# Twelve inch flatbox



## suncoast drywaller (Sep 4, 2009)

Thinking of getting a Drywallmaster flatbox twelve inch . Opinions please. Cheers


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Tapetech flat finisher copy arnt they, Same parts, Personally i like the easycleans, The space between the wheels and the blade is further, So thats less pushing due to increased leverage ( Could be wrong but thats just how it feels, the flap is bigger,longer) Yes the TT does leak a little behind the blade though. There is a difference in the rubber seals as well, The standard TT and i presume the dm has a black softer seal, Which tends to stick more, The easycleans have a brown rubber seal thats firmer than the black seal, It slips easier, So the easy clean has better leverage and a seal with more slip, I have both and i find the easycleans are easier to run, Less pushing required, It just seems to feel better, But you do get use to whatever you have.

I would like to see all the brands of flatboxes lined up, Which ever has the greastest distance between the wheels and the blade would catch my eye, But i have never run a Col or a tapepro, So thats all i know. Maybe someone from a tool store could measure them and say what the distance between the wheels and blade is.


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

Columbia fat boy boxes r great boxes with good support from columbia if u have a problem! (With any of thier tools)Blueline i have used for a lot of years and r good boxes!I have never used TT or DM so i cant say about them but there has been some issuse with TT that i have seen on here!!!!


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Just gotta multi quote you, caz: :yes:



cazna said:


> Tapetech flat finisher copy arnt they, Same parts, Personally i like the easycleans, The space between the wheels and the blade is further, So thats less pushing due to increased leverage ( Could be wrong but thats just how it feels, the flap is bigger,longer)


I can understand your thinking on the push force being transferred more to the blade end when the wheels are set further back from the handle, and so easier to get mud out. Another thought Could be that because the flapper plate would then be larger, it might Add to the lbs. force needed to push out the mud. More square inches/cms. added to the flapper plate size can make for more area to have to push on, which might add to the force needed. I'm thinking this might be so especially if the handle is always set over the blade at pretty much the same place, regardless of the box brand. 

Just a thought, that maybe somebody like Aaron, who might have done tests, could add to if they read this.



cazna said:


> There is a difference in the rubber seals as well, The standard TT and i presume the dm has a black softer seal, Which tends to stick more, The easycleans have a brown rubber seal thats firmer than the black seal, It slips easier, So the easy clean has better leverage and a seal with more slip, I have both and i find the easycleans are easier to run, Less pushing required, It just seems to feel better, But you do get use to whatever you have.


My DM seal on my 5.5" box - too soft. Have to fight with it to get it closed. But I don't know if it's the same quality as their 12" box.

The (brown) seal on my newer 10" TapeTech Power Assist box - have to fight with it to get the lid closed when I open it for cleaning. But that might be due as well to the box never quite being 'right' from the time I got it(?) Eg. Maybe something a bit out of square(?)
(The seals on my older TT boxes that I just bought for a tool project I'm doing - still nice. Where did that quality go?) :whistling2:

The seals on my 2 year old Columbia boxes - pretty well just right.

I've run both 12" Columbia Finishing boxes and their 12" FatBoy boxes, and just had a talk yesterday about them a bit with another taper, who agrees with me. The FatBoy is wider between the wheels and blade than the finishing box, so can be 'boatier' to operate, not as 'agile', for when you try to manage them around things like electrical boxes. You can 'finesse' your work better with the finishing box.

And it's been awhile since I ran a 12" FatBoy, but I'm thinking my 12" Columbia finishing box doesn't need so much 'push' as a FatBoy. However, the FatBoy throat opening is bigger, which might compensate for the extra flapper plate size(?) Maybe Aaron can answer that one, if he reads this.

The bigger throat opening can also allow mud to get out easier when you don't want it to. But the FatBoy does go further between fillings. So it becomes a choice.

Regardless, Columbia boxes/boxing quality has been, as their boxes state on them, Commercial Grade for us.


