Sponges, spats,plazis and speed skims

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Jmcl101

Jmcl101

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I have bought all of the above, used them for a bit and come to the decision that for skimming nothing is as good as a plain old marshalltown... I always go back to the same way I learnt as an apprentice, 2 coats, flatten in and polish!

Is it just me ? I see loads of boys work which is decent, but the 2 best I've ever seen only use a steel trowel.. I also thing sponge floats are great, IF you're not a great spread and take to long to get over it...

I'd only consider using a spat/speed skim these days if it was a really big hit and I was stretched.. They're all over rated If you ask me. Thoughts ?
 
Each to their own it does'nt matter once the job is good.I've a Nela s*p*r*lex nearly two years now and it has it's place,but for finishing skimming I stand by my MT carbon trowel.
 
Got to be honest. I did a ceiling yday. only about 25m but it was 2.6 high and being a short arse just that bit awkward. Speedskim on a pole after 1st coat and again after second just made it that bit easier. Certainly don't know how Scott uses it to pretty much finish much though. Would love to see a vid of him doing a set

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I've been umming and erring about getting a speedskim recently. Like Steve said above, I like the idea of making flattening off easier. It's more money for a gamble that might not pay off though. I'm a tight fisted c**t...
 
If all the new tools like speed skim and eze spats and plazi trowels so on and so forth don't make make the make the job easier cleaner and better am I rite to think there just not being used rite ?
In tiling I have arguments with the old school guys about leveling systems they think they can achieve the same finish without using them yet when u see there work its nowhere near lip free
 
Pug said:
I've been umming and erring about getting a speedskim recently. Like Steve said above, I like the idea of making flattening off easier. It's more money for a gamble that might not pay off though. I'm a tight fisted c**t...
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i havent used an eze spat yet(one on its way though) and have never used a sponge on walls unless its been a bit of skim dried to quick but that is on very rare occasions. As for the speedskim, i think its a great bit of kit. It takes alot of fcuking about with trowel out and can be done in a few strokes with the speedskim. For all that they cost, well worth it IMO.
 
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Wouldn't be without my Speedskim for ceilings now, finish everything with carbon steel. Like Beddy says, I would love to see scotty 2bags in action
 
But everyone should realise that the skill in skimming is laying it on flat in the first place!!! Flattening down should be simple, even with a 12" trowel!
 
kylethetile said:
If all the new tools like speed skim and eze spats and plazi trowels so on and so forth don't make make the make the job easier cleaner and better am I rite to think there just not being used rite ?
In tiling I have arguments with the old school guys about leveling systems they think they can achieve the same finish without using them yet when u see there work its nowhere near lip free
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How do those systems work? Recently fitted and tiled a bathroom and just finishing off a kitchen at the moment. was having a butchers online at tools and stumbled across them

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Jmcl101 said:
But everyone should realise that the skill in skimming is laying it on flat in the first place!!! Flattening down should be simple, even with a 12" trowel!
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Your missing the point Jim, I was in the same train of thought as you until I bought one. It's impossible to get it as flat with a trowel as the speedskim does as early in the set. I.e. When it's just on.

Have you used one? On ceilings?


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Olican said:
Wouldn't be without my Speedskim for ceilings now, finish everything with carbon steel. Like Beddy says, I would love to see scotty 2bags in action
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Not use the super flex at all now olly?


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BigK said:
Your missing the point Jim, I was in the same train of thought as you until I bought one. It's impossible to get it as flat with a trowel as the speedskim does as early in the set. I.e. When it's just on.

Have you used one? On ceilings?


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Disagree. You can lay it on flat enough to not have to flatten it in at all before 2nd coating one of my ads lays it on so flat it looks like it's trowelled up already. And yes in my op I stated I own all of the mentioned products...

They are great if you struggle to get it on or lay it on flat in time, but not best way to get a top finish in my opinion... each to their own though obv just my 2 cents
 
Jmcl101 said:
Disagree. You can lay it on flat enough to not have to flatten it in at all before 2nd coating one of my ads lays it on so flat it looks like it's trowelled up already. And yes in my op I stated I own all of the mentioned products...

They are great if you struggle to get it on or lay it on flat in time, but not best way to get a top finish in my opinion... each to their own though obv just my 2 cents
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I don't flatten first coat either no need.

