T’was a mudding and a tapping today, mindless work, so I got to wondering, what % of the mud you apply actually stays on the wall? You can take if further and guesstimate what % winds up: in your nose and mouth, and how can the dust make it to the furthest reaches of the house, no matter how you cover up!
Let’s not confuse the issue with facts!
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Replies
100% where it belongs. And zero dust. No sandpaper/sanding. And no callback's .
Have you try the D-Mix -1 yet?
another dreamer
100% on the walls
no sanding
yeah sure
do they have their glasses and lights on
another dreamer
Thanks Isamemon. But I don't deserve this title... yet.
T'was a mudding and a tapping today, mindless work, so I got to wondering,
Mindless work? Don't think so. Every move and the move after that and how much here and there in each and every time thru-out the job is not mindless.
Taping and plastering require skill - focus -timing and a good eye.
If you don't combine all the above...Don't do it. Your painter will hate you.
But if you do the painting yourself, Don't worry how the painting will come out.
You can always blame it on the mindless work of taping.
Now yours. Shoot.
Edit. I have Tim and Zanno with me this time.
Edited 3/9/2005 7:02 pm ET by YCFriend
I gotta agree with GCcarp. I do my own taping. when I get to it I need to get in the zone, check your brain at the door, turn up the music and let the hours pass. I actually like not having to think for a couple of days.
Its one of the most mindless tasks in the construction trade
I agree with GC Carp and with you. But taping becomes mindless after you have the skill and the technique. Then,as you say you get in the Zone.
Or is the "Focus" ?
Anyway, what ever it is, it's good for the brain. One thing that I hate about JC is touching my skin. I'm the only one or you have the same reaction?
Edited 3/9/2005 8:52 pm ET by YCFriend
I agree about skill and focus to do good work and minimize strokes and wasted effort.I probably lose 1-2% though
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I agree.1 or 2 % when you know what you're doing.
As far as mindless work.......well, I hate that expression because to me it means you're not focused.....not a craftsman and simply a guy that just tries to "pound things out" (cant see it from my house attitude)....or as the kid that works for me (I'm guessing he won't last long) says, "thats good enough"....I wanna wring his 22 year old neck...where's my zanex???Absolutely nothing is mindless.not even getting rid of the trash. I mean that.
Be mindful and conscious about everything!!!!
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
It's in the bottle with the label that reads zanax!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
If you looked at my first time taping job I think that 10% would be high.
I think the thing is that in dust form it seems to expand (almost like all that shaving foam in that little can!). Then it plugs up your nose, coats your throat, and chokes your vacuum cleaner! I understand YCFriend's comment, but after enough times, the brain kinda goes on Auto-Pilot. I'm not a D-Mix convert, at all, I still like the look of three coats with sanding in between, and a light skip-trowel finish.
Huck.
25+- years ago I try my first taping job. I was working for my brother.
On the wall. Put the plaster on the wall.We don't do floors. We use carpet on the floors.
Next day I show up with some "alternative" tools. A small roller/paint bucket and a taping knife with plastic wings. The taping knife don't really work the way I thought and everybody was jocking with me.
I told my brother: you don't have to pay me today and actually you don't have to pay me for yesterday,that I was doing the floors instead the walls.
By the end of the day we have 2 rollers in front and 2 guys applying the tape (first coat) and making the joint compound smooth.
We use lambskin 3/4" and the JC was thick enough to stay on the roller (workable)
I got paid for both days and I remember my brother telling us: If you see someone coming here, Hide the rollers and take a brake.
I ask him why? they will steal the idea?
No. They will think that we know nothing about taping. Just do what I say.
Well, to me a roller is a painter's tool. From my viewpoint, the problem is that a roller applies a coat of uniform thickness. But with a taping knife, the applicator has the option to moderate the thickness, which is necessary to compensate for imperfections - unless your framing and your rock is absolutely flat, which never seems to happen in the real world. You build up your mud on the low spots, feather it on the high. And even then it will take three coats, for an acceptable finish.
I agree with you. But for the first coat... nothing bids the roller.
One guy applies the compound and the other guy behind applies the tape and makes is smooth. And works even better in the closets.
For traditional taping the second and third coat can only be done as you say due to imperfections.
Just trying to make it ez for the non pro tapers. But even pros using the roller in the closets. And even the roller is a technique.
You know. Give some. take some. 5 minutes here 10 minutes there, that's where your profit is.
If you wan't to try the roller,use a 3" 3/4"lambskin (cut from a 9",you make 3 rollers) For the first coat you only want to put the tape on the wall.
I seem to do a lot of drywall, but never large jobs, always small ones, and always by myself. So I use mesh tape, and the first coat, with a 6" blade, is by far the quickest and easiest. In fact, I often go with hot mud on the first coat, and follow with the second coat as soon as I'm done applying the first. Then I sand (later) and follow up with a coat of topping. Sand again, lightly, and texture. I agree with the comment that its better to use less mud, and make it up in the next coat, than go with too much and have to sand it off.The only slight slowdown for me is the corners, since I don't use a bazooka (but I do use a corner trowel). And I can't see how a roller could save me much time on the corners. But I'm a believer in letting people do it their way. FHB has an instructional video on their site where the guy is applying his tape with what looks like a concrete finishing trowel. Different strokes..., but I'll stick with traditional taping blades, traditional methods.
You ever use a banjo? I roll the corners with a corner roller, crease the tape and put it on then run my corner trowel, use a banjo for the rest. If you do any amount of taping,or even if you get a big taping job, a banjo is worth it. I'm toying with breaking away to come and see you and your D-goop on the 11th. We'll see.
I use the banjo once. On the floor.
I think the idea id good but you need to aquire more skill to use this tool that I give it up. I like the tools and ways to help you with whatever skills you have.
not to ask for more skills. Then is not a tool for me.
See you Jer. Back to work.
The typical novice mistake (speaking from experience) is putting on too much mud, then expecting to sand it smooth. Far better to put on too little and need to come back for an extra coat or two. Use either a sponge or a scraper between coats to knock off the high blobs. Gets the wall % probably up in the 85-90 range.
what % of the mud you apply actually stays on the wall?
When I do it, all I can tell you is I am sure 100% will stay on the earth.
Depends on who's doing it and who do you ask.
I guess I'm a whimp, but as far as the breathing dust part, I wear a mask with an exhale valve. I don't want to die of emphysema--my grandfather who worked at a forge his whole life (and smoked cigarettes) went that way.
When my father was director of facilities for a large county, he had a taper that NEVER sanded. He made four passes, and of course most of the work was on steel studs. So I guess his answer would be, 100%.
Yer gonna have to get a radio and listen to some some motivational tapes . Also I played music to set rythem and listen to the news and such. Its pretty boring if you are consentrating on lost mud . <G>
Edited 3/11/2005 8:03 pm ET by TIMMOONEY52