If you ever wondered if it really can be worth spending the best part of
32 quid on a plastering trowel, I can now reveal the answer...

I skimmed an under stair ceiling (plus two rather tricky organic curvy
bits on the under side of two quarter winders), another ceiling (over
dodgy artex), and a couple of walls today. I managed to convince a
friend it really would be good fun to come and knock up for me ;-) He
brought with him a rather nice toy for me to play with:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...54589&ts=34811

I recall being impressed upon seeing it before (having ordered it for
him) but never having actually used it, could not say for certain if it
was much better at the job than the bog standard Wickes one I had been
using. Now I can, and it is *so* much better it made even my rough
efforts at skimming look almost ok! Long enough to get a good flat
surface. The shaped blade ensures no tell tale marks from the corners of
the trowel (without having top spend weeks wearing the blade in). When
doing large flat areas it makes polishing up very quick and easy. The
stainless steel construction is also light to handle, slips over the
plaster surface very easily, and is easy to clean after use. So all in
all I liked it so much I have now kidnapped it for a couple of days ;-)



--
Cheers,

John.

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John Rumm wrote in message
...
If you ever wondered if it really can be worth spending the best part of
32 quid on a plastering trowel, I can now reveal the answer...
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...54589&ts=34811

Odd its says for professional use, I cant think of any professional that
would use a banana shaped trowel for finish plastering, let alone paying
over 30 squid for one that's supposedly worn in, when a 30sec rub with a
brick achieves the same effect.
YMMV
P.S most pound shops also sell bent trowels for novices.

Mark wrote:

Odd its says for professional use, I cant think of any professional that
would use a banana shaped trowel for finish plastering, let alone paying
over 30 squid for one that's supposedly worn in, when a 30sec rub with a
brick achieves the same effect.

Most "pros" I have seen will usually lend a new trowel to a renderer for
a fortnight to break it it. It is not just a case of getting the shape
right (which with enough use, it will inevitibly acquire even if you
don't want it to), but also the right amount of spring in the steel.

P.S most pound shops also sell bent trowels for novices.

Perhaps you should buy yourself one?

Personally I think I will carry on with this one thanks. Having used one
of wicks' finest trowels for long enough that it acquired the shape and
beveled edges of the mashaltown one, it still does not achieve anything
like the same results or ease of use. It is also smaller and much
heavier, and not being stainless does not leave such a good finish,
clean up as well, and rusts when left unused for any period of time.


--
Cheers,

John.

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"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
Mark wrote:

Odd its says for professional use, I cant think of any professional that
would use a banana shaped trowel for finish plastering, let alone paying
over 30 squid for one that's supposedly worn in, when a 30sec rub with a
brick achieves the same effect.

Most "pros" I have seen will usually lend a new trowel to a renderer for
a fortnight to break it it. It is not just a case of getting the shape
right (which with enough use, it will inevitibly acquire even if you
don't want it to), but also the right amount of spring in the steel.

P.S most pound shops also sell bent trowels for novices.

Perhaps you should buy yourself one?

Personally I think I will carry on with this one thanks. Having used one
of wicks' finest trowels for long enough that it acquired the shape and
beveled edges of the mashaltown one, it still does not achieve anything
like the same results or ease of use. It is also smaller and much
heavier, and not being stainless does not leave such a good finish,
clean up as well, and rusts when left unused for any period of time.


Ee Lad. You can shave with the edge of that float trowel. :-)

In article ,
John Rumm writes:
The shaped blade ensures no tell tale marks from the corners of
the trowel (without having top spend weeks wearing the blade in).

In which direction is the blade curved?
Is it like a section cut from a cylinder with axis parallel to
the handle (which would be fine as the edges are still straight),
or is it like a section cut from a sphere (which sounds like a
disaster as the edges will be curved)?

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,
John Rumm writes:

The shaped blade ensures no tell tale marks from the corners of
the trowel (without having top spend weeks wearing the blade in).


In which direction is the blade curved?
Is it like a section cut from a cylinder with axis parallel to
the handle (which would be fine as the edges are still straight),

Yes mostly this, the ridgid ali backplace keeps it striaght along most
of the length of the blade. There is then a little curvature up at the
corners which keeps the points from marking the surface... it is quite
subtle though. The edges also come pre ground.

or is it like a section cut from a sphere (which sounds like a
disaster as the edges will be curved)?

It is basically the same shape any trowel will be after a couple of
weeks of use.


--
Cheers,

John.

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John Rumm wrote in

Most "pros" I have seen will usually lend a new trowel to a renderer for
a fortnight to break it it.

?
Well since plasterers normally do both jobs I assume this is something else
you heard on usenet.

