Packing Tape

[oldhudson]

I'm pretty sure I've read in this forum that if you cover a pattern with packing tape - it will lubricate the blade and thru prevent burning. I've tried that a couple of times and I get so many reflections from the lights in the shop that it's near impossible to keep focus on the pattern line. What am I doing wrong???  Thanks for reading.

[OCtoolguy]

16 minutes ago, oldhudson said:

I'm pretty sure I've read in this forum that if you cover a pattern with packing tape - it will lubricate the blade and thru prevent burning. I've tried that a couple of times and I get so many reflections from the lights in the shop that it's near impossible to keep focus on the pattern line. What am I doing wrong???  Thanks for reading.

I put the packaging tape under the pattern. Sometimes, depending on what I'm cutting, I will put down blue tape, then the packaging tape and then glue the pattern to that. I only use the clear tape over the pattern when I'm cutting a compound project in order to keep all the pieces and parts together. Also, I use a lighted magnifier. That may help too.

 

[scrollingforsanity]

What Ray said is the correct way. Cover your wood with packing tape or blue painters tape the apply your pattern with glue or whatever you use. I use clear shelf liner from Walmart with great results.

.

[JimErn]

I am the odd ball, I do not use packing or blue tape at all, no adverse effects

[kmmcrafts]

I don't use patterns anymore.. I've cut these ornaments so many times now I just tape the stack together drill holes and cut it out, 

When i did use patterns.. I put the tape down first then the pattern.. On a few certain instances I've put tape on top.. but I hate cutting that way.. it seems like the sawdust builds in front of the line and covers it up.. the bellows isn't enough air to blow the sawdust off the line hen it gets trapped under the tape ahead of where I'm cutting.. 

[Foxfold]

Must confess, this summer I stopped using blue tape as I found it a pain to remove from detailed fretwork. So now I just glue my pattern straight onto my wood and use White Spirit to remove. So much easier for me this way.

[Scrappile]

Back when I started, I learned from on here to use blue tape first, the pattern glue to the blue tape followed by a covering of packing tape.  I tried the packing tape twice and gave up on it because dust would get between it and the pattern.  I continued to do the blue tape thing for some time and then read to just apply the pattern glued directly to the wood.  That is now my preferred method.  I only use the blue tape if I stack cut and then I may only use it around the outside edges to hold the stack togerher, or if the cutting gets real fragile and I think it will help hold things together.  I did an experiment once when cutting Cherry and I did get less burning when I put down blue tape, but that was the only place I saw there may be a benefit as far as maybe lubricating something.  Just my experience.  It certainly does not hurt to use the tape if you have good wood.  It not it may pull up wood fibers when removing it.

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, Scrappile said:

Back when I started, I learned from on here to use blue tape first, the pattern glue to the blue tape followed by a covering of packing tape.  I tried the packing tape twice and gave up on it because dust would get between it and the pattern.  I continued to do the blue tape thing for some time and then read to just apply the pattern glued directly to the wood.  That is now my preferred method.  I only use the blue tape if I stack cut and then I may only use it around the outside edges to hold the stack togerher, or if the cutting gets real fragile and I think it will help hold things together.  I did an experiment once when cutting Cherry and I did get less burning when I put down blue tape, but that was the only place I saw there may be a benefit as far as maybe lubricating something.  Just my experience.  It certainly does not hurt to use the tape if you have good wood.  It not it may pull up wood fibers when removing it.

I agree on this Paul. I only use the clear tape on 3-D cuts to hold the cut pieces together and I also get dust under the tape and it can obscure the pattern lines. The thing I hate about using it is it gums up my saw table. I keep it well waxed but I still get adhesive build up around the hole in the table. I've learned to live with it and just use a plastic scraper to scrape it off every once in a while. I bought a red plastic scraper at Home Depot years ago for some reason and I found it really works well on the table of my saw.

