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View Full Version : Fix It All aka Fix All (basically Joint compound with some additives.



Paul Cofrancesco
11-22-2014, 1:06 AM
Just wondering if anyone uses this product and your thoughts and suggestions for mixing, thickness, clean up etc.

I just started experimenting with it and it reminds me of Fast Set Lite joint compound with fast dry times. I find the working time of 10 minutes for Fix It All to be too short. It results in rushed work more sanding to smooth things out and small batches to avoid waste. I also had to rush to the cleaning area as the stuff starts to kick off and set.

I even tried tinting it with Latex paint to reduce the chance of a scratch revealing the white powder where the repair was made. Also, clean up is a pain. My favorite in the fast set lite 20 or 40 (20 / 40 min setting time). I heard some people tint repair areas with Chalk line Powder.

Thoughts, ideas, experiences?

Tom M King
11-22-2014, 9:16 AM
On plaster, or sheetrock?

Brian Ashton
11-22-2014, 4:08 PM
really depends on what you're using it on. I wouldn't be adding latex paint to it unless I wanted it to fail later on - I'd say they're two very dissimilar compounds that don't play well together. One cures fast and very rigid and the other dries slow and soft.

Tom Stenzel
11-22-2014, 6:14 PM
I hadn't heard of it so I looked up the MSDS. It has calcium carbonate and sand in it. In other words lime plaster. Sounds like yet another name for the various water putties (well, that's what they called the stuff in the late 1950's Workbench magazines I have) that have been around forever.

I've used similar for patching up various drywall catastrophes and calamities. Great for patching, tough to sand!

-Tom

Mike Hollingsworth
11-22-2014, 7:00 PM
I use it to fill a deep hole, leave it a little shy for drywall mud. Dries real fast, but t's tough to sand.

Bill Orbine
11-22-2014, 7:34 PM
Sounds similar to Durabond made by USG. USG also produces the light weight version (but not called Durabond) and it's much easier to sand. Finally, there's different ratings base on time to set such as Durabond 90 or Durabond 45 and so on and there a similar system for the lightweight version.

Jerome Stanek
11-23-2014, 8:07 AM
We like easy sand for that

Paul Cofrancesco
12-01-2014, 12:28 AM
On plaster, or sheetrock?

Sorry for the delay. I didn't get an email and didn't know anyone replied.

Neither. I've been using it to fill some knots and inperfections in framing lumber that I made a small DIY staircase out of. I also applied it to a door made out of scraps of OSB for a work shed. I applied it as an experiment to the outside of the door to "erase" the texture of the wood chips. I bough a damaged bag with tape on it at Home Depot and requested 1/2 off due the condition then transferred it to a 5 gallon bucket. Now I'm kind of looking for an excuse to reduce the amount on hand because 14 lbs is a lot for around the house projects.

Paul Cofrancesco
12-01-2014, 12:31 AM
really depends on what you're using it on.....

I agree. I was just experimenting. It seemed to bond ok but I kind of realized there isn't much point, just paint over it. Maybe a powder like line chalk or other powder would be a better tint choice.

Final thoughts....
It firms up / kicks-off after about 10min however, it isn't ready for dry sanding for probably another 10 or 40 min depending on thickness. Too hard to work with it but still too soft to dry sand.

To reduce sanding after applying it I dampen the surface slightly or the joint compound knife and still work / smooth the surface. Could use a spray bottle on mist or a damp cloth add a little moisten to temporarily soften the surface. I also experimented with a thick slurry which I applied with a brush. to fill various rough areas and small holes and voids.

301243 This was a big gouge that was over 1/2" deep. I smoothed with the abrasive side of a sponge. Basically, functional repairs or improvements to smooth the surface in my man cave vs impressing a customer with the proverbial "million dollar home". That fill was a the first coat.

Any tips / thoughts on clean up. This stuff is a white mess!

Paul Cofrancesco
12-01-2014, 12:34 AM
I use it to fill a deep hole, leave it a little shy for drywall mud. Dries real fast, but t's tough to sand.

Agree. Especially, when it is smoothed out. I did a little power sanding on the outside of the door and it clogged / neutralized / defeated the 3M 60 grit paper pretty quickly. Block sanding by hand to level a small high spot wasn't too bad. Also, I found wet sanding with a synthetic scrub pad works pretty well but if I had a whole room to sand like joint compound I would be one unhappy camper.

Paul Cofrancesco
12-01-2014, 12:41 AM
I hadn't heard of it so I looked up the MSDS. It has calcium carbonate and sand in it. In other words lime plaster. Sounds like yet another name for the various water putties (well, that's what they called the stuff in the late 1950's Workbench magazines I have) that have been around forever.

I've used similar for patching up various drywall catastrophes and calamities. Great for patching, tough to sand!

-Tom

Tough to sand sand lol. Thanks for the background and using the MSDS to expose the "secret sauce in the Fix-It-All recipe" . I suspected it was some kind of variation of fast set lite or any rapid set compound with some more chemical goodies thrown in.

Maybe you can add a chapter to this book: Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761169253/ref=gno_cart_title_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Thanks.

Paul Cofrancesco
12-01-2014, 12:44 AM
Sounds similar to Durabond made by USG. USG also produces the light weight version (but not called Durabond) and it's much easier to sand. Finally, there's different ratings base on time to set such as Durabond 90 or Durabond 45 and so on and there a similar system for the lightweight version.

Definitely, maybe comes out of the same factory and just gets a different brand label ;). As I said 20 or 40 min would be much better than 10 - 2 min mix time = 8 or less. Does HD sell Durabond? I think I have seen other USG products?

Bill Orbine
12-01-2014, 6:54 AM
Definitely, maybe comes out of the same factory and just gets a different brand label ;). As I said 20 or 40 min would be much better than 10 - 2 min mix time = 8 or less. Does HD sell Durabond? I think I have seen other USG products?

Yes. I usually see the 45 and the 90. Both in Durabond (green) and the Lightweight.