Marshall Town Plastering Trowel

ahll

Hi,
I am not sure if this should be here or in the DIY section but here goes anyway. I have just started a plastering course and have been recommended to get a 14 inch Marshall Town Plastering Trowel. I have been to my local building merchant but they dont have one.

Can anyone recommend the best and most cost effective place to buy one ?

weekendwarrior

Marshaltown are never cheap-

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=54589&ts=46923

I just use one of the £5 cheap trowels myself

uncle_buck_3

I’ve seen Marshall Town Plastering Trowels in B&Q warehouse ….they were in the part where they sell all of the plaster & plaster boards etc.

plumb1_2

Good selection here

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/HandTools/Trowels/d10/sd2816

andrewmoorcroft

Ebay! You can get them cheap at STAX if you have a way of getting a trade account or know a tradesman who has. If you know a retailer that has an account they can get 20% off.

ahll

wow there seems to be lots of choice at toolstation which one wud anyone recommend ?

uncle_buck_3

If you’re determined to go for a Marshalltown I suppose the one to have is the Stainless Pre Worn Trowel.

Traditionally Plasterers used to give a new trowel to the brickies that were doing rendering to break it in for them!

ahll

Well I have only been asking about Marshall Town because that is the one the guy teaching the course has told us to get. Being a complete novice in this area I dont know any better nor do I have a lot of time to get one

I dont know anyone in the Trade to be able to use STAX or another recommentation.

I find when I use the basic one they have at the college no matter what I do they leave 2 lines in the plaster work.

uncle_buck_3

I’m not a Plasterer so I can only speak from my “learnt” experience!
I find that a trowel is better when it has a bit of flexibility in it, its no good if it is very rigid.
Whenever I have had a new trowel I have slightly eased the corners of the blade up a little….you have to be careful when doing this not to overdo it or you will bend the corner & crease the trowel surface! The end result is that when you put the trowel down on a flat surface you can just see that the corners are just off the surface…if you understand.
I also have a trowel that I have left flat for getting into internal corners & the like where you need the blade to be flat.
I normally also “feather” the edges of the blade by scraping the trowel edges along a smooth concrete surface (paving stone) at about a 30 degree angle …this is to take the square edges off the blade….as if it has been use.
What ever trowel you end up with you will get used to it & you will probably end up with a few trowels of different sizes & shapes.
I only ever use cheapish trowels as I only plaster now & then when doing work in my house.
I have seen decent trowels in Wickes that have a rubber type handle.…I think they were about £8.

plumb1_2

Imo go 4 the Stainless Pre Worn Trowel.

ian&ruth67

Try using a Ragni stainless steel trowel, thats what I use everyday cost about £15 from B&Q, although they will need to be worn in first,

What you need to do is go along and choose your own pre worn trowel from buliders merchant etc and just pick up a few and hold them 'cos they will feel different, and you will know what the right one feels like 'cos it will be comfortable to hold and will just feel right,

IMO marshall town are expensive and not that much better than the rest, its only when you start using Spear & Jackson TYZAC will you need to spend some money cos they are the Rolls Royce of the trowel world

Hope thiswill help