Got Tape?

[johnny means]

One of my biggest pet peeves is the quality of tape, or rather lack there of. I'm sure many of you, like me use lots of tape for a multitude of reasons. For me it's mostly masking and painters tape that i use with a smattering of duct and gaffers tape.

Without fail i find myself frustrated to the point of anger with tape that just isn't strong enough to pull off the roll. i can barely get three or four inches of the roll without it tearing. This is constant across all brands and price levels. I never had this problem until the past few years. Is it just me or do any of you notice the same thing?

Anyone know where I can get better tape? :-(

[Charles Wiggins]

I've never had that problem with Scotch brand and it has only been a year or so since I last bought some.

[glenn bradley]

I have a new batch of 3M in various sizes. Just happen to be restocking lately. No problems. I wonder if this has to do with the weather in your area(?). I am in SoCal and the swing from high to low is pretty moderate and we are mostly warm.

[Mark Bolton]

We use a lot of 3M straight masking (the yellow stuff) and on occasion we'll get a roll that will struggle for the first few wraps then its fine. I do find that its pretty critical with that stuff not to toss it into a tote or box and let the edges get bunged up. Thats a guarantee for it to tear off in small pieces. We've never had any trouble with blue tape tearing off in small pieces. The only other thing is ours doesnt sit around for long so I dont know what a bit of shelf life does to it.

You may try switching to the green 3M masking tape (not the overpriced frog tape) for auto body shops. They run it on tape machines so tearing would be a nightmare. Its right about the same price as straight yellow masking.

[ray hampton]

the only tape that refuse to give me any trouble that I can remember is the black electric tape,, and double-sided tape, scotch tape is the worst unless you fold the end back on itself

[Peter Quinn]

I too like the actual scotch brand best for masking, I prefer spec brand for double stick turners type tape, scotch, gorilla, or duck brand for duck tape, and scotch for most anything else. 3M also has a number of good tapes. I've used the "el cheep" brand from the borg, exercise in frustration, not going there again. I left a bunch of tape in the van through a summer (cooking) into winter (dry and brittle) cycle, pretty much ruined it. I think tape has a shelf life like anything. I hate throwing out expensive painters tape, but when it reaches the point of unstick able, or unremovable from the roll, it goes. I haven't had a problem generally with tape being too thin to come off the roll except the el cheepo home center brand. How do they get that stuff so thin? Do they buy good tape and resaw it?

[johnny means]

[QUOTE="Peter How do they get that stuff so thin? Do they buy good tape and resaw it?[/QUOTE]

:-D LOL

I think so.

I do like the Gorilla tape, but something like that gets limited shop use. I wonder if the borgs get shoddier versions of the name brand stuff like they do everything else.

[Mark Bolton]

:-D LOL

I think so.

I do like the Gorilla tape, but something like that gets limited shop use. I wonder if the borgs get shoddier versions of the name brand stuff like they do everything else.

Of course they do. It's been long stated among reps that buyers from big retailers can walk into a supplier and say "I want THAT product, and I want it to meet THIS price point". The supplier then says, we can thin this, put less here, less glue, smaller brushes, cheaper bearings, and so on. They shave the product to meet the price point. I have a friend who is an eengineer for a national safety products company who tells me about these negotiations regularly. The sole motivation is to meet a price point. It's not what the customer wants, it's not what's best, it's what will bring the retailer the most profit regardless of returns or customer satisfaction. They are not in the customer satisfaction business because they have locked up the market and forced the vendors to accept all returns.

[Larry Frank]

I use the Scotch blue painting tape for masking. I have started to use the Gorilla Duct Tape instead of the no name due to frustration with the cheaper stuff. I also have been using a lot of double sided tape but don not see a brand name on it.

[johnny means]

[QUOTE="Peter How do they get that stuff so thin? Do they buy good tape and resaw it?[/QUOTE]

:-D LOL

I think so.

I do like the Gorilla tape, but something like that gets limited shop use. I wonder if the borgs get shoddier versions of the name brand stuff like they do everything else.

[James Baker SD]

I also live in Southern Cal and my experiences are exactly the same as Johnny. Every brand, every size, every color, 4 or 5 inches max before it tears. Have to admit though, that I have not been particularly careful about how I store it, so maybe I do bang up the edges.

[Matt Day]

I've had no problem with the name brand tapes. Cheaper stuff like HF, yes.

[Jason Roehl]

Don't ding the edges, don't get cheap tape, buy the correct tape for the purpose (even with "painter's" tape there are many different kinds for different applications). I use, literally, miles of tape per year (180' per roll...I once ran 1/3 mile of tape and paper in a day while someone sprayed ceilings behind me, and I was on stilts...) and rarely have the problems described, even after a roll has been in my van for a while. Frog Tape, while pricey, does what it is intended to do when used properly, and with a little additional trick--once you've run the tape, run a damp sponge over it to activate the edge. An old roll will have visible swollen edges from exposure to moisture, so store unused portions in the plastic container in which it is sold. Here's a rundown of what I use:

Frog Tape
Yellow: delicate surfaces (it's low adhesion) or for longer exposure times outside. Good for very crisp lines because the tape is thin.
Green: general taping of interior trim; more adhesion, but very sensitive to the cleanliness of the substrate; doesn't stick to itself well.

