Threads gone a bit of topic. Wear goggles when you do your ceiling Andy! I had my eye dyed green once...
Your all squabbling over nothing. As said Blue-Grit it, or as all the pros are now using, sbr, water, with a few handfuls of K-Rend. Cheapest mix and covers all angles.
Surprising isn't it! The mixing up, weight of the hawk with plaster on. Wait until you do a ceiling and your arms are aching like **** after the first coat and you have to mix and get another coat on! Getting better?
Not really in an improvement in the plastering, but finding a better routine for preparing, mixing and cleaning etc. The ceiling is going to be a killer I'm sure. Still, even thought the results are pretty mixed, it's very satisfying. Night off tonight though - few beers in order methinks.
Have a few beers while your skimming the ceiling! It might improve your plastering, or at least take the pain away
Here's the weird thing - I preferred doing ceilings to walls... . Provided you have a low, wide surface to work from. You don't want a long arm stretch, or your face pressed against the ceiling. If you can reach to skim the ceiling with your elbow crooked at just under 90o, it shouldn't be too bad. But, get that lowish working platform sorted first - or you will regret it.
remove the loose stuff leave the rest, pva the wall (3:1 waterva) then mix the plaster like chocolate and skim it, will be fine