These are items I have found through trial and error that make life much easier for a DYIer who just drywalled a whole house.
Bucket knife from Lowes
11″ drywall trowel with slight curve Walboard brand
Beadex flex metal tape for inside corners, only place I could find it was at Lowes 100 ft roll
Ultraflex 325 for outside corners got this at a drywall supply house
USG mud pan with contoured bottom makes cleanup much easier from drywall supply house
Harbor Freight cutout tool plus plenty of rotozip bits
Vermont American drywall screw bit dirt cheap but it works sets the screw at just the right depth
Stanley No.199 Knives get several, just grab another when one gets dull then blade up all later. I like the quick change knives but not for drywall
Hope this helps someone.I wasted a lot of time and money on bogus tools and products
Edited 10/24/2009 10:59 pm ET by verl
Replies
utility knife and a 4' square are all I consider must haves. probaly have never seen the rest of what's on the list there.
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Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
so you use the 4' square to spread the mud...but what's the utility knife for? <g>
Barry E-Remodeler
You just shmear the mud on by hand, then sand the pizz out of it, right? - lolA timely post, actually. #2 daughter and SIL are working on their house today doing a bit of drywall work. I spent about an hour this morning talking them thru how to use corner bead, lay on the mud, and the basic tools they need. I'm in "on-call" mode if/when they get into a wreck. If I weren't such a good Dad, I'd turn off the cell phone. - lol
Edited 10/24/2009 2:44 pm by Dave45
we'll see how good of dad you really are,
when the sanding starts.lol
convenient time to be "out of area"the older i get ,
the more people tick me off
How about a measuring device, maestro? ;-) Maybe a drywall hammer and/or a screwgun?
He didn' mention those.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Do you use the utility knife to spread the mud on?OK, true story here. My granny had a room built on the house in wartime WWII. It was hard to get materials and tools, but they got some drywall delivered. They asked what to use to put on the compound, told drywall knives. They weren't about spend any more money so they used the butter knives. It made an interesting texture.
But ya can't buy talent
Piff, yer shingles r showin.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
you're saying must have...that leaves a lot of room for arguing, not that anyone here needs a reason. <g>
not sure about a bucket knife. I need a 12" & 6" carry a 16" that I use not as much. have a 8 & 10 rarely used
beadex..no I prefer strait flex
Ultraflex 325 is used more for off angles, though does work for this app. I prefer Ultratrim No Coat
Pan, yep..though some will swear by their hawk
Vermont American drywall screw...prefer the dewalt dimpler if I don't use a screwgun
rotozip..yep
Have a few more tools I like to carry, but these will work
now go back and try it again. :)
utility knife..yep
I have a 2,5,6,10, and 12, all straight blades. uses mostly the 6 and 12.
He names the straightflex type beads for in and out but I use paper tape and metal corner except when doing obtuse angles or repairs.Rotozip awful handy, but I did an awful lot of drywall without one so I can't think of it as a must have.what is a bucket knife?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
bucket knife? Just another widget, plastic squeegee to scrape bucket with I believe. Not to be confused with 6" taping knife.
For that I use the 6" taping knife, or sometimes a 2" edging trowel.Whatever is handy
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Not sure on the bucket knife. I use the 6" to get the mud out of the bucket. I think they have some new contraption that's supposed to clean out the cornersLike you my 6" & 12" are the go to knivesRotozip is like the MM. did a lot of work without it, but it's nice to have around. I still have the original roto zip that I bought back in the 80's It's cut a lot of drywall, heavy little sucker bout twice as big as the newer generation zips
Barry E-Remodeler
A bucket knife has a string tied to the handle.
When dropped into the bucket of mud its easier to fish out.
I am also in need of a bucket pencil, bucket glasses, bucket cell phone, bucket tape measure...
Sounds like quite the bucket list you are compiling there
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Yeah, list is in the bucket too.
