'The Tackifier' Blog by FindTape

Have you heard the saying...money can't buy happiness but it can buy craft supplies? Get ready to go shopping because the JVCC ATG-7502 and JVCC ATG-7502X 1/4" refill rolls have a newly designed core system which fits securely into the 3M Scotch 1/4" ATG tape dispensers (pink Scotch Advanced Tape Glider, red Scotch 714 ATG and more) saving you money AND time.

If you own the pink Scotch Advanced Tape Glider and bought refill rolls, in the past you had two options; 1. Purchase an expensive refill roll because it fits into your glider or 2. Purchase a refill roll that was less expensive but did not snap into the dispenser resulting in a loose fit. 

The new core design of the JVCC ATG-7502 and JVCC ATG-7502X 1/4" adhesive transfer tape solves both of these problems. Now this refill roll will snap down correctly into the pink Scotch Advanced Tape Glider. No more loose fitting rolls that might slip or need to be repositioned, saving you time to work on your project.

Additionally, the JVCC ATG-7502 ATG tape offers a 75% cost savings over the 3M Scotch 908 refill tape. Both offer similar properties, are acid neutral, available in like sizes and work in the pink Scotch Advanced Tape Glider or Scotch red 714 dispensers. 

What is Adhesive Transfer Gun (ATG) Tape?

Good question! Reverse wound adhesive transfer gun tape, commonly known as ATG tape, is considered to be an unsupported tape, which is defined as "a tape that is unsupported by a carrier or by backing such as paper, film or cloth." The Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC) offers this graphic to help illustrate the layers that make up an unsupported tape consisting of a release liner and adhesive. The release liners are typically coated on both sides with a type of release agent, making it easy to place the adhesive onto your project. Unlike traditional tape, ATG tape is not supported by a carrier or backing - such as cloth, paper or film. The tape is applied to a special release liner and reverse wound on a plastic core. 

Where Can I Use ATG Tape?

Adhesive transfer gun tape is the preferred product for scrapbooking, picture framing, photo mounting and other graphic arts applications. ATG tape is widely used for the strong, long-lasting bonds created with wood, glass, paper, most plastics, paint and metal foils. In addition, there are product options for acid-free, which is pH or acid neutral assuring that the tape will not yellow or discolor your photo or artwork over time. ATG Tape can be an excellent alternative to double-stick tape. Examples of acid neutral ATG tape include JVCC ATG-7502, Scapa T002 and 3M Scotch 908 ATG Gold Tape.

 ATG Dispensers Are the Answer 

ATG tape rolls are are reverse wound. This means that the release liner is on the tape's underside and the adhesive is on the top (also described as being on the outside). ATG Dispensers are designed to wind the release liner of the ATG tape roll while placing the strip of adhesive onto your project simultaneously. As you press the trigger on the handle during application the tape is dispensed and the release liner is automatically wound up by the take-up spool. Easy to use, no mess and quick clean-up! 

Remember, ordinary tape dispensers will not work with ATG tape since ATG tapes are reverse wound. Even applying by hand will be difficult without an ATG dispenser since the adhesive is wound on the outside of the roll, which is the opposite of a normal roll of tape.

The JVCC ATG-1 dispenser accepts ALL of the ATG tapes we sell at FindTape.com. One stop shopping! FindTape offers ATG tape dispenser options to accommodate various tape sizes, specially designed and include correctly sized mechanisms to snap ATG refill rolls securely in place. 

Leading ATG tape dispensers and ATG tape brands include JVCC, 3M Scotch, and Scapa. 

Adapter Makes Scotch 700 Dispenser Universal

An ATG tape adapter can be used with the yellow 3M Scotch 700 adhesive dispenser. An ATG adapter allows you to use a narrower width refill roll in an ATG dispenser that's been designed for wider width rolls. The secret is in the core design of the ATG tape. This means you can use one dispenser solution with an adapter for all of your ATG tape size needs. Brilliant!

Purchase the 3M Scotch 700A ATG Applicator Adapter to securely fit 1/4" wide adhesive transfer tape into your yellow 3M Scotch ATG 700 dispenser. With the adapter, the dispenser can now use 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" ATG tapes, giving you an ATG tape system that is versatile, convenient and easy to use.

The Bottom Line

Future Market Insights (FMI) this week published the market report Gaffers Tape Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027 showcasing the increasing opportunities in the gaffers tape markets.  The accompanying press release to the report stated, “One of the significant factors contributing towards the growth of the gaffers tape market is the rampant growth of (the) industrial tape industry.” This started a hearty discussion at FindTape about gaffers tape and common gaffes made in understanding the reasons people use or don’t use this versatile tape.

