Finally figured out the tape and float trick that was killing my speed
I've been hanging board for about 4 years now, mostly doing basements and garages around Portland. Last week I was on a job with a guy who's been doing this since the 80s and he showed me something about pre-wetting my compound before taping. Sounds basic but I always just mixed it dry and went straight to work. He told me to add a splash of water and stir until it was like thick pancake batter, not the stiff paste I was using. Man, the tape laid down so much smoother, no bubbles or wrinkles, and I didn't have to go back over half my joints the next day. Cut my time on a 12x14 room by almost 2 hours, and I only had to do one coat of mud instead of the usual two. Has anyone else messed with their compound consistency that much or am I late to this party?