New plasterer. advice please

[NimbusII]

I am a 40 year old guy that is changing his career from Floor fitting to plastering due to dodgy knees. I have been on a course and have building contacts that are giving me easy plastering work to start me off, So far it`s going well as long as I dont bite off more than I can chew at once.. I know where my limitations are.

I have 11" Marshelltown trowel would you recommend a larger one and why apart from spead?

How can I slow the drying process of the plaster to allow me more time until I speed up?

Is it a good option to PVA ALL surfaces(to slow drying times) until I am quicker?

Respect to all plasteres.
And I thought flooring was a hard trade lol

[thedoctor]

Dont run before you can walk Nimbus. 11 inch is fine and until you do not need to ask about slowing the drying rate of plaster, its the right size for you. If you need more time, use top coat stop beads to divide the area into smaller chunks, using a bigger trowel will make you rush and your laying on will be uneven making drying time irrelevant as the surface of differing thicknesses will dry out at different rates anyway. PVA is OK on very pourous surfaces but once you have got the hang of laying on its a pain waiting for PVA'd surfaces to dry out for floating up. Plastering is as much about timning as anything else and using the correct techniques is infinately better than trying to cheat by holding the plaster back. Use your own trade as an example cos I'm betting it took a while for you to make your first 100% cut round a W.C. in a very small toilet! Keep plugging away but whatever made you think plastering was easier thyan floor laying !?

[NimbusII]

Thanks for your reply,
I didnt think it would be easier but now at 40 it seems so much harder to get a grasp on things. I seem to have a bit of luck as I have just met an experienced 40 YO plasterer thats going to show me the ropes while I labour for him...roll on the tennis elbow and carpel-tunnel syndrome..