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The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Adhesive Tape (hackaday.com)
szczys writes: You take tape for granted, but it's truly an engineering wonder. For instance, Scotch Magic tape exhibits triboluminescence; it will generate a bit of bluish light when coming off the roll in a darkened room. It emits X-Rays if unrolled in a vacuum. But this common tape is just the tip of the iceberg. Nava Whiteford looks at lab uses of many different types of tape. Kapton tape is thermally stable and non-conductive. Carbon tape is conductive but resistive. That moves into the non-resistive and more niche tape types. There's a tape for every function. This instant and non-messy way to connect two things together has a lot of science behind it, as well as ahead of it in experimentation, manufacturing, and of course household use.
Duct tape is like the Force - there is a dark side and a light side, and it holds the universe together.
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
Forget about tape! How many length of wire do you have?
Well, the problem with duck(*) tape is you can't ever remove the adhesive.
It leaves a sticky gooey mess which pretty much can't be removed. It's got its uses, but not anywhere it ever has to come off.
(*) The original tape was duck tape, and used for waterproofing ammo boxes ... it's not meant to be used for ducts, and it's a terrible application for it, or so I've been told by people who install furnaces. Not sure why it morphed into duct tape.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Grow corn and have a few water purifiers in your settlement and you can get as much tape as you need. You're welcome.
The Red Green Show proved it. He used duct tape to turn a van into a convertible, to turn a bus into a hovercraft (blimp), and all sorts of other things. Now if only there was a handy tape for duct work...
Duct tape!
One is reminded of the famous quip:
Duct tape is like the Force - It has two sides, and it holds the universe together. The only difference is that "May the Force be with you" sounds a lot better than "May you be covered in duct tape."
That being said, I prefer book tape for many non-mechanical household uses. Modern duct tape doesn't seem to be stable over long periods of time but book tape, which is used for repair and reinforcement of books in libraries, is specifically designed for wear resistance and to remain flexible.
Slow news day.
The United States are held together by our constitution.
Japan is held together with double sided tape. Literally!!
And that is why there is e.g. Gorrila tape.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
The original tape was duck tape, and used for waterproofing ammo boxes ... it's not meant to be used for ducts, and it's a terrible application for it, or so I've been told by people who install furnaces. Not sure why it morphed into duct tape.
It dries up and falls apart over time. It's not heat resistant and is flammable.
There is a metal foil tape that is used to seal ducts.
Luckily, with tato, mutfruit, corn and clean water you can mix your own.
Well, the problem with duck(*) tape is you can't ever remove the adhesive.
It leaves a sticky gooey mess which pretty much can't be removed. It's got its uses, but not anywhere it ever has to come off.
That's what gaffer's tape is for. Second most handy type of tape behind duct tape.
(*) The original tape was duck tape, and used for waterproofing ammo boxes ... it's not meant to be used for ducts, and it's a terrible application for it, or so I've been told by people who install furnaces. Not sure why it morphed into duct tape.
Wikipedia has the etymology and also notes that specialized HVAC duct tape is available for use for sealing HVAC systems.
It kind of works short term, but I find that (somewhat paradoxically) that the tape itself crumbles, dries out and degrades but the adhesive mess stays behind.
3M makes a vinyl "duck" tape that seems to be stronger than the kind of plastic-covered cloth, but I haven't used enough of it to know if it has the same longer term problems as traditional duck tape. Adhesive wise maybe, but the single layer of vinyl may not crap out like duck tape.
Probably one problem with "duck" tape is that it's so widespread that most people's experience with it is with shitty, generic knockoffs which have the worst qualities.
For ducts, I've always used aluminum tape. Seals well and doesn't dry out and degrade.
I'd kind of like a vinyl tape with a silicone adhesive that would vulcanize quickly. Cured silicone is pretty easy to remove from smooth surfaces. I've been using 100% silicone caulk with misc. fabrics (mostly cut pieces of tarp) as a means of patching and reinforcing tarps and outdoor coverings. It makes for a strong patch and the silicone seems totally weatherproof, even when exposed to all-day UV and Minnesota winters.
