Sorry to not have more posted today, but silly old work has a way of doing that. BUT, sometimes, visitors come by in dire need of information, of help and assistance in areas where few have the straight answers. Such as the nice person who just dropped by looking for information on the secret to mudding and taping drywall properly.

Indeed, it is an arcane and mysterious craft, and the information has been handed down through generations of artisans. You probably don't realize this, but many of our Founding Fathers were Plasterers, a secret guild even more secretive than the Masons (but not nearly so drunk as the Painters, although their name did become synonymous with being drunk, i.e., plastered.)

From time immemorial, royal plasterers have honed their skills and taught legions of acolytes the honored rites such as The Smoke Break and Lunch. Even Shakespeare immortalized these men in his never-published play, The Plasterer of Barcelona:

[...]

GUILLERMO: What, ho!
PHILIPPE: Thy trowelle dothe betraye ye, simple smiter of lime!
GUILLERMO: Knave! And not a simple knave, but yet a foole knave of uncouthe aires!
GISELLE: Stay thy hande upon thy trowelle, fairest Guillermo! The churl who mockest thee and the snow of limedust uponst thy proude browwe canst not of expectation know of thy power and slaking box!

Offstage right: WE COME NOW! UPON DOZENS OF MOUNTS!! [sounds of hooves]

ROGER: Away!
PHILIPPE: Thou may'st away, but not I--this blackguard hast a wall to slather with his quicklime and my golde.
GUILLERMO: Thy golde perish with thee!
PATSY: NAY!
PHILIPPE: 'Tis on then!

[...]

Act I, Scene II, Lines 48-56 The Plasterer of Barcelona (c. 1597-8, unpublished), William Shakespeare

Such power and force!

In any event, to the question at hand--first secret in any building project is to purchase the Possumblog Guide to Home Repair, available in the bookstore for only $99.95 (Vol. One "A - Ampere").

Second secret, grab a telephone book and call at least three licensed drywall contractors to give you a contract price. Make sure they are bonded and insured, and that after you decide on one to use, that you use a written contract which spells out the scope of work, the time for completion, how payments are to be handled, and liquidated damages for nonperformance.

Third, after signing the contract, move away for several weeks and live with friends or in a hotel.

There now, hope that helps.
posted by Terry at 1:16:00 PM