hanging drywall

[RobS]

One trick I forgot to mention...

I take a huge black marker and mark all the stud locations on the floor next to the wall. Same for the ceiling joists. After I hang the ceiling I do the same for the top of the wall studs but now use pencil so it won't bleed through any paint.

The floor marks also help if you put base trim on before carpet. It only takes a couple of minutes but I need all the help I can get /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Egon]

Those who install drywall and finish it are indeed patient people and should be admired by all.

Egon

 

[Wingnut]

I had enough experience with the adapters for cordless drills that I went out and bought a good Dewalt corded screwgun (too much experience with running out of battery when I wasn't ready to quit quite yet) before I started in on the shop. Man, what a good investment. I opted to do without the belt feed just to keep the cost of fasteners down.
Nothing like a tool that's designed for a specific job to ease your workload. I put up the walls in one afternoon and the celing over the weekend (took a bit longer than I'd planned as I had to re-center most of the doggone trusses). Hard enough to do gyprockin' (oops, I mean drywallin') when you're by yourself ... even worse if you're fighting with the tiols too.
Unfortunately ... I ran out of interest before I ran out of drywall ... got it all taped exept for one wall that never did get completed (and now has boxes covering it from view).

 

[cstocks]

Great idea!

 

[utahmule]

I've got the same gun and it makes a world of difference. I don't mind, kinda enjoy hanging the rock, but taping/sanding is the pits.

 

[patrickg]

I don't know about "NEW" decking guns but there are semi-auto screw guns with extended handles for putting down flooring and the like without bending over, crawling on your knees, or doing the "Duck Walk." Never used them myself but have seen them. Seemed too high dollar for my limited useage. I paid under $200 for my screw gun with two batts, a charger, and a spiral saw thingy (about a hundred bucks separately) that uses the same batts.

Belt feed screws are more expensive than typical drywall screws but if you do much drywall at all and don't have a ready supply of trained helpers, the belt feed sure makes the work go easier. Maybe my reduced capability, advanced age, and lack of appropriate technique put me at a disadvantage that neccessitates my use of technology to compensate.

As I write this there is a track hoe with a 4 ft bucket and a D-6 Cat playing in the dirt around a pond just down slope of my house building site. The track hoe is $85/hr and the Dozer is $55 (with operators, no delivery charge) and I think it is a bargain. I'm not sure what they are doing that I could't do with my tractor for the most part B U T it would take me years and wear me and the tractor out. I feel that way about the screw gun too. I have a couple cordless drill drivers and the screw driving attachments to hold the screw while it gets started (real neat accessory) but the semi-auto is to the regular cordless as a semi-auto pistol is to a muzzle loading flintlock pistol. The muzzle loader will get the job done but not as quick and easy. (My particular muzzle loader is a 75 cal and is fun to shoot, just not practical for getting off very many rounds.)

Patrick

 

[patrickg]

Wingnut, I have two pretty good cordless drill-drivers that share four batteries between them. With two charging and one in use I can't run out of power. For jobs where charging isn't available I have the 4 batts which last a good long time even when driving many big screws. I didn't start out to have two drills and four batts with two chargers. I had one drill and the trigger switch went intermitent. It took so long for the repair station to get parts I bought another drill. Sort of glad I did since it is GOOD to have two chargers and 4 batts.

Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, both of my chargers died within a few days of each other after a few years of service. Both have an open in the primary of the power transformer. One blew a fuse and the other didn't. First thing I tried was taking the good fuse from one and putting it in the one with the blown fuse but no joy. I recently received a NEW charger from the national parts supply point for my drill. Cost about $36 incl shipping. Not too bad.

Now I can open it up and see what the secondary voltage is on the transformer so I can buy replacement parts from radio shack. Then I can trouble shoot/repair the circuit card if needed as it is mostly discrete components with the highest tech chip in it is a three terminal regulaltor which can be replaced from off the shelf components. Then I will have 3 working chargers and four batts. One bat in drill and the rest on chargers, if needed.

Eventually a batt will go bad or get too tired to be effective. I will use it to make a power cord that will plug into a cigarette lighter so I can have a "corded" DC drill. Even an 18 volt drill does pretty good on 12 volts, just not full speed.

Patrick

 

[Wingnut]

I find the taping "fun since it is challenging to get it right ... right being a minimum of sanding to me .... but I must concur on sanding ... boring and creates a mess.