Best double sided tape for holding router templates? - created 05-09-2004

Struye, Bo - 05/09/2004.00:31:59

I had an old roll of double stick tape which I used to temporarily attach my router template to the guitar body but I am running out. Unfortunately there is no brand on it so I can't find the same one anymore.

I have tried 3M tape but I find that it leaves way too much residue. Does anyone know of a good tape that is strong enough to hold a template but that does not leave any residue when removed?

Thank you very much.

We use large quantities of carpeting tape. It's the kind that has some sort of fabric mesh in it. If you use too large pieces of this stuff, you can only remove the template by wrecking it. We use it in every situation where clamps and such can't reach or are in the way of you or your tools. This type of tape also peels off nicely without leaving residue (unless you leave it there for a week or more) partly because of the mesh that's in it.

I don't have a type or brand name for you, but i'm sure similar tape is available in the US.

I've used all sorts of double sided tapes, because I can't always dig up the same kind. The best type is the thickish one with a woven structure, and I've used various (non-)brands in the past, some of the best stuff being simple local hardware store material. As Mathieu said, don't use too much, especially for the high tack stuff. I've wrecked acrylic fret slotting templates by doing that.

I've found that, given clean surfaces, most of the double stick tapes out there are decent for short-term hold on templates, but I do really prefer having the very strong, very sticky stuff for router templates I can't screw down. Worst case? I need to get the scraper and some paper out to clean up some residue, but that's usually only the case if I've left it on for more than the minimum amount of time necessary.

Thanks guys.

Yes I agree that the kind that has the woven fabric in it works best. That's what my "old roll that is running" is made out of. The 3M stuff is just paper and glue and I hate it. I would love to find a good brand for that stuff so there is a repeatable quality I can bank on.

Thank you.

Bo, it turns out the stuff that I have been using (Tesa 7158) is no longer made, the company has a new product 50658 that is "an enhancement to and replacement for the company’s previous premier product" 7158. The stuff I have been using was made for splicing corrugated cardboard rolls, it has a super tack. I look forward to a replacement for my tape also. It looks like Tesa makes a lot of specialty tapes so I will look into what they are offering now.

We use a bunch of indoor/outdoor carpet tape made by "HENKEL". It is the Home depot stuff in the green box with the little yellow duck on it. The regular tape is paper backed and unsuitable, make sure you get the indoor/outdoor tape as it has the woven fibers in it. The glue is very temacious and can be removed from acrylic templates with NAPTHA or METHANOL. Scott.

for littler jobs I use the 1/2 inch rolls or Scotch tape that are for scrapbooking. They are on a dispenser just like regular Scotch tape but are double sided. They make a permanent version and a temporary version. The temporary is nice just for holding down a sanding caul on a brace, or something where a slip won't hurt. The permanent is pretty good for holding down templates.

I used some double sided scotch tape to hold the bridge plate clamp caul in place long enough to get some clamps through the sound hole. The pressure from the clamping process turned the tape to concrete. It took me a good hour to get the caul out of the guitar. It was stuck on so well, I thought I had glued the caul to the bridge plate. I finally got a small enough chisel in there to *carefully* pry it loose.

I use less tape now.

I use the carpet tape too and cut it into 1/4" strips that I place near the edge of the template. That way I can usually work a puddy knife between the template and piece to free it up.