# Smarter, Better, Faster



## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)

I grew up with stories told of legends, tall tales, and superheroes ... stories of larger-than-life characters, man versus machine competitions, men fighting for truth justice and the American Way. I carried the spirit of these stories with me and applied them to the means, methods and measurements of my work in construction. Because of this, I approached everyday as a challenge to out perform myself and those around me. Because of this I sometimes played the role of Paul Bunyan and John Henry when it came to matching my means, methods and measures up with the latest and greatest new and improved means, methods and measures that came on the market.

Do you remember how you reacted when you first saw a roto-zip ... a banjo ... bazookas, angle rollers and finish heads, and boxes ... when screw guns replace hammers in residential hanging ... when you saw a drywall lift in action ... and how all of these and many more innovations changed the industry?


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Field General said:


> Do you remember how you reacted when you first saw a roto-zip ... a banjo ... bazookas, angle rollers and finish heads, and boxes ...


When I 1st saw auto taping tools at work, I thought they were pretty great. Then after running the tools for a bit, I thought some of them could use a bit of a redesign, some beyond just tweaking. Changed conditions, like more high ceilings and walls no longer 8' high, is driving that.


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

You can have all the tools in the world but with the crap materials we get these days even the the most gifted tapers get humbled.


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

I first started going to residential projects in the early 70's. They had complete sets of taping tools, but taping mud was powder, and finish mud was in a box all being mixed by hand. Drywall was all nail on. At an early age I was sent in to the city by my father to another company to work commercial where I did 10 stories of shaftwall. I remember others would watch me, because they'd never seen residential piecework hangars before. I got a router in the early 80's but it was a Porter Cable. I remember doing layout in my early 20's where we built a 3 story structure all out of metal studs. I got to work on a 48 story in SF where I'd walk to the top before work just for the view.

Lasers have seen vast improvement going from the big old Spectra Physics that cost a $1000 every time it went in to the throwaway PLS180. Screwguns have been around for a while, and in the 90's I went back to houses for a bit, and we would nail, and screw. I even got to drive nails on a job a few years ago which was fun for me. All the youngsters were in awe that you can actually nail cornerbead on really fast. Things have changed, but some aren't faster or really better. I'll go to my grave believing nails are better than screws in a wood application, but that's another story.

My dad used an old leaf spring for a kicker with a little piece welded where it rested against the rock. I still think I can cut out a window or door faster with a big saw than getting dust in my face. However, you can't beat that router for boxes, lights, and topping out ugly stuff with lots of penetrations. I'll never use my hand mixer anymore either. I've still got it though, and it's the one shaped like a bucket.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

boco said:


> You can have all the tools in the world but with the crap materials we get these days *even the the most gifted tapers get humbled*.


Speak for yourself.


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## nodnarb (Apr 25, 2014)

MrWillys said:


> I first started going to residential projects in the early 70's. They had complete sets of taping tools, but taping mud was powder, and finish mud was in a box all being mixed by hand. Drywall was all nail on. At an early age I was sent in to the city by my father to another company to work commercial where I did 10 stories of shaftwall. I remember others would watch me, because they'd never seen residential piecework hangars before. I got a router in the early 80's but it was a Porter Cable. I remember doing layout in my early 20's where we built a 3 story structure all out of metal studs. I got to work on a 48 story in SF where I'd walk to the top before work just for the view.
> 
> Lasers have seen vast improvement going from the big old Spectra Physics that cost a $1000 every time it went in to the throwaway PLS180. Screwguns have been around for a while, and in the 90's I went back to houses for a bit, and we would nail, and screw. I even got to drive nails on a job a few years ago which was fun for me. All the youngsters were in awe that you can actually nail cornerbead on really fast. Things have changed, but some aren't faster or really better. I'll go to my grave believing nails are better than screws in a wood application, but that's another story.
> 
> My dad used an old leaf spring for a kicker with a little piece welded where it rested against the rock. I still think I can cut out a window or door faster with a big saw than getting dust in my face. However, you can't beat that router for boxes, lights, and topping out ugly stuff with lots of penetrations. I'll never use my hand mixer anymore either. I've still got it though, and it's the one shaped like a bucket.


