Removable Tape? It’s Not An Oxymoron .. It’s 3M’s Scotch Brand Removable Magic Tape!
Written: Dec 25 '03
Product Rating:
Pros: No residue, easy to work with, pulls up with no effort, transparent.
Cons: Larger size may make it difficult for some to use.
The Bottom Line: Need to temporarily bond something? Can’t risk an original design being compromised by adhesive marks? Scotch 3M Removable Magic Tape is the best option!
Freak369's Full Review: Scotch 811 34 2592: Removable Tape with 1 and 3 Co...
Dabbling in art when the mood strikes, the benefits of a temporary but effective transparent tape is nothing new to me. After designing tattoos, miniature scenes with the boys and redecorating almost every room in the house single handedly, I gladly sing the praises of the 3M brand of removable tape. Not being one to want to waste money, I opted to purchase the larger version of the product. The three inch core in the middle of the roll gives you a lot of mobility when working with three dimensional items like models but, at the same time, gives you complete control over the direction of the tape as well as cutting. This might just be a personal choice here but I prefer this version over others because it is truly a temporary tape and it leaves absolutely no residue when it is lifted, even after being in place for weeks or months. I’ve also purchased the smaller rolls that come with a plastic cutter and while it’s the same product, the jagged edges it imprints on the tape leaves a lot to be desired. This smaller version is sold as a stand alone roll as well as carded inside a plastic case [with the cutter].
Scotch Removable Magic Tape
Some times you need something temporarily adhered to a surface, when this instance arises, using regular transparent tape isn’t an option. While some tapes can be removed after the initial placement, as soon as any pressure is placed in the tape, it’s stuck there for good. So why would someone want a tape product that isn’t permanent? Lots of reasons! Artists, graphic designers and architects can use this to permanently set up a design without having to worry about sensitive pieces being damaged when they are moved. Personally, I use this to secure layers of designs so I can peel them off and work on them in sections. For tattoo artists, this is a great product to have on hand when working on intricate Celtic knots, cleaning up flash or added colored sections to larger pieces. Applying this to the edges allows you to see the different color variables that are possible without having to compromise the original piece or wasting time doing color inlays only to toss it in the trash if it isn’t what you or the customer wants.
If you’ve ever used a Post-It Note, you’ll know the benefits of having something that is movable but at the same time doesn’t move until you want it to. The larger size of this roll is perfect when working with large pieces and requires no case or holder to use it. If you are doing any type of air brushing, detailing or applying borders to your home interior, this is a great alternative to masking tape that could leave behind a residue or ruin pieces that it’s attached to. The tape provides a good hold but isn’t for things that are heavy like cardboard or foam core. If you are going to be working with these you may want to look into a temporary spray on adhesive or bulldog clamps with a rubber insert to prevent pitting or indentations.
Directions
Stop laughing.
You might think that all there is to using this is ripping off a piece, slapping in on a surface and pulling it up. Well, technically that is how its used but to get the best results you will need to be careful with the edges, especially when cutting pieces to section off areas that are to be painted, air brushed or come in contact with any liquid media. Unlike regular tape, this can be used several times if lifted carefully so if you have invested ten or fifteen minutes into cutting a design into the edges, it is worth your time to carefully remove it and place in on to another section. Working with clean hands will insure that you will get a good hold when the tape is applied – a much when working with paint or a spray on glue.
Since this comes as a stand alone roll, you will need to have a pair of scissors, X-Acto knife or cutter on hand. Making sharp cuts on this tape is easy but when you are doing fine detail work like cutting circles or curves into it, you are better off working with one of the wider rolls and trimming off the excess material. I highly suggest using an X-Acto knife with a new blade when working with this because you will be able to get a sharp crisp cut and eliminate the possibility of ink, oil or paint seeping under the edges.
Price
If you are only going to be using this for odd jobs or for small items, stick with the once inch core sized rolls. The larger of the variety, the three inch roll, provides you with a massive amount of tape [over 2,500 inches] in a three quarter inch width. Average prices for this run between $4.00 and $6.00 per roll depending on where you purchase them. Make sure you look for the blue box [removable tape] instead of the green one [standard transparent tape] when shopping in retail stores, this saves you a lot of time when trying to find it on cluttered or unorganized shelves. Also, try to purchase this from a store that you are familiar with and that rotates their stock frequently. Purchasing an old roll will make it frustrating to work with and will result in the tape peeling, ripping or tearing when pulling a piece off the roll. For me this is an essential item do I don’t skimp on it. While I have tried other brands, none of them even come close to the #m variety.
The Bottom Line
This is a must have item for any artist, photography buff or any hard-core crafter. It can be used safely to temporarily adhere photos to scrapbook pages, when adding detail to a design and for creating your own templates. The biggest perk to the 3M tape over others is that when it is removed, there is no glue, tack or residue left over. If you’ve ever worked on a piece of art in pencil and used other type of temporary tape, chances at one time or another the lead smudged and stuck to the area where the tape was located. This could really ruin an illustration, drawing or section of the artwork if its large enough. For an extra dollar or so, you can get a top of the line, industrial grade temporary tape that is easy to work with, keeps thing in place and removes with no effort.
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