# Thinking of buying this..has anyone used it?



## AARC Drywall (Sep 28, 2008)

Hey guys,

whats your thoughts?
We have a job coming up that is quite chopped up, and a staggering amount of corner bead. I am thinking of getting this http://www.betterthanevertools.com/products.php?expandable=9&name=Bead_Pro_Kit&category=Kits 

Anyone used this, is it any good, it has to be better than the bead box's..thoes things are real junk... for no coat.


----------



## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

I dont like bead boxes either as in an average house there is many beads you cant get, Hallways, tight corners etc, But this on a small CP might be ok for first coats, Im still a 14 trowel man for finish coat though. It would be interesting to know if these go ok or not. Looks like you need the whole kit, I thought maybe just the 10inch would be enough as i have the bucket piston and a CP but these look like they need there bigger hole CP or it would prob be a strain trying to feed it with a regular CP.


----------



## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

cool looking tool, that bucket piston,,,,,,,,,,,

However, if you take your 4" knife, wipe the edge,then take the side of your knife and run it around the bucket edge(creating a little V) then pour a cup of water on top of the mud,,,,, 

your mud will drop down as you pump it,leaving the sides of the bucket clean as a new born baby's arse, leaveing NO trash, and it won't dry up, even if you have to leave it for a cpl days.

Good tip for you guys just learning tools,,, you don't always need a high-dollar tool, just abit of instruction !!!!!

As for the other tools in that link, I have no idea. I tried bead-boxers, and the bead tabs for Alpha-Tech,,,,,, Personally, i think you should either use you flat box without any training wheels, or just use a trowel, if you want to load em up tight and heavy !!!

peace, and I aplogize in advance for the guys that think that these kinda tools are gonna help em !!!:thumbup:


----------



## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> cool looking tool, that bucket piston,,,,,,,,,,,
> 
> However, if you take your 4" knife, wipe the edge,then take the side of your knife and run it around the bucket edge(creating a little V) then pour a cup of water on top of the mud,,,,,
> 
> your mud will drop down as you pump it,leaving the sides of the bucket clean as a new born baby's arse, leaveing NO trash, and it won't dry up, even if you have to leave it for a cpl days.


Who else is going to try that next chance they get....I know I am, if it's true then thanks Capt :thumbsup:, if it's a wind up then you are a mean old fart :jester:
Is it fair dinkum?


----------



## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

Kiwiman said:


> Who else is going to try that next chance they get....I know I am, if it's true then thanks Capt :thumbsup:, if it's a wind up then you are a mean old fart :jester:
> Is it fair dinkum?


 
Never seen a Dinkum dumped any fairer than that!!!!!!!

Try it,,, no sheet,,,,,, works like a champ!!!!

Sorry,,, I haven't had enough beer tonight to get really sour!!!!!! Give me a cpl hours???:yes:


----------



## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

After reading the last response,,,,,, I figured,,,,, yeah, I can see where ya'll think I'm jerkin your chain.

Here's what I do,,, open a new bucket,,, if its been sitting awhile, I take my finger and wipe around the edge, removeing the "crud". Throw that away. Then wipe the side of the bucket down. Then "pat" the mud,with your kinfe, makeing it "flat". Then take your knife, run it around the side of the bucket"using the edge of your knife" creating a slight "v". Then add a cup of water on top of the mud. As your pump pulls the mud down, the water will cause the mud to come down, leaving the sides of bucket "squeaky" clean. The ONLY thing you have to be aware of is this,,,,,, When you start to run out of mud, you have to be careful NOT to pump the water into your pump. You can add more mud at anytime, just remember to wipe it down, v the egde. You don't have to add any more water !!!!!!

Try it,,,, it works


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

AARC Drywall said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> whats your thoughts?
> We have a job coming up that is quite chopped up, and a staggering amount of corner bead. I am thinking of getting this http://www.betterthanevertools.com/products.php?expandable=9&name=Bead_Pro_Kit&category=Kits
> ...


My first thought after looking at this was..........learn to use a hawk and trowel. If you already know how..........then learn better. A tool like this has zero appeal to me....I can just imagine fat edges all day long, and the amount of work it would take to get beads coated. UGH. 

