What tape? Blue tape, Purple tape, Gorilla tape, Silicone tape, Green tape, ...

[Dave Cav]

I have TWO drawers for tape. One for the stuff I use most of the time and one for overflow. I have a roll of self-fusing silicone tape which is amazing stuff, mostly use it for electrical cord repairs. Another tape I keep handy is nylon ripstop tape. It's a staple of the backpacking crowd, kind of like very thin duct tape but it sticks amazingly well. I have used it to patch a hole in my jeans pocket and it survived a couple of wash cycles. A roll of cheap duct tape to loan to people, and a roll of GOOD 100 MPH tape for my own use. And a roll of UHMW "tape" when I need to put a slippery surface on something like the underside of the far end of my Biesmeyer fence.

[Jim Becker]

Guess I'm the only one that keeps good electrical tape in the shop. I also prefer to keep tape in ziplock bags or containers so they stay clean and don't dry out, especially masking tape.

Actually, I do too...in multiple colors. I just forgot to mention that. I use it for the obvious and also for color coding things like my CNC cutters.

[Tom M King]

Just an addition to what anyone else might have said: I end up using a lot of this stuff. It's clean release inside for upwards of two years, and more than they say outside.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...3369434&rt=rud

[Ross Manning]

Thanks for the responses so far - keep them coming!!

Blended woodworker - (will it blend?!?!) my term for someone wo is neither a pure "Neanderthal" or a pure "Normite" (i.e. uses both hand tools & power tools in the workshop)

Silicone Tape - a.ka. self-amalgamating/self-fusing/self-sealing tape - many brands e.g. https://www.permatex.com/products/ad...silicone-tape/ Many uses. I don't think it will be an issue for finishing, as it's likely used for different jobs than masking/blue tape & so won't touch surfaces being prepared for finishing.
'

[Jim Morgan]

I'll put in a plug for packing tape - glue won't stick to it, so it is useful for wrapping clamping cauls.

Re self-fusing tape: some one (Derek Cohen?) had a tip a while back about wrapping wooden clamp handles for extra grip - worked wonders on my 1st generation Bessey bar clamps.

[Ross Manning]

It seems that many people are using blue tape for general woodworking tasks such as marking, light clamping, masking etc.


A few seem to mention using green tape (is it stickier??).


I have seen the following in the big box stores, with prices significantly different within the one brand:

Masking (White/Beige)
Blue
Green
Yellow
Purple
and even Blue-Platinum



Is this just a marketing ploy to "sell up" or are there real differences?

Are tapes other than blue & green useful for us in woodworking?

[Dave Zellers]

I'll put in a plug for packing tape - glue won't stick to it, so it is useful for wrapping clamping cauls.

Precisely! Good one. About a month ago I finally went upstairs (basement shop) and brought down a full roll of packing tape and put it in my tape drawer specifically to use on my cauls. It will stand up to multiple glue-ups. You couldn't get Titebond to stick to it no matter how hard you try.

[al heitz]

BLUE tape - masking surfaces from finishes, glues; banding and clamping; any place I don't want sticky residue; marking/cutting dovetails; on cut lines on plywood, melamine, etc. to prevent ragged edges when sawing;
MASKING tape - ID and label parts and jars of anything;
TWO-SIDED tape - holding parts together while routing or scroll sawing multiple layers of stock, etc.; keeping parts in place (aligning tiny hinges and other parts while starting screws, tacks, etc.)
CLEAR PACKAGING tape - over patterns when scroll sawing; over and under cut lines when cutting plastics with scroll saw (acts like a lubricant and prevents kerf from fusing back together).

[Tom Bender]

My favorite tape comes packed in small strips with a patch of fabric in the center.

It is infused with magic.

[John K Jordan]

A few seem to mention using green tape (is it stickier??).

Don't make the mistake of judging tape by the color. There are vast differences between different brands of tape with the same color. For example, the green tape I mentioned earlier is nothing like the green tape I bought at the big box store.

Perhaps do what I did. Buy one roll each of a variety of tapes. Try them. Decide what you like best for various tasks.

Some of the colored masking tapes I got were not much use in the shop but are great for making lines on the carpet for activities in my kindergarten class.

JKJ

[Nick Decker]

The green tape I like is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[John K Jordan]

The green tape I like is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's exactly the tape I mentioned earlier. I keep several widths in the shop, a couple of rolls in the house, one with my "carry around" tools for farm and house projects, and a few spare rolls since I'd hate to run out. My most-used tape.

JKJ

[glenn bradley]

Decent quality painter's tape in several widths. I find having a width to choose from more economical than one width both money and consumption-wise. Thin double stick tape; I avoid that rubbery carpet tape as it allows items to move and that is not my intention. Scotch tape; cheap and used for many very temporary quick stick jobs. In addition I have foil tape for shims, thread tape, slick tape and all that. I have a drawer at the assembly table that stores mine (mostly) out of the dust.

P.s. These are handy little buggers if you are looking to round out an order to meet a free shipping requirement or catch them on sale.

[Ole Anderson]

Just to confuse matters, 3M has several different versions of it's blue painters tape, although some swear by Frog Tape for painting. Oh, then there is filament tape.

[Jim Becker]

Just to confuse matters, 3M has several different versions of it's blue painters tape, although some swear by Frog Tape for painting. Oh, then there is filament tape.

Good point, Ole. I much prefer the "original", thicker version for most "shop use" things outside of actual masking for finish things. It sticks better and is stronger for small clamping operations. The other versions with the various colors coded on the blue surface are not as satisfying, nor do they stick as well as the "original", in my experience.