3M
Blue with orange label: low adhesion tape, similar to the FT Yellow--also thin for crisp lines
Standard Blue tape: hate the stuff. Has more adhesion than the other blue, but the crepe-paper texture causes paint to wick under the tape unless the tape is very thoroughly pressed down. It's fine for taping things off that won't directly be sprayed or otherwise painted. (It's cheaper)
Green: my go-to tape. Not much texture, but it's high adhesion and delivers decent lines. Can be left on about a week outdoors, and does reasonably well even if it's rained on.

If I'm masking off a floor with rosin paper, then I'll grab some cheap white masking tape to tape the edges of the rosin paper together, but I don't put it anywhere that I want to be able to peel the tape off.

[Richard Coers]

For gaffers, duct, super double back, I buy Polyken brand tape from WW Graigners. Fantastic stuff. You pay for it, but it's the best.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

One of my biggest pet peeves is the quality of tape, or rather lack there of. I'm sure many of you, like me use lots of tape for a multitude of reasons. For me it's mostly masking and painters tape that i use with a smattering of duct and gaffers tape.

Without fail i find myself frustrated to the point of anger with tape that just isn't strong enough to pull off the roll. i can barely get three or four inches of the roll without it tearing. This is constant across all brands and price levels. I never had this problem until the past few years. Is it just me or do any of you notice the same thing?
Anyone know where I can get better tape? :-(

Johnny
We go through a lot of masking tape (paint B777 aircraft) most of it comes from 3M or Scotch, one other suppler out of Chicago. Masking tape that's old will tear easily when pulled of the roll has to do with moisture. You do not say where you are located, but if humidity is problem you might want change how you store your tape. Tom

[johnny means]

I'm not really talking about old tape, damaged or bargain brand tape. My complaint is about brand new, fresh out the plastic, $5-$10 a roll Scotch, 3M, Duck brands. It's all garbage. I'm not ham handed at all. The tape I'm getting is just to thin or weak to overcome its own adhesive. I think I'll try the brand from Graingers mentioned above.

[Jason Roehl]

I'm not really talking about old tape, damaged or bargain brand tape. My complaint is about brand new, fresh out the plastic, $5-$10 a roll Scotch, 3M, Duck brands. It's all garbage. I'm not ham handed at all. The tape I'm getting is just to thin or weak to overcome its own adhesive. I think I'll try the brand from Graingers mentioned above.

Just because YOU bought it new doesn't mean it is. Big box stores are notorious for this in some products--they sit on the shelves for months or more. And, new-in-plastic doesn't mean the edges haven't been dinged (it doesn't take much to cause a problem) along the way, particularly if you're buying a few rolls at a time. I buy my tape from the paint store (lots of product turnover, so it's always fresh), and I don't grab loose display rolls (these are the rolls that have probably been mishandled by the store employees), either--I reach behind the display and grab a whole stack out of a new case (if I don't buy a whole case).

Even if I'm desperate and have to use an old, beat-up, partial roll that's been knocking around on the floor of my van for a few months, I can peel off 2-3 layers and it's often good to go.

[Denny Rice]

Don't ding the edges, don't get cheap tape, buy the correct tape for the purpose (even with "painter's" tape there are many different kinds for different applications). I use, literally, miles of tape per year (180' per roll...I once ran 1/3 mile of tape and paper in a day while someone sprayed ceilings behind me, and I was on stilts...) and rarely have the problems described, even after a roll has been in my van for a while. Frog Tape, while pricey, does what it is intended to do when used properly, and with a little additional trick--once you've run the tape, run a damp sponge over it to activate the edge. An old roll will have visible swollen edges from exposure to moisture, so store unused portions in the plastic container in which it is sold. Here's a rundown of what I use:

Frog Tape
Yellow: delicate surfaces (it's low adhesion) or for longer exposure times outside. Good for very crisp lines because the tape is thin.
Green: general taping of interior trim; more adhesion, but very sensitive to the cleanliness of the substrate; doesn't stick to itself well.

3M
Blue with orange label: low adhesion tape, similar to the FT Yellow--also thin for crisp lines
Standard Blue tape: hate the stuff. Has more adhesion than the other blue, but the crepe-paper texture causes paint to wick under the tape unless the tape is very thoroughly pressed down. It's fine for taping things off that won't directly be sprayed or otherwise painted. (It's cheaper)
Green: my go-to tape. Not much texture, but it's high adhesion and delivers decent lines. Can be left on about a week outdoors, and does reasonably well even if it's rained on.

If I'm masking off a floor with rosin paper, then I'll grab some cheap white masking tape to tape the edges of the rosin paper together, but I don't put it anywhere that I want to be able to peel the tape off.

I'm with Jason. I love the green 3M tape. Except for a couple of rolls of duct tape and double sided tape thats about all I keep in my shop anymore.

[Sam Murdoch]

Jason - your reply alone is worth a bookmark. My experience concurs with yours but now I know a few tricks too for even better results. Thanks.

[Carl Beckett]

Jason - your reply alone is worth a bookmark. My experience concurs with yours but now I know a few tricks too for even better results. Thanks.

I agree, great post Jason!

I recently go some of the 3M blue (with the orange lettering, not the corrugated stuff). What an improvement! (that blue 'masking' tape just causes me grief - highly recommend NOT using it)

Time to get some green....