The Right Product for the Right Application

As the demand for packaging increases so does the need for tape. The market report comes to the same conclusion, “The introduction of gaffers tape over duct tape has provided the manufacturer a wide range of packaging advancements.” While we applaud the increasing need for tape and more advanced options it is important to note that gaffers tape may not always be the right choice for shipping packages.  

The main industry users of gaffers tape include the entertainment, photography, hospitality, theater and audio production industries. Gaffers tape - also known as gaff tape - is primarily used to secure cables to floors, walls and other surfaces where you do not want a sticky residue left behind. Clearly, this is not the packaging industry as stated in the summary report from FMI. Although it can be used for packaging, due to its water resistant backing and other factors, gaffers tape will be a costly choice. Military specifications, such as ASTM-D 5486M-99 Type IV Class I (replaced PPP-T-60E Type IV Class I) and CID A-A-1586A, are examples of where gaffers tape is the right choice. It's about using the right tape for the right application. 

Gaffer Tape vs. Gaffer-Style

The FMI press release explains that “Global Gaffers Tape market is segmented on the basis of product, backing material, and application. On the basis of backing material, gaffers tape market can be segmented into polypropylene, paper, PVC and others.” Technically speaking gaffer tape is defined as being vinyl-coated cloth with a matte finish and completely removable from most hard surfaces. Any other “gaffer” tape is really just gaffer-style.

Who's Really Making it Stick

The companies identified in the FMI market summary as "Some of the major players identified across the globe in the Gaffers Tape market are Henkel AG & Co., KGaA, 3M Company, The Dow Chemical Company, Avery Dennison, Ashland Inc. and H.B. Fuller.", is misleading. These companies are adhesive and raw material suppliers not manufacturers of the end-use product. The major players in gaffer tape manufacturing are Shurtape, Polyken and Scapa.

At FindTape.com we agree that the global gaffer tape market is strong and growing! Head over to FindTape.com and use our Advanced Tape Finder to see the largest selection of gaffers tape available for any purpose. We’ll help you avoid any tape gaffes.

Now Available - Worldwide Gaffers Tape Market Report 2017-2027

Posted on Monday, January 23, 2017 at 4:42 pm CST

Global packaging industry has witnessed a number of technological advancement from last couple of decades. As packaging is unexecuted without the use of tape, the increasing demand for packaging from industrial sector in turn is creating huge opportunity for industrial tape market. The introduction of gaffers tape over duct tape has provided the manufacturer a wide range of packaging advancement. Gaffer's tape which is also known as camera tape or spike tape is regarded as heavy cotton cloth pressure sensitive tape that delivers high adhesive properties. Through gaffers tape, now the manufacturers can use the tape on any kind of packaging material without the need for a solvent (such as water) or heat for activation. Gaffer tape is widely used in theatre, photography, film –television production and industrial staging works.

View the full press release at ReleaseWire >

Have you ever wondered what type of tape is the most popular? In the infographic below, you can find out exactly which type of tape features the highest sales in the state where you live. From foam tape to gaffers tape to duct tape, the answers range all over the board to show that Americans use a wide variety of tapes in their everyday lives. Let’s take a closer look to explore which types of tapes are popular in certain areas of the U.S.

Gaffers on the Coasts

While you can surely find gaffers tape sold across the country, there’s no denying that it seems to be especially popular along the west and east coasts of the U.S. This type of tape reigns supreme in states like California, New York, South Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania. There are also a few inland states where this tape is preferred as well, such as Minnesota and Oklahoma. It’s likely that this tape’s popularity on the coasts, however, is at least somewhat related to the fact that these areas are home to more of the country’s film and television industries. After all, gaffers tape is widely used in theatre, photography, and films and television production, so it makes sense that it’s the most common tape in places like New York and California.

Electrical Tape in Industrial States

Another popular tape across the country appears to be electrical tape. This is the most popular type of tape in a number of Midwestern, Southern and Western states, such as Wisconsin, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Dakota and Nevada. Since electrical tape is one of the most popular types of tape in general, there could be a variety of reasons that it’s so popular in these areas. However, it could be due in part to the fact that many of these states have thriving industrial economies where a strong, durable and reliable tape like electrical tape would be commonly used in work settings like factories and assembly lines.

