Re: Black Tape

In reply to several messages on the subject of black tapes:

I would be very reticent about using any tape labeled "electrician's tape" in a
pinhole camera, for a couple of reasons:

First, electrician's tape is designed to be slightly elastic so that it can be
tightly wrapped around wires and it will tend to seize them. This elasticity makes
it inappropriate for accurate, non-shifting mounting on flat surfaces.

Second, electrician's tape is designed to adhere mainly to itself. It is intended
as a compression or wrapping fastener, not as one that is especially good in shear
or tension. Therefore, it does not adhere especially well to other surfaces,
notably porous ones such as wood.

(Last year I used electrician's tape to cover some suspected light leaks in an old
film back. In a couple of months, it began shifting around and then falling off
the metal and vinyl surfaces.)

I notice that the "cloth" based tape I have been using on pinhole cameras, and
which does adhere quite well, is made by Scotch. They call it "Decorate and Repair
Tape". It's available in a small, one and one half inch roll and cost only a
couple of dollars.

Bob
Received on Sat Nov 11 14:09:45 2000