Sharing an idea for applying tape to engraved signs -

[Bill Stearns]

Hi All -
I engrave an awful lot of plastic signs; 'lot of 'em very small. Thought I'd share this idea with others who might also. It was always kind' a frustrating spending so much time placing [double stick] tape on the back of each 'n every one - sometimes, stacks of 'em. I came 'cross a tape dispenser at one time that handled double/sided tape - but, remember it being pretty expensive. So ... came up with this idea. I embedded a razor blade - blade facing up - into a long, narrow board (almost a stick) - I place one sign, or plate, on the table in front of the board (as a rough measurement aid) - unroll the tape to the appropriate length - just over the blade - then, easily slice the tape, and stick it to the sign! - one right after another! Works slick! - and, sure speeded up the process of taping signs! (now, I don't cringe, when I get larger orders!) Other than a dispenser - anyone else have a clever way of handling this process? Time is money, right?
ALSO: could use help from you with a fail safe way to mount (tape) metal plates on wooden plaques. Too often I'll be off a smidgeon, and it shows! I've been measuring, then marking the wood with one of those "invisible ink" pens the ladies use for marking fabrics for sewing - (Wal-Mart fabric dept.) - the ink disappears after I mount the plate. Works fine, but would like other ideas ....

Hope my idea helps someone out there! :)

Bill

[Joe Pelonio]

Yikes, that sounds too scary for me. Have had too many Olfa knife incidents working with signs before. I prefer to apply 12" 3M 467MP to the back of the Rowmark before engraving and cutting, in fact my local supplier sells it with that already on it.

[Kev Williams]

The tape I use (Bron yellowback) will have a razorblade covered in goo in no time. Not many passes cutting this stuff with scissors before they're gucked up either. I have several dispensers, as their serrated blades are the only reliable way to cut this stuff.

That is, except for the laser! I have a surplus of leftover slickbacks from all the postage labels I use, which I keep just for tape. When I get a large order of plates or tags I just calculate about how much tape I'll need, fill up a slickback with the width(s) tape needed and let the laser cut them to length. (Just the right power will go thru the tape but not the slickback) The wife just pulls each strip off with an x-acto knife then applies it to the plate. She can do 30 plates a minute when she gets zoned in, and her fingers never have to touch the gooey side of the tape. (Only mine while putting on the paper!)

FWIW, Bron cuts tape to any size you want. So I get 3/8" wide (for 1/2" plates"), 5/8" wide (for 3/4" plates), 7/8" wide (for 1" plates) etc, plus the 'standard' sizes up to 3-1/2" wide.

[Mike Null]

Several years ago I purchased an automatic tape dispenser. It will handle up to 2" wide tape and can be set to cut the length you need. I consider it one of my better tool decisions.

I stopped using jigs ,etc. for mounting plates on plaques years ago. I am very good at positioning them by eye. I line up the top and sides to be equal and forget about the bottom. Just be sure the sides are parallel to the plaque. (I'm 77 and still do my own assembly so anybody can do it)