# My 2bits



## Majorbean (Apr 14, 2012)

Just thought ni'd throw my 2bits in about my recent experience( although brief) with the transition from 15 years of hand tools to machine tools. I done my share of projects by hand and am proud of what ive done and never leave a job unless its 100%. My expectations usually far exceed the HO or GC. Recently ive taken on much larger jobs and decided it was a good time to step up to machine tools or id either be there forever or i'd lose all profit to a much larger crew. So, Columbia is the route i went and it was a wise choice. Some of the finest, aircraft quality tools out there( one for me Columbia). I have not yet stepped up to the bazooka, i still use a banjo, but not for long. Dry taping with a tube i really enjoy....but is a bit slow compared to the banjo. Next, i myself would stay away from tin flushers unless u want to finish last coat by hand cause the quaity and tightness isnt there. But the Columbia angle heads rock. They leave a tight 90 with room for more... meaning if u use a tin head after taping there isnt reeally anymore left to your corners to add too. Its full. Hope your not the one puttin up the crown molding. But....Be warned. u cannot get by with one angle head. You CANNOT use any size (eg. 3inch.) and do a final coat with the same head. U Will be either sanding the hell out of your self or be hand finishing both angles to hide the buildup. So as soon as i find a great deal( hint, hint, Brandon) im gonna get a 2" i think to chase my banjo with unless all you guys say "go bigger". I find that unless your puttin on lots of mud when taping,y 3" Columbia or Flusher doesnt have enough to finish from wall to wall. Anyone outthere gone over their tape with a small head and then a larger head? 

Next...flat boxes. These r the greatest pieces of invention since the wheel. I dont give a rats ___ how many old school finishers there r out there. with just 2 weeks experience on 1 of these, i can do flats lityerally 6 times as fast as u... no chit. and with some trial and error setup, i end up with a flatter wall. Filling with a fat boy on the first coat is a bit tough, but gettin better. For the final with a 12". Awesome, simply awesome. But i still go over my butts by hand. Every butt is different. 

Now, the biggest reason i came here today was cause i need some advice on the corner box. Have a Columbia 8"... and this thing literally killed me. I had to water my mud to piss to make things work to to point i wasnt takin 8 ivypro a day. I ended up using my Tapepro tube(havent tried the Columbia, sorry) instead cause it was way easier on the body. So, i am really thinkin about sending it back and gettin the mudrunner. Ive watch the vids. Its rocks. Im really hopin Columbia Can come up with something similar. I feel sorry for the fellas that have had to run a corner box days on end.


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

Majorbean said:


> Just thought ni'd throw my 2bits in about my recent experience( although brief) with the transition from 15 years of hand tools to machine tools. I done my share of projects by hand and am proud of what ive done and never leave a job unless its 100%. My expectations usually far exceed the HO or GC. Recently ive taken on much larger jobs and decided it was a good time to step up to machine tools or id either be there forever or i'd lose all profit to a much larger crew. So, Columbia is the route i went and it was a wise choice. Some of the finest, aircraft quality tools out there( one for me Columbia). I have not yet stepped up to the bazooka, i still use a banjo, but not for long. Dry taping with a tube i really enjoy....but is a bit slow compared to the banjo. Next, i myself would stay away from tin flushers unless u want to finish last coat by hand cause the quaity and tightness isnt there. But the Columbia angle heads rock. They leave a tight 90 with room for more... meaning if u use a tin head after taping there isnt reeally anymore left to your corners to add too. Its full. Hope your not the one puttin up the crown molding. But....Be warned. u cannot get by with one angle head. You CANNOT use any size (eg. 3inch.) and do a final coat with the same head. U Will be either sanding the hell out of your self or be hand finishing both angles to hide the buildup. So as soon as i find a great deal( hint, hint, Brandon) im gonna get a 2" i think to chase my banjo with unless all you guys say "go bigger". I find that unless your puttin on lots of mud when taping,y 3" Columbia or Flusher doesnt have enough to finish from wall to wall. Anyone outthere gone over their tape with a small head and then a larger head?
> 
> Next...flat boxes. These r the greatest pieces of invention since the wheel. I dont give a rats ___ how many old school finishers there r out there. with just 2 weeks experience on 1 of these, i can do flats lityerally 6 times as fast as u... no chit. and with some trial and error setup, i end up with a flatter wall. Filling with a fat boy on the first coat is a bit tough, but gettin better. For the final with a 12". Awesome, simply awesome. But i still go over my butts by hand. Every butt is different.
> 
> Now, the biggest reason i came here today was cause i need some advice on the corner box. Have a Columbia 8"... and this thing literally killed me. I had to water my mud to piss to make things work to to point i wasnt takin 8 ivypro a day. I ended up using my Tapepro tube(havent tried the Columbia, sorry) instead cause it was way easier on the body. So, i am really thinkin about sending it back and gettin the mudrunner. Ive watch the vids. Its rocks. Im really hopin Columbia Can come up with something similar. I feel sorry for the fellas that have had to run a corner box days on end.


 Practice, practice, practice, and a straight pole on anglebox is easier IMO. Using a 2" for taping with banjo is a perfect match IMO, then finish with a 3":yes: on an anglebox.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

My 2 bucks worth

Good to hear:thumbsup:

Angle's are the one thing you may change the most, till you find a system you like. I recommend a 2.5 angle head, it's about the minimum size you can go and still fill the bevell (except on 54" board sometimes). main advantage is it's fast on the install of tape, one swipe and your done. No need to go over it multiple time with a larger angle head, like a 3 or 3.5. But still, keep your mud fairly runny.

So since your installing faster, you can allow for a bit of lost time on the flush/glaze part of your game. Your right about the angle box hurting, especially on higher stuff and closets. But it is the fastest toy out there. The cp tube or MR will take more time, but if your installing faster, they sorta balance each other out.... kind of:whistling2: bottom line, guy on the angle box will out produce you,,, but will he get out of bed the next day......

Personally I go 2.5 to install, then 3.5 can-am done with tapepro cp tube and angle applicator head, followed by the 3.5 on a pole. I find the direct flushing (angle head on cp tube) sucks, loads way to much mud on.

Your right about the tin flusher's for the install/wiping of the tape. But for flushing/glazing, they will work well. Down fall is they ware out too fast, which means more sanding, and they leave a bit of a rounded point. Advantage is ease of use, no bottoms to clean out, and most important of all, they don't seem to pick up trash and drag it through your work. The good angle heads leave surprise lines all over the place, little tiny lines that can be a inch or 2or longer. Not so with the tin ones,,,, plus there's no maintenance on the tin heads


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## DLSdrywall (May 22, 2012)

Well i use 2.5 to flush tape (tin flusher) , and i use BTE CP with applicator, and a 3.5 tin flusher to finish. The key to tin flushers is to keep them filed, and adjusted. Every house i check them to make sure everything runs good. I never have a problem with "quality" of my angles with my system.


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