It has always been called Duct tape, "DUCK Tape" is a brand of Duct Tape. DUCK Tape even calls this own product Duct Tape.
And yes Duct Tape is not good for HVAC it drys out over time, foil tape should be used.
One special quality of Duck Tape I learned about recently is its ability to be vulcanized. Several surfers I know expose the glued side to an open flame (such as the one from a cigarette lighter) before applying it, and it would hold on to whatever you stick it, even under water. You could even enhance its stickyness by applying more heat once you taped it.
Reading this article, dammit.
In materials science, you learn that surfaces have an energy, and getting all these various materials to stick to other materials like Kapton is quite an achievement.
We can rest easy that the people who come up with this toil in obscurity...
Thank you! This is news for nerds and some good stuff.
3M figured out how to make a force field.
http://amasci.com/weird/unusua...
And that is why there is e.g. Gorrila tape.
No one has ever won a Nobel Prize with either duct tape or Gorilla Tape.
I recently tried gaffer's tape in making valves for a harmonica. Worked pretty well. The small rectangular piece of tape is sits over a rectangular hole in the reed plate. The tape is attached to the brass plate at one end. When you blow the harmonica, air travels up thru the slot, lifting the tape (valve) so that air passes thru. But then you draw (suck air) the tape clamps down, blocking the air flow, forcing all the air thru the opposing draw reed. Which gives a different sound, and allows the pitch bending of notes not normally bendable.
Which ones cause more cancer than the others?
Something that generic is almost bound to have multiple varieties, all with amazing uses.
It's kind of like being surprised at how many different and powerful types of mammals there are, or how many different types of internal combustion engines. Did you know there is an internal combustion engine designed to FLY? An another one to run a submarine?
Wow, that's so impressive.
Now, if we were talking something more specific, such as cyanoacrylate based adhesives, that would have no where near as many different properties.
excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
How do you stick something to Teflon? One industrial method is to treat it with a harsh acid that carbonizes the surface. You can glue to that.
Mod parent up!
Mod parent up!
Yes, it was originally a tape used to seal ammo boxes. It was called "duck tape" because when wet, it shed water like a duck.
It morphed into "duct tape" more as the classical game of telephone - someone mis-hears it and thought it was called duct tape. Both terms actually apply to the tape, though "duck tape" is actually more accurate since it's bad at ductwork and there are much better adhesive tape for sealing ducts.
Do you can pretty much blame duck/duct on pronunciation and hearing.
So, I have blue tape on my walls in the locations that i expect to put up some pictures. I've already moved them twice, so i saved some holes in the wall.
Before i put in an ikea wardrobe, we didn't know if it would fit the room. I had a blue tape outline on the wall, didn't help as much as i wanted. I made a blue tape wireframe, and we felt it matched the room. We then did the same for another wardrobe in the den - a blue tape wireframe.
It was called "duck tape" because when wet, it shed water like a duck.
Well, that beats my theory that it was originally used when you needed to get all your ducks in a row.
Don't need me no specialty tapes.
Which means you don't actually work with tape very much if you actually believe that. Duct tape and WD-40 are probably the most overused and routinely misapplied products ever made. They're fine for some applications but people use them all the time for tasks they aren't designed for and their performance in these tasks is predictably shitty.
Instead of vinyl tape with silicone adhesive, try this:
http://www.uline.com/BL_6420/G...
It is PET, the same plastic as a 2L soda bottle, and the adhesive is silicone based. I have found it impossible to tear, easy to cut, and it has much better adhesive strength than kapton tape.
The word tape means strip of something that is sticky on one side.
Umm, you do know that there is such a thing as double sided tape, right? You do know that there is tape that is not sticky, right?
Yes, but nobody has ever bound a grown man to a chair with Scotch tape.
Duct mastic is still preferred over any tape, when possible.
Mod parent up! He's got a point.
Makes it a bitch to keep a hat on.
...except for one thing. Duct tape does not work well on ducts!
Seconded. Holds better and longer by far than any duck tape I've ever used, yet comes off easier. Since the day my friend alerted me to its existence, it's my 'duct tape' of choice.
Momentarily, the need for the construction of new light will no longer exist.
