Dap vs double side carpet tape..

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Dap vs double side carpet tape..

Postby Luna » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:37 pm

Pros? Cons?
I've always used dap, but my friend told me that carpet tape is just as strong, but more expensive, and doesn't have to dry.
But before I get carried away and buy a roll, I figured I'd check with people who have been doing this for a few years first :)
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Re: Dap vs double side carpet tape..

Postby Tails » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:04 pm

There are different kinds of tape, all of them are less superior to DAP. The only advantage to DAP is that they do not need to dry, but that is all I can think of.

Carpet tape is good for a handle (for wrapping rope) but should not be used in the foam areas.
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Re: Dap vs double side carpet tape..

Postby Sir Thurat » Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:40 am

I've used indoor/outdoor carpet tape for blades in some cases, and use it on all of my handles for the application of counter-weights and rope, and this is my experience with it:

  • It has been recommended to me to use double-sided duct tape instead, as it is a bit cheaper, and has less fiberglass and a stronger adhesive. I'll touch on the importance of this later
  • Not recommended for use on the box layer.

    Pros:
  • No drying time
  • People with DAP allergies can use it in construction
  • Works great for last minute repairs, or in conditions where you cannot get it warm enough/well vented enough for DAP to dry
  • Useful for quick fixes at events, such as putting on a new pommel, holding down a torn cover, or patching a sweet spot.

    Cons:
  • Weighs more
  • Is more expensive
  • If using heavy fiberglass reinforced tape, the tape will stiffen in the cold, and may cause failure due to hit
  • In extreme heat and extreme cold, the adhesive tends to loosen a bit (my experience with indoor/outdoor carpet tape; couldn't say for double-sided duct tape of a reputable brand.
  • Uncertain if glue is water resistant, as DAP is.

That's what I've got from my experience with using tape instead of DAP; I still prefer DAP. I'm not sure if it goes under pros or cons, but DAP has those fumes... ;)

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Re: Dap vs double side carpet tape..

Postby Dmitri » Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:50 pm

The indoor-outdoor carpet tape is at least fairly water resistant. If you use cheaper, indoor-only carpet tape it not only is very vulnerable to water, it has this cute trick where it completely looses adhesion in the cold. When I first started building Bel-style swords, I used some (cheap) carpet tape, until I had an entire blade fly off of the core in the middle of a battle. And that was the end of that. :)
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Re: Dap vs double side carpet tape..

Postby Sir Anastasia » Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:27 pm

I make my own swords with Duck brand indoor/outdoor carpet tape and they last a little over a year from Chaos to Chaos. I also make about 80 loaner and also several commission weapons a year and these also have 8-20 months before breakdown, usually the foam. Our weapons attend 2-4 practices a week. In the past I have also used DAP Contact Cement by Weldwood (red can). This works great too, but I hate glue and the sticky fingers aftermath. All of these things build fine swords if your goal is to have one sad stick of dead foam by the time you want to rebuild.

TLDR: It makes no difference between the right brand of tape and the right brand of glue. Cut the foam straight, don't leave gaps, don't compress the foam with tape or otherwise, and make sure everything is snug together and the weapon is always kept with a cover on.
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Re: Dap vs double side carpet tape..

Postby Luna » Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:02 pm

Thank you all, you've been very helpful :)
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