ATG Tape States Across the Nation

According to this infographic, ATG tape has climbed the ranks as one of the top tape options. It is found to be the most popular in states like Michigan, Florida, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Washington and Missouri. ATG type of tape used with an adhesive transfer gun (hence the acronym ATG). It’s popular with crafters as well as those who work with retail displays and other design projects, so there’s a chance that the creative industries in these states are thriving based on the high sales of ATG tape in those areas.

There are a few other tapes that made the cut for most popular in select states, such as double-sided tape, carpet tape and paper measurement tape. Whatever the reason for their popularity, it’s certainly fascinating to see which types of tape products are the most popular according to location. Does the type of tape you buy most often line up with the most popular type of tape in your state? Check the map to find out!

Below is a list of recent price increase correspondence we have received which includes details about the percentage price increase and which of that manufacturer's product line it will affect. The prices on our web site will typically be changed the business day before the manufacturer's increase goes into effect (or soon thereafter).

• Intertape - 2/15/2016 Effective Date Increase Letter
• Jaybird & Mais - we implemented new pricing on 2/15/2016
• Shurtape - 3/22/2016 Effective Date Increase Letter

* last updated 2/22/2016

We are now offering a greatly reduced shipping option into Canada. Our "Standard International" option is a consolidated shipping service which groups many packages together so that they can cross the border at the same time to greatly minimize your overall cost of shipping. This shipping option is also all inclusive so it includes duty (applicable if your order were to include any items that did not qualify under NAFTA) plus any taxes that are owed. So you will no longer owe any money at the time of delivery! Here are a few examples:

EXAMPLE #1

6 rolls of Jaybird & Mais EX25 1-1/2 inch x 15 yards Pro-Flesh athletic tape shipping to Edmonton, Alberta

Standard International CAD$ 14.47 *** this already includes ALL customs brokerage, duty & taxes

USPS Priority Mail International CAD$ 46.51 *** this ONLY includes customs brokerage so you would still owe taxes at the time of delivery

UPS Standard CAD$ 28.26 *** this does NOT include customs brokerage, duty or taxes and these would be owed at the time of delivery

EXAMPLE #2

1 roll of Scape 425 96mm (4" nominal) black gaffers tape shipping to Edmonton, Alberta

Standard International CAD$ 20.91 *** this already includes ALL customs brokerage, duty & taxes

USPS Priority Mail International CAD$ 57.33 *** this ONLY includes customs brokerage so you would still owe taxes at the time of delivery (Scapa 425 is made in Canada so no duty would be owed)

UPS Standard CAD$ 33.85 *** this does NOT include customs brokerage, duty or taxes and these would be owed at the time of delivery

EXAMPLE #3

1 case (24 rolls) of Polyken 105C 48mm x 33m double-sided carpet tape shipping to Edmonton, Alberta

Standard International CAD$ 70.82 *** this already includes ALL customs brokerage, duty & taxes

UPS Standard CAD$ 75.50 *** this does NOT include customs brokerage, duty or taxes and these would be owed at the time of delivery (approximately an additional CAD$ 64.51 in this example)

We've also turned on direct shipments to Australia and the United Kingdom via this shipping option and more countries will follow soon. In addition we now allow you to view prices on our web site in Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars, British Pounds, or the Euro (based on that day's exchange rate) so you don’t have to do the conversion in your head while you are browsing.

I'm very excited to announce the results of our Memorial Day campaign for Operation Homefront. Thanks to your support, we are donating $7,102.30 to help our soldiers and their families.

They are the ones who bear the brunt of war: More than 50,000 men and women come home wounded and many of their families struggle financially. Operation Homefront is a nonprofit organization that does a lot of good for those who serve our country. It provides emergency financial assistance, caregiver support, and access to permanent, mortgage-free homes for our veterans.

As I've mentioned before, FindTape.com has strong connections to the military. Many U.S. military divisions are our customers, and the owner of our primary tape converter, Robert Valley, is a veteran of the 82nd Airborne and both Operation Just Cause in Panama and the Gulf War in Iraq. Also one of my grandfathers served in combat in World War I and the other in World War II.

But beyond all of this, we are passionate about military families and all they do to protect and serve our nation, and we are so grateful to all of our customers who joined us in supporting this cause.

With this donation to Operation Homefront, we say a big "THANK YOU" to all of our service men, women and families.

About Operation Homefront

A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

FindTape.com has many crafty customers, many of whom use pressure-sensitive adhesive tape in artistic ways. Our colored tape is often used to decorate scrapbooks, hula hoops, and phone cases.

