Quickpoint mortar pointing gun best practice

[Groovejet]

Has any had experience with this gun?
What...if any benefkts will i get if i use lime based mortar? Or lime & cement,?
Or should i use cement & yellow sand?
Around here we also have Darlingtin soft sand. Its browner colour & drys nice. But a friend said he noticed the joint ckukd be rubbed with his finger & it was dusty crumbley??? Im nkt sure about that, as ive just pointed around a edge of house & i thought it was good

 

[Groovejet]

I straight away told my friend to mix a 4-1 mix, but he kept pushing 3-1. I said it shouldnt be stronger thsn the brickwork, but im just covering things on my side.
I dont like a 3-1 mix when it dries grey & unsightly

 

[DiyNutJob]

Lime makes the mortar more flexible and less likely to crack. If you fine-spray water on crumbly dried 3-1 mix, it will harden up.

 

[Groovejet]

Did a 3-1 mix today with plasticiser.
Auto gun helped but still a slow process.
A warm day today so we layed cloth over brickwork ,so it didnt dry fast. As i noticed a dry crappy grey drying colour.
We'll see tomorrow, and maybe do 4-1 mix instead.

 

[Mr Chibs]

I think 3:1 is too strong and will be on the grey side, lime can be used to lighten the colour, but I've only used once or twice, so don't know that much about it.

How soon did friend rub his finger over your joints... if it's next day, its still not at full strength.