We used to run the flatbox on bullnose (nail-on) back in the day....what a sh!t show. Made a huge mess, killed the blades, and all the edges needed to be filled for anything lighter than a knockdown. Not to mention reefing on your back trying to fill the bead on first coat.

I use a 12" trowel for first coat on bead, 14" for 2nd coat.....rarely ever need to do anything more to them, even on a smooth job. Mud consistency and pressure....If someone else has installed the bead, I may need to break out the 16", but I try to avoid that scenario.

*End pompous rant*


----------



## AARC Drywall (Sep 28, 2008)

lol, think of it this way, if you can work smarter, not harder, and use technology to your advantage, then why not..Let me ask you this, do you coat corners by hand or with a tube and flusher, do you put tapes on by hand, or do you use a auto taper, do you fill joints by hand or do you use box's, or do you coat screws by hand each coat, or do you use a nail spotter....the point is the way of the old school is fading out. 
We have many old school tapers here, and they do great work, but they take longer than the crews with technology on their side. The point is...maybe we should give the new tools their due. Not saying they are any good, but time will tell, but the way of hand taping is fading out...of course there will always be a need for hand taping, but its limited. Just ny 2 cents.


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

AARC Drywall said:


> lol, think of it this way, if you can work smarter, not harder, and use technology to your advantage, then why not..Let me ask you this, do you coat corners by hand or with a tube and flusher, do you put tapes on by hand, or do you use a auto taper, do you fill joints by hand or do you use box's, or do you coat screws by hand each coat, or do you use a nail spotter....the point is the way of the old school is fading out.
> We have many old school tapers here, and they do great work, but they take longer than the crews with technology on their side. The point is...maybe we should give the new tools their due. Not saying they are any good, but time will tell, but the way of hand taping is fading out...of course there will always be a need for hand taping, but its limited. Just ny 2 cents.


Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a place for technology in taping. Maybe I'm living in the stone age here, but I haven't seen a tool that will do a good job for beads. Some of the more production oriented guys can pipe in on the subject I'm sure. 

My work is almost all crap that you can't use too many tools on...like the texture I had to kill today 20x20 ft. room that originally had a brush swirl on it, then someone smeared giant blobs on randomly with knife or trowel. So f*&%ing weird....I used 6 sacks of 90 minute wiping it out:blink:

I've been doing a lot of thinking these days about time required to complete taping projects, money spent on auto tools, manpower, etc....my conclusion is this..........................................
















I am absolutely sick and tired of doing drywall. :laughing:


----------



## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

AARC Drywall said:


> lol, think of it this way, if you can work smarter, not harder, and use technology to your advantage, then why not..Let me ask you this, do you coat corners by hand or with a tube and flusher, do you put tapes on by hand, or do you use a auto taper, do you fill joints by hand or do you use box's, or do you coat screws by hand each coat, or do you use a nail spotter....the point is the way of the old school is fading out.
> We have many old school tapers here, and they do great work, but they take longer than the crews with technology on their side. The point is...maybe we should give the new tools their due. Not saying they are any good, but time will tell, but the way of hand taping is fading out...of course there will always be a need for hand taping, but its limited. Just ny 2 cents.


 
Nice reply AARC :thumbsup::thumbsup: I like it and im with you, Some tools maybe crap, But if you dont try then you will never know. That longer tube in that set would cancel out doing some hallway beads, And thats were a lot are, I would still like to try though.

Your right about crap work slim, I get more than my fair share of repairs etc, Then its battle away by hand, I long for new houses but crap is money and crap can lead to nice work when the homeowner decides to build a new house couse they can sell there old one you made look good.


----------



## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

regular flat boxes work excellent on nocoat inside and outside corners,if the stick is installed right.(Blueline) also the water in bucket trick, definitly works,some muds better than others.We just wipe edges with knife then run ur pointer finger around bucket nice and tight, then take and go once around bucket top with brush and clean water. We dont use a cup full, just about a brushful. Dont suck it up in pump,dont leave it for a couple days


----------



## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

AARC Drywall said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> whats your thoughts?
> We have a job coming up that is quite chopped up, and a staggering amount of corner bead. I am thinking of getting this http://www.betterthanevertools.com/products.php?expandable=9&name=Bead_Pro_Kit&category=Kits
> ...