No, it's called Duck Tape because the original manufacturer used a particular grade of sailcloth (canvas) referred to as Duck Cloth.
You could look it up.
https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
I use an adhesive remover called Goof Off. I haven't tried it on duct tape but it rarely fails on even the stickiest of adhesives and requires almost no effort to wipe off. However, it does have a very strong odor and should only be used in well-ventilated areas.
Was thinking the same thing. One of the items that as I am poking around the wasteland that gets picked up more often than not is duct tape, packages or duct tape, and military grade duct tape!
One of the other posters is right though, aluminum cans and the like are your friend also.
Lastly one of the things that I didn't really collect a lot of, then starting to run out of very quickly was copper. It is used a lot in community building if you do that. Fuses, light bulbs, and other electric type things come in handy then.
But when I sees the duct tape, it goes in the pocket just the same... Beds cost cloth also.
Also just watched the movie "The Martian" recently, and duct tape takes a staring role in the film as well fixing everything from face shields, to habitats.
Duct mastic is still preferred over any tape, when possible.
If you're assembling new duct work or have the luxury to dismantle old duct work. For my old ducts, many of which are in tight spaces or even riveted together rather than with screws I have little choice but to use HVAC tape for sealing numerous leaks.
That's not vulcanization.
Seriously, this reads like someone was stoned and various types of adhesive tape became their fry-toys. Although I will admit: Mythbusters did make an entire working boat out of duct tape, and lifted an entire car off the ground with nothing but duct tape connecting it to the crane.
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
Duct tape is a type of tape specifically made for ductwork it is grey in color. Duck tape was used to waterproof ammo cases and was green in color
http://www.octanecreative.com/...
There have been better tapes invented for duct work, the current tape is shiny.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
Not a word so far about the toughest tape ever. Drag yer lazy fingers to Google and look it up.
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
I've noticed a blue glow when i peel the wrapper off my BreatheRight strips. Was wondering what that was.
Because "Duck tape" is a brand name, and we're not all corporate whores.
You know, the majority of grey "duct" tape is NOT suitable for sealing ducts. It has to be rated to not degrade in the heat, and most stuff isn't.
Color of duct tape has no bearing these days on what it's suitable for ... because you can buy pink camo duct tape or duct tape with bunnies on it.
Yes, the actual foil tape for ducts is what you want. I've applied a huge amount of it in my basement ducting and furnace so the heat/cooling goes where it's meant to. It's amazing how much you can improve the temperatures in your house by doing it, because most ducts leak air like a sieve at the seams.
Generally speaking, if you see grey "duct" tape on your ducts it's probably the wrong stuff. Most of what is called "duct" tape isn't rated for use on actual heating ducts. It's just an all purpose, but sturdy, adhesive tape.
Of course, that doesn't mean I don't keep several rolls of it around for other purposes. And I used to know people who maintained that most forms of motorsports would grind to a halt without "hundred mile an hour tape". ;-)
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Tape is fascinating because it is used to fascinate things together. The large variety of tapes means there is a tape for every porpoise.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
I was just speaking about its original use, the standard duct tape everyone uses used to be used for ductwork, however, better tape has appeared, and duct tape is no longer used for that purpose. My house was built in 1973, I can't say I would be surprised to find duct tape on the ductwork, but I have not found any there.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
not to mention, the folks at the tape company made a freaking force field!
http://amasci.com/weird/unusual/e-wall.html
Ever seen the auxiliary corps, color guard or flag team of a marching band in the US? The flag ("silk") is ALWAYS affixed to the pole using good, old-fashioned electrical tape. (Black, white, or colored depending on show needs.)
Brand used varies by region and climate, but in California nothing beats Scotch Super 33+.
Rolls of it are in every performer's and coach's bags for use in an emergency, and if you're a roadie/techie, you'll buy a case of it for a season. Pretty funny looks at Home Depot, actually.
Hire a Linux system administrator, systems engineer,
Sticks tight, releases with no residue, withstands soldering temperatures and insulates at multiple kV per mil. Squeeee!
