Gaffer's Tape

[David Calson]

Hello, can you tell me a little bit about gaffer's tape, what makes it different than other tapes (painters, duct). Does it leave a residue? Are things I shouldn't stick it to?

[John Holland]

Yes any parts of yours on anyones body !! :rolleyes:

[Hal Smith]

The good stuff tears off easily, doesn't leave any tape residue, and comes in a zillion colors. My favorite is Pro-Gaff.

 

The alternatives? Let me tell about the time I was the Lighting Designer on the next show into a small theatre where the previous (very) non-professional production's crew had used surgical plaster (tape) instead of real Gaffer's tape. It left white tape goo over everything in the (then) brand new black box theatre. Duct tape ain't much better. :(

[John Sprung]

Duct tape ain't much better. :(

On real gaffer's tape, the cloth backing is much stronger than duct tape, though you can tear it off cleanly. The adhesive is much stronger, and less likely to leave a gunky residue. The real stuff lasts longer, too. I just found some that I put on a piece of masonite about 30 years ago, still sticking, not gooey. Duct tape has a shiny backing that disintegrates in a few months and flakes off. Other than that, there's not much difference. ;-)

 

BTW, there's an aluminum foil tape that the HVAC guys really use for ducts. It's absolutely air tight, lasts for decades, and survives high temperatures, like on single wall combustion vents. They have no use for duct tape, either.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[David Calson]

I see, so Gaffer's tape is like duct only stronger and less residuey, thank you

[Walter Graff]

I see, so Gaffer's tape is like duct only stronger and less residuey, thank you

 

Don't forget g-tape comes in 16 colors. G-tape also uses a rubber adhesive that leaves no residue and is kinder to walls when you peel it. Duct tapes rubber adhesive is more gooier. Duct tape uses an adhesive that handles cold better while G-tape can handle heat better. And G-tape is matte finish on the vinyl coated side so it does not reflect much. Both have pretty much the same thing otherwise, which includes fibrous inners for strength, glue on one side and vinyl coating on the other. Or said another way duct tape is much better for tying someone up that you are going to kill and don't want to escape and g-tape would be better to tie someone up for a sex game where you don't want to hurt their skin or really keep them.

 

Of note: duct tape is air permeable, which means it does not seal out air so when all those "experts' after 9/11 suggested folks keep duct tape to seal doors and windows in case of a gas attack, it would have done nothing. In fact it doesn't even work for air conditioning, hence why HVAC folks use non permeable aluminum tape to seal ducts, not duct tape.

[Thomas M Brown]

In my years of working with all types of tapes, the single most important factor in assessing a good tape, whatever type it is, is the manufacturer. Nowadays, thanks to America's unholy desire to find the cheapest products possible, the market is flooded with inferior products manufactered in China. Spend the extra money to buy the NAME BRAND tape, such as 3M, because it more than pays for itself in the long AND short run.

 

 

Don't forget g-tape comes in 16 colors. G-tape also uses a rubber adhesive that leaves no residue and is kinder to walls when you peel it. Duct tapes rubber adhesive is more gooier. Duct tape uses an adhesive that handles cold better while G-tape can handle heat better. And G-tape is matte finish on the vinyl coated side so it does not reflect much. Both have pretty much the same thing otherwise, which includes fibrous inners for strength, glue on one side and vinyl coating on the other. Or said another way duct tape is much better for tying someone up that you are going to kill and don't want to escape and g-tape would be better to tie someone up for a sex game where you don't want to hurt their skin or really keep them.

 

Of note: duct tape is air permeable, which means it does not seal out air so when all those "experts' after 9/11 suggested folks keep duct tape to seal doors and windows in case of a gas attack, it would have done nothing. In fact it doesn't even work for air conditioning, hence why HVAC folks use non permeable aluminum tape to seal ducts, not duct tape.