Duct tape decoded: the fascinating chemistry behind the ultimate fix-all (video)

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/05/21/duct-tape-decoded-the-fascinating-chemistry-behind-the-ultimate-fix-all-video.html

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Weighing Options Are You Sure GIF

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Yeah, I call BS.

Gaffer’s tape is far superior in that regard.

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Bill Hammack was the first set of youtube videos i bookmarked, and have looked forward to his all too infrequent postings ever since. He really does an excellent job of technology explanation in general, and the super practical approach to engineering; an aspect of which us science dweebs tend to be unaware of.

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According to this article, a soldier’s mom came up with the idea.

The History Guy did a good video that convinced me that its name really is “duck” tape, and the “duct” is the wrong term. I was strong in the “duct” camp until then.

The origins of it should be enough, but the really kicker was that HVAC installers won’t use it. It suck for ducting. They use a special tape specifically designed for ducting that is metal backed, not plastic.

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That foil tape is great stuff in its own right.

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Yeah, I have two major rules in my facility; absolutely no chlorine and no damned duck(t) tape. Ever*. It is nearly always the idiot’s solution and makes an absolute mess of everything it touches.

*I do have a roll of Gorilla tape but its’ use is extremely rare.

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That was quite a plot twist at the end.

There are only two things that duck tape is useful for.

  1. Impromptu, temporary repairs.
  2. Removing certain kinds of warts.
    Can Duct Tape Remove Warts?

I couldn’t stop watching that once I started. I was glued to it.

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That’s not duct tape.
Duct tape is shiny and made of metal.

The photo is Duck Tape, wish you don’t use on ducts. It dries out when it gets hot and the vinyl falls off leaving the dried glue behind.

I’m not sure why people keep calling that sticky vinyl tape “Duct” instead of Duck.

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