# A new home for commercial drywallers



## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

Looks like commercial drywall has a new home. While I did nail on early in my career I switched to commercial in the early 80's. I remember a Hilton hotel we did where I bent saddles for CRC with 8 ga wire for 2 weeks. My hands where killing me. I remember an old door guy teaching me to always start with a level on the floor of a door opening, so you'll know if the hinge side is higher, or needs to be.
Thanks to the mods for the new forum.


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## nodnarb (Apr 25, 2014)

Finally a place to get away from those damned shackers!! 

Commercial is pretty much all I know. So ive always felt like a bit of an outsider, hopefully this new section gives us a place to show off the huge variety of work on the commercial end. Ill be taking a lot more pictures now certainly. Start a new little job here next week, just finished off installing a few bathroom partitions, ass gaskets, soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers in a MENTAL HOSPITAL.

All the walls had 5/8" plywood in it which turned out to be a godsend for all (no fiddling with anchors!) But the paper towell dispensers, they were the sit in the wall units so I had a lot of time on a sawzall and fein tool. All of the rooms were occupied, we had to have escorts to work.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

nodnarb said:


> Finally a place to get away from those damned shackers!!
> 
> Commercial is pretty much all I know. So ive always felt like a bit of an outsider, hopefully this new section gives us a place to show off the huge variety of work on the commercial end. Ill be taking a lot more pictures now certainly. Start a new little job here next week, just finished off installing a few bathroom partitions, ass gaskets, soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers in a MENTAL HOSPITAL.
> 
> All the walls had 5/8" plywood in it which turned out to be a godsend for all (no fiddling with anchors!) But the paper towell dispensers, they were the sit in the wall units so I had a lot of time on a sawzall and fein tool. All of the rooms were occupied, we had to have escorts to work.


You better thank Cricket for this one , just took a little bug in her ear.. Silver


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

nodnarb said:


> Finally a place to get away from those damned shackers!!
> 
> Commercial is pretty much all I know. So ive always felt like a bit of an outsider, hopefully this new section gives us a place to show off the huge variety of work on the commercial end. Ill be taking a lot more pictures now certainly. Start a new little job here next week, just finished off installing a few bathroom partitions, ass gaskets, soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers in a MENTAL HOSPITAL.
> 
> All the walls had 5/8" plywood in it which turned out to be a godsend for all (no fiddling with anchors!) But the paper towell dispensers, they were the sit in the wall units so I had a lot of time on a sawzall and fein tool. All of the rooms were occupied, we had to have escorts to work.


 And just what's wrong with shackers?? I'm not ashamed of it but then again I work both fields.


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

silverstilts said:


> And just what's wrong with shackers?? I'm not ashamed of it but then again I work both fields.


 I'm more proud of being a fast nail on shacker than anything else I ever did. It made me a superior commercial hangar. When a commercial guy watches you nail their jaw drops to the floor.


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## nodnarb (Apr 25, 2014)

silverstilts said:


> And just what's wrong with shackers?? I'm not ashamed of it but then again I work both fields.


Im just poking fun! 

Thanks to you and cricket both for getting this off of the ground.



MrWillys said:


> I'm more proud of being a fast nail on shacker than anything else I ever did. It made me a superior commercial hangar. When a commercial guy watches you nail their jaw drops to the floor.


I was pretty stunned when I saw an oldtimer who was QUICK at using nails, ALMOST as fast as me with a gun. But at the end of the day, wood framing is junk, nails dont hold as well as screws and nails ARE slower to install! Makes me feel lucky for my screwgun honestly, my attempt at nailing was BAD. I was either bustin paper or not getting em in one swing. Let alone I mashed my poor thumb!

Honestly I dont see how nailing makes you a better commercial hanger.


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

nodnarb said:


> Im just poking fun!
> 
> Thanks to you and cricket both for getting this off of the ground.
> 
> ...


 Piece working is homes is a much faster pace than commercial. It's hard to explain to someone who never did a lot of it. Let me put it this way, it's like the difference between stand up 9's, and door work. You don't run doing door work, but you can when doing stand up's on metal. I used to be allowed to go home with a days pay if I did 45 stand up 9's. I'd kill myself and do it in about 6 hrs, and go home and fall asleep.

Nails vs screws? A wood framed structure moves with the season, wind, and earthquakes. Screws hold to tight and pop with this shifting. I'll go to my grave believing nails provide a better drywall install. Also, I've got 5 sheets on the wall by the time you get power rolled out. Our shacks when I was young were stocked with 14' 1/2", and we had a few models with right at 4000' we could hang in 5 hrs 15 minutes. Once I hung a 6700' house in one day, but couldn't move the next. That taught me 8 hrs is enough.

In the 90's I went back to shacks for a bit. We'd nail everything, and screw off the field.