You sound a lot like my dad when he was still working, its sorta funny. It took him a longg time to warm up to routers and even when he accepted its validity for boxes and topout he still took his buttsaw out whenever possible. " that dusty POS!"

Once he stopped breaking those expensive little bits every 5 minutes his story changed a fair bit. He had an old spectraphysics he practically worshipped when I was a kid, he would always tell me DONT touch it but couldnt help but show it to me and how it works ect. He came home one day and I had that sucker out and on playing around with it, thats the last good whoopin I remember and I cant help but think of it every time I break out a rotary laser or do ceilings.

Back OT I remember the first time I saw a trak fast, it was pretty mind blowing. Nothing absurd but I only had a single shot ancient remington $10 pawnshop find (its still kicking) and had used hiltis and other strip loads. I got on with a bigger commercial crew and got turned loose with the trakfast. We stood up and entire lease and onesided by 1. The whole experience was a fair bit different than what I was used too at the time .


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

JustMe said:


> Speak for yourself.


 Of course that doesnt happen to me just other tapers. LOL:thumbsup:..

Actually this winter was the toughest winter for taping i have ever seen. Just brutal cold temperatures combined with a quick freeze and an ice storm. I am gettin call after call for water damaged ceilings because of roof leaks. i wish i did roofs I know i would have a great year. I am really gonna focus on exterior painting this year combined with a few epoxy floors. Not gonna wait 2 months for new houses to be ready all at once.


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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)

Any of these innovations on anyone's radar?


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

boco said:


> Of course that doesnt happen to me just other tapers. LOL:thumbsup:..
> 
> Actually this winter was the toughest winter for taping i have ever seen. Just brutal cold temperatures combined with a quick freeze and an ice storm. I am gettin call after call for water damaged ceilings because of roof leaks. i wish i did roofs I know i would have a great year. I am really gonna focus on exterior painting this year combined with a few epoxy floors. Not gonna wait 2 months for new houses to be ready all at once.


 Sounds like you have a portfolio career happening - which, unless one is in a booming field like software, could be the safest and maybe best paying career available to many.

http://www.quintcareers.com/portfolio_careers.html


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Times certainly change. When I first started we done everything by hand, and I mean everything. In those days we would batten out the ceilings with 2inch square fur, all nailed up with 3inch nails by hand. Then nail the lids on with gal clouts, no lifter two blokes 20 foot sheets. It was about four years later that I got a pair of stilts, I thought that I was the cats whiskers. All hand taped and trowel finish, then hand sanded. I will be honest, if those days came back I for one would get out of Dodge.


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Check out some of these innovations.


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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)

The dollars are definitely in the details gazman.


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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)




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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)




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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)




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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Very cool.


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## Empirical (May 13, 2014)

Here is one I cant live without. Screws are kind of expensive, but for hanging board on the ceiling you cant beat it! You can save money by tacking up with it and going back with old school screw gun.


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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)

Empirical said:


> Here is one I cant live without. Screws are kind of expensive, but for hanging board on the ceiling you cant beat it! You can save money by tacking up with it and going back with old school screw gun.


Abso-freakin'-lutely Empirical ... especially commercial work. A good cut-man, a dolly full of rock, and a battery operated collated screw gun is a winning combination ... makes hanging stand-ups is like dealing cards.


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Empirical said:


> Here is one I cant live without. Screws are kind of expensive, but for hanging board on the ceiling you cant beat it! You can save money by tacking up with it and going back with old school screw gun.


 thats a good idea. I am going to have to start doing that. i have a lithium collated but it sits at home.


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## jakobdart702 (18 d ago)

800PoundGuerrilla said:


> I grew up with stories told of legends, tall tales, and superheroes ... stories of larger-than-life characters, man versus machine competitions, men fighting for truth justice and the American Way. I carried the spirit of these stories with me and applied them to the means, methods and measurements of my work in construction. Because of this, I approached everyday as a challenge to out perform myself and those around me. Because of this I sometimes played the role of Paul Bunyan and John Henry when it came to matching my means, methods and measures up with the latest and greatest new and improved means, methods and measures that came on the market.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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