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Was dead set against using automatic tapers until I borrowed my buddy's on a 4000sqft basement last month
Figured they were just for production crews but after running 300ft of tape without wrecking my wrist I'm honestly thinking about buying one even for small jobs, anyone else swap over later than they should have?
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reese_lane294mo ago
Jumped on the automatic taper bandwagon about two years ago myself and honestly wish I'd done it sooner. I was running a small bathroom job (like 500sqft tops) and figured it wasn't worth the hassle of setting it up, but once I actually tried it the mess was way less than I expected. The mud consistency is the trickiest part though, you gotta get it right or it'll clog up on you mid-run (learned that the hard way on my first go). For small rooms I'll still hand tape corners and tricky spots, but for long straight runs it's a no-brainer even on little jobs. Saves my wrist and back more than I'd like to admit, plus the finish is way cleaner than my shaky hands can manage.
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palmer.ryan4mo ago
One angle I don't see anyone mentioning is how much less mud you actually end up using with an automatic taper. Hand taping I'd always overmix and waste half a bucket easy, but the machine lays down a way more consistent bead so you're not scraping off excess every foot. Plus less mud means less sanding and that alone is worth it for my allergies lol. For a small bathroom the savings aren't huge but for a basement like your buddy's, that adds up fast.
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