[personal profile] archerships
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000163.php

Gaffer's Tape
Duct tape without the residue




If you think duct tape is useful, try Gaffer's tape, known by the brand Permacel (P-665). It's the standard film industry tape. Easy to rip with your hands yet very strong. The adhesive is designed to not rip off paint. My film teacher stuck some on the school wall and left it sit for the whole day under a kilowatt of light a few inches away. The next day it peeled right off leaving the paint on and no adhesive residue.


Standard practice is to roll smaller amounts of the tape off onto a film core for use during the shoot. It comes in many colors and is easy to write on. Uses include sealing film cans and labeling them, marking spots on the floor for measuring, labeling of all kinds. This stuff is really strong. I've heard it referred to as "hundred mile an hour tape" used by NASCAR racers. Also nice is that it comes in a one inch width which I usually have to rip duct tape in half to get. Comes in 2", 3" and 4" widths as well.


Another tape, P-672, is about double the price of P-665 but is weatherproof, twice as thick, and the adhesive is designed for low temperatures. It's the real Gaffer's tape. Sealing in the cold is important as film cans generally get refrigerated or frozen.


--Monty Zukowski




Camera Tape, P-665
Small core, 1", 20 yards
$4.50
Available at here or any local lighting and sound supply.
Large core, 1", 180 feet, multi colors
$8.50


Manufacturer's by Permacel

Date: 2004-07-12 05:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meredith.livejournal.com
it also works great for wrapping hula hoops!

Date: 2004-07-12 06:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crasch.livejournal.com
Good to know!

Date: 2004-07-12 01:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bkleber.livejournal.com
My dad worked for NBC when I was growing up. As a result, I thought that gaffer's tape *was* duct tape. I was horribly dissapointed when I learned that it wasn't the stuff I could get at the hardware store. But yes.. that tape is the stuff of gods (as long as your gods are into the final step in the evolution of duct tape).
From: [identity profile] bkleber.livejournal.com
Embarassing to admit. "final step" meaning that there isn't a way for duct tape to get better. An assumption that's nearly always wrong--and one that's far too often made.

Date: 2004-07-12 02:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gentlemaitresse.livejournal.com
Hmm.. Very interesting.

Date: 2004-07-15 02:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tacit.livejournal.com
Not as strong or as tenacious as duct tape, though. It failed miserably in holding an illuminated scanner to the outside stucco wall of the house at my last party, whereas duct tape works just fine.

The lack of stickiness also makes it less ideal for things like emergency repairs on a leaking radiator hose or other general-purpose automotive repairs.

Just sayin'.

Date: 2004-07-16 01:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crasch.livejournal.com
Thanks for the warning!