing screws in strips over one spot at a time because they were use to coating last coat by hand over nail spotter. Lol. That was long ago.


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

"We only had one mud then. Powder in a bag." I hate to say it but I remember those days. We used Georgia Pacific bag mud. You had to mix a bunch of it a day or so ahead of time to wet the lump down. Remix it when you were ready to use it. But any more than a couple of days mixed up and it would go rancid. Horrible, edgy mud. Less than a dollar a bag. This stuff didn't shrink much. But was difficult to sand. Hard to push through the boxes.


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

endo_alley said:


> I own a 2" and 3" nail spotter. But I have never had much use for them. The first coat seems best to be done by hand to deal with bad screws and tapping in/adhering paper at screw gun misses. And the spotter seems to leave a small void at the top of the screw dimple. So the spotters work best on second coat and maybe third coat. But by the time you brush any edging with a sand pole, hand work seems about as fast. With the advantage of being able to run detail and some touchup while you are there. I am enquiring to see if anybody has a good system for using nail spotters.


I have a 2 ....don't use it 
I have a 3 and I like it a lot...but only use it on big jobs
wish I had a 4''....would use it a lot:whistling2:


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