sticky tape

I don't know about everybody else but I hate it that my mini-duct tape roll smears its sticky glue over the inside of my kit. Alas, that's what makes duct tape the marvel it is........
So I got to thinking, how can I eliminate the problem? And then it hit me, plumbers teflon tape. Minimal thickness, will "stick" to itself when wrapping, eases slipping roll in and out of PSK, and now I've got a foot of teflon tape in my kit too.
So if anybody else has this problem, and I'm sure if you carry duct tape you do, try wrapping it in teflon tape and enjoy the convience of sticky free PSKs

-Bill Liptak
P.S. Hey Blast, I finally figured out how to start a new post (evidently) from my phone. I am smart.....S-M-R-T! WOO HOO

Plumbers teflon tape as in pipe seal tape? I'd think that would be too thin.

You can get a similar creature for electrical uses however. It's just like electrical tape but sticks only to itself when you stretch it. It's pricey compared to other tapes but it's zero mess and you don't have to worry about heat turning your tape into a sticky mess.

The only issue with either type is that you have to be wrapping something. If you're just patching something it's not so useful.

i just leave it in the plastic bag it came it..i don't know what
company makes the tape that is used in the mini rolls but it sure works better than the tape in the big roll--no matter what brand..

Hey Hacksaw, yea the pipe seal tape is what I'm talking about, but I think you misunderstood. Or, more likely I'm an idiot who didn't make himself clear.
I wasn't talking about replacing the duct tape with teflon tape, I was talking about wrapping the duct tape IN teflon tape. Kinda looks like a mummies thumb now.....
This way it slips into a tightly packed kit a smidgeon easier and won't leave a tacky residue on adjacent items.

-Bill Liptak

Then you are ahead of me in your techno-wisdom.

I'm still trying to understand your teflon tape stuff. Can you supply a link? Thanks!

-Blast

My approach to the duct tape mess was wrapping the duct tape in enough wax paper to cover it, twice (kind of fold it up like your wrapping a burrito) and then wrap two elastic bands around that to hold everything. I personally use those thick bands that women use for their hair (like some sort of covering on the band itself so that hair does stick or tangle in it).

I've been in situations where my wife needed one of those hair bands but she didn't bring along her purse.. Voila... I was her hero for that minute.

Kris

Bill-

Good solution for containing "duct tape goo" in a kit, but me and Teflon tape just never get along. I use it when I need to on pipe threads, but for an otherwise competent guy around the house, I can't tear off a length without getting it all "scrunched up" so I have to resort to scissors, which does nothing for my pride So for me, it's not the best thing in a kit, especially if the ol' fingers might be cold and numb. My solution to the goo-problem: I put my small repacked rolls of duct tape in little craft-size Ziploc bags ~2-1/2" x 2" like I use to segregate other PSK components. Makes access a little easier for my fumble-fingers.

Please forgive the slight drift to your thread, but speaking of duct tape, for folks new to the forum, or otherwise not familiar with the product — consider trying Gorilla Tape from the makers of Gorilla Glue. Duct tape on steroids. Prior threads discussing the merits here and here .

Unfortunatly I can't create a link on my phone, but the basic idea is to take your mini duct-tape roll and wrap it top to bottom in the teflon tape letting the teflon tape over lap on the ends and pushing it down so the sticky of the duct tape adheres to it. The teflon will stick to itself while wrapping up the body, so it won't unravel there.
The teflon tape I'm referring to is the stuff they use in plumbing and air compressor hard line pipe work. The stuff you wrap over the threads to prevent water or air leaking out of the joints.
Hope I clarified it up, Hacksaw called it pipe seal tape...its the same thing.

-Bill Liptak

I use the surveyor's tape around my roll of duct tape. The color helps to identify it as well.

Instead of teflon tape, you should try using self fusing silicone pipe tape. It can usually be found in the plubming section of most stores and at Walmarts.

