# Attention banjo users



## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

Can a fast banjo user please make a video, please include this list.

1. mixing and filling it put in tape and close.
2. taping butt seams and flat seams on walls and then ceilings and wiping.
3. corners both ups and tops

I want to see a good banjo user post a video please..thanks...


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

tapingfool said:


> Can a fast banjo user please make a video, please include this list.
> 
> 1. mixing and filling it put in tape and close.
> 2. taping butt seams and flat seams on walls and then ceilings and wiping.
> ...


See here for #3, at bottom of post: http://www.drywalltalk.com/f7/flat-box-buy-447/#post4601


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

I was looking for one Homax banjo video I'd once come across, and came across another one instead. Video link is about 1/2 way down the page: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HOMAX-BANJO-...34.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|301:0|293:2|294:30

Makes me almost want to take up stiliting. ~

I'll see if I can find the one I was looking for after. It will give you a video addressing your #1 on your list, and some of your #2.


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

Thanks that was good, that guy knows how to use it. I think I may buy one, but I see the price from australia on e-bay is 100.00. I googled it and found one for less than 50.00.. Keep sending more vids thanks..


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

If you're buying a Homax, a couple things to consider - see consumer reviews:

Amazon.com: Homax 6500 Drywall Taping Tool: Home Improvement

You might want to consider picking up a backup banjo at some point, just in case. But depending on how it landed, I wouldn't want to have any banjo fall off a scaffold.

But the Homax does seem an easy banjo to manoeuvre. It's also why I chose my Ames Cobra - short enough to get around easily enough inside places like closets; no real balance handling issues because of its design, even if I'm using a full 500' tape roll at the start.

It would be interesting to see how having the wheels out front on the Homax would serve for things like setting ceiling tapes, when compared to something like my banjo with its cutting nose, which I use for tape setting at times. I might just pick up a Homax and try it at some point. More experimenting. ~ 

The site I was looking for seems to be eluding me. But for now, some pics on loading a banjo that I'd come across at one time: http://www.rd.com/advice-and-know-h...-tape-drywall-with-a-banjo/article115305.html

For myself, I often just mix about 1/2-2/3 of a 5 U.S. gallon bucket to the thinness I want - so it's pourable easily enough, but not runny - then pour it out of that into the banjo as needed. Or if I don't need much thinned down mud, I might use some out of a bucket already thinned down for boxing. It can be a little thicker, though, than if I mixed a pail specifically for my banjo.


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## brdn_drywall (Apr 25, 2008)

ya know i have never even considered buying or using a banjo, but all this talk and video viewing has sparked an interest/curiosity in me to give this thing a whirl.
I've always had tubes as my back-up to the auto-tapers in case of jam-ups,cable breakage etc., or large job sites that the taper could do the flats/butts and another set a guys could run the corners with the tube.
Is the banjo more productive/faster than the tube?


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

My taper is about 2-3 times faster with a bazooka than I am with a banjo. If you have two and a laborer filling one all the time, you can shave some time. Despite the widespread use of bazookas, I still believe the banjo really does a better job. Fewer mud voids behind the tape, but it is slower.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

One thing I found slowing me down with a banjo is the 'pull' the mud in a banjo can create on a tape, pulling it away from its starting point too much if I'm not careful/watchful enough when trying to make some speed on longer runs. I'm thinking of trying something like temporarily pinning the tape at the beginning of some tape runs, and pulling the pin when I go back to wipe the tape down. I'm also thinking something like pinning might also allow for keeping the tape tighter, so maybe less tape bunching up problems when wiping. Anyone with any other ideas for dealing with such?


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

It is something that takes some time to get used to. Over time, has become second nature. Can see how someone who never used anything but a bazooka would have to adjust to it. I think one would have a lot of trouble trying to keep track of pins & probably wind up pulling them out anyway. I usually just use my left hand to hold the tape as I pull down a long run.


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

JustMe you need more experience from what it sounds like. Also to help you out a bit speed takes time and reinventing the wheel will slow you down, like your pinning idea. JustME put the time in and you will get better period. If you really want to be a professional at this trade a bazooka is the way to go.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> It is something that takes some time to get used to. Over time, has become second nature. Can see how someone who never used anything but a bazooka would have to adjust to it. I think one would have a lot of trouble trying to keep track of pins & probably wind up pulling them out anyway. I usually just use my left hand to hold the tape as I pull down a long run.


I'd also thought maybe something like non-rusting staples could be used on some flat runs where it could be a help, and just leave them in?

One reason I'm thinking all this: I'm thinking that I might like to run firmer mud at times in a banjo, and get it on as quickly as possible, so that it might dry quicker and a first boxing coat could be put on sooner.



Mudstar said:


> JustMe you need more experience from what it sounds like. Also to help you out a bit speed takes time and reinventing the wheel will slow you down, like your pinning idea. JustME put the time in and you will get better period. If you really want to be a professional at this trade a bazooka is the way to go.


Thanks, Mudstar. You're right. I could use more experience in it. However, I don't know how much longer I'll be involved in the actual doing of such work. If I am, it could be off and on, as I try out different things to give me some food for thought that I can apply to some of the systems I'm designing and building.

Another thought: How about not spending time trying to cut the tape at corners, when taping out say 4' high horizontal flats, but cut it later with your knife when you go around wiping the tape down. Anyone do that?


