Duct Tape Goes Minature

metal_llama writes "There is a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about a man, Christopher Blummel, who "has a vision for a better world - one where every man would carry in his wallet a small cellophane packet containing a product that can come in handy in an emergency. Duct tape." This is exactly what I've always wanted: an ever-handy supply of duct tape."

Re:Duct tape --- of course!

[afidel]

Actually because of the kind of glue used as an adhesive in most duct tape it isn't very good for sealing ducts. The glue degrades in the presence of heat and moisture, both of which are in abundance in a most ducting situations. Instead a flexible plastic hose with metal ring clamps should be used.

Re:Wait a minute.

[Wakkow]

He hasn't officially gotten it yet. It's patent pending.

Another great thing about duct tape

[kramer2718]

Because of the threads, you can tear a wide piece to be as narrow as you need.

Re:Wait a minute.

[Walt Dismal]

But someone is already selling small flattened rolls of duct tape. I bought one at Big Lots (a retail chainstore) 4 or 5 months ago.

First Duck Tape... Then the Internet...

[notestein]

Another fine offshoot product of the US military.

Thanks for the Duck Tape Uncle Sam! [ideafinder.com]

Re:This is not a new idea

['Aikanaka]

Here's the link to what you're thinking of: http://www.duckproducts.com/products/detail.asp?ca tid=1&subid=1&plid=8 Guess that guy is SOL...prior art and all. 'Aikanaka...

Re:Am I the only one?

[TrackDaddy]

As a previous poster pointed out, it was originaly called "Duck" tape. And it was never designed to be used on ducts. It was a waterproof tape developed to seal Army ammo cans, hence the name "Duck" tape (as in waterproof, like a duck).

It didn't start getting used to seal duct work until well after WW II. And, as you pointed out, it's a poor choice for that task. On the other hand, it is great to have around in the pits at the track (where it is often referred to as 100-mile-an-hour tape).

Re:Duct tape is like industrial 'skin'.

[evilviper]

I gets used as actual human skin as a matter of fact.

If you ever watch a 100K marathon, you'll see that, by 1/4 through, just about everyone has duct tape covering their feet. This is due to the blisters that have formed on their feet after rubbing against their shoes for so long.

Yes, duct tape is a quick, strong, and painless skin graft.

Re:Duct Tape

[Solokron]

Carl Zwanzig

The origin of Duck (Duct) Tape

[jlrowe]

At one time I was misled by the term "Duct" tape. The original name is "Duck: tape, and the orignal purpose and manufacture I heard on the radio awhile back and is repeated here: Duct vs. Duck [octanecreative.com]

During World War II the U.S. Military needed a waterproof tape to keep the moisture out of ammunition cases. So, they enlisted the Johnson and Johnson Permacel Division to manufacture the tape. Because it was waterproof, everyone referred to it as "duck" tape (like water off a duck's back). Military personnel discovered that the tape was good for lots more than keeping out water. They used it for Jeep repair, fixing stuff on their guns, strapping equipment to their clothing... the list is endless. After the War, the housing industry was booming and someone discovered that the tape was great for joining the heating and air conditioning duct work. So, the color was changed from army green to the silvery color we are familiar with today and people started to refer to it as "duct tape*." Therefore, either name is appropriate.

Re:I also have a vision...

[6pak]

too late, there already is such thing: http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html

Re:Duct tape --- of course!

[tzanger]

Instead a flexible plastic hose with metal ring clamps should be used.

Incorrect. Plastic hose for a dryer vent is a fire hazard; the modern standard is flexible metal hose and hose clamps.

Re:Duct and Duct Work

[SN74S181]

I almost never keep duct tape around. Because while it might seem like the appropriate thing for a temporary fix, it leaves behind such a messy glue residue when you're ready for the permanent fix that it often does more damage than good.

In general when something has been repaired with duct tape, it indicates an amateur has been at work maintaining it. Equipment at yard sales, etc. which have anything resembling duct tape attached should be avoided at all cost.

Black electrical tape is much the same. Nobody with an interest in quality regarding electronics uses it for anything. Like it says in Horowitz and Hill, black electrical tape is strictly amateur. Use Heat Shrink Tubing.

Re:Would they carry the duct tape...

[skookum]

I'm seriously surprised the editors didn't sneak in a shameless link to ThinkGeek's Duct Tape Wallet [thinkgeek.com], I mean talk about a perfect product tie-in story, geez.

Transparent Duct Tape

[JeffGB]

3M has recently come out with Transparent Duct Tape. I haven't repaired anything with it yet, but it looks and feels like a big roll of medical tape.
This stuff is better than Transparent Aluminum! [slashdot.org]
Here's a link to 3M's website: http://www.3m.com/us/office/scotch/transducttape/ [3m.com]

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

I am HORRIFIED! You call yourselves'geeks'?

[The_Laughing_God]

Look, I've loved duct tape since I first encountered the stuff in 2nd grade (my folks are not what you'd call 'handy'), but by age 12, I realized it was just a cheap widely available common denominator for many types of tape with better properties. It's usually not even the best common denominator. The best cloth gaffer tapes are stronger, more durable, tear more neatly, mold better, have better/longer lasting adhesive, and clean up with much less residue.

Appreciating the merits of duct tape may have been a clever observation once (e.g. in the 70's, it wasn't carried in all hardware stores, much less every retail store, pharmacy and gas station) but now it's cliche - the stuff of stand-up comedy routines that *everyone* understands, even if they are completely 'tape incompetent' (We've all seen it). I see a wide array of uselessly cheap shiny grey plastic (or even paper) so-called duct tapes, because manufacturers know that most people are aware of its reputation, but not its properties and use, and will buy anything that looks similar.

Too many of the posts sound like "Level 1 geek wannabes" Top quality gaffer tape (for example) may run up to $20 a roll, but it's still pennies per job and it'll handle jobs the plastic stuff won't (including things you wouldn't expect - it's often better for sealing leaks than duct tape, which studies have shown to be the worst option for sealing ducts [consumerenergycenter.org]) I carry top notch gaffer tape in my house and car, not duct tape. I also keep countless other plastic tapes (packing tapes, stranded tapes, etc.) that have greater strength and other properties. Nowadays 'moving' and packing supplies are widely stocked.

Every geek should be able to improvise, true, but they should also have a fine understanding of the fine points of common tapes. It's the difference between success and failure for those who actually improvise instead of imagining doing it. 95% of the time, a top quality gaffer tape will beat the pacts off duct tape, but the guy in the article knows the duct tape mystique will sell where genuine gaffer tape quality won't.

The one true advantage of duct tape is that it is somewhat more widely available, in the stores and in your friend's closets. In the 70s, masking tape was everywhere and the duct tape crowd knew masking tape would quickly fail, if it worked at all, for most jobs where duct tape works great- but geek-wannabes and kids used masking tape for every job, and considered themselves clever. A slight edge in availability does not make it any better or less ignorant a default choice. Today, duct tape occupies the place in the market that masking tape once did: a passable cure-all for those who don't know better options exist or can't be bothered to think ahead and stock them.

Already been done, saw some in Staples

[Anonymous Coward]

He's wasting his time, you can already buy a pocket roll of duct tape in hardware stores. The last time I saw some it was in Staples. It's made by Duck brand duct tape and looks like this [duckproducts.com].

If he'd bothered to google for "pocket duct tape" he would have saved himself a lot of effort on his obsession.