Console Tape-Definitely NOT for Cable Bundling

mic cableTool boxes get heavy fast, so any time you can find a single product that fills multiple roles, it can save space and weight.

While paper console tape can be used for making signs, marking stage and spike marks and creating temporary labels, one job it is not right for is cable bundling.

It is a common practice to use tape to create temporary cable bundles or to secure cables to keep them from tangling.

Unfortunately, the rubber adhesive that makes this tape easy to remove and normally residue free, tends to react with rubber coated audio and power cables and it can leave a mess behind.

If you want to bundle cables with tape, gaffers tape is a much better choice.

“Repositionable” May Mean That The Tape Is Not Sticky Enough

paper label tape from thetapeworks.comShurtape 724 features an adhesive which is described as “repositionable”, which means that the tape can be removed cleanly from one surface and re-applied to another, a very useful feature when labeling audio gear.

That may mean that this tape is not suitable for other uses where more adhesion is needed.

A common complaint among users who try this product in other applications is that it is not sticky or that it curls up.  Both are legitimate complaints, but can be blamed on using the wrong “tool” for the job.

In order to get maximum adhesion  from Shurtape 724,  there are couple of tips that might help.

Never touch the sticky side of the tape.  Moisture and oil from your skin reduce its adhesion.

Use in a low humidity environment where the sticky side of the tape won’t absorb moisture.

If you need to remove and then re-adhere the tape, make sure that the adhesive side is not contaminated with dirt or dust.

If a tape that can be written on but which has a more aggressive adhesive is called for, gaffers tape may be what you need.

Console Tape Companions

gaffers tape from buytape.comAudio visual technicians who use Shurtape 724 for console labeling may find the need for additional tape products in their day to day projects.

One of the most important is gaffers tape, a cotton cloth tape designed for temporary holding of cables and lots of other tasks on stages and sets.

Gaffers tape uses a high quality synthetic rubber adhesive that is designed to remove cleanly, leaving no sticky residue on calbes, carpets or floors.

Shurtape 724-Half Inch Width For Patch Bays

audio patch bay labeling thetapeworks.comLabeling audio and video patch bays is particularly challenging, because there isn’t much space to work.

Tightly packed connectors and restrictive rack spaces mean that getting legible labels in place can be tough.

Shurtape 724 is available in half inch widths, narrow enough to fit in the space between rows of patch points.

Because the tape has re-positionable adhesive, you can create the labels on a flat surface like a table and then place them where you want them on the patch bay.

Dry Erase Strips? Really!

Sharpie Marker from Thetapeworks.comI monitor a lot of forums related to live concert production and recently came across a discussion of the best thing to use for labeling mixing consoles.

One forum poster recommended using strips of dry erase material and then immediately followed up with the comment that he was constantly erasing the markings with his hands when using the mixer.

So, you’re erasing the strips, your hands are covered with marker ink and you are recommending this method to others?

The whole point of dry erase material is that, when used with the proper marker, it can be quickly erased and used again.

I remember needing to use a dry erase board once, and I couldn’t find a dry erase marker, so I reached into my pocket and pulled out a Sharpie Marker (every good sound person has one) without ever giving it a second thought.

Needless to say, Sharpies are not “dry erase” and now my whiteboard is totally useless.

Dry erase is definitely not the way to go.