It is a take off from Apla-tech those applicators are a waste of money, sure they can put the mud on but very sloppy and crewd. What has evolved to the CFS has changed as to the way the boxes are designed, they are more like the conventional type with the blade system. Sure it would be nice to have a tool to run beads for you the fact is there is really nothing to take the place of hand tools for running bead. This is coming from one that believes in production work and the use of auto tools.


----------



## AARC Drywall (Sep 28, 2008)

With these tools, i would imagine that you would still have to do a clean up per-say, but it would speed up the process, or at least i hope it would. Would be intresting to hear from someone who has it....anyone...anyone..


----------



## mudslingr (Jul 18, 2010)

AARC Drywall said:


> lol, think of it this way, if you can work smarter, not harder, and use technology to your advantage, then why not..Let me ask you this, do you coat corners by hand or with a tube and flusher, do you put tapes on by hand, or do you use a auto taper, do you fill joints by hand or do you use box's, or do you coat screws by hand each coat, or do you use a nail spotter....the point is the way of the old school is fading out.
> We have many old school tapers here, and they do great work, but they take longer than the crews with technology on their side. The point is...maybe we should give the new tools their due. Not saying they are any good, but time will tell, but the way of hand taping is fading out...of course there will always be a need for hand taping, but its limited. Just ny 2 cents.


You make it sound like machines were just invented in the last few months.
Machines (most) are great to use and fast at applying (auto taper and corner tools) but the rest is best left to hawk and trowels or pan and knives.I've said it before and will always say NOTHING works as well as a hand job.
Guys HAVE←(2buck:whistling2 to learn to mud by hand. If you don't become a good hand taper you'll never be a good taper period, no matter what you use. 

Machines are there just to help you out and are never to be trusted as you would your hand tools. Too many things can go wrong before you notice.


----------



## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

AARC Drywall said:


> With these tools, i would imagine that you would still have to do a clean up per-say, but it would speed up the process, or at least i hope it would. Would be intresting to hear from someone who has it....anyone...anyone..


 I am talking from experience... want to buy a used set? forget it i tossed them just a waste of money.


----------



## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

mudslingr said:


> You make it sound like machines were just invented in the last few months.
> Machines (most) are great to use and fast at applying (auto taper and corner tools) but the rest is best left to hawk and trowels or pan and knives.I've said it before and will always say NOTHING works as well as a hand job.
> Guys HAVE to learn to mud by hand. If you don't become a good hand taper you'll never be a good taper period, no matter what you use.
> 
> Machines are there just to help you out and are never to be trusted as you would your hand tools. Too many things can go wrong before you notice.


If that isn't the truth you have to be good at finish work by hand to appreciate and do right by the auto tools. Without experience I think you would be useless to the industry. Besides that even though I use tools extensively I still like to use hand tools when the opportunity arises, gives you a chance to take a breather and still know that you haven't lost your touch. All around a good taper can run any tool with not only effectiveness but with ease and precision as to the work.


----------



## M T Buckets Painting (Nov 27, 2010)

The main thing that I see wrong with the bead coater is that it looks like you can only do one side of the bead. The wheel that rides on the bead as a guide looks like it would make a mess of the wet compound. If you only want to do one side of your beads in a day and the other side the next day, then have at it.

This tool set has been discussed here before and for the most part got negative remarks.

http://www.drywalltalk.com/f9/red-diamond-bead-applicator-1801/


----------



## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

mudslingr said:


> You make it sound like machines were just invented in the last few months.
> Machines (most) are great to use and fast at applying (auto taper and corner tools) but the rest is best left to hawk and trowels or pan and knives.I've said it before and will always say NOTHING works as well as a hand job.
> Guys HAVE←(2buck:whistling2 to learn to mud by hand. If you don't become a good hand taper you'll never be a good taper period, no matter what you use.
> 
> Machines are there just to help you out and are never to be trusted as you would your hand tools. Too many things can go wrong before you notice.


But I thought Moore was the king of hand jobs  ( i couldn't resist a shot at moore)

It's like everything else in life

Hand saw leads to a power saw

Hammer and nail leads to a nail gun

screw driver leads to a screw gun

Playing with the little guy leads to meeting a women one day in a dark smokey filled bar that pops out a few kids on you and spends all your money:blink:

By hand 1st, then the tools, just like the simple progressions in life


----------



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

You bitter about somethin,2Buck?.............