 

[dgman]

I do use clear packing tape over the pattern. The trick is to apply the tape tightly without air bubbles. Do not wrap. I then use a small block of wood to burnish the tape to remove any air bubbles. With the tape tightly applied, you won’t get any sawdust under the tape. A far as glare, I use a lighted magnifying light and an additional light to the side of the saw table. With this setup, I don’t get any glare.

[OCtoolguy]

7 minutes ago, dgman said:

I do use clear packing tape over the pattern. The trick is to apply the tape tightly without air bubbles. Do not wrap. I then use a small block of wood to burnish the tape to remove any air bubbles. With the tape tightly applied, you won’t get any sawdust under the tape. A far as glare, I use a lighted magnifying light and an additional light to the side of the saw table. With this setup, I don’t get any glare.

I wonder if there is any difference in the clear tapes out there. I use some very heavy duty tape but I know there are other brands that are much thinner and they may not have as good of adhesive. The best I ever got was a 6 pack from Costco that was 3M and I don't recall what mil it was but it was really tough stuff. It might be interesting to know what tape everybody is using and maybe that's why they are having trouble with it.

I also burnish with either a good piece of hardwood or a credit card. Of course the hardwood works the best.

 

 

Edited November 7, 2019 by octoolguy

[John B]

When cutting our native timbers such as Jarrah, Marri etc I always use clear tape on top of the pattern. I use practically the same method as @dgman Dan.
When I first heard about doing this to reduce or even eliminate burning, I had my doubts, however I find I it does as advertised.
I also have a magnifying lamp and and another on one side of the saw.

Edited November 7, 2019 by John B

[Gonzo]

1 hour ago, dgman said:

I do use clear packing tape over the pattern. The trick is to apply the tape tightly without air bubbles. Do not wrap. I then use a small block of wood to burnish the tape to remove any air bubbles. With the tape tightly applied, you won’t get any sawdust under the tape. A far as glare, I use a lighted magnifying light and an additional light to the side of the saw table. With this setup, I don’t get any glare.

I agree.  But I do admit I do get some glare. I just finished a project make out of cherry. 1/2" thick, 12" wide by 20" long, using white shelf liner on the wood, then glued pattern to shelf liner. No glare, no burning, AND , no lifting of wood fiber. Plus, the shelf  liner was one piece, very easy to remove and very little glue residue. I use white instead of clear because it is easier to see.  I'm not a fan at all of painters tape, pain in the butt when trying to take it off delicate fret work, plus it seems to lift the fiber. 

 

 

[flarud]

When I first got back into scrolling a few years ago I would use the spray glue on the pattern and attach it directly to the wood.  I would use a heat gun and or goof off or oops to remove the pattern but there was always a sticky residue left behind that would have to be sanded off... that could be damaging to the cut out.  So I started using the blue tape and no need to worry about the sticky residue but now it's time consuming to remove all of the tape.  

[Scrappile]

@flarud I just wipe Mineral Spirits on the pattern. wait a few seconds and lift the pattern off.  Then I wipe the wood off with more MS to get any remaining residue.  Try Mineral Spirits once instead of heat and goof off.  See if it works better for you.

[flarud]

2 hours ago, Scrappile said:

@flarud I just wipe Mineral Spirits on the pattern. wait a few seconds and lift the pattern off.  Then I wipe the wood off with more MS to get any remaining residue.  Try Mineral Spirits once instead of heat and goof off.  See if it works better for you.

Does the mineral spirits damage and tear the paper pattern?  I have been trying to remove the patterns without damaging them lately to be able to reapply them to the back side of my shop door and "spray paint" them onto the door... just to be able to see some past projects every time I'm out in the shop.  Lately it seems like I'm more excited about saving the pattern and applying it to the door than I am about the project itself!

Edited November 7, 2019 by flarud

[Foxfold]

4 hours ago, flarud said:

Does the mineral spirits damage and tear the paper pattern? 

