I recently pick up an ETS PSK. IMHO, the duct tape and pencil seem to take up a disproportionate amount of space in such a small kit. I am thinking of cutting the pencil waaaay down and reducing the amount of duct tape and adding water bags (Gerber milk bags) and Micropur tabs.

On a more positive note, the whistle is very nice... flat and loud.

Any other thoughts?

The kit was designed to be modified by those who possess the forethought to improve it. Kit is very personal regardless of ten essential lists and what everybody else is building. The bottom line is YOU are the one who may find yourself standing soaked beside an Alaskan lake watching your airplane's tail slip under the surface. If it's a Disney movie the Gaffer has lots of ducttape. If its real life you have other priorities <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The kit used to have a much narrower pencil, but they ran out and couldn't find another supplier. Cutting it down might be a good idea. I wouldn't cut down the duct tape though, it's much too useful.

I ditched the fishing gear, and replaced it with a few small strike-anywhere matches in the little plastic vial, and tape it closed. I also add a photon micro-flashlight, a couple gerber bags, a couple micropur tablets with the foil pack cut down to a minimum and mashed, and a $20 bill.

I also thought the roll of duct tape was too bulky. So I made a flat roll of duct tape, plus I took the stuff out of the vial and put it in a small ziploc. That gave me lots of room to add a Swiss Tech plier tool, a cut down 6 inch recip. saw blade, an LED light, some Coghlans matches and striker in a piece of shrink wrap, a P-38, and a Columbia River PECK knife.

I think I still have a couple cubic millimeters of space that I can fill. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I don't have the ETS kit, but I wrapped about 10 ft of duct tape around a sample credit card, then taped it to the top (outside) of the Altoids tin.

Sue

Captal Idea, Susa. Of course now I'll have to de-do mine. Thanks for passing it a long.

Dave

I like these mini rolls from REI. Obviously not so good for a PSK, but they are easy to slip into your pack or bag.

-john

I think adding the Gerber water bags and Micro-pur is a good idea. I generally make flat rolls of duct tape out of plastic cut from plastic gallon (or larger) water or (clean) milk jugs, with the tape wrapped around the flat piece of plastic. Some larger - some smaller, depending on where I'm stashing them.

I did the same exact thing with mine. I put four feet around a credit card and it takes up hardly any room at all, and you can stick it in your wallet if you want!

Garrett

Repacking the duct tape is a better option.

Good idea.

My first post, Thanks Susan for the tip. I knew there was a use for the fake cards and by gum its with Duct tape.

ok but wouldnt repacking the tape make it loose a little of its adhesive strength later if your re-wrapping it around a card or whatever?

I have used duct tape at one time or another, and absolutely hate the stuff for any long term dependability. It shrinks, pulls away, allows water to affect the adhesive qualities and in general; sucks swamp water.

For any kind of sealing that requires a tape, I have always used the aluminum tape with a polymer adhesive on it. The only long term test I have ever put it through where I could monitor it is on my own homes furnace installation, and it still looks great and seals great after 16 years on the ducts. I even have some small openings on the plenum that attaches directly to the furnace and gets readily hot covered. It hasn't melted, dried up, seperated, or peeled back.

I have tried most every brand of duct tape I can find in the Milwaukee area with no improvement in performance. Does anyone have a specific brand and product number that has worked well for them?

Bountyhunter

Chris, In your Disney movie, wouldn't the gaffer be using gaff tape?!

/Neal

I use the GI 80/90/100 MPH tape, good at sticking and re-sticking.

Dave

Granted, it sucks for long term use, but what about short term survival situations? Is it any good there?

I once left a roll of duct tape in my trunk, on it's side, on carpet, over the summer. That was a mess.

Seems like the ideal tape would be thin but tough (both in puncture resistance and tensile strength),
stick to anything, capable of being peeled off and reattached, waterproof, reflective, and cheap.

I'd settle for tough and sticky. Any suggestions?

How about that foil tape that's used for taping Reflectix multi-layer insulation? It may be what Bounty is talking about.