But one of my favorite uses for our tape is both artistic and charitable: Decorating crutches for wounded warriors and military veterans who are amputees.

The genius behind this activity is Genevieve Finn, who founded Genevieve’s Crutches along with her mother, Regina. Genevieve and her mother are regular customers of FindTape.com, and their story is very uplifting.

When Genevieve was 15 years old, she spent a lot of time on crutches. An active kid and an athlete, she began experiencing pain from hip problems. She had to use crutches for several months before and after two separate surgeries that led to her recovery.

As a creative person, she quickly found a solution to the boring look of her silver crutches. In preparation for attending a Mets game, she used tape to decorate her crutches in the team's colors.

This seemingly simple action completely changed Genevieve's perspective on her injury. People commented on her crutches, and suddenly, her injury wasn't front and center. She discovered the decorated crutches made a positive difference in her recovery. That's when she and her mother recognized the therapeutic value of crutches as art. They set out to help others feel this way too.

More...

May is National Military Appreciation Month, and perhaps it's not so surprising that this is the month we've chosen to honor the men, women, and their families who have or are serving our country. After all, May includes some important observances: Loyalty Day (May 1), VE Day (May 8), Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 8), Armed Forces Day (May 16), and Memorial Day (May 25).

At FindTape.com, this month is important to us because of our strong connections to military personnel and veterans. As I've mentioned before, I have both family and friends who are veterans, and many military divisions are customers of FindTape.com.

National Military Association Month gives all Americans an opportunity "to honor, remember, recognize, and appreciate those who serve and have served.... It recognizes those on active duty in all branches of the services, the National Guard and Reserves plus retirees, veterans, and all of their families - well over 90 million Americans and more than 230 years of our nation’s history."

Note the inclusion of the word, families. We often forget how much military families contribute to the cause of freedom. When a spouse or parent is deployed, it's the spouse and the children who are left behind and who must manage the tasks of daily life on their own. They're the ones with an empty chair at the dinner table, or only one set of hands to tuck the kids into bed.

But it's not just the absence of a conversation or a helping hand that they miss. Many military families also experience financial struggles. Whether a spouse is deployed or returned home injured, military spouses may have a difficult time paying the water bill or the mortgage. These families shouldn't have to bear the burden of war alone. This is why, at FindTape.com, we've made a commitment to help military families.

Recently, we announced our support of Operation Homefront, which provides assistance to make the lives of military families better. We've partnered with this organization because of the tremendous impact it has had on military families.

Here's just a small sample of how successful some of Operation Homefront's programs are:

• The Emergency Assistance Program provided grants to more than 2,700 military families, totaling $4.8 million in 2014. With these grants, families were able to buy food, pay water bills, and keep their homes.
• The Homes on the Homefront program, in partnership with major banks and a homebuilder, moved 138 military families into permanent, mortgage-free homes in 2014. And another 
89 families successfully completed their transition plans and received the deeds to their homes.
• The Hearts of Valor™ program, which provides support to caregivers of wounded warriors, welcomed 836 new members in 2014, for a total membership of 2,369. The program includes 50 support groups across the country.

Operation Homefront operates very efficiently – with 92% of its expenditures going directly to programs for military families. This type of stewardship shows great dedication to making a difference in the lives of military families. Yet, the work of this organization wouldn't be possible without financial support.

And we believe we can help. From May 22 to May 28, 2015, for each purchase a customer makes on FindTape.com, FindTape.com will donate 10% of the total merchandise price to Operation Homefront. We plan to donate up to $10,000 to the nonprofit over the week of the Memorial Day holiday this year.

It's our way to give back to this great community, and to say thank you to the men, women, and families who serve our country.

More...

Burning Man, the art festival focused on self-expression, community and self-reliance, doesn't begin until August 30 this year (it runs through Sept. 7), but many are already planning their stay in the Northern Nevada desert.

This year's theme is Carnival of Mirrors and is described by press materials as "a kind of magic show that takes the form of an old-fashioned carnival." Last year, more than 66,000 people attended. Each year, the desert city - called Black Rock City - pops up from the ground, and disappears after the festival. One of the ten principle's of the festival is "leave no trace," so all structures are packed up and hauled away by participants after the fun is over.

While many live in RVs and tents over the course of the week, an eco-friendly alternative is the hexayurt. Originally designed by Vinay Gupta for a contest sponsored by Treehugger and CurrentTV (Gupta won), this shelter is now used for disaster zones and refugees. Gupta put the plans for the hexayurt in the public domain, so all the details are available for easy reference on this wiki.

