Sticky tape to cover buttons... at DVinfo.net

Brendan Pyatt · April 4th, 2008, 05:16 AM

Hi,

I would like to get some tape to cover unused buttons and controls but I would like some tape that is water resitant and does not leave any horrible stiky residue after you take it off.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Bob Grant · April 4th, 2008, 07:19 AM

I don't know what it is exactly or where one could buy it but my dentist uses a plastic film to cover his various control panels and handles to keep them clean that'd do the job nicely. It looks very similar to the material used to protect the screens on PDAs, DSCs and mobile phones. Maybe you could just buy some of that and cut it to size. Certainly seems to leave no residue.

Brendan Pyatt · April 4th, 2008, 07:45 AM

yeh sounds good but who knows where denists buy their gear....

I want to cover the top controls (monitor vol, play/rwd/fwd etc)

George Kroonder · April 4th, 2008, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendan Pyatt

but who knows where denists buy their gear....

NewLineMedical? Or in the UK Prestige Dental ;-)

I think the PDA screen protectors won't work on the top/handle... Maybe cleanfilm wrap?

George/

Eric Pascarelli · April 4th, 2008, 11:02 AM

3M brand electrical tape is great. Unlike pretty much all other brands it leaves no residue.

Chris Coulson · April 4th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Gaffer tape will do it - it's not the same as duct tape.

Proper gaffer tape is about 5 times the price of duct tape, but will stick to anything, but without leaving any residue.

Eric Pascarelli · April 4th, 2008, 04:23 PM

But beware, because over time (and when exposed to heat) even the best gaffer tape can leave a hard adhesive residue. As with any tape residue, this can be removed with a household solvent, but it can be quite tenacious.

Dave Morrison · April 4th, 2008, 09:05 PM

When I was on the staff of a Florida paper as a photojournalist, we would use a vinyl tape made by Scotch to tape up parts of our lens barrels to prevent scratches and abrasion. We mostly used black and the stuff would stay on our cameras for months/years and would peel away cleanly. I was always amazed that in the Florida heat the adhesive would not break down and get gummy. I tried to find the exact match (I only have some VERY short rolls left) but there isn't much info on the inside of the roll cores apart from the Scotch brand name. This was the closest thing I could come up with:
http://www.thetapedepot.com/cart/ind...FScOkgodYj6sYQ

I'd avoid even "good" gaffers tape as it WILL leave a mess over time....trust me.

dave

Eric Pascarelli · April 4th, 2008, 09:25 PM

Scotch (which is made by 3M) vinyl electrical tape is pretty much unique in its residue-lessness.

I'm pretty sure that's what Dave must have been using. It comes in many colors.

Beware of any other brands - the adhesive can be gunky.

http://www3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/...er/output_html

Dave Morrison · April 4th, 2008, 10:05 PM

Not to drag this thing out even more, I chedked Eric's link but none of the ones listed were 1" wide which is what I used to use. I'm down to my last foot or two of my old tape and it might be this:

http://www3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/...er/output_html

dave

Eric Pascarelli · April 4th, 2008, 10:41 PM

That looks like some nice tape.

Michael H. Stevens · April 5th, 2008, 12:47 AM

Home Depot / Lowes etc carry an electrical tape that has no sticky but is made of a rubber like material that bonds with itself used for making electric seals in wet places. Would be goof for this as it is plastic and peals right off.

Dean Sensui · April 5th, 2008, 02:23 AM

Hot glue gun adhesive sticks fairly well and peels off clean.

Perhaps use that to cover the buttons with a piece of thin plastic.

But be aware that when you remove the glue later it might take the markings with it since it seems the paint used to mark some of the controls rubs off too easily.

April 4th, 2008, 05:16 AM	#1
Brendan Pyatt Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southampton UK Posts: 165	Sticky tape to cover buttons... Hi, I would like to get some tape to cover unused buttons and controls but I would like some tape that is water resitant and does not leave any horrible stiky residue after you take it off. Any ideas? Thanks.

April 5th, 2008, 02:23 AM	#13
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Hot glue gun adhesive sticks fairly well and peels off clean. Perhaps use that to cover the buttons with a piece of thin plastic. But be aware that when you remove the glue later it might take the markings with it since it seems the paint used to mark some of the controls rubs off too easily. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

April 4th, 2008, 07:19 AM	#2
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	I don't know what it is exactly or where one could buy it but my dentist uses a plastic film to cover his various control panels and handles to keep them clean that'd do the job nicely. It looks very similar to the material used to protect the screens on PDAs, DSCs and mobile phones. Maybe you could just buy some of that and cut it to size. Certainly seems to leave no residue.

April 4th, 2008, 07:45 AM	#3
Brendan Pyatt Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southampton UK Posts: 165	yeh sounds good but who knows where denists buy their gear.... I want to cover the top controls (monitor vol, play/rwd/fwd etc)

April 4th, 2008, 11:02 AM	#5
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	3M brand electrical tape is great. Unlike pretty much all other brands it leaves no residue.

April 4th, 2008, 04:17 PM	#6
Chris Coulson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 101	Gaffer tape will do it - it's not the same as duct tape. Proper gaffer tape is about 5 times the price of duct tape, but will stick to anything, but without leaving any residue.

April 4th, 2008, 04:23 PM	#7
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	But beware, because over time (and when exposed to heat) even the best gaffer tape can leave a hard adhesive residue. As with any tape residue, this can be removed with a household solvent, but it can be quite tenacious.

April 4th, 2008, 09:05 PM	#8
Dave Morrison Major Player Join Date: May 2002 Location: West Central Florida Posts: 762	When I was on the staff of a Florida paper as a photojournalist, we would use a vinyl tape made by Scotch to tape up parts of our lens barrels to prevent scratches and abrasion. We mostly used black and the stuff would stay on our cameras for months/years and would peel away cleanly. I was always amazed that in the Florida heat the adhesive would not break down and get gummy. I tried to find the exact match (I only have some VERY short rolls left) but there isn't much info on the inside of the roll cores apart from the Scotch brand name. This was the closest thing I could come up with: http://www.thetapedepot.com/cart/ind...FScOkgodYj6sYQ I'd avoid even "good" gaffers tape as it WILL leave a mess over time....trust me. dave

April 4th, 2008, 09:25 PM	#9
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	Scotch (which is made by 3M) vinyl electrical tape is pretty much unique in its residue-lessness. I'm pretty sure that's what Dave must have been using. It comes in many colors. Beware of any other brands - the adhesive can be gunky. http://www3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/...er/output_html

April 4th, 2008, 10:05 PM	#10
Dave Morrison Major Player Join Date: May 2002 Location: West Central Florida Posts: 762	Not to drag this thing out even more, I chedked Eric's link but none of the ones listed were 1" wide which is what I used to use. I'm down to my last foot or two of my old tape and it might be this: http://www3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/...er/output_html dave

April 4th, 2008, 10:41 PM	#11
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	That looks like some nice tape.

April 5th, 2008, 12:47 AM	#12
Michael H. Stevens Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Palm Desert, California Posts: 311	Home Depot / Lowes etc carry an electrical tape that has no sticky but is made of a rubber like material that bonds with itself used for making electric seals in wet places. Would be goof for this as it is plastic and peals right off.