> > BTW: most of what is sold as duct tape nowadays is more like a cheap,
> > not light tight, gaffers tape. The real duct tape (what hot rodders
> > call 200mph tape) has a permanent adhesive on it that will not come
> > lose ever under fairly high temps, but to get that stuff anymore you
> > pretty much have to go to a plumbing supply house. If your use it to
> > hold your cars bodywork together it will pull the paint off when you
> > try to remove it.
I was under the impressin that hundred-mile-an-hour tape was a
completely different beast than duct tape ("real" duct tape or
"cheap fake" duct tape). I've never been quite certain whether
it's the same thing as "aviation tape" or not.
Duct tape, like 200mph tape, is not designed to be removed
cleanly, though it's more likely to leave residue behind than
to take car paint with it ... but it will take paint off of
walls. It also turns out (according to a scientific study)
not to be the best thing for sealing ducts (though it still
has plenty of other uses -- "the handyman's secret weapon").
In the examples I've seen, gaffers tape has been both stronger
_and_ easier/cleaner to remove than masking tape, but usually
not as strong as duct tape ... it's also much more expensive
than masking tape or duct tape. I've used a cheap version that's
pretty close to masking tape except for the adhesive and the
colour, but I didn't like it much (and it still cost more than
masking tape or duct tape). I've never played with 200mph tape
or aviation tape.
What I've found is that when you think you probably want gaffers
tape, you probably *REALLY* want gaffers tape (i.e. the next
best thing isn't very close). And when some other tape would
do, you probably _don't_ want to use gaffers tape (for strength,
permanence, or cost reasons). It's good to have the right tool
for the job, and the more familiar you are with the right tools,
the less patience you have for the wrong ones.
-- Glenn