It sticks, I THINK it's waterproof, and it's shiny. But I don't think it's restickable (it's hard to be really sticky & restickable). It will stick very well to most slick surfaces, but I don't know about fabric (can't try it -- I'm out).

It doesn't glow in the dark, but if you covered your hat with it, you would reflect light, and you might even turn into a blip on radar! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Sue

While not a permanent solution - it does last for a while. I duct tapped a side fender on my Cherokee and it lasted about 1.5 years. (Classy, I know.)

Hey bounty,
unless you can get the no-name stuff we use in the nuc.s, 3-M is about the best there is on the market, it's twice or triple the price of store-brand, but it's definitely better quality... tougher, stickier, longer holding... but, duct tape isn't a forever fix, unless you're Red Green <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Troy

Hey Wildcard163:

Did you get that slingshot yet? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I put one together using a replacement rubber/pouch and a figure-eight reppelling ring while I was at The Quad... it made for cheap amusement on my off hours, I had fun shooting soda straws through it, but I still prefer my 1911 for things that go bump-in-the-night <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

Wildcard163:

I pity the woman that happens to fall in love with you some night. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

If you put duct tape on a piece of plastic, and then you take it off, won't it lose its "stickyness?" Why can't you just put a really small roll of tape in a PSK?

She already has (I think?), and we've been together for 16 years, but with her Mexican/Indian bloodlines, don't be sorry for her, her temper keeps me in line <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Troy

About 4 years ago, I knocked the driver?s side mirror off the van, while loading our kayak <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />. Repaired it with black duck tape, you can barely see the repair and after 4 years it is still holding fine, with no evidence of falling off <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Pete

Bountyhunter:

I've bought gaffer's tape from this outfit, and it's good stuff IMHO. You can probably find tons it online by looking for Permacel.

http://store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/permacel.html

I don't know about LONG-term tests, but I stuck a piece of it on the back of a metal filing cabinet. A month later, I ripped it off. There was no residue or film left on the cabinet, and no degradation of the adhesive. Mind you, this was in a stable, indoor environment.

You can also find gaffer's tape that's specially designed to be used outdoors, and is waterproof.

I got some international orange tape and wrapped four or five feet in a flat pack to replace the silver tape in the ETS kit.

Bear

stepping outside the box a little but, allegedley, the best tape that friends swear by is sailing/yachting tape. They used it when their sail ripped and it held till they hit port
Don't know how much they used etc as I wasn't there but it worked for them.
Got no idea about cost or ease of removal but it worked under serious loading and conditions

I can second the recommendation on sail tape. Or sail repair tape, as it may be called. BUT.. I bet you'd have a hard time if you tried to strip off a bit to create a smaller roll or packet for your PSK.
[ah.. the nightmares. Waking up on deck in the cove on Jost Van Dyke island with a bottle of Pusser's Rum sail-taped to my hand... took me all day to get it off and get that adhesive off of me. The culprit wouldn't help] That tape is waterproof, soap proof, booze proof, cuss proof, tear proof, sunscreen proof... but NOT lighter fluid proof.

Oh God. THAT was HILARIOUS. Haven't laughed that hard for a long time. I NEED to go and get some of that stuff for a mates birthday bash. I can feel a prank coming on........
may need to start selling 'emergency' lighter fuel for a beer a tin. God my sides are hurting from reading your story, bet your mate was on the floor watching your efforts. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Scotch/3M makes transparent duct tape, it's supposed to last 6X as long as what they call "typical heavy duty duct tape". It looks like clear packing tape you'd use on boxes, but, it's a lot more durable. I don't have any long term experience with it yet, but, it's as sticky as "traditional' duct tape.

My wife likes it, because it "looks" better than the silver stuff when you have to fix something that might be seen by anyone in the neighborhood. Heaven forbid that someone might think we'd repair something rather than throw it away and buy a new one! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

http://www.3m.com/us/office/scotch/transducttape/

I live in Maplewood MN, where 3M is based. I've met some of the researchers that work there- I think they are all mad scientists. Gotta love 'em for that.

Pureeeeeeeeeeeee evil, I say!
Now what was the web address where I can get about 10 rolls?

If it were not for mad scientists, it would be a much lesser world.

-- Craig