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

I prefer Blueline. Have used several different boxes and still rely on my Bluelines


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## Jordan Const. (Dec 10, 2010)

Have had my DM set now not quite a year. Been learning on running them. The 12" box gives me great results for not being as experienced with it as most others on here are. It is easy to clean and re-assemble (as long as you get the push plate seated in just right):furious:. The seal on it is the soft black like on the 5.5 box. It tends to be "sticky" after a cleaning, but goes right back to smooth operation with a few shots of tube lube. All in all, I like the results for not being super experienced with automatic tools yet. Hope this was a little helpful!


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## PrecisionTaping (Feb 2, 2012)

Hey Jordan! I would recommend Columbia bro!
Im sure their tools will blow your mind.
In my opinion the only reason people use other brand name taping tools, is because they just haven't had the experience of working with Columbia.
You will not want to go back to anything else. :thumbsup:
Just my 5 cents.


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## tomg (Dec 16, 2009)

*Boxes*



cazna said:


> Tapetech flat finisher copy arnt they, Same parts, Personally i like the easycleans, The space between the wheels and the blade is further, So thats less pushing due to increased leverage ( Could be wrong but thats just how it feels, the flap is bigger,longer) Yes the TT does leak a little behind the blade though. There is a difference in the rubber seals as well, The standard TT and i presume the dm has a black softer seal, Which tends to stick more, The easycleans have a brown rubber seal thats firmer than the black seal, It slips easier, So the easy clean has better leverage and a seal with more slip, I have both and i find the easycleans are easier to run, Less pushing required, It just seems to feel better, But you do get use to whatever you have.
> 
> I would like to see all the brands of flatboxes lined up, Which ever has the greastest distance between the wheels and the blade would catch my eye, But i have never run a Col or a tapepro, So thats all i know. Maybe someone from a tool store could measure them and say what the distance between the wheels and blade is.


Tapepro boxes are approx 6-1/8" from wheel to blade. I'm guessing yours are about 6-1/2", old style about 5".
Pressure plates: TP 5-1/4", yours about 5-5/8", old style (no axle) about 4-7/8".
Orifice sizes will have an effect on effort required, also wiper drag, spring tension, handle position etc. and then there's the compound...


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## Jordan Const. (Dec 10, 2010)

PrecisionTaping said:


> Hey Jordan! I would recommend Columbia bro!
> Im sure their tools will blow your mind.
> In my opinion the only reason people use other brand name taping tools, is because they just haven't had the experience of working with Columbia.
> You will not want to go back to anything else. :thumbsup:
> Just my 5 cents.


PT, I'm sure there great tools! :yes: Unfortunatly I bought the DM jumbo set last year from All-Wall. Wasn't sure what brand to go with at the time and they were recomended. I am in the need for another set of boxes. Ill seriously look at the Columbia. Thanks. 

P.S. I love my Homax


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## PrecisionTaping (Feb 2, 2012)

Jordan Const. said:


> PT, I'm sure there great tools! :yes: Unfortunatly I bought the DM jumbo set last year from All-Wall. Wasn't sure what brand to go with at the time and they were recomended. I am in the need for another set of boxes. Ill seriously look at the Columbia. Thanks.
> 
> P.S. I love my Homax


oh! Are you Fr8Trains buddy who won it on YouTube!?


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

nope, that's not him.


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## PrecisionTaping (Feb 2, 2012)

fr8train said:


> nope, that's not him.


oh! lol. Just another dude with a Homax! lol.
They're getting pretty popular now.


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## Jordan Const. (Dec 10, 2010)

PrecisionTaping said:


> oh! Are you Fr8Trains buddy who won it on YouTube!?


No, just watched the "review" video and thought for that cheap of price I'll try one



PrecisionTaping said:


> oh! lol. Just another dude with a Homax! lol.
> They're getting pretty popular now.


 
Ran by a Menards the other day and they had them for $26.49. Still use the zook for almost everything but homax worked great for tight areas and small runs.


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