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

Firmer mud is part of your problem. That causes the tape to migrate thru the mud inside the box. Mudstar is right on reinventing the wheel. If drywall is a temporary vocation for you, you should save yourself the frustration and move on sooner than later. This trade, like most, takes years to learn, despite what the youtube vids would lead you to believe. After some two decades at it, I still get schooled once in a while.

PS: Go ahead and try to hold up a banjo and work a staple gun. Tell us how that works out for you:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

JustMe said:


> One thing I found slowing me down with a banjo is the 'pull' the mud in a banjo can create on a tape, pulling it away from its starting point too much if I'm not careful/watchful enough when trying to make some speed on longer runs. I'm thinking of trying something like temporarily pinning the tape at the beginning of some tape runs, and pulling the pin when I go back to wipe the tape down. I'm also thinking something like pinning might also allow for keeping the tape tighter, so maybe less tape bunching up problems when wiping. Anyone with any other ideas for dealing with such?


what if you start the tape a little longer? then by the time you finish the run it has evened out?? kind of like how I do corners with the bazooka..


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

good feedback fellow spacklers---keep it coming..I want to see a goood video with a banjo runner..I have been a loyal bazooka runner, but after seeing that homex video, I may try it for smaller jobs.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

Homax banjo looks good on video, I suppose. Another poster said it had _parts_ to clean. I'd stick with a good ole Denver box with a hand strap. They're pretty tough to beat. Clean-up doesn't involve any disassembly.


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## brdn_drywall (Apr 25, 2008)

what part of the world do live in tapingfool just curious as to what a spackler is i think i herd the term used by a painter a while back.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> If drywall is a temporary vocation for you, you should save yourself the frustration and move on sooner than later. This trade, like most, takes years to learn, despite what the youtube vids would lead you to believe.


I think I might have mentioned a variation of this on someone's Intro thread: There's a line of thought that says everyone's viewpoint is right, based on what they know, what they believe they know, their emotions at the time, etc. So based on that, you're very possibly right in that I should consider moving on.

But there's a few things I haven't discussed on this board, or very briefly mentioned at times, that makes me think I should continue on with it for a time.

But the line of thought also goes on to say that 2 conflicting views could both be considered right in some ways, but both could still be wrong. ~

I can understand your frustration point, but my skills have reached a level where my checkout is second only to the best taper in the company that I'm doing work for. They've also had me do checkout on some of the other tapers' work at times in the last while - I can be a bit of a perfectionist when I want. I'm now just looking more to increasing speed for some things, while still hopefully improving quality. I'll incorporate some of what I learn from trying different things into some of the equipment prototypes I'm building.

As for this trade taking "years" to learn, that could very well be true. But I try to speed such up as much as possible when it seems to make sense. At least speeding up my learning the more major points. 



[email protected] said:


> Go ahead and try to hold up a banjo and work a staple gun. Tell us how that works out for you:lol: :lol: :lol:


3 :lol:'s. Guess it won't work. ~

Yet I and others in the videos can handle a banjo with one hand, while holding the tape with the other. And I've wiped down tapes at times while at the same time banjoing an 8' high horizontal flat off one of my mini-scaffolds. That way I didn't have to go back again after to do it. Maybe my choice of banjos is also a help when it comes to being able to do such?

Here's another one: How about being able to banjo an 8', maybe even up to 9' high ceiling - at least the flats - without using something like stilts or a scaffold?


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

At 6' even I can reach w/o stilts on 8' work ( for I/S walls and butts). Typically on 9' work, I'll be on stilts anyway.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

I'm 6', too. A # of the tapers I was working with are pretty vertically challenged, though.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

I suddenly see a lot of interest in banjo use. To me, it's a little like framers never having learned to swing a hammer cuz all they ever used is a nail gun. I suspect this sudden banjo interest may be due to the slow down and guys not able to keep up bazooka rent? I know the auto tools are here to stay, but shame on those who break in new help on them while skipping over teaching the banjo. Banjos have always had their place in the trade, small jobs, fire-taping, etc. Why dirty up a bazooka for 1000 feet or drag it up into an attic?


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

brdn_drywall said:


> what part of the world do live in tapingfool just curious as to what a spackler is i think i herd the term used by a painter a while back.


i live in northern NJ..you? and what term?:blink:


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

I wonder, just sayin


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

??????? im lost!!


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## Bevelation (Dec 20, 2008)

The TERM "SPACKLER"

Are you ready?

He's asking:

WHAT

IS

A

SPACKLER?



(I personally think being called a spackler is better than being called a mudder)


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

you know what they call the pointed end of a turd? (a taper)


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

Whitey97 said:


> you know what they call the pointed end of a turd? (a taper)


Ha ha ha...And a taper fills a crack:lol:


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

If a taper fills cracks for $$$, does that mean he's a crack whore?:lol::lol::lol:


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## Kiwiman (Jun 14, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> If a taper fills cracks for $$$, does that mean he's a crack whore?:lol::lol::lol:


Over here they say....I wish I had a job like that.


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

thats too funny!!

some guy recently said to me..the new term is spackler not taper that is so 70's..well what about it? I say I do taping and spackling..


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

You're only a spackler if you open a can of "spackle" and apply it. Something done by a painter in our neck of the woods, but call yourself whatever you want.


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

done wondering, now speechless


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

you know what you call a turd that won't let go of your a$$ hair? (a hanger)


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