Tapes Box

The box of sticky things. Nothing complicated, but when you need it you need it now, and there is no time to search the hackspace.

Which is which

Choosing a tape is not a matter of taste; each has its job:

• PVC insulating tape — insulating electrical joints and colour coding. It stretches, conforms and stays on a wire. Over time it creeps and leaves adhesive, so for a permanent joint use heat shrink instead.
• Masking (paper) tape — anything that has to come off cleanly: masking for paint, holding a part temporarily, or writing on it with a marker as a label.
• Packing tape — boxes, parcels, bulk. No use at all for electrical work.
• Double-sided — sticking a board or a panel where you cannot drill.
• Reinforced — rough fixing, temporary repairs, things that have to hold properly.

A couple of things that save grief

• Insulating tape is not insulation. At mains voltage, tape wound round a joint is not a repair, it is a postponed problem.
• Masking tape has to come off in time. After a week in the sun it bakes on and starts coming away in layers.
• Do not stick tape to circuit boards or optics. The adhesive stays, and getting it off takes alcohol and patience.
• Fold the end of the roll back on itself. The next person will thank you for not having to scratch at the roll with a fingernail for half an hour.

Access

The box is in the hackspace room, so a plan that includes hackspace access is required. Consumables are included in your access within reason.