To achieve a decent polish on plaster you need a flat straight trowel with
just the right amount of springiness, a bent piece of stainless steel is a
poor substitute whatever the cost, BTW that type of trowel was designed for
dry lining techniques not finish plastering.

P.S most pound shops also sell bent trowels for novices.

Perhaps you should buy yourself one?

Thanks but Ive got a couple I use for rendering, laying adhesive, bitumen,
or anything else a disposable tool needs to be used or were a rough finish
is acceptable.


Personally I think I will carry on with this one thanks.

That's fine if you are happy with the results and not prepared to invest
time acquiring the necessary skill to achieve a professional looking finish.

Mark wrote:

Well since plasterers normally do both jobs I assume this is something else
you heard on usenet.

IME, some are, some aren't. I spoke to one who was "just" a plasterer -
and would not bother with even internal rendering jobs. I also know a
couple who as you say do both. A few strategic questions did manage to
elicit some info from them. They always use SS trowels for finish work
(which to be honest I ignored to start with!), and they do tend to break
them in for a bit on rendering jobs first.

To achieve a decent polish on plaster you need a flat straight trowel with
just the right amount of springiness, a bent piece of stainless steel is a
poor substitute whatever the cost,

Perhaps you should look more closely at one - "bent" is not a word that
reflects the construction. It is mostly straight along the long axis
with a slight flair toward the corners. My so called "straight" trowel
has acquired the same profile after enough use anyway.

BTW that type of trowel was designed for
dry lining techniques not finish plastering.

If you look at the mashaltown catalogue you will see they actually have
a distinct range of tools for dry lining work.

Personally I think I will carry on with this one thanks.


That's fine if you are happy with the results and not prepared to invest
time acquiring the necessary skill to achieve a professional looking finish.

Happy with the results?, yes I suppose they are "good enough" - I have
certainly seen better work turned out by "pros", but I have also seen
worse. I have no desire to make a career out of plastering though!


--
Cheers,

John.

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\================================================= ================/

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 01:50:14 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:



IME, some are, some aren't. I spoke to one who was "just" a plasterer -
and would not bother with even internal rendering jobs.

Isn't internal rendering the definition of plastering?


I also know a
couple who as you say do both. A few strategic questions did manage to
elicit some info from them. They always use SS trowels for finish work
(which to be honest I ignored to start with!), and they do tend to break
them in for a bit on rendering jobs first.

Happy with the results?, yes I suppose they are "good enough" - I have
certainly seen better work turned out by "pros", but I have also seen
worse. I have no desire to make a career out of plastering though!

If you have all thoes plastering friends and you are merely "good
enough" why not get them to plaster for you. My problem is I dont have
any so had to learn 4 myself.

madmax wrote:

IME, some are, some aren't. I spoke to one who was "just" a plasterer -
and would not bother with even internal rendering jobs.


Isn't internal rendering the definition of plastering?

Would you prefer, "would not work with sand/cement - only gypsum"...


Happy with the results?, yes I suppose they are "good enough" - I have
certainly seen better work turned out by "pros", but I have also seen
worse. I have no desire to make a career out of plastering though!


If you have all thoes plastering friends and you are merely "good
enough" why not get them to plaster for you.

Alas, not plastering "friends", but plasterers asked for quotes etc.
(one was a friend of a friend, but not sure if that counts!)

My problem is I dont have
any so had to learn 4 myself.

When it came to technique, so did I... the few tips I got on tools etc
helped though, hence why I was passing them on.


--
Cheers,

John.

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John Rumm wrote in

When it came to technique, so did I... the few tips I got on tools etc
helped though, hence why I was passing them on.


Appears I owe you or your trowel an erratum


I went into my tool merchant last week and he had your mega-buck trowel on
display.
But these ones weren't bent like a bow along the complete length, only at
the edge tips.
Looks like the ones I first saw in B&Q must have been dry lining trowels
either incorrectly displayed or delivered by Marshalltown.
I still don't like them though

Mark wrote:

Appears I owe you or your trowel an erratum

Alas not mine, I have finshed the plastering and had to give it back ;-(

I went into my tool merchant last week and he had your mega-buck trowel on
display.
But these ones weren't bent like a bow along the complete length, only at
the edge tips.

Yup, that is what I was trying to describe!

Looks like the ones I first saw in B&Q must have been dry lining trowels
either incorrectly displayed or delivered by Marshalltown.

I still don't like them though

Fairy snuff! ;-)

Not being a real plasterer, I found it much eaiser to get absolutely
line free results when polishing up. Something I could not seem to
manage all the time with my own trowel even though it had acquired much
the same shape with use. Perhaps a bit more rubbing on a brick will help ;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

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