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## nodnarb (Apr 25, 2014)

MrWillys said:


> Piece working is homes is a much faster pace than commercial. It's hard to explain to someone who never did a lot of it. Let me put it this way, it's like the difference between stand up 9's, and door work. You don't run doing door work, but you can when doing stand up's on metal. I used to be allowed to go home with a days pay if I did 45 stand up 9's. I'd kill myself and do it in about 6 hrs, and go home and fall asleep.
> 
> Nails vs screws? A wood framed structure moves with the season, wind, and earthquakes. Screws hold to tight and pop with this shifting. I'll go to my grave believing nails provide a better drywall install. Also, I've got 5 sheets on the wall by the time you get power rolled out. Our shacks when I was young were stocked with 14' 1/2", and we had a few models with right at 4000' we could hang in 5 hrs 15 minutes. Once I hung a 6700' house in one day, but couldn't move the next. That taught me 8 hrs is enough.
> 
> In the 90's I went back to shacks for a bit. We'd nail everything, and screw off the field.


 Once that cords rolled out any competent gun man would close that gap in no time. Also theres absolutely no way you would have 5 sheets up, maybe tacked with nothing in the field but thats not up.


I have done piecework before, I've recently started subbing so thats really what all my jobs feel like. A$$holes and elbows all the way my dad would say. I've also worked places with quota, it was job specific. On standups it was 40 boards per man, I've seen it as low as 7 sheets per PAIR on some outrageous hospital topout (one sheet had 42 penetrations ive got a picture somewhere!) Im not saying shacking isnt hard, or anything like that but it is certainly different. Its almost as though its a different trade entirely! Certainly feels that way when we get shackers on our jobs and it CERTAINLY felt that way when I shacked A (as in 1) house.


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

nodnarb said:


> Once that cords rolled out any competent gun man would close that gap in no time. Also theres absolutely no way you would have 5 sheets up, maybe tacked with nothing in the field but thats not up.
> 
> 
> I have done piecework before, I've recently started subbing so thats really what all my jobs feel like. A$$holes and elbows all the way my dad would say. I've also worked places with quota, it was job specific. On standups it was 40 boards per man, I've seen it as low as 7 sheets per PAIR on some outrageous hospital topout (one sheet had 42 penetrations ive got a picture somewhere!) Im not saying shacking isnt hard, or anything like that but it is certainly different. Its almost as though its a different trade entirely! Certainly feels that way when we get shackers on our jobs and it CERTAINLY felt that way when I shacked A (as in 1) house.


 Sounds like your dads a great guy! I don't want to argue a point. Saying once is enough. I did hospital work for my last 3 years working and have seen top out exactly as you describe. We never had routers when I started, but I was sure glad to have one then. We never had a cordless until the 80's.

I will tell you this. After you've hung the same house 20 times you start doing things different just for change. I was union piecework, and wages was 2000' per man per day 1/2", and 1500' for 5/8". When I was estimating commercial we would use 800' to 1000' for tenant work. There's the real difference.

Have you ever seen ratchet brace drill you use by hand? Ceiling wires used to be screwed in by hand. 

Watch this guy and keep in mind he's 70 years old. When he was in his prime he was bad ass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQWjA7u9LzM


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

MrWillys said:


> Nails vs screws? A wood framed structure moves with the season, wind, and earthquakes. Screws hold to tight and pop with this shifting. I'll go to my grave believing nails provide a better drywall install. .


I could not agree with you more Willy! I'm cool with nails as long as there not in the field. BUT ....The thing is ..Any hanger these days under the age of 30 has no clue what a drywall hatchet IS! Much less how to use one! Or where the nails are to be used [top plates bottom plates etc..]

screws love to pop! Nails love to pop and leave blisters [egg holes] 

But It really don't matter what fastener is used in installing drywall 
Many years ago drywall took the place of plaster ...Not because It was a better product !!! It was cheaper ! 1/3 of the cost!


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

Nails VS screw:whistling2: Steel VS wood. No nails please


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## nodnarb (Apr 25, 2014)

MrWillys said:


> Sounds like your dads a great guy! I don't want to argue a point. Saying once is enough. I did hospital work for my last 3 years working and have seen top out exactly as you describe. We never had routers when I started, but I was sure glad to have one then. We never had a cordless until the 80's.
> 
> I will tell you this. After you've hung the same house 20 times you start doing things different just for change. I was union piecework, and wages was 2000' per man per day 1/2", and 1500' for 5/8". When I was estimating commercial we would use 800' to 1000' for tenant work. There's the real difference.
> 
> ...


That man is an impressive stick framer. Beastly hammer skills! As to braces, ive seen them used by my father, but ive never used or seen one set up for ceilings. Did it have a pole and screw eyelags? I still do the conduit trick to tie wires when I can, I HATE my screw pole. When I first started my dad was still using a Ladd single shot pole gun :yes: hahaha .


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## longhornbuilds (May 11, 2015)

Great forum.. I'll be visiting regularly.


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