# Calling All MACHINE TAPERS!!



## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey guys, having some issues with the Zook again. Was using it all day today no problems, then a few tapes before I was about to start running angles, it started leaving dry spots for feet at a time, then I would have to prime it or whatever, you know, twist the latch on the left side to make the mud come up, then go fine for another minute, then dry again, i know the mud is in there, and I know it CAN come out, it just isnt. The wheels are pressed against the wall, everything is turning and clicking as is normal. Any ideas what I can do to fix this thing? I need it again for tomorrow morning or im renting from Ames, and I do NOT want to do that.:furious:


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

Is that little pin down, I know it sounds dumb, but when that happens to me, the dry spots, the pin is up, make sure it is down


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

It does sound dumb but have done it myself once or twice. :blink:Hope its as simple as that for you MacDry.


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## ColumbiaTechSupport (Aug 13, 2010)

2Bucks right, if the release pin is not down your clutch does not fully engage on the sprocket so that when your running it the clutch skips over the teeth of sprocket, leaving you the dry spots.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> It does sound dumb but have done it myself once or twice. :blink:Hope its as simple as that for you MacDry.


Yeah right, you forget to check every time ,,,, BC taper


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## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

its down, all the way. CtechSupport, you have a voicemail from me waiting for you when you get in tomorrow complaining about how I broke my taper. This is the reason why 

Should I take this thing apart and start messing with everything?!  thats normally my instincts in these situations .... but I do see how it could cause a problem as I have no idea what i would be looking at.


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## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

Speaking of stupid things I did today that may have possibly caused this problem. I was flipping out cause at one point I could not get ANY mud to come out, I was turning the thing on the left to get it to go, and it had a lot of resistance and whatever bit I could move it, which was very little, as soon as I left go, it would unwind back to where it was. So as I was about to smash it against a corner, i stopped..... looked..... unlatched the lever, you know the one, has to be closed when filling and open when taping..... yeah.... not a great day. Do you think it possible that my aggresive, yet gentle, reafing on it may have broke something?


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

MacDry said:


> Speaking of stupid things I did today that may have possibly caused this problem. I was flipping out cause at one point I could not get ANY mud to come out, I was turning the thing on the left to get it to go, and it had a lot of resistance and whatever bit I could move it, which was very little, as soon as I left go, it would unwind back to where it was. So as I was about to smash it against a corner, i stopped..... looked..... unlatched the lever, you know the one, has to be closed when filling and open when taping..... yeah.... not a great day. Do you think it possible that my aggresive, yet gentle, reafing on it may have broke something?


HHHHmmmm another BC taper







:jester:

Let me try to beat Aaron to the punch, The dogger clip thingamajig thing is worn out.

Now Aaron can say if I'm right, and give the proper name to the part:whistling2:


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Just before you start "flipping":w00t: you should have one of those 'fatties". :huh:

It might go a little easier on the equipment.:laughing:


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## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> HHHHmmmm another BC taper
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Where would this dogger clip majigger be located.... say by a small red arrow drawn on a picture of a taper...?


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

MacDry said:


> Where would this dogger clip majigger be located.... say by a small red arrow drawn on a picture of a taper...?


It just pops out, use a flat screw driver:yes:


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

*Kiwi Taper*

Hey I recognize that taper, Its a Kiwi Taper. 

Sorry MacDry I couldnt be more help and hope you get the problem in time.


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

The thread on my goldblatt key stripped that attaches the shaft, That equals no more mud, Theres another trouble shoot for you.


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## wnybassman (May 9, 2008)

And we're sure no air got pumped into it, right?


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## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

wnybassman said:


> And we're sure no air got pumped into it, right?


 That was my first thinking too, but I run mud through the pump to make sure it wasnt choppy or nothing and it happened every time and I must have filled and emptied the zooka a good 5 or 6 times. So I am pretty sure.