Drywall tools for me are, utility knife, circle cutter, chalk line, 4' level, drywall keyhole saw, drywall handsaw, screwgun, foot lift, and a couple of 2X4's for props.
Taping tools, 3" knife, 3 1/2" knife, 12" X 4 1/2" flat trowel, hawk, phillips screwdriver, 1 gal bucket and old paintbrush to paint on slurry for paper corner tape, 1/2" drill and mud mixer, and a few drops of dish soap to get the bubbles out.
Edited 10/24/2009 5:56 pm by gordsco
Edited 10/24/2009 5:57 pm by gordsco
what is a bucket knife?
7 1/2" Bucket Trowel with resilient handle
EDI: 10856
Price: View Image
Click Picture ForLarger Image
Blade is made from hardened and tempered carbon steel
Resilient handle for extra comfort and grip
Integral finger guard protects against calluses, heat, and cold
U.S. Patent Nos. 5,327,612 and 5,446,941View Image Made in the USA
View Image
UPC: 035965008563Product #: 10856Box Quantity: 6Case Quantity: 6
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
A bucket knife looks like a 6" taping knife but the blade is shaped to fit the inside curve of the bucket enabling you to clean just about every bit of mud out of the bucket making it easy to wash for the next box of mud
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=158821-51834-8080&lpage=none
Edited 10/24/2009 11:11 pm ET by verl
ha, ha. A box of mud. What a funny notion that someone would sell joint compound in a box.
What? They really do?
So you mean you gotta buy a box of mud AND a bucket. And if you don't buy a new bucket for every box, you gotta clean out the bucket between boxes? How charmingly old-fashioned.
I got an idea. Why not just sell joint compound in a bucket. Well, that's what they do around here anyway. In fact, I've never even seen a box of mud.
Not busting on ya, just having fun with the idea of a box of mud.
You just buy a bucket once and refill it with the box quite a bit cheaper.plus you don't have a bunch of buckets to get rid of. I'm in Oregon and every building supply has huge inventories of boxes of mudhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8-RgrrvyOI
I buy most of my mud boxxed. Otherwise I end up with dozens of buckets that don't need cleaned.~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work at TedsCarpentry.com
I've seen the mud sold in 5 gal. pails, but I've never known a rocker who bought it.
Instead, every contractor buys the mud in boxes, approximately a cubic foot in size. None of them (naturally) see the utility of the bucket knife.
Of course, I've also met remodeling contractors that prefer to use 'hot mud,' and that's a different animal completely.
I suppose it comes down to how much mud you plan to use, and how often. For a steady stream of small jobs, the 5-gal. buckest may be perfect. For any job larger than a small room, the boxes are probably the way to go.
I disagree wit you on the 5 gall buckets.
Around here they are used by the pros on new homs and apartments all the time. Have at least 5 emptys in my basement waiting to be used. You have to be carefull as rockers use the buckets as bathrooms!
A box of mud?
It's just a box of rainI don't know who put it thereBelieve it if you need itor leave it if you dare
He's never heard of a box of mud but I bet he's heard those Hunter lyrics
On comercial jobs we always got boxes of mud.
You just open them and plop, in they go. "There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
I use boxes. Buckets of mud are too full to mix without the mud slopping out.No problem to get an empty bucket. Anyone who goes out and buys an empty bucket needs therapy. :)View Image
Stanley makes an all right blade, but i prefer Irwin. cost a little more, but they last a lot longer. can't stand a dull blade.
can't stand a dull blade
I carry a small sharpening stone in my nail apron, fits under my tape. Set it on a flat surface and make a few passes, blade is sharp as new.
Another advantage; with the tape resting on the stone, it's easier to get the tape out of it's pocket.
Mason's hawk?
I couldn't live without one.
Scott.
drywall rasp--I'd rather have the extra dust than trying to carve out a 1/4" off of a bad cut. Good tool belt with lots of pockets on the right side!
I like inside corner knives, most people don't. My corners just look better when I use one. Tape dispenser. Leaves my hands free for my pan and knife while taping.