----------



## AARC Drywall (Sep 28, 2008)

By all means, there still is a place in taping for the feel of hand finishing, but if you can cut your work load down, buy applying a first coat with the machines, they why not...and leave the finish coat to hand....


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Every coat is a finish coat 

I've seen guys do some pretty nasty top coat, it takes more time in the long run. My first coat on beads is the foundation for a perfect skim coat.

(sorry man, not trying to bust your ba11s....just being a smart a$$)


----------



## saskataper (Mar 6, 2011)

I think you guys are missing something here, mainly the word "applicator" not finisher. It looks to me like it just loads the mud then you still have to hit it with the trowel.


----------



## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> But I thought Moore was the king of hand jobs  ( i couldn't resist a shot at moore)
> 
> It's like everything else in life
> 
> ...


Hand finish!!!!


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

saskataper said:


> I think you guys are missing something here, mainly the word "applicator" not finisher. It looks to me like it just loads the mud then you still have to hit it with the trowel.


Now THAT could be a bonus, as long as someone else was running the applicator, I could just wipe it down pretty:yes:


----------



## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

E.K Taper said:


> You bitter about somethin,2Buck?.............


as a matter of fact I am

It's becoming too hard to pick on the Kiwi's, because there's only so many sheep jokes. Moore is coming over to the dark side, he was our last hand taper to have fun with..........

If there was only a country somewhere, where the men wore dresses, We all could have so much fun ribbing them


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> as a matter of fact I am
> 
> It's becoming too hard to pick on the Kiwi's, because there's only so many sheep jokes. Moore is coming over to the dark side, he was our last hand taper to have fun with..........
> 
> If there was only a country somewhere, where the men wore dresses, We all could have so much fun ribbing them


I will be the sacrificial hand taper. But I will NEVER say that a hand job is the best :no:


----------



## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

saskataper said:


> I think you guys are missing something here, mainly the word "applicator" not finisher. It looks to me like it just loads the mud then you still have to hit it with the trowel.


It still gets a stupid in my books

If I just had to load the mud on with a H&T, I could burn through a bucket of mud very fast. So I guess I should be running around loading mud on the beads, and have 2buckjr follow behind and finish them.

Nay, sorta sounds like two steps to me, which would be stupid


----------



## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

SlimPickins said:


> I will be the sacrificial hand taper. But I will NEVER say that a hand job is the best :no:


can you wear a dress too


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> can you wear a dress too


No, but I can dress aware? (I have no idea wtf that means.)

The reason I said I would like to wipe down behind an applicator: sounds like total gravy. Like shagging a sheep, after the good part it's done....no cuddling or small talk needed :whistling2:


----------



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

2buckcanuck said:


> If there was only a country somewhere, where the men wore dresses, We all could have so much fun ribbing them


Wherever can you mean?


----------



## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

SlimPickins said:


> No, but I can dress aware? (I have no idea wtf that means.)
> 
> The reason I said I would like to wipe down behind an applicator: sounds like total gravy. Like shagging a sheep, after the good part it's done....no cuddling or small talk needed :whistling2:


HEY!!! thats no way to treat sheep.......you got to cuddle and small talk afterwards so you can have another go in the morning .


----------



## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

2buckcanuck said:


> as a matter of fact I am
> 
> It's becoming too hard to pick on the Kiwi's, because there's only so many sheep jokes. Moore is coming over to the dark side, he was our last hand taper to have fun with..........
> 
> If there was only a country somewhere, where the men wore dresses, We all could have so much fun ribbing them


I think the scots had the right idea....lifting a kilt for a quickee is a lot easier than fumbling around with belts, buttons, and poo strainers while half drunk, and falling over with your legs tangled in your pants......aaaahhh! the good old days :blush:.


----------



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

Kiwiman said:


> I think the scots had the right idea....lifting a kilt for a quickee is a lot easier than fumbling around with belts, buttons, and poo strainers while half drunk, and falling over with your legs tangled in your pants......aaaahhh! the good old days :blush:.


You mean like this?:whistling2:


----------



## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

E.K Taper said:


> You mean like this?:whistling2:


 Ha ha ha .....Och aye :thumbsup:


----------



## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

cazna said:


> I dont like bead boxes either as in an average house there is many beads you cant get, Hallways, tight corners etc, But this on a small CP might be ok for first coats, Im still a 14 trowel man for finish coat though. It would be interesting to know if these go ok or not. Looks like you need the whole kit, I thought maybe just the 10inch would be enough as i have the bucket piston and a CP but these look like they need there bigger hole CP or it would prob be a strain trying to feed it with a regular CP.


