Open here like this.

[Zutroi]

A few meters of duck tape can be re-wrapped around the shaft of a pen or pencil... if your backpack has a frame, you can put a few turns around part of that for storage too!

(Yes, it is 'duck' tape, named for the cotton duck fabric, not the bird... and it actually is pretty sucktastic at taping up ducts!)

 

[far-trader]

A few meters of duck tape can be re-wrapped around the shaft of a pen or pencil... if your backpack has a frame, you can put a few turns around part of that for storage too!

Yep, or just stomp on a nearly empty (several feet remaining) roll really hard and it'll fold flat enough to pop in a pocket. Beats unwrapping and rewrapping.

(Yes, it is 'duck' tape, named for the cotton duck fabric, not the bird... and it actually is pretty sucktastic at taping up ducts!)

Well Duck Tape is a brand name, and while it's often called and advertised as a duct tape not all of their Duck Tapes are duct tapes. I agree the regular Duck Tape should never be used for ducts. There's real duct tape for that (an adhesive backed metal like heavy foil).

 

[far-trader]

Tape Tip...

And while we're off the subject an old trick I picked up years ago for rolls of tape.

How often have you gone to use tape and the end is stuck on the roll and you fight to get it started? Or you can't even find the end because it's clear tape? Simple trick to avoid that forever.

You've just torn (or cut) off the tape for the latest fix.
(see top picture, sticky side shown in light gray)

STOP! Before rolling the end of the tape back down and face fighting next time you need some tape take a second. Imagine a diagonal line from one point of the loose end back to the roll.
(see middle picture, dark grey line)

Now fold the tape back on that line, forming a triangle at the end of the tape, with the sticky side holding it together.
(see bottom picture, not sticky bit in dark grey)

Now when you roll the tape back on the roll there's a ready made grab tab to start peeling for the next job. Just tear (or cut) it off after starting the tape off the roll if you don't need it. It can come in handy on some jobs for quick and easy removal of the tape from what you put it on.

Advanced technique does the same thing but by actually folding the tape over the roll to form the triangle before tearing off the tape you are applying to the job, using the edge of the roll to tear in a nice straight line.

 

[aramis]

And Ducting Tape is a different beastie... metal foil with high temp stable (>300°F) glue. Real pain to work with... And if it gets below 30° F, at least the stuff I've seen used, the glue gets brittle...

Now, In Alaska, you're likely to see cars with bodies of Duck tape, and exhaust pipes of Ducting tape, and largely rust underneath... So long as the bumper and mirrors are there, the lights work, and the engine passes emissions, it gets to drive...

 

[Rev Round]

Shoot !

I thought it was duct tape for years...

Blimé it's duck tape. Gonna take years to get used to that now

P.S. you just reminded me I have to repair the gutter. with duct tape

 

[far-trader]

...P.S. you just reminded me I have to repair the gutter. with duct tape

I shouldn't laugh I did just repair my gutter with duck tape

It's temporary, really. And they're plastic gutters so the duck tape actually probably sticks better than duct tape would. And it was just above freezing (and has been below and above since) and it's sticking very nicely, and still waterproof. Good stuff, duck tape. Heck I may not even have to make a permanent fix

 

[far-trader]

Shoot !

I thought it was duct tape for years...

Blimé it's duck tape. Gonna take years to get used to that now

Don't sweat it Everybody I know says it such that it's really hard to tell if they're saying Duck Tape or Duct Tape. Unless it's just a regional pronunciation thing. And when your helper hands you the wrong roll of tape you just glare and say "I said Duc(k or t) Tape, not Duc(t or k) Tape, get with the program already."

:rofl:

 

[Rev Round]

Old metal gutters here and an ancient fig tree has decided to wrench one end off too. Sooooo much to do. The original building is 1843. Only just a bit older than how I feel about how much has to be done. Nothing that a hammer couldn't fix though :rofl:

Talking about hammers... I have a bicycle padlock key which has a screwdriver head which is on the business end of the key. Looking end on looks like this > +.

Handy for borrowing things from one place to improvise something elsewhere. Small coins can be used on the other kind of screw head. Needs must at times.