Duct Tape Usage

[Stosh]

I didn't want to hijack the thread but maybe we ought to list out the uses of duct tape. Add your contribution if you have used duct tape in the situation.

 

1) First aid - instead of tying splints, tape them.

 

2) Tape off cuffs and waistband to reduce ticks

 

3) Tape off cuffs to reduce poison ivy contact

 

4) Apply to skin before blisters appear, let the tape slide on the sock instead of the skin

 

5) Patch an aluminum canoe each day. Be sure to apply when the canoe is dry.

 

6) Mend tents and tarps

 

7) Colored duct tape to identify patrol and personal gear

 

Feel free to add to the list.

 

Stosh

[Nike]

Fixes HVAC tubes and saves thousands.

 

We had water in our HVAC conduits (the shiny, floppy sheathed ones about 12" in diameter) in the crawlspace. First HVAC guy wants to pull it all out and replace for more than $2000. Second opinion says, "Just stick a sharp thing in at the lowest point where the water's pooling...here, I have my truck key...let it dry a few days and slap some duct tape on it."

 

[Hal_Crawford]

Nike:

The conduits you describe are called ducts. Ironically, the one thing that duct tape should not be used for is to patch ducts.

 

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/duct_tape.html

 

There are tapes specifically designed for patching ducts but they are different from what we call duct tape. They generally have an aluminized finish.

 

BTW: The linked article has one error. Gaffers' tape is not the same as duct tape. Gaffers' tape is a fabric tape with a matt finish and is way better in that it sticks better and does not leave the residue that duct tape does. It comes in a variety of colors but black is the most popular in the entertainment industry. It also costs about three times as much as duct tape. When working on stage I would never use duct tape; when camping/backpacking I wouldn't use gaffers' Finally, in case your wondering, a gaffer is an electrician/lighting technician in the film industry.

[mdlscouting]

Low cost child care. (Just kidding!!)

[Nike]

Oh well. I knew there was another name, but it completely escaped me. If it isn't supposed to be used on ducting, why is it duct tape?

[nolesrule]

Duct tape can be used to create a device to carry your paper currency and plastic cards.

 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/5f21/

 

A similar device can be constructed to carry your federal government-issued identification papers needed for international travel

 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/8b3b/

[GernBlansten]

Anytime you want to leave a permanent gummy residue that will collect dirt and hair on equipment that can only be removed by highly toxic chemical fluids.

 

On a yacht I used to race on, duct tape, although highly versatile, was banned just because of that.

[Chug]

Best use I've ever discovered for the stuff;

 

http://www.ramillies-essu.org.uk/documents/ducks.php?level=picture&id=341

 

Remember, silence is golden, but Duct Tape is silver.

[JoeBob]

May I share with you the easiest way to remove any glue residue from labels or duct tape?

WD-40. I kid you not! I use it all the time on camera gear; just spray a spot on a paper towel and rub off tape residue.

And anybody who uses duct tape on a regular basis is bound to have a can of WD-40 within reach!

[shortridge]

A few more stories from Backpacker magazine:

 

http://www.backpacker.com/october_2000_gear_reader_duct_tape_stories/gear/1608

 

I've used it to keep a broken driver's side mirror on my car. The entire contraption was dangling off, but duct tape kept it on there for several weeks without replacement.

[Eagle92]

OK don't know if it was duct tape or what, btu this is cool!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090519/od_afp/sciencejapanspaceissoffbeat

 

"Can't fix it, duct it, can't duct it, chuck it!"

[click23]

As a kid, I once tried to use duct tape to patch a hole in a muffler on a lawn mower. I worked for a few minutes, but the the muffler got too hot, boy was that a mess.

[BrentAllen]

A very handy little book, though it covers a lot more than just duct tape:

 

Don't Forget The Duct Tape by Kristin Hostetter

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Forget-Duct-Tape-Maintaining/dp/0898869552/ref=pd_sim_b_2

 

Product Description

Whether you need to remedy a leak in your tent, repair flapping boot soles, nurse a cranky stove back to life, unclog a water filter, or revive gunked-up Velcro, you'll find the solution here. And it can all be done with an inexpensive 12-item repair kit that, once assembled, won't weigh more than a pound or two--worth its weight in gorp!

As you'd guess, this pack-it-with-you pocket guide includes many ingenious uses for that most versatile of tools: duct tape! Here's just a few of many tips:

 

Tip: Make a sturdy zipper pull by threading a thin strip of duct tape through the slider, then wrapping the tails with more duct tape.

 

Tip: For a more stable stove, cut a square of old closed-cell foam pad sized to fit the base of your backpacking stove. Wrap the foam generously with duct tape for insulation and you have a stable cooking platform that works great in the snow.

 

Tip: When re-gluing a boot or shoe sole, a few turns of duct tape can keep the toe area secure while the glue dries.

 

[artjrk]

I have an old bath tub that is starting to develop rust spots and holes near the overflow drain. (That way when we moved in) Anyway the clear duct tape applied in layered strips working upward is working great until I can get around to fixing it properly or replacing it.

[raisinemright]

wahooker, I agree on low cost child care. One day I came home after my daughter was watching the younger ones. My son was completely immobilized after being duct taped to a chair at the kitchen table. His hands were taped to the table, his mouth was taped shut and he had a water glass with a long straw taped to the table for sustenance. The kids spent a couple good hours setting up that gag for us and then had to wait until we got home to share a great laugh and some photographs.