Hi all , thinking of trying one out , just for mainly flattening ceilings ( i dont use stilts ) so thinking of using a ss on a pole to save the ole knees keep getting up and down lol . I have looked into it a little bit , but not sure what the difference is on the metal , plastic , flex and plastic flex blades are ? So if anyone can advice or if there is a better make or product out there , that would be great thanks C .
If you want to see all 3 versions being used, then one example would be this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmHiDeDtOeU
He catches a lot of flak, here on TPF, but, overall, I think the guy means well.
Anyway, it's not about him, it's about the speedskims, so watch it or don't, as you see fit.
The ST doesn't leave as smooth a finish as the SF. The ST is (mostly) just for getting your wet plaster level.
The SF steel blade leaves a cleaner finish, but it is a bit more flexible than the ST blade.
The plastic flex (which I haven't used) seems to be aimed just at putting a quick eggshell finish on a large area, at the end of a set.
For me, the single biggest advantage of using a speedskim (or any spat) is getting an overall level coat of plaster, on large areas, which can then be worked and finished with a trowel. Therefore, my take on it is that if you're only going to get one speedskim, then I agree with Chrispy - blue plastic ST blade, for levelling wet plaster, and then trowel the remaining stages. 900 or 1200.
