Duct tape

Published online on Sunday, Jun. 29, 2008

I have a duct tape farm. I employ the tape in innovative ways from emergency repairs to simple jobs. I'm not alone. Duct tape remains the handyman's (and woman's) secret weapon.

A generation ago, the world managed to survive without duct tape. My father's generation used baling wire to fix everything. Something broke, he looked for bailing wire. With limited resources, he was always making repairs and recycling old equipment -- baling wire became the perfect remedy. To "baling wire" something became the verb of choice.

My generation grew up with duct tape. I quickly learned that electrical tape does not hold well when wet, and it can stretch. Other tapes -- Scotch and adhesive tape -- don't have the sticking power and strength.

But duct tape creates a world of possibilities -- it's inexpensive, simple and offers the lure of a quick fix. The secret is the fabric- lined backing, which makes the tape much stronger, and it does not stretch like other tapes. Then comes the glue, a sticky, sensitive adhesive that forms a bond when pressure is applied. It marries the adhesive with the surface. The degree of the bond is determined by the amount of pressure used.

With duct tape, I quickly discovered that the more I messed with it, the better it held. Want something to stick better? Just apply more pressure. Want a stronger fix? Just add more tape. For the not-so-handy, this was magical. No wonder duct tape has been called "Jesus Tape" -- it can perform miracles.

Duct tape supposedly originated during World War II as a waterproof sealing tape for ammunition cases. The fabric backing facilitated ripping, so it quickly adapted to repairs on military equipment.

Today, many have likewise adapted it for new uses. For example, some called it "100-mph tape" because it worked in extreme weather conditions, including rains and wind. (NASCAR teams often use it for quick repairs during races).

Because it resists water, some called it "duck tape." But the name "duct tape" was coined due to its prior use on heating and air conditioning ducts. Ironically, today one of the few things duct tape may not work well on is ducts -- the typical, everyday duct tape we buy from the hardware store is now prohibited by building codes in many places, including California.

On the farm, we have no such prohibitions. I work with the motto that a handyman or woman needs only two tools: duct tape and WD-40 (a penetrating oil that works as a lubricant and anti-corrosive solution). Generally, I approach most problems with this preamble: "If it's stuck, add WD-40. If you want it to stick, use duct tape."

I've used the tape on tractors and trucks, clothes and hats, seats and cushions, boxes and trays. I use it to keep rope from fraying, on handles to prevent splinters, for gloves with holes so they can last just a few more times.

I've tested it in organic farming, reversing it to see what insects I could trap and thus monitor population levels. I've tried using it as a barrier to keep crawling worms and larvae from working their way up a branch. I'll often tag branches and make a note (with a Sharpie, another wonder tool) as my numerous farm experiments unfold.

Other farmers have utilized duct tape as bandages and short-term casts on animals. They've patched barn and shed walls with the tape, used it to hold pins and bolts in place during repair work, created fasteners for gates and fences, repaired bags and hoses. The life expectancy of work boots can be extended with a strategic taping program.