Finishing Boxes

It sounds like you’ve been doing a lot of work and the “O” Ring that is inside the 90T Filler Adapter is worn out. This “O” Ring holds the Filler Tube securely inside the Filler Adapter while you’re filling ATF tools with the 72TT loading pump. The good news is it’s easy to fix this issue! Simply remove the “O” Ring and replace it with a new one (part #709034). Be sure to thoroughly clean the area that this “O” ring is seated in to ensure proper installation.
No. The current TTCTAP and TTCFIN cases do not hold the MAXXBOX Extra High Capacity Finishing Boxes. They hold all other TapeTech finishing boxes and most finishing boxes from other brands of tools. We are developing a new case that will hold the MAXXBOX.
The blades on TapeTech Finishing Boxes (Flat, EasyClean® and Power Assist™), Corner Finishers and Nail Spotters are set to .005 inches (5/1000ths of an inch) above the skids or frames at the factory. You can use a simple feeler gauge to measure this precisely. In the field, your fingernail will also work as a good gauge. Depending on the age and condition of your tools and the various parts that work together to produce an edge-free finish, you may need to adjust your blades slightly higher than this factory this setting. You may also find that one side of the blade may need to be set differently than the other side due to the condition and wear of other parts. However, the blade should never be set less than .005 inches above the skids or frame.
Yes. There are three adjustments that can be set on the Power Assist™ arm that connects the spring to the radius plate of the TapeTech Power Assist™ Finishing Box. The Power Assist™ boxes are factory set on the second setting of the Power Assist™ arm. To increase spring pressure, move the spring up to the top of the arm. To decrease pressure, move the spring to the bottom setting of the arm.
To fill the TapeTech Power Assist™ Finishing Boxes with joint compound, pull the pressure plate out to the fully open position. The pressure plate will catch in the toothed prawl (#212088) and be held there. There is a lock (#212087) mounted on the right side of the pressure plate that will secure the tool in the fill position. The finishing box can now be loaded with joint compound using the filler adapter and the loading pump. Watch a video of loading compound into finishing boxes here.
Finishing butt joints in drywall is one of the most challenging parts of the overall drywall finishing process. There are a few different methods of finishing butt joints using automatic taping and finishing tools. Naturally, you will first tape the joint using the automatic taper (07TT, 04TT or 05TT). The technique for finishing the joint with the finishing box will depend on the size of the finishing boxes that you use. If you use a 7” (175mm) finishing box for the first (embedding) coat, run the finishing box down the center of the drywall butt joint with the crown adjustment set to zero (0). Then make an additional pass on both sides of this joint. After this joint compound dries, make another pass down either side of the taped and boxed joint, skipping the center of the butt joint. The joint is now embedded. For the finishing coat (2nd application) and skim coat (3rd application), you’ll repeat these same steps using a 10” (250mm) or 12” (300mm) finishing box, respectively, and setting the crown adjustment to 2 or 3. Again, first run down the center of the joint and then make a pass on either side. Allow the joint compound to dry and make a pass down both sides of the joint, skipping the center of the joint again. If you like to use a 10” (250mm) finishing box for the embedding coat, run the box on both sides of the taped butt joint with the crown adjustment set to zero (0). After the joint compound has dried, run the 10” (250mm) finishing box down the center of the taped joint; the drywall butt joint is now embedded. Repeat these same steps with the 12” (300mm) finishing box for the finishing coat and skim coat with the crown adjustment set to 2 or 3. Depending on the butt joint and the framing behind it, you may still need to do some wipe down with a joint knife when embedding and finishing butt joints with finishing boxes. Try to keep manual wipe down to a minimum to ensure a good finish. These techniques are the same whether you use TapeTech EasyClean™ boxes or Power Assist™ finishing boxes.
Here’s a trick from the Expert: When installing a replacement blade into the TapeTech Flat, EasyClean™ or Power Assist™ finishing boxes, (or any finishing boxes) if you pinch the blade between your thumb and fore finger about 2” from each end of the blade and bend it very slightly, the blade will seat more securely in the holder. To find the right replacement blades for your model of TapeTech finishing box, please reference the Schematics page for your box.
Since the continuous flow pump maintains a constant flow of joint compound, the continuous flow finishing boxes have a smaller profile and less capacity than the standard Flat Boxes because their primary purpose is simply to deliver the joint compound to the wall. These finishing boxes don't need to "store" compound the way standard finishing boxes do. This makes continuous flow finishing boxes lighter and easier to handle than standard ATF boxes.
Regardless of the size of the finishing box, it sounds like your wheels may need to be lubricated. Apply a small amount of Bazooka oil to the wheels as part of your regular cleaning and maintenance to ensure that the wheels are turning smoothly.
There are a lot of variables when finishing drywall, including how straight and flat the wall is, the quality of the drywall installation, the thickness of the wallboard and the associated recess of the tapered joint. Generally speaking, the crown for the finishing boxes is usually set at 0 or 1 for the first coat. This provides the maximum amount of crown and effectively fills in the joint. For the second application, or topping coat, set the crown to 3 or 4. This reduces the crown and fills in any remaining recesses from the first application. If you apply a third coat, such as in Level 5 finishes, set the crown to 5, the least amount of crown. This guideline works for TapeTech Flat, EasyClean® or Power Assist® finishing boxes.
There are many commercially available lubricant products on the market. Most are designed for specific uses. Our experience is that many lubricants can cause some of the rubber parts used in ATF tools to swell, making the tools operate less effectively. We recommend using Ames Bazooka Oil when lubricating your TapeTech Automatic Taping and Finishing Tools.