Shopsmith Forums

is the carpet tape from Home depot or Lowes, as good as the tape sold at woodworking stores. Will be using for Turning and Patterns.

There are many double sided carpet tapes sold at Home Depot.
I found a tape much like masking tape that was double sided. I also found a mylar type tape that was double sided, and they also sale a double sided tape that has various thicknesses of a foam like material between the two sides.

The last tape I bought from Home Depot was the double sided mylar type tape. The tape itself is very thin and see thru with adhesive that nearly makes a permit bond on both sides.

For turning I don't know if this tape would be good or not. As I said it was almost a permanent bond but also it is so thin getting a chisel in between to separate the pieces would be difficult. However it is excellent for layout where you are going to nail or screw something together. The tape is thin enough that the joint closes fully but is held solid while you position everything before driving home screws, nails or some other fastener.

For turning which I do very little I like the masking type tape. The tape itself is a little thicker and you can separate the pieces by slipping in a chisel. Plus I think the adhesive is not as sticky so it releases easier.

I don't know what Woodcraft is selling but I bought the double sided masking type from Shopsmith and Home Depot and to me they are identical.

Forgot to mention the double sided with foam like material is great for putting together things that don't have a perfect fit and for places where you want a tight weather seal. I built a box to sit atop my large screen TV to hold the DVD and cable box. I wanted it to set on the back side of the TV which had a fairly severe slop. I cut the legs of the box to match the slop and then used the foam backed double sided tape to attach it to the TV.

Worked and the last time the cable guy was here he went nuts over it. Said he could sell all I could make. Told him each one would almost have to be custom since the slope of the various brands of TV are so different. That thought kind of blew up our plans for a mega million dollar company based on boxes to hold Cable boxes and DVD players.

Talk about timing. Thanks for posting Thomrider.

Also, thanks for the lesson, Ed. Just yesterday I was looking on Home Depot's sight for tape and couldn't figure out which I should use. I'll be going with the masking for my project of creating ZCI blanks a half dozen at a time since they'll be easier to get apart.

The double sided tape I use is actually "carpet" tape. I get it from HD and it is found in the carpet department of the store. The other kinds are usually found in the paint department. It's the kind with the string backing and it is pressure sensitive. The more pressure you put on it the harder it sticks. In some instances I have had trouble getting the parts apart without breaking them.

I use the 3M pressure sensitive fiber type. Get it at Walmart.
My use is for attaching work to patterns for the pin router. I usually clamp them in the bench vise. Adhesion is way more than adequate.
To effect a release, I use lacquer thinner.

I was going to post a question about the double sided tape also. Is it stong enough to hold the parts when turning on the lathe. Years ago when I was in school we used to coat both pieces with glue and lay a sheet of paper in between and clamp up the part until the next day. If carpet tape is used it would be much faster but I always wonder if it was strong enough.

I have had a roll of this for about 2 years:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... hesion.htm

I had it 'bust loose' on some lathe operations so I don't use it there any more.

However it has been extremely handy for other jobs. Such as 'surface sanding' some thin wood on a carrier-piece under the Conical Sanding disk. Also for attaching some workpieces to carrier boards, underneath the Overarm Router.

sawmill wrote:I was going to post a question about the double sided tape also. Is it stong enough to hold the parts when turning on the lathe. Years ago when I was in school we used to coat both pieces with glue and lay a sheet of paper in between and clamp up the part until the next day. If carpet tape is used it would be much faster but I always wonder if it was strong enough.

The thin (I think mylar) double sided carpet tape that Home Depot sells makes an almost permanent bond. It is at least as strong as the old method using glue, paper, glue. The tape is transparent and has plastic film. I have stuck it on things and have had to fight to get them apart.

I would guess unless something like a tool stopping the spinning wood on a lathe happened I don't think it would come off. And even then I would think that the wood might break before the tape lets go.

Before the common use of double sided tape we used to glue pieces together with a sheet of newspaper between to allow for separation. A little slower than double sided tape since you have to wait for the glue to dry/cure. But cheaper and readily available. Still use that technique today when I'm out of double sided tape.

I have used Carpet tape from Lowe's with great success in pin routing. Recommend you get the tape with a cloth holding the stickum. Cloth carpet tape was also recommended by Nick in one of the pin router Sawdust sessions.

Any issue with this tape is removing. You have to slip a chisel between the pieces and slowly spread them. Once started and you can get fingers in - the pieces will separate nicely.