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About two weeks of four hour days. Perfected my approach about half way through so had to redo it. Feels Good Man

Approach currently is -

Tape it. Then put a light coat of 20 minute mud over just the tape. Re-expose just the corners of the tape. When the 20 minute spackle dries, sand it down to just above the tape. Use the exposed tape corners to know how far it is currently off.

Now use a 12” trowel to taper off the tape (or 8” for corners) and 45 minute mud. The dried spackle over the tape will provide a perfect guide for the trowel to make a perfect ultra low profile taper.

After this do a flattening pass with a 12” normal blade in the direction perpendicular. This is an on off pass which serves to flatten in the other x or y direction and provide a smooth covering. Done with normal bucket mud.

After this spot fix streaks and holes with bucket mud and a 4” blade.

After this it should be flat and smooth already. Two even passes with a sanding sponge with the purpose of smoothing not shaping.

About two weeks of four hour days. Perfected my approach about half way through so had to redo it. Feels Good Man Approach currently is - Tape it. Then put a light coat of 20 minute mud over just the tape. Re-expose just the corners of the tape. When the 20 minute spackle dries, sand it down to *just* above the tape. Use the exposed tape corners to know how far it is currently off. Now use a 12” trowel to taper off the tape (or 8” for corners) and 45 minute mud. The dried spackle over the tape will provide a perfect guide for the trowel to make a perfect ultra low profile taper. After this do a flattening pass with a 12” normal blade in the direction perpendicular. This is an on off pass which serves to flatten in the other x or y direction and provide a smooth covering. Done with normal bucket mud. After this spot fix streaks and holes with bucket mud and a 4” blade. After this it should be flat and smooth already. Two even passes with a sanding sponge with the purpose of smoothing not shaping.

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[–] • 0 pt

5, 20, or 45 mud should never be used to set tape, it says so right on the bag. If you can get away with it, great, but I use greentop or Plus 3. Nice and slow. Set up fans, second coat the next day. I always tell customers I won't do the job fast, but it WILL be done correctly.

As for orbital sander....I don't even know what to say to that. Heavy, loud, scattering dust everywhere, over-sanding...not what I would do, but hey, have a blast.

[–] • 0 pt

We do it all the time. We typically have to work within a 4-6 hour window.

Try the orbital sander out. You can hook up the collector directly to a vac. Set it about mid speed and move quick. It saves a lot of time and effort.

[–] • 0 pt

There is no way I am using a (relatively) heavy power tool with a vacuum hose dangling from it, as opposed to a light little hand sander with mesh paper. I charge by the hour anyway, saving time is not an issue with me. I spackle three coats, the final is so smooth a lot of sanding isn't even needed anyway.

As for using fast-setting plaster for tape...sure, some things can be done sometimes, esp. small areas, but I tell my clients 'you gotta be patient, this isn't a race'. I don't wanna get a call days or weeks later sayin the tape has started peeling...it says right on the bag 'do not use for setting tape or corner beads'. But if it works for you..?