I use the inside corner tool as well. my corners come out niiiceee!
I start at the top and come down to the middle. Then come up form the bottom.
"There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
Another corner tool user. Most folks don't seem to like them, but I usually nail an inside corner in two passes (top to middle and bottom to mddle)
5 gallon bucket, 12" stainless knife, 6" flex knife, stilts, radio, coffee.
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Oh... and mud!
~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.net
See my work at TedsCarpentry.com
I have to have a radio or I will go insane!"There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
My must have is a drywall lift. With out it drywall won't get installed.
Taping:
6" & 12" knife
corner trowel
hawk
Tape dispenser
banjo (only if I'm doing a larger job)
utility knife
hammer
phillips screwdriver
5-in-one
2 JC buckets of warm water
grout sponge
Triple geared drill & mud mix paddles
Hanging:
Sheetrock screwgun
rock nails & screws
hammer
phillips screwdriver
rasp
utility knife
5-in-one
jab-saw
mm or roto-zip (if I need it)
tool-belt
4" sr square
25' Fat Max
OR....
I call the sheet-rockers & go do something that I like
Everyone needs a drywall knife like this ;o)
I'm surprised noone mentioned this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYCpn230NGEScott.
Didn't want you fearing that I was slipping by not mentioning this!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIDDDZboLh4'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
View Image
Wowwwwwwwwwwww if that isn't a copy of the PC sander...sheeesh, those Germans have no shame.PaulB
http://www.makeabettertomorrow.com
http://www.finecontracting.com
Ja! Aber es ist grün.And probably 5 times as expensive.Kids' college funds are overrated, dontcha you think?'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
View Image
Go ahead and get one... I'll petition the state to send Die UberMadchen to me. Oh wait, she's probably accustomed to eating regularly...PaulB
http://www.makeabettertomorrow.com
http://www.finecontracting.com
Nah. It's only useful to me if it comes with the little German fellow that does the work for me while I drink beer.What's a labor saving device without actually saving the labor?'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
View Image
Don't look at me... I get chafed when dw dust falls into my lederhosen.PaulB
http://www.makeabettertomorrow.com
http://www.finecontracting.com
I don't see boxes of mud available very much here, but full buckets are not a problem. I keep a bucket lid with a hole in it, add a little water, put the mixing paddle in the bucket and put the lid on the bucket for mixing.
It is also nice to be able to leave the mixing paddle in the bucket with the lid on, while working.
Good idea!I have CDO.
It's like OCD, only the letters are in alphabetical order like they're supposed to be.
http://www.truenorthcarpentry.net
Thanks TN,It works well if you have a large paddle for the mixing, but a smaller one could still be pivoted around to reach the edges for a good mixing.The lid also works like one of those popsicle drip catchers if you need to carry the mud covered paddle through the house to hose it off outside. :o)Cheers,Bass
Excellent idea, Brian.Would still have to hold the bucket from spinning. But maybe you could stand on top of it now to do that.View Image
Yup.
Above all else you must have/use a dedicated drywall screw gun. Personally, the Dewalt 0 - 4,000 rpm does nicely.
I've been on many Habitat jobs where well-intentioned volunteers are too intimidated to use an electric drywall screw gun, opting instead for a cordless drill or impact driver, resulting in over-driven fasteners.
Even if you're a DIY'r or week end warrior, it's worth the pain of the learning curve to teach yourself to use a drywall screw gun.
Carl
Or at least a dimpler. Some jobs are too small to make much difference with the screw gun.View Image
True that,Carl
Dimplers are awesome. Put one in a cordless screwgun and you have an instant cordless drywall gun. I worked on a job where the lead man for the drywall crew got his guys rockin' and then worked solo with his Craftsman cordless and dimpler bits all day long.
Those drywall guns can be tricky if you don't know how to hold them. I had a pro carp show me years back and I never use my Senco self-feeder anymore (except for ceilings, it leaves a hand free for holding the board).