Huh I think I finally am one up on ya Caz, dunno if you tryed Columbia's new handle I fit into places Like a hand in a Velvet Glove:thumbsup:


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Totally off topic here, 



but did the Kiwis coin the phrase "pull the wool over my eyes?":whistling2::blink:


----------



## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

E.K Taper said:


> Wherever can you mean?


Hey Vanman & E.K. we've got a new building inspector here, he's fresh out of Dunblane in Scotland...............Cant understand a fricken word he's saying, I think he said "I'm here to do a postline inspection"....... but to me it actually sounded like "och dea pooline inspacshun ya scrawny wee magut, goon eat sum fod un poot sum meat on ye boons"


----------



## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Bazooka-Joe said:


> Huh I think I finally am one up on ya Caz, dunno if you tryed Columbia's new handle I fit into places Like a hand in a Velvet Glove:thumbsup:


 
Havent tryed that one joe, But i do have dms short box handle, So your only slightly one up........for now........:thumbup:


----------



## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

cazna said:


> Havent tryed that one joe, But i do have dms short box handle, So your only slightly one up........for now........:thumbup:


Your a sport Caz


----------



## carpentaper (Feb 28, 2009)

i'm suprised nobody has mentioned the fact that you have to have the mud probably a little too thin to load bead with. shrinkage, hollow beads, extra coats, handling applicators and hand tools, coating only one side at a time until the other is dry. versus loading bead with stiff mud having little shrinkage and only walking around to each bead once per coat. i'll choose by hand.


----------



## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

carpentaper said:


> i'm suprised nobody has mentioned the fact that you have to have the mud probably a little too thin to load bead with. shrinkage, hollow beads, extra coats, handling applicators and hand tools, coating only one side at a time until the other is dry. versus loading bead with stiff mud having little shrinkage and only walking around to each bead once per coat. i'll choose by hand.


And you would probably get finished a day ahead by coating both sides in same day :shifty:


----------



## carpentaper (Feb 28, 2009)

it's shiny and looks neat but it looks like a good way to spend money before losing money.


----------



## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

carpentaper said:


> it's shiny and looks neat but it looks like a good way to spend money before losing money.


I'd like to rephrase this for you if you don't mind......

It's shiny and looks neat but it looks like a way to lose money to lose money.

Or even, It's shiny and looks neat but it looks like a way to lose money three times- The money spent on the thing, the time spent using it and wiping down behind it, and then the time spent using it and wiping down behind it on the other side.

Oh wait.....it's a heavy knockdown? Go for it dude!


----------



## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

Those that finish or even fill bead the first coat with tools like these are wasting their time when it comes to quality. As mention in previous post sure they get the mud on but the out come is crude, you have to wipe it down with a knife or trowel defeating the time saved. Not to mention it is sloppy when the mud has a tendency to fall down to the floor. If you are all set in buying a set buy a set of bead boxes the little adapter you can put on your existing boxes and see how you like that first before spending a wad of money on something useless. If you are really good with the box just use that and let the wheel be your guide along the bead. It works good on undersides of long soffit runs if you want a quick fill (besides running back and filling up the box which wont go far ) but still messy.


----------



## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

silverstilts said:


> Those that finish or even fill bead the first coat with tools like these are wasting their time when it comes to quality. As mention in previous post sure they get the mud on but the out come is crude, you have to wipe it down with a knife or trowel defeating the time saved. Not to mention it is sloppy when the mud has a tendency to fall down to the floor. If you are all set in buying a set buy a set of bead boxes the little adapter you can put on your existing boxes and see how you like that first before spending a wad of money on something useless. If you are really good with the box just use that and let the wheel be your guide along the bead. It works good on undersides of long soffit runs if you want a quick fill (besides running back and filling up the box which wont go far ) but still messy.


I know what you mean Silver, I tried boxing and back wiping 40 metre's of overhead angle recently and it was almost like half it went on the floor and the other half slid down my back, it was a lot quicker and easier on the shoulder tho.


----------

