Washi Tape

mikeyb2

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until now I've managed to bind my instruments using Wilko blue decorators masking tape, relatively inexpensive but works ok for that purpose. So I went in today to buy some more, and it has been replaced, it seems, with red Washi tape. I've never heard of it until now.
A quick google revealed it is quite common now, and also that only the japanese made tape is any good, in particular the MT brand.
So the question is, has anyone used this or have any experience with it, in holding down bindings when gluing?
 
I ran out of special "binding tape" ($$$) once and was forced to use regular old painter masking tape of a very cheap blue variety. Everything worked fine, fine, fine. I think pretty much any tape would work fine. I think it also depends on how nice your binding is sitting in the channel which means how good you cut everything in. Seems sometimes it just fits in there like a glove and you could hold it with a postage stamp and sometimes nothing short of steel cable seems to work. A nice happy bend on your binding helps too...
 
Point taken. I don't suppose I will ever bend perfectly fitting binding so there's going to be some areas that might need a little coaxing, hence the need for a decent tape. I bought one of these washi tapes but have not have chance to try it yet(I'm way from home at the moment). It looks good, so when I get home I'll experiment on some scrap, and post my review.
 
All tape isn't fine. Some tapes are not strong and either don't stick or snap when you try to stretch them. Others are sticky and leave a mess on the uke which is a pain to remove. This is often so with 'bargain' tapes.

I've tried a few and now use 3M 3434 blue masking tape, readily available in different widths and not expensive (after recommendations on this site).

I have no knowledge of Washi tape.
 
I just use masking tape - the creamy white stuff. It's not all the same though, some has a bit of stretch to it (good) some does not (bad).

I like to use the green painters tape. It isn't overly sticky, and it has a good amount of stretch to it. I actually use it for gluing bindings, for gluing together the bookmatched tops and bottoms, and even to secure the tops and bottoms to the sides while they're drying instead of clamps. I don't know why I'd use anything else.
 
I love it! We are talking tape and tape is a subject close to my heart. Below is an example of the tapes on my bench because a person can never have too many different types of tape. My secret weapon is 3M 233+ automotive tape which is the green one. Used in the automotive industry for some special application I have no idea about. Sticky but not to sticky. Stretchy but not too stretchy. But when the chips get down and things get nasty, SMD's brown binding tapes is what I go to. It is awful stuff in so many ways and will rip a spruce top literally to shreds, but man does that stuff stick. Haven't tried their new orange stuff which is supposed to be better.

DSCN7918.jpg
 
well I finally got round to trying washi tape on some scrap mahogany and some spruce. It does pull out fibres badly on the spruce, much less so on mahogany. Not tried to shellac the spruce yet.
 
Gotta shellec that spruce. Just seal the top with a couple thin coats. 1 pound cut works great and quick. Works. No tear-out. Ever even with the worst sticky tape.
 
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