Awesome Tape

Duct tape is an incredibly useful and versatile tool for repairs. Engineer Guy Bill Hammack provides a scientific explanation of what makes it so strong, examining its three main components and how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. You’ll also learn about the complexities of developing adhesives for different uses.

The Q is here to fix another problem we didn’t know needed solving – mechanically wrapping things with tape. To build his single-purpose machine, he gathered up some spare bike parts he had lying around his shop and linked them together to spin a reel of tape as he moves an object through its open center.

Washi tape is a paper tape that’s ideal for wrapping gifts and embellishing journals or notes. Cognitive Surplus makes a fun series of washi tapes in patterns inspired by biology, botany, astronomy, chemistry, math, engineering, and more. Our favorites include the microbiology, Mars rovers, heartbeat, and skeleton designs.

Made from a flexible rubberized material backed with a strong adhesive, Flex Tape is an incredibly durable repair tool. The guys from How Ridiculous put the sturdy and sticky stuff to the test by covering a platform with it, then dropping various objects onto it from a 150-foot-tall tower. But can it survive a wrecking ball?

TikTok channel The Art Room is packed with colorful illustrations created with pastels, pencils, correction fluid, and masking tape. This particular image features two people creating a beautiful sky with their flashlights. They took some artistic license with their additive color mixing.

This snarky roll of packing tape is perfect for shipping returns of unsatisfying items or setting low expectations for gifts. It comes from Third Drawer Down and UK artist David Shrigley, known for his funky outsider style and blunt messages.

This unique tape lets you mark any surface or object with a unique digital tag. Simply attach a length of Bitrip tape and snap a picture with the companion app, and it will record its location, along with the option to capture notes and a voice recording. It’s great for keeping track of pipes and wiring, as well as item inventories.

IK Multimedia’s virtual instrument can replicate the rich and emotive sounds of tape-based samplers like the Mellotron. SampleTron 2 comes with over 400 virtual tape tracks, including choir, strings, brass, organ, piano, bass, synths, and vocoders. You can also load your own samples and run them through the tape sound engine.

During his 14 seasons on MythBusters, Jamie and Adam tested more than their share of myths involving duct tape. So when asked what his favorite brand of the sticky stuff was by a follower, you might be surprised to learn that Adam can’t stand the stuff. Watch and learn why and what he recommends using in its place.

We first heard from the Open Reel Ensemble back in 2018 when they showed us how to make music by drumming on reel-to-reel tape. In this video, they create a different kind of sound by tugging on tapes, fighting against the motors as each tape pulls against its magnetic playback head.

Techmoan examines an unusual bit of retro gadgetry which lets users see the precise arrangement of magnetic particles on tape recordings. You can find a modern-day version of the tape viewer from Arnold Magnetics. It’s basically a round version of those Wooly Willy toys.

Oscar Lhermitte’s packing tapes are printed with various units and measurements, so you can tear away just the length you need. One tape is printed with a ruler and a protractor, while the other has various gauges and charts. Sold as a set of two rolls.

Add a touch of fun to your office with this clever Scotch tape dispenser that looks like a tiny record player. It features a weighted base with woodgrain details, and a silver tone arm that doubles as a tape cutter. Buy two, and set up a desktop DJ booth.

Designed by Rosie Upright for SUCK UK, these whimsical rolls of paper washi tape look like rolls of delicious sushi. We don’t recommend dipping them in soy sauce or wasabi, but they’re a fun decoration and conversation piece. Sold in a set of four 10m rolls.

This incredible fiberglass reinforced tape can repair just about anything, from broken tool handles to actively-leaking pipes. Once wet and formed into place, it cures 100 times stronger than duct tape. Comes with one 2″ wide wraps, one 1″ wide wrap, and prep materials.

A look inside the Duck Brand duct tape factory, where they transform rubber, gauze, and plastic into the super sticky, super strong material that’s a staple of every workshop. We wonder how quickly the Mythbusters could have built their duct tape canoe with that giant roll.