Any adhesives will absolutely melt when coated with WD-40, Goo Gone, mineral spirits, etc. Everything in the world is either water or oil based, so if plain cleaners don't break it down, switch to thin oil-based compounds. I never understood why a child getting gum in their hair was actually a difficult issue for some people.
Because ducts were the much talked-about new invention spreading to homes all over the place (see: Radio Flyer Wagons for a very similar situation), and this grey tape happened to be colored to match them.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
Mod errant pup!
Mop errant duck!
Yeah, it's tape after all. I do not consider the success of tape to be "unreasonable", "astounding", "bitchin' ", or "knarly". It's one of a billion consumer products and it does a job.
But your hand! Have you ever looked, I mean really looked at your hand, man? Whoa!
I ship and mail a lot of things, mostly under 10 lbs. I've tried most brands of the retail shipping tape and they all suffer from varying degrees from the dreaded 'split down the middle' syndrome. You are trying to get the tape off the roll, it splits and usually you get a partial strip that veers off the side. Trying to "restart" the full 2" wide tape is annoying. The best so far is the small roll sold at the post office, I thought, but then I had it happen to roll. Are they making this crap is China or what?
I'm an HVAC/R mechanic and what I find kind of funny about duct tape is that we absolutely never, ever use it to seal actual ductwork.
Nobody seems to have mentioned the Silicone Self sealing tape that is used to seal antenna connectors. You stretch it while applying and overlap it with itself and it fuses into one flexible silicone covering. It is better than anything else I have ever used and can be cut off the connectors with no sticky gunk left.
Funny you say that... I'll post this as an AC but one of the oddest things I heard, when moving to Maine, was someone tell me that they had a hat on. If you're familiar with the accent (which is not what you hear no television or in the movies) then I needn't describe it further.
"I got a hat on."
"Umm... That's great, I thought we were going hunting?"
I've always wondered what the tape that holds computer accessories together during shipping is called.
For instance, when I get a new printer, the various hinged parts are held down by a tape that adheres strongly to the plastic parts but releases with no residue despite sitting in the box for months/years. I love the stuff but have no idea how to get a roll of it.
Anybody have a pointer?
passetspike!
You are wrong. It was called "duck tape" but it's origins came from fashion as fabric reinforcement in the early 1900s. It was mainly cotton back then and the shoe makers had fabrics they called "duck fabric" as how it goes it's name. Over time the tape had been improve, obviously. The first duck tape wasn't water proof. That later came by accident when a manufacturer wanted to veer away from natural fibers as the surface.
I've never liked calling it duct tape because we've always used foil tape for any air ducting repairs or installation. I never got that.
My experience was different. I used it on a hot air duct, and the adhesive got, so I had the tape hanging off with little strings of adhesive going from the hanging tape to the duct.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
Its crap. The gorilla got free.
Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
90% Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol) works well for removing the adhesive.
35 mm film is attached to the spool with sticky tape. Pull it off and it glows, fogging the film. Brilliant! Fortunately, the glow is only strong enough to expose the film directly under the tape.
Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Challenge ... accepted!
I find that while it lasts longer and is far more tear-resistant than standard "duct tape", Gorilla Tape leaves an even nastier adhesive mess in the circumstances where it does fail. Of course, you may not be that concerned, since you are the greatest living philostopher known to mankind, and have observed that the aeons are closing. The Gorilla tape may last just long enough.
Gaffer tape, when left on for extended periods of time (like years) also leaves a mess with its adhesive, but it's a dry mess. The failure mode rather sucks though, as the adhesive dries out and the entire cloth backing separates from it.
How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
I'm not sure, but every time someone says duct tape these days this comes to mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Additionally I can say duct/duck tape is heavily overrated, for most applications I found Kapton tape to be the prime choice. Fire proof, good insulator, usually comes with an adhesive that doesn't leave too much residue, and extremely strong. Only thing speaking against Kapton tape is that once it starts tearing it'll go through completely. Additionally the entire electronics industry runs off this stuff; it's one of those consumables you have in every manufacturing plant that you can't quite explain. But the day it's no longer there everything will stop working most likely.
Yup, you are right. But the "stickyness" of the tape increases, and not just by means of the glue coating.