Nope, it lifts off all in one piece. I know when I first used it I was amazed and ran and showed Tony. He laughed and said ''my goodness, you're easily pleased'' 

[Roberta Moreton]

I use clear shelf paper and don’t usually need clear packing tape. If I do decide to use it I use a thick type. There are different thicknesses out there.  I look for duck brand. You do still have to be careful to get it on with no wrinkles. I usually only use it when cutting thicker projects like boxes. Nothing complex. The clear shelf liner also gets rid of the need for blue tape, and leaves no sticky residual unless you have left it on there for quite some time. (Several days)

[kmmcrafts]

Only thing I use the clear tape for now days since I started using the shelf liner is taping around the edges to hold a stack together..which in my case is daily use but still.. I also use it for making my boxes to ship my order in..  I do use the Duck brand "easy peel? I think.. It is a thicker tape and peals off the roll easy.. some of those tapes if you don't leave a tail on it and it gets stuck back to the roll you play heck trying to get it peeled back again without tearing and breaking many little pieces.. and the easy peel or maybe it's called easy start? anyway. it's the easiest best tape I've found.. 

[ike]

I do not use any tape on my patterns. On fretwork it is a real pain and on compound cutting I use a vice that I got off Stevve Good dweb sitd

IKE

[NC Scroller]

7 hours ago, flarud said:

Does the mineral spirits damage and tear the paper pattern?  I have been trying to remove the patterns without damaging them lately to be able to reapply them to the back side of my shop door and "spray paint" them onto the door... just to be able to see some past projects every time I'm out in the shop.  Lately it seems like I'm more excited about saving the pattern and applying it to the door than I am about the project itself!

As Brenda said you can remove it in one piece BUT you have to soak the pattern very well, not juts a lite dampening and let it sit a couple minutes.  Just dampen and pull.  Once removed you will have to take a 3second paper towel or rag wet with mineral spirits to remove any residue.  A light wiping is normally all that is required. 

[NC Scroller]

17 hours ago, oldhudson said:

I'm pretty sure I've read in this forum that if you cover a pattern with packing tape - it will lubricate the blade and thru prevent burning. I've tried that a couple of times and I get so many reflections from the lights in the shop that it's near impossible to keep focus on the pattern line. What am I doing wrong???  Thanks for reading.

Yes you can get glare.  If you have moveable lights play around with their location. It should focus on the blade and points further back. 

[Rolf]

I put blue tape under the pattern it has the same effect. I never put clear packing tape on the wood, it is way too easy to miss a piece when peeling it off only to be discovered when finishing. The only time I use clear tape is when holding my compound cuts together after the first cut.

Clear removable contact paper under the patter is also a great alternative for larger work and very easy to remove.

 

[Woodrush]

9 hours ago, flarud said:

Does the mineral spirits damage and tear the paper pattern?  I have been trying to remove the patterns without damaging them lately to be able to reapply them to the back side of my shop door and "spray paint" them onto the door... just to be able to see some past projects every time I'm out in the shop.  Lately it seems like I'm more excited about saving the pattern and applying it to the door than I am about the project itself!

Use a heat gun to remove the pattern and it comes off in one piece

[Scrappile]

10 hours ago, flarud said:

Does the mineral spirits damage and tear the paper pattern?  I have been trying to remove the patterns without damaging them lately to be able to reapply them to the back side of my shop door and "spray paint" them onto the door... just to be able to see some past projects every time I'm out in the shop.  Lately it seems like I'm more excited about saving the pattern and applying it to the door than I am about the project itself!

It will in most cases, if you don't get in a big hurry, let the MS soak through the paper.  One down side to this method, well some have mentioned it as a down side, after removing the pattern and the residue from the wood, you then have to wait for the MS to dry before you can do anymore with the piece.  That may take an hour or so depending on how soaked you got it.

 

 

[Oscar Myer]

I use blue tape on the wood, glue the pattern on and then cover it with clear tape.  As someone mentioned, if you  make sure that there are no bubbles in the clear tape very rarely does anything get under it.  I know that this may be a bit of overkill but it works for me.  My better half has called me "Tim the Tool Man Taylor" once in a while because I do tend to go over and above on anything I do.

/Oscar

Edited November 9, 2019 by Oscar Myer