Tape! Do you use it?

[banderson]

I use painters tape most of the time. it is easier to get the pattern on that way.  The only time that I use packing tape is when I am doing fretwork.  I have not figured out a good spray adhesive so the packing tape keeps the pattern from peeling away as I cut.

[Greenie]

I always use painters tape then spray glue  the pattern on top of that

[heppnerguy]

Boy this kind of opens a can of  worms. Like asking, "What is the best scroll saw blade?"  I used blue painters tape for years and was not about to change because I thought it held all the right answers......no glue residue...could use a cheaper glue stick instead fo the the spendy spray adhesive....and I thought I had all the answers. The big draw back was the fiber raising on BB ply. Then one day about a year or so ago, I watched a video on applying directly to the wood and using mineral spirits to remove the pattern. It was a dream solution once I started to cut a  lot of fret work. With the blue painters tape idea, I found removing 300 or more really small pieces of painters tape was a real  pain but with the spray glue and mineral spirits the tiny pattern pieces almost fell ott the wood by themselves. Much less work oriented.

    I never found a need for a blade lubricant until last week when I was cutting a really dense wood, of which I do not know the type of wood I was using, and the wood got really hot and the edges of the wood I was cutting, ( less than 1/4 inch thick), burned and blackened as I cut. I tried several blades and all resulted in a burning of the wood.  I then remembered about the packing tape and thought I would give it a try and it did the job. I had tried it years ago for a lubricant becaseu if it worked it seemed like a good idea, but it was lead away from it the same as Paul, (Scrappile) was do to the saw dust coving the pattern, under the tape.

   So depending on the wood you are using and the type of cutting you like, tape or no tape can be good or not so good.  MY take on this

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[Bill WIlson]

Like you Dick, I've sort of moved away from using the blue painters tape on BB ply, especially for very detailed patterns.  Despite painter's tape being easier to remove than regular masking tape, it still is tedious getting all the tiny bits pulled off of a portrait.  And I found that if I use mineral spirits with painter's tape, it just gums up the works and leaves a sticky residue that is worse than if I had applied the pattern directly to the wood with spray adhesive. 

 

I will occasionally use packing tape to help with lubrication.  I believe it does work, but it's benefits are more noticeable in some applications than in others, so I don't use it all the time.  Unless I'm working with wood that is particularly prone to burning (line cherry) or harder/thicker than I typically cut, then I don't bother with the tape much at all anymore.  I'm going to be cutting some puzzles out of 1/2" ply soon.  I may try to experiment using tape on some and not others, to see if I notice much difference. 

[dgman]

When using the clear packing tape, apply it on top of the pattern. Do not wrap the tape, bur rather apply single layers of tape then "Burnish" the tape down to the pattern with a plastic putty knife or a smooth block of wood to eliminate any air bubbles. This will keep saw dust from building up under the tape. A simple step for a big problem

[Bpardue]

I wrap all my hardwoods with clear packing tape. I'm cutting 1" thick stock and have no burning of the wood.

[Ken O]

I use dollar store masking tape. It's cheap and sticks just enough so that it doesn't peel off if I wait a day or 2. But then comes off really easy and leaved no residue. Most of my stuff is pretty brittle and small so I would be terrified to use a rag with mineral spirits.

[Scrappile]

I use dollar store masking tape. It's cheap and sticks just enough so that it doesn't peel off if I wait a day or 2. But then comes off really easy and leaved no residue. Most of my stuff is pretty brittle and small so I would be terrified to use a rag with mineral spirits.

Don't use a rag.  A small disposable foam brush works well or put some in a little pump spray bottle.. works well also..  or continue to use tape, works well also.

[redwine]

I use painters tape on all of the projects except the portrait style where there are more than 200 entry holes and it is 1/8 inch bb ply. The pattern is sprayed on the back and applied to the wood and mineral sprits is used to remove the pattern in whole. The only problem than is removing the residue left by the adhesive, that is a pain sometimes. The biggest reason for doing it this way is the time it takes to remove the tape and the possibility of breaking out a fragile piece of the cut.

Erv 

[hawkeye10]

Y'all know I am new but here goes. You might try spraying the wood with clear coat and letting it dry over night. Then spray the pattern with adhesive and attach. The clear coat might let the adhesive turn loose easier when you apply mineral spirits. Just thinking.     

[dgman]

Y'all know I am new but here goes. You might try spraying the wood with clear coat and letting it dry over night. Then spray the pattern with adhesive and attach. The clear coat might let the adhesive turn loose easier when you apply mineral spirits. Just thinking.     

I nominate you Don to try this! Let us know how it works.

[hawkeye10]

I nominate you Don to try this! Let us know how it works.

I do it with signs I make with a router.

 

[heppnerguy]

Here is support for using a pattern glued directly to the wood. This is a pretty good example of a couple of pieces I cut yesterday, using that method. After the cut was finished, I lightly covered it with a thin coat of mineral spirits and waited 15 second and my pattern nearly fell off on its own without ant residue left on the wood. This is why I do not use painters tape any longer. My question would but "why would I want to?

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I use painters blue tape and if it is a delicate pattern with alot of fret work I will switch to the purple or sometimes even the green. Less tack and comes off very easily. Alot better than trying to scrub off glue residue from the pattern adhesive. Chance of breaking delicate pieces.  Works for me.