Brad Kaenel Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 Maybe I'm dense, unlucky, or just doing something stupid... I've tried every brand of gaff tape, including Amazon cheap and pro-recommended pricey, and EVERY TIME I use it on a rubber surface (XLR cables primarily, but also foot pedals, audio lines, etc.) the glue just "melts" and turns into a gooey mess: Stick it to metal, plastic, almost anything else it's fine for weeks and months. But just touch rubber, even at indoor room temperatures -- it morphs within minutes, like it's some kind of chemical reaction or something. Someone tell me what I'm doing wrong. PLEASE! Quote Kurzweil PC4-7, Studiologic Numa X 73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 The Pro Gaffer tape doesn't do this. That is what I use. The one on Amazon is the one I use. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GZE3UJ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Gaff255Blk--pro-tapes-and-specialties-pro-gaff-premium-2-inch-gaffers-tape-black?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=1&mrkgcat=drums&percussion&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=&lid=58700008695999512&dsproductgroupid=&product_id=Gaff255Blk&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=x&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9031014&creative=&targetid=&campaignid=21161059670&awsearchcpc=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImcXmwpTrhgMVUfKUCR3JKg-MEAQYASABEgL6pfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesB3 Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Old movie guy here. I don't have any experience with "Gaffer Power" but that's not to say it isn't good. The Pro Gaffer is what the motion picture suppliers in the SFV are selling. I think Pro Gaffer is the old Permacel that was the industry standard. Even with this it will occasionally transfer, especially if it's down for awhile. If you get a fresh roll the adhesive tends to stay more on the cloth backing instead of transferring to the cable. I found older rolls tend to transfer the adhesive. Also keep out of extreme heat. You can also go with "dry path" tape that has no adhesive in the center channel. It's a little tricky to apply. Lay your cable as straight as you can and get your buddy to pull off 6-8' of tape at time. Hold it taut and tear it off at your end. With a guy at each end, kneel down and center the tape over the cable run and stick it down. 1 Quote Yamaha CP73; 145 gig Leslie; Nord Electro 61; Oberheim OB3^2; Wurlitzer 200A; Ampeg Gemini I amp; Speakeasy Leslie preamp; QSC K-10 (dearly departed, '58 B3, Bob Schleicher 50C Leslie now serving the Lord in Bryant AR) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadslayer Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 12 hours ago, BluesB3 said: You can also go with "dry path" tape that has no adhesive in the center channel. It's a little tricky to apply. Lay your cable as straight as you can and get your buddy to pull off 6-8' of tape at time. Hold it taut and tear it off at your end. With a guy at each end, kneel down and center the tape over the cable run and stick it down. Man. I wish I'd know about that back in the one-nighter days. The most distressing thing about tape to cable adhesive transfer isn't the adhesive itself, but all of the stage mung it adheres to night after night. Yuk 2 Quote Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Never had that happen with gaffer's tape...got mine on Amazon. I haven't really needed it since I snaked my cables into flex sleeve, and the band bought a bunch of those rubber trackway covers that someone on these very forums brought to my attention. Any place we'd normally tape down cables, one of these things is just laid over them with the cables in the center. It's the same idea as the really big ones used on video shoots/live events to cross roads that you can drive over. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Duct/Gaffers tape has been banned from my gear for over 20 years. Cable reels are your friend, especially for XLR cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean M. H. Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 1 hour ago, The Real MC said: Duct/Gaffers tape has been banned from my gear for over 20 years. Cable reels are your friend, especially for XLR cables. Cable reels? Maybe I'm just being dense, but I don't see how that replaces tape for securing cabling--or whatever the OP was trying to stick to the foot pedal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesB3 Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 The gaff tape or rubber pathway covers are for trip hazards. For coiling audio and bnc cables we always used figure 8 unless it was a snake. Quote Yamaha CP73; 145 gig Leslie; Nord Electro 61; Oberheim OB3^2; Wurlitzer 200A; Ampeg Gemini I amp; Speakeasy Leslie preamp; QSC K-10 (dearly departed, '58 B3, Bob Schleicher 50C Leslie now serving the Lord in Bryant AR) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatoboy Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Real film business Gaffer's tape really does not leave residue at all or so minimal a tissue will whip it off ... on 1 Million (now, but about about 700,000 then) $ Panavision Cameras or expensive Film/Theatre Lighting equipment.... major Film Supply or Audio Visual supply houses usually have the real deal in most major US cities if they have a counter for sale at all and don't just rent like Panavision.... and on line maybe as people may have posted..... I worked at Panavision Camera's NY Rental Distrubator (General Camera) the largest Panavision camera supply on the East Coast in the early 80's for almost 2 years .... I encountered real Gaffer's tape a long time ago .. before it became more popular and used in the music business i Quote CP-50, YC 73, FP-80, PX5-S, NE-5d61, Kurzweil SP6, XK-3, CX-3, Hammond XK-3, Yamaha YUX Upright, '66 B3/Leslie 145/122 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted June 23 Share Posted June 23 12 hours ago, Legatoboy said: Real film business Gaffer's tape really does not leave residue at all or so minimal a tissue will whip it off ... Any idea how non-urban people can tell crap gaffer's tape from the real deal? (I'm still nursing a roll given me years ago by a professional stagehand buddy.) Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesB3 Posted June 23 Share Posted June 23 Get the Pro Gaff brand. $20 Hollywood Expendables, Sweetwater or B&H. Quote Yamaha CP73; 145 gig Leslie; Nord Electro 61; Oberheim OB3^2; Wurlitzer 200A; Ampeg Gemini I amp; Speakeasy Leslie preamp; QSC K-10 (dearly departed, '58 B3, Bob Schleicher 50C Leslie now serving the Lord in Bryant AR) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thethirdapple Posted June 23 Share Posted June 23 Yup thats why its named that… Quote gaffe /ɡaf/ noun an unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator; a blunder. "an unforgivable social gaffe" been there done that too… 😕 Could the gooeyness be caused by a reaction to the “rubbery” material of the cable or pedal. The “oils” from the surface are not allowing the glue to dry and is emulsified by chemical reactions. Old plastics and other petroleum based products break down over time and remain active when in contact with other elements… Science over marketing? my only solution/suggestion which is not really helpful, do no use tape… 🫠 PEACE _ _ _ Quote When musical machines communicate, we had better listen… http://youtube.com/@ecoutezpourentendre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Kaenel Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 Thank you all for the schooling. I guess I need to just “say ‘No’” to gaff(e) tape for my applications. Quote Kurzweil PC4-7, Studiologic Numa X 73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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