It's somewhat similar in feeling to electrical tape, but without the adhesive, and much thicker. It actually has no adhesive, it only sticks to itself like saran wrap does. To use it you stretch it out then wrap it around an object and on top of itself. After a while, it fuses to itself like a cast and is like having coated the part in a rubber layer. The only way to get it off is to cut it, and it comes of cleanly

Not only is it waterproof and can withstand extreme temperatures, but it can be used in auto repairs to fix leaky hoses or to waterproof odd shaped objects. It can withstand quite a bit of pressure, a lot better than a duct tape repair.

This is what it looks like

http://www.cshyde.com/Silicone%20Self%20Fusing%20Tape.htm

Cost about $5 per roll.

EDIT: I misunderstood also, I thought you were carrying teflon tape to use as a tape. If you want to avoid the stickyness of duct tape, just wrap it in saran wrap.

Hi Bill,

I completely did misunderstand. No finger pointing I'm just going to go home and wrap my sticky roll of duct tape in something

I have the same problem with my roll of McNett Clean Tape. It sticks to the tube and can be hard to get in and out. I like the wax paper idea too.

Bill,

Glad Press and Seal. Cut 2 pieces out to the size you need and press them together.

http://www.glad.com/plasticwrap/pressnseal_freezer.php

waterproof to.

Blitz

Pretty common problem. I use a lot of various forms of tape on my job.

First, high quality duct tape, any type tape for that matter, has better adhesive. The exposed sides may stick a little bit but much less than with the cheap stuff and it doesn't smear and spread like the stick-um on the cheap stuff.

Pretty common problem. I use a lot of various forms of tape on my job.

First, high quality duct tape, any type tape for that matter, has better adhesive. The exposed sides may stick a little bit but much less than with the cheap stuff and it doesn't smear and spread like the stick-um on the cheap stuff.

In fact most of these problems come from the cheap adhesive used on cheap tape. Adhesive that softens and liquefies in time and squeezes out the the side of the roll. Quality adhesive doesn't soften, smear or migrate.

To get high quality duct tape try the big-box hardware stores. Home Depot usually has a better selection than Lowe's or the small stores catering to home owners and DIYers. A full roll of the good stuff will go for about $12. The cheap stuff about $4.

Or you can just find a roll of Gorilla brand duct tape. Good stuff but expensive. The code-rated stuff used by contractors are much more a bargain.

Second, if you keep it on a roll it is easy to put a piece of wax paper on either side of the roll and slip the whole thing into a zip-lock. A durable alternative is to use a small stuff sack. These are easy enough to stitch up even if you have to sew it by hand. The toe an old sock will work.

If your tape

Post got clipped.

...

If your tape is making a mess you really have some problems. The most worrying is that the tape may be good quality but something in your kit is attacking it. Even good tape can't abide being exposed to gasoline fumes or oils.

The worse stuff is 100% DEET insect repellent because it is persistent and spreads. It is oily and attacks some plastics. A bottle of insect repellent can destroy a good portion of a kit. Messing with a roll of tape is the least of your problems. A small bottle of repellent got lose in a pack and it caused the plastic base of a compass to fog up and crack and it dissolved part of a handle on a SAK. I am more careful with that stuff now.

If the tape isn't being attacked then you still have two problems. First, the cheap tape is making a bothersome mess.

Second, your hauling around cheap tape that is likely to be useless when you need it. You would be better off leaving the tape behind. Less weight, bulk, mess and, you would know you don't have tape. Better to know what you don't have than to feel confident in what you have and find out it is useless.

Okay, now I understand. I thought there was some new, mutant duct-teflon combination tape out on the market.

-Blast

Heh. Duct tape, so it sticks to everything, made of teflon, so it sticks to nothing… sounds like a government spending project to me.

Here's another tape idea, we use the heck out of Kapton tape at work. We use it for just about everything, even on the space shuttle. They sell them on e-bay and all over the place, it's great stuff, no tape residue, great for keeping things super clean. It sticks to it self and is reasonably strong if you use it like a rope. But duck tape is far superior to it by far, just lots of residues and outgassing with it. Kapton doesn't outgass which is a DOD requirement (at least the stuff we have, possibly all 3M is non outgassing).

http://www.kaptontape.com/