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## E.K Taper (Jun 15, 2011)

2buckcanuck said:


> It just pops out, use a flat screw driver:yes:


Thats a lovely pink taper 2buck, is that why 2bjr took the huff and left ??


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

*Butt taper*

He just uses it when he is taping *butts** *


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## Tim0282 (Jan 8, 2008)

I had that once when we used USG Plus 3 mud. Too spongy and skips like that in the tube. But sounds more like a taper issue.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

MacDry said:


> Hey guys, having some issues with the Zook again. Was using it all day today no problems, then a few tapes before I was about to start running angles, it started leaving dry spots for feet at a time, then I would have to prime it or whatever, you know, twist the latch on the left side to make the mud come up, then go fine for another minute, then dry again, i know the mud is in there, and I know it CAN come out, it just isnt. The wheels are pressed against the wall, everything is turning and clicking as is normal. Any ideas what I can do to fix this thing? I need it again for tomorrow morning or im renting from Ames, and I do NOT want to do that.:furious:


Although you're saying everything is clicking as normal, just a thought: I had something similar the other week - auto taper ran fine enough till the end of a job, then didn't next job. Lack of mud. I took off the head's cover plate and everything looked okay. But I better cleaned and lubed anything that I thought could be a problem. I then checked the inside of the tube. The girl I'd been training had been running it with different amounts in it, to handle the weight better. Along the way, a buildup of mud in the tube happened beyond the usual, and I didn't pay enough attention. I was still able to fill the tube right up, but I believe the excessive buildup was causing the clutch to slip and disengage, from it creating too much drag on the plunger. After cleaning the inner tube as well, everything worked fine. I can't say for sure the seeming extra tube buildup was what caused the problem all by itself, but........


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

JustMe said:


> . The girl I'd been training


Your finally done training this girl. Noticed you were too BUSY, to post on DWT while you were training this Girl:whistling2:


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

2buckcanuck said:


> Your finally done training this girl. Noticed you were too BUSY, to post on DWT while you were training this Girl:whistling2:


I was BUSY because she was starting to become a true drywaller - not showing up. Next time they want me to train someone, I'm refusing.


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## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

Ok, so I think my taper was just acting up... I did rent a ames, and I can at least take comfort, in the fact that my taper, even while acting up, is night and day better than that Ames piece of crap they rented me! It wouldnt do anything! Cut horrible, ran horrible, all in all, general piece of crapola. But now my taper seems to be happy again, left it sitting in a bucket of water, must have been some dried up mud somewhere... thanks for all your thoughts though guys!


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

:thumbsup: Good to hear you are "back in business" with your zook. Maybe it was like Just Me suggested, dried mud on the inside of the tube. Another "water fix".

Too bad you need to rent one though. :huh:


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## Soultear (Sep 4, 2011)

MacDry said:


> Hey guys, having some issues with the Zook again. Was using it all day today no problems, then a few tapes before I was about to start running angles, it started leaving dry spots for feet at a time, then I would have to prime it or whatever, you know, twist the latch on the left side to make the mud come up, then go fine for another minute, then dry again, i know the mud is in there, and I know it CAN come out, it just isnt. The wheels are pressed against the wall, everything is turning and clicking as is normal. Any ideas what I can do to fix this thing? I need it again for tomorrow morning or im renting from Ames, and I do NOT want to do that.:furious:


I have run into this problem lots over the years. Trust me on this one. Run your mud alot little thinner. prime the zooky beast 2 or 3 good times on a bead area or over screws for your next string of angle you run. 

Then.... everything is golden.

Edit: Plus get a better whip mixing your mud. Sounds like at the bottom of your pail your mud is thicker *might not seem like it but it probably is* or mix your mud a bit longer.


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## Captain Drywall (Aug 15, 2011)

This will suprise you: If your pump is touching the bottom of the bucket it can prevent the mud from going up the tube and it will suck small amounts of air, thus causing blisters. Ive never had one four (or even for) feet long. Its a possiblity. good luck


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