Am I the only one who turns the screen ?
A friend is short some bodies, so I filled in feathering out fill spots in the drywall. Anyhow, I’m busy working away with a screen sander, the screen loses its tooth (dull): so I loosed the end-clamps, pull off the screen, turn it over, and clamp it back in the sanding pad.
Well … , the rest of the guys are looking at me like I just used the wrong fork for the salad; my friend comes over, checks the screen, and from the look on his face, seems honestly surprised that this side is sharp and useable; but, he tells me that they don’t do that, when the first face gets dull, chuck it and get a fresh screen.
Is this some sort of drywallers’ faux pas that the rest of us just aren’t in on ? While I don’t do drywall very often, I always use both sides of the screen before I chuck them – is this not good ?
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Replies
Phill-
I'm also not a drywaller, altho I've done a fair amount of it (but not enuf to ruin my carpentry skills). I do the same thing with my screens, so................
Someone please illuminate this subject for us. Thanks.
Ken Hill
If the other side is still sharp and usable, you're doing the smart thing. Whether anyone else does it or not. Seems you're saving time by not having to walk back to the toolbox or truck to get another screen, plus saving money by not wasting supplies.
I've broken the tip off my utility knife before to get a sharp edge. Pretty easy if there's a couple 2x4's nailed together nearby, just slip your blade tip in an break it. That also gets wierd looks, but sometimes you can get 3-4 good tips on one blade. Easier and quicker then changing it.
yeahhhhhh, so yer the guy. I aughta. My nickle here is don't break your blades off in the framing. Some poor schmuck comes along and he's checking something out, maybe it's fit, maybe it's a window opening, who cares. I've heard too many times guys get stitched from that. Slide their hand down and there ya go." If you kill a man, it is a tragedy. If you kill a million, it is a statistic." - Josepf Stalin, attributed.
Well, I've never heard of anyone being hurt from this. But I make sure they're not exposed, either driven into the wood with a hammer or thrown away.
Old carpenter's trick I was shown. Perhaps I should rethink it.
That's why I love OLFA knives...need a fresh edge/point, it's made to snap the blade off six or seven times. Hate those Stanley one-edge knives, even with the "easy" blade change.
'Course us really cheap buggers sharpen it a few times before we have to snap a new edge... :-)
Wish I'd thought of turning the screen over...thanks Phill!
Regards,
Tim
I've always used both sides, figured everyone did. I also save that dull 100 grit to do final feathering and touch up with. Maybe that's just my Yankee upbringing showing through.
Oh yeah, love those snap blades, too. Very rarely use my utility knife anymore unless I have a hooked roofing blade in it.
Jim, Do you use a rat tail file to sharpen the hook blade? When I worked for the roofing co. I always carried a small rat tail in my belt ,it was faster to sharpen the blade than to replace or flip it.
I've got snap-off hook blades for my OLFA...not my big H-1 knife, but the mid-size (my model is NL-AL). They're sold by OLFA but not made by them, so they're not stainless, but they're a charm.
Okay, so it's pretty sad that I can rhyme off knife models...
Regards,
Tim
I do alot of sheetrock & spackle work & I've never seen it done but I think I'm gonna start doing it. If the screen is still usable on the other side why not use it? I'm sorry I never thought to do that. Thanks for the tip.
I turn the screens over. If there really were a good reason to use only one side, the manufacturers would print "Do Not Use This Side" on them. As for breaking off blade points, do it with channel locks and toss the fragment. Not only could somebody cut a hand on it if it sticks out, they're no fun to run into with a saw if they're driven in.
-- J.S.
I was a drywaller for a long time, and we always used both sides of the screen unless the edge curled and it would cause deep scratch marks. But 100 grit! ouch. I like to use 220. Even 150 leaves fine grooves sometimes. I have used as light as 400 for the final touch, but that's a little extreme and there was no 220 left in the assortment pack.
Well...I guess now that you say something 100 grit DOES sound rough. I'm not sure what grit those screens are. I use the "Fine" most often. Anybody know what grit they are? Now I gotta go look in the truck...
Thanks to all, I feel better now, nothing worse than everyone else on a job doing "it", what-ever that "it" may be on any given day, a different way.
PS, I use the Olfa-style knifes most of the time (although I do have a Stanley); but, I usually carry a spare and snap off the blades during break and under a cover - seen (heard ?) a couple of little blade fragments zinging a round a room and I don't ever want to do that to workers near me.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
The snapping of Olfa blades is done by closing your eyes and whacking the tip against the nearest hard surface ! Finding the offcut is a 80% thing, that is what we do !On An Island By The SEA
Both sides of sanding screen............fine.
Both sides of sandpaper...............not fine. :)
Ya Phill, you're a freakin genius.
If you start walkin upright, and stop dragging your knuckles we won't let you hang out here anymore.