There are several benefits of building your own hexayurt for Burning Man.

• It's sturdy (75-mile an hour winds are normal in the desert).
• It's cool and dark in the daytime.
• It's warm at night.
• The tape seals it from dust.
• It's eco-friendly.
• It's easy to pack up.
• It embodies the spirit of self-reliance, another of the 10 principles of the festival.

Building a Hexayurt

The do-it-yourself structure can be created for less than $500 (depending on size), using some common building materials. The full list is available here, but includes sheets of insulation boards, PVC pipes, tent pegs, rope and tarp - and, of course, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. It takes about 8 hours to build the hexayurt at home and another 1-4 hours to assemble it on the desert.

There are two types of tape you'll need for your hexayurt.

The first is a 6" bi-directional tape from JVCC - the JVCC 762-BD Bi-Directional Filament Strapping Tape. This is a fiberglass reinforced polypropylene tape with a 155# tensile strength in both directions. It won't break or tear even under intense conditions, making it an ideal tape for holding together a living structure like the hexayurt. The 762-BD bidi tape also helps to reduce the amount of tape needed for your project since it has filaments in both directions of the tape; traditional filament tape is one directional only.

The second type of tape is a 3" or 4" aluminum foil, which is used to protect the bi-directional tape from UV damage. It also decreases fire risk. Our JVCC AF20 Aluminum Foil Tape is an all weather aluminum foil tape for general purpose use. It is a dead soft high tensile 2 mil thick aluminum foil coated with an aggressive acrylic adhesive system on a removable paper liner. Its malleable foil conforms well to irregular and curved surfaces, which makes it perfect for covering and sealing the seams in Hexayurt shelters. It performs well at both low and elevated temperatures and is designed for heat reflection and dissipation.

Both types of tape will withstand the sometimes extreme conditions on the Nevada desert. We don't recommend using duct tape at all in building your hexayurt. It can't withstand the heat, and you'll soon have a messy problem on your hands.

Gupta provides many detailed building plans on his wiki for hexayurts of all sizes. His wiki also has a handy tape calculator worksheet to help you determine how much tape you'll need to purchase.

But plan ahead and buy early, so you have the tape you need well in advance of building your structure.

If you need a bit of inspiration and want to see Vinay Gupta talk about hexayurt shelters, check out this video.

https://youtu.be/cIcuhF2urFo

I'm often asked what the difference is between gaffers tape and duct tape. After all, gaffers is more expensive, and duct tape seems to be adequate for many types of jobs. Duct tape is a good option for projects that require tape to permanently hold something in place. But if the tape is only intended to be in place temporarily, gaffers may be the better choice.

Gaffers tape is preferred by people in the theater, event, and audio/visual industries because it can be removed without leaving behind an adhesive residue, but another benefit is that it doesn't reflect light.

Some applications for gaffers tapes – such as the Polyken 510 Premium Grade Gaffers Tape – include protecting and anchoring wiring in the photography and film industry; bookbinding; vinyl school bus seat repair; wrapping or bundling of wire, metals, and plastics; protecting and anchoring electrical wiring; and moisture and dust-proof sealing of equipment cases and film canisters. This is a high-tack tape that works well in both low and high temperature applications, and has a clean removal adhesive.

Other gaffers tapes, such as the Pro Tapes Cable-Path Tape or the JVCC Wire-Line Cable Cover Tape, have an adhesive-free zone in the center of the tape which allows for cable and wire to be easily pulled through – and there’s no adhesive left behind after removal. This tape is perfect for events and productions where you need to tack running wires onto floors and need the flexibility of adjusting length.

Duct tape is well known for its versatility and strength. It will hold together almost everything, making it a very reliable tape to use when you want to be sure that your project doesn't fall apart. Polyken 231 Military Grade Duct Tape is used for military and aerospace packaging and other demanding applications. Nashua 357 Premium Grade Duct Tape is the duct tape professional contractors choose when they require a consistent, trouble-free product. Its uses include HVAC (heating, ventilating, air conditioning) and refrigeration applications, the sealing of seams and joints in metal air handling systems, and the manufacture of flexible duct equipped with metal collars – among many others.

The high adhesion properties of duct tape means it typically will leave behind residue, so it's not the best choice when you need to remove the tape once your job, event or project is over.

Watch the video below and I’ll show you the difference in adhesive residue left behind by each tape.