Blue Painters Tape or Clear Packing Tape?

[Markru2002]

Hello all,
I use the Blue painters tape for all of my projects. I have a question for those of you who use the clear packing tape. If you do detailed delicate fretwork, does the packing tape become a problem when removing it. I do not use the packing tape for this reason, because I am afraid it will pull the wood and brake off delicate cuts, since the adhesive is much stickier than the blue tape. I do use 1/8" thickness for my portraits and Christmas ornaments. Thanks.
Mark

[Jim Finn]

I use clear packing tape on the underside only. It serves as a good lubricant between the wood and the scroll saw table.

[wood-n-things]

I don't use the blue tape often due to expense. I glue my paper pattern directly to the wood (spray adhesive) and place clear packing tape over the top of that. When I'm through cutting I use a spray bottle and spritz mineral spirits over the entire area wait a few (5) minutes and it usually lifts right off. If it is stubborn I will just spritz it again, wait and lift off the 2nd time. Wipe down with my fingers to rid any glue residue and dip in my dipping tank....glass lasagna dish...

[mowerman1193]

Your going to find a hundred different opinions on this, LOL. I like the painters tape for all my work..For a long time I was using the packing tape from the dollar store. Guess i used it for a good 4-5 rolls worth then I got a roll that must have been extra sticky, lol..So I just recently went back to the painters tape..

Kevin

[sawdust11703]

If you have money to burn get the painters tape. Otherwise you can do what I do and use packing tape. I have cut some very fragile stuff and "knock on wood" have never broken anything yet. When I'm done with a project, I usually peel the packing tape off or most of it, leaving behind the actual pattern. Then I apply mineral spirits. Just do it carefully. Peeling the tape can be a little bit of a pain sometimes, but honestly it only delays me a min or two.

[3_M]

I use 2" clear package tape on top of the pattern. Spray the pattern with 3M Super 77 glue. Wait till it is just a little sticky and put it on the wood.
If the pattern comes loose I just put a finger close to the blade and hold the tape down till I get were the glue is holding again. When done, many times the whole pattern comes off. I never have to use any mineral spry or heat gun to get the pattern off.
FD Mike

[keystonecop]

I cover everything that I am going to cut with blue Painters tape, I then spray the blue tape with spray adhesive, and spray the back of the pattern with a good coat as well. no patterns seem to come up even after leaving them glued up for a few months.
I do not like covering anything in clear tape. 1st because it's hard to see when you remove it from the wood, 2nd because if you cover a pattern with it sawdust collects between the pattern and the tape and then the pattern comes loose.

I then cut everything with Mikes Flying Dutchman blades

[Markru2002]

Thanks everyone for the input. The main reason I asked is because the painters tape is expensive and I know I can get 3 rolls of packing tape for the price of one roll of painters tape. Thanks again.
Mark

[saw dust]

I also have switched from the clear tape to painters tape. For many of the same reasons Keystone mentioned. But I use a green painters tape I get at Menards it is some cheeper than the blue tape.

[Northerner]

i use blue tape also, mainly cause clear is a major PITA to remove after cutting and blue is supposed to be easy to remove if left on for long periods of time plus its much easier to see after cutting.

[Ron Standley]

Blue tape for me as well. I don't cut as much so cost is not all that bad.

[Xray]

On one of my jobs I noticed 2 unopened boxes in a dumpster.
Not being to proud to scavenge, I took a chance and hauled them out.
Low & behold, each one held 12 brand new 3M blue painters tape. Amazing, some of the stuff that gets thrown away on work sites. I quickly hauled that stash to my truck, I think I'll be set for years with this.
That stuff is crazy expensive, if I had to buy some I think I'd try some of that cream colored masking tape, alot cheaper.

[paul44224]

On portraits, I don't use any tape. No reason for it, unless you are stack-cutting 4 or 5 pieces. Spray adhesive on the pattern, stick it on the wood, cut, remove paper and residue with oderless mineral spirits. Around 3/8", or thicker wood, I use packing tape.

Paul

[Bill Wilson]

I hesitate to even post this, but I'm going to go against the grain a little here. I pretty much quit using tape on my stuff some time ago. I'm not real sure I was getting much benefit out of it, given the added time to apply & remove and the expense. I don't cut much over 5/8" thick, even stack cutting. I'm not doing production cutting, most of my stuff is "one of's", except for around Christmas. So I wasn't necessarily gaining all those widely wonderful advantages of the tape that are so universally reported and accepted as fact. YMMV.

When I did use tape, it was the clear packing tape. I would apply the pattern first, then wrap the blank\stack in tape. I soon discovered it was a major PITA to get the clear tape off the bottom, so I started glueing a plain piece of paper to the bottom between the wood & the tape, in the same fashion as the pattern was applied on the top. I was using Krylon Repositionalble Spray adhesive, so removing the patterns and paper was much easier this way. However, it posed it's own set of new issues that I didn't care for, such as the bumps on the bottom of the wood from the entry holes through the paper & tape causing roughness, tape and\or the pattern coming loose and balling up between the table and the wood, etc. At some point I just kind of drifted away from using the clear tape and, honestly, I can't say that I've missed it.

I know it's pretty much scrolling gospel that the tape improves the cutting, increases blade life, minimizes burning, etc. and I'm probably the only dodo out there that questions it. Perhaps I should revisit the approach, just to make sure that my current perceptions aren't the result of flawed memory or something. So please excuse my blasphemous rant and permit this old dog to perhaps re-learn an old trick.

[sawdust11703]

I think some of the problems some of you are having is that you're putting the clear tape directly on the wood before the actual pattern and also putting the tape on the backside. First there should be no need to put tape on the back side. Also, apply the pattern first, then put clear tape over it. Someone mentioned about sawdust getting under it. That won't happen if you rub the seams of the tape down.

Blue tape is wonderful, but as the orignal poster mentioned, it's very expensive. Anyone who sells, knows that we don't make a lot of profit after you factor in supplies and your time. So anyway I can cut down costs, I try to do. Pulling the tape off and applying mineral spirits only delays me a few minutes. It's not that big of a deal.