I'm with the post above


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beddy said:
How do those systems work? Recently fitted and tiled a bathroom and just finishing off a kitchen at the moment. was having a butchers online at tools and stumbled across them

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The flat bottom sits under the tile the the wedge pulls the 2 tiles into alignment personally I uses a 12mm square notch to trowel my adhesive and the also skim the back of the tile to ensure maximum contact and another little tip is say if ur doin a floor u lay 2 rows of tiles before u tighten the wedges up with the pliars and don't be a cheap ass and not buy the pliars there important to get a even preasure when driving the wedge home
 
U cnt beat 1800 speedskim to (flatten only)..its ok a guy putting a wall on like it hasn't been touched but how bigs the wall? Wen ur knocking out 70m2 sets speedskim makes it 10x easier and big k is rite speedskim flattens a wall better than manual hand..il dont touch my walls with any s*p*r*lex now till the end which is where its place shud be unless u want a ocean effect wall wen its been painted..got a eze but havnt really used as of yet..
 
beddy said:
How do those systems work? Recently fitted and tiled a bathroom and just finishing off a kitchen at the moment. was having a butchers online at tools and stumbled across them

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If ur gonna buy ur self some of these I recommend Ferramentaweb.com it's in Italy and takes around 5 days to arrive but for quality and price u can't beat them I bought 2000 2m 2000 3m and 500 wedges was about €190
 
Im guessing the spacers can't be reused but the wedges can?

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Agree with bigk, it's the fact that you can get straight on it with a speedskim. I flatten 2nd coat straight away with speedskim, then use s*p*r*lex with the water spray, then maybe another wet one with super and final dry trowel with speedskim. This final dry one with a speedskim is the best bit imo, quick and effortless, easy on the body. MT still in the van but haven't used it in about 18 months.
 
Got a small splash back to grout then it's all finished. Will get some decent pics when it's done so you can tell me where i went wrong lol

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I try and sty out of topps everything is to expensive all my tools come from Amazon or Ebay topps just can't touch them , the rubi manual cutters are great cutters upto a certain size when u get bigger them 600mm I like the sigma or even the montolit range and both montolit and sigma make a little ruber mat the sits on the machine bed to grip mosaics to make it easier to cut them when it comes to tools I'm pretty obsessed every spare penny gets spent on them haha
 
Squarehead said:
Agree with bigk, it's the fact that you can get straight on it with a speedskim. I flatten 2nd coat straight away with speedskim, then use s*p*r*lex with the water spray, then maybe another wet one with super and final dry trowel with speedskim. This final dry one with a speedskim is the best bit imo, quick and effortless, easy on the body. MT still in the van but haven't used it in about 18 months.
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We used to do it that way until we seen wat it looks like wen its had a miscoat of paint and a light shines againt it..we speedskim flatten twice,1 trowel with mt then finish with a nela wen its gone
 
BigK said:
Not use the super flex at all now olly?


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After using Beddys technique of sharpening waterstones on my carbon steels I don't think there is anything better (for me anyway) I did get the s*p*r*lex out the other day and used it on final pass, it is a cracking trowel I just have more faith in my carbons
 
Kitchy said:
We used to do it that way until we seen wat it looks like wen its had a miscoat of paint and a light shines againt it..we speedskim flatten twice,1 trowel with mt then finish with a nela wen its gone
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Never used speedskim as a polish tho wudnt it have drag lines etc?
 
Olican said:
After using Beddys technique of sharpening waterstones on my carbon steels I don't think there is anything better (for me anyway) I did get the s*p*r*lex out the other day and used it on final pass, it is a cracking trowel I just have more faith in my carbons
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Sharpen it like u sharpen a chisle or planer blade ?
 
Olican said:
After using Beddys technique of sharpening waterstones on my carbon steels I don't think there is anything better (for me anyway) I did get the s*p*r*lex out the other day and used it on final pass, it is a cracking trowel I just have more faith in my carbons
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U cnt beat the mt fact..i was swaying twards s*p*r*lex until I seen the finished product,there's a place for s*p*r*lex but only on final trowel
 
beddy said:
Got a small splash back to grout then it's all finished. Will get some decent pics when it's done so you can tell me where i went wrong lol

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I've heard ur the man to ask when it comes to waterstones and trowles did u have a thread on the subject?
 
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