The Miracle of Duct Tape

March 31, 2010, By 14 comments

The Miracle of Duct Tape

Duct tape is on a very short list of the greatest guy inventions ever. Since it debuted in World War II as a miracle fix-all, the tough as nails tape with cotton mesh, rubber-based adhesive and polyethylene coating is nothing short of a cultural phenomenon.

Now available in more than 30 colors and patterns, duct tape has become a form of artistic expression as well as a terrific tool whose versatility is limited only by your imagination. What’s your favorite duct tape tales? Here are some uses that make it perfectly obvious you should go nowhere without a roll.

 

 

 

 

Page 1 of 6

Comments (14):

Bob S. Pete H. - Do you store your Gorilla Glue upside down? If not, you may find that helps out with the drying-in-the-bottle problem. - 08/02/2011
David S. On a beer fueled trip in college to Montreal, we had a flat tire. The hole was too big for fix a flat to work. Add some duct tape to the equation and we were able to make it to the next exit without destroying the rim. If you wonder where the spare was.....it was already on the car. Good times....good times. - 03/20/2011
Brenda M. i moved in toa new apparment almost 2 years ago i have 4 kids and they r always getting markers and cryons by the time i see it its too late they already have markings all over the wall so when i moved in 2 years ago with 2 newborns and a 2 year old i decided to checker board the bottom half of the walls in their play room and bedrooms with 2 different colors so if they got any dodooling to do they wouldnt do it oon the wall its funny cause where i have the duck tape there is almost no markings and now im going to have to swich my sons rooms duck tape colors he got sick of the blue and red - 03/16/2011
James A. I can tell Erik K. that I got my passenger side window broken out once and couldn't afford to buy another window for a lot longer than I expected, so I used clear poly plastic & duct tape to cover the hole. When the glue started giving it up, I just covered that part up with fresh tape. Worked out just fine, for about 2 years when it popped a fuel line from the fuel filter & the carburator & caught on fire before I could pull over. Burned the wiring harness up, but the plastic window was still in it when a guy bought it to turn into a bracket racer over a year later. Never underestimate the power of a man & his duct tape!!! - 03/13/2011
Pete H. The stuff works. I like the military's 100 mph stuff., I haven't tried the Gorilla tape. but gorilla glue drys way to fast in it's bottle once it's opened. i even put it in a sealed plastic freezer bag but, that isn't much help either. Hunter Wyoming - 03/08/2011
Chris G. It's not known as "Musician's Best Friend" for nothing - 03/04/2011
Pat M. I am a photographer and am fond of the "Daisy" or "Dorrie" plastic cameras. I use one of those when I find myself getting too obsessed with perfection while using a NikonF4. I use camo patterned duct tape to seal the light leaks that those cameras are plagued with. I disagree with the guy who disparages "duck" tape. I have used it for years and years...the bottom fell off of a Minolta SLR camera..in a desert.....and I broke off a pencil and taped it over the part that fell off. It held for years. Then I got a better camera and gave the Minolta to a relative. As far as I know, it is still holding tight. - 02/24/2011
Subramanian R. Fantanstic. Although the tips are most likely in an American environment, I liked the idea of trapping bugs,insects with the sticky side up...that is applicable for us in India...:-) - 02/13/2011
Mark W. You can never have too much duct tape. In regards to what Eric K said, regular duct tape does dry out especially if exposed to the sun or elements. I now use the Gorilla brand Gorilla tape. It is twice as strong as regular gray duct tape and lasts through out the weather elements. I have used it under the hood, on the car, to repair a jacket, and even my landscaping boots. Great Stuff. - 02/10/2011
Cole K. tape it to an old undershirt to hide sweat marks under your armpits. :-) - 02/09/2011
J A. Son is Air Force actually used this on a pretty bad wound on his hand!!!When he told me he got his hand caught in a trailer..."Don't worry Mom, I used duct tape"..and I knew he'd be okay :) I am a Mom and duct tape is my best friend---don't forget superglue too!! - 02/09/2011
Erik K. There's a problem with using duct tape for many of the above-mentioned applications, and that is the fact that before long the glue dries out and the tape falls off or unravels -- not to mention that not only will you still have a repair to perform, you may now have to remove a nasty glue residue as well. Unless it's an emergency or a genuinely temporary fix for something, you'd be much better off doing a proper repair in the first place. By the way, if you're planning to use it to tape up a ventilation duct, use metal tape instead. That's what the pros use -- never so-called 'duct tape', for the reasons I mentioned. - 02/06/2011
Joanne E. my mom said if it can't be fixed by using duct tape then it ain't (and that is not even good grammar) worth fixing!!!!! LOL - 01/28/2011
Maggie M. My grandfather swore by duct tape. His bible was held together with duct tape. Gramps even used duct tape on some of his clothes. LOL - 12/10/2010

© 2012 Man of the House, Barefoot Proximity, P&G Productions