Weekend Workshop
Helpful Hints And Handy Tips
It sounds like something you'd buy in a toy store, but Tommy Tape
turns out to be very useful stuff. There are so many marine applications
that it makes you suspect "Tommy" had a boat. The tape is
waterproof and can even be applied underwater, although I have to admit
I haven't tried that. It doesn't turn gooey and sticky in the hot sun,
it is an insulator for electrical applications, and it can be neatly
wrapped around irregular shapes like some of my klutzy electrical
connections.
This is a totally different kind of tape made of silicone. It has no
adhesive and it will not stick to anything but itself. In fact, it fuses
to itself in 24 hours. It doesn't get brittle in temperatures down to 85
below zero or soften in the Florida sunshine. In fact, it will stand up
to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Tommy Tape stretches about 300 percent. That
characteristic and the fact that it will not stick to the surface it's
wrapped around makes it necessary to learn how to use it properly. If
the surface to be taped is dirty or greasy, it should be cleaned. Once
the tape is in place, oil or grease will not harm it. I'm gradually
learning that since it stretches three hundred percent, I don't need
nearly as much tape as I think. The tape is rolled on a clear backing
that gets in my way, so I cut the amount of tape I think I'll need
(Tommy Tape is rolled on clear, hand-tearable Mylar, so the amount of
tape needed can be torn by hand) and peel off the backing. I'm still
peeling too much off the roll, but I do tend to be a little slow at
these things. Since it only sticks to itself, the last turn of the tape
must be directly on top of the next to last turn. When the tape is first
applied, it might not instantly adhere to the last turn and I find I
have to check it and sometimes press it down again (some tweaking of the
formula has given us an "ultra-sticky" tape that has
alleviated, if not eliminated this problem!).
It's well worth the time to learn how to handle this tape. It's
non-skid and rubber-like so it's an ideal wrapping for tool handles or
boat hooks. It makes a nifty wrap for whipping rope ends and it comes in
about eight colors
(nine colors!)
so lines can be color
coded. Since it's impervious to moisture or salt water it won't come off
like some tapes do. Stretching the tape as it's applied will create a
water tight seal, so it's excellent for emergency repairs of hoses or
pipes. We have an air scoop held in place by elastic shock cords. We use
the scoop at anchor and the stretchy cords keep the scoop from tearing
in gusty winds. There's a loop for a snap in the end of the cords, held
in place with a pig ring. But the loop has to be taped. Tommy Tape is
the only thing we have found that will stretch with the cord and then
stay in place.
A 36' x 1" wide x 20 mil thick roll costs $17.
The tape is made by Tommy Tape Mfg., Inc., P.O. Box 864, Southington,
CT 06489. Phone: (860) 378-0113. Fax: (860) 378-0113.
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