He likes the bucket mud (green top) and tape for first two coats and the the blue top plus 3 for final coat(s).
I like the dry mix (hot mud) easy sand with mesh tape. And dry mix easy sand for all coats.
He has a point that the bucket mud is workable longer and you aren't racing the set time. Also mixing small batches of dry mix AND cleaning in between is very time consuming.
His was IS the way most tapers do it.
I like the dry mix because you can do more in one day. By the same token, often times the day runs out before you can re coat any way. There have been times i scrambled around to apply fast set and run ouf day and have to leave it over night anyway. So there's that.
My biggest contention is the dry mix stuff is more durable. I've seen pros say you can even skip tape in some applications when using the hot mud.
From my experience: you can do hot mud with either paper tape or mesh but the bucket mud REQUIRES paper tape. I tried bucket mud with mesh in my own house and got hairline cracks and had to dig them out and fill with hot mud. Also, if you use hot mud and tape you have to be quick. You don't want stiff mud under tape as you will get a lump.
The hot mud does shrink though. The faster setting stuff sets before it shrinks but the 90 and 45 minute shrinks.
I think, for me going forward, it will be hot mud and mesh for first two coats and Plus 3 tinted yellow pre-mixed box mud for final coat. The final coat is so thin it dries quick any way so fast setting is not really necessary. The first two coats of hot mud on day one and final thin pre-mixed on day two. Even the hot mud has to dry the water out after it sets before you can paint (unless you are doing a small job you can apply heat to) so there is going to be at least another day.
That premixed Plus 3 tinted in the cardboard box is really nice to work. It's really creamy. The tint is a nice feature when you sand so you can see where you are going.
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