Saturday? Duct Tape!
Yesterday I did something I have never, ever – not once in my whole life – done. Yes, I done did it. I used duct tape on a .. you may want to hold on to something .. heating duct.
I have used duct tape since I was knee high to a grasshopper (and thought it was “duck tape”) to repair various items. When I came of age, I learned to carry a roll in my car (along with a flashlight, and fuses, and flares). I inherited the farmer’s life philosopher, in my DNA, of “bubble gum or bailing wire – fix it!” Bubble gum and bailing wire was replaced by duct tape.
In my years, I have duct-taped-back-together, or otherwise improvised (aka “repaired”):
pillows
pet’s food bowls
fishing rods
fishing boxes
eyeglasses
tents
antennas
telephone handsets
telephone directories
furniture
boats
window panes
flashlights
flower vases (that didn’t work too well…)
wallets
knife handles..
.. and, yes, computers (cases! computer cases! I had a faceplate that ..)
and countless other things.. but never a duct.
But I have to say, it took going to ThereIFixedIt.com (a sub-site of the notorious Fail Blog, it appears) to really see some duct-taping genius. Here’s a mild sample.. to tempt your tastebuds.
So..
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve done with duct tape?
(I have already seen the Alaska bush pilot photos.. .)
(and be sure to visit ThereIFixedIt.com. [Über Geeks into case modding will want to look at pg 4.])
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• About Tech Paul
I am a Retired computer & network technician. I used to think the machines were pretty cool. Now I don’t.
They’re anything but.
I regularly posted how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice here starting in 2007. (Use the Search tool to find answers. But be aware, many are rather dated.) Sometimes I answered (your) specific questions in an article if I believed the answer was generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see was my own, typos and all. There always is/was an implied “IMHO” in what you see here.
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Thank you for that. I am still lol!
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Susan B,
For similar chuckles, visit the Fail Blog.
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Paul, it’s 2010 and Gorilla duct tape is here ! I threaten quite often to use it on
my wife’s mouth .. every time I show a picture from ‘There I Fixed It’ she says:
“I bet you’ve done that before”.
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MikeyK,
I confess, I hadn’t heard of that.. is that from the makers of my favorite glue?
(And you didn’t answer the question.. what is your most spectacular/noteworthy duct tapeage?)(I think mine was tape-as-a-tow-rope..)
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I don’t have an answer for your question but this article sure does remind me of MacGyver. I’m almost afraid to see some of those fixit projects on that list of yours!
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timmyjohnboy,
I would rate myself as an “average” duct taper. Some of my early experiments in DT-ing were sloppy, and others miserable failure due to my over-estimated its adhesion and underestimating the time+gravity effect.. a few of the things pictured on ThereIFixedIt, I have done (flashlight as bicycle’s headlight, etc.)
DT-ing takes practice.
The reason I don’t consider myself an “advanced” DT-er (certainly no McGiver) is I have seen some artifacts created out of nothing but duct tape that were.. well, one could say, ‘works of art’ — a jacket (yes, fully wearable and washable), a necktie, a wallet..
Hey, it just came to me, there’s probably some DTProjects.com out there nowadays..
Anyway.. just some fun for the weekend, and a plug for the website.
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This from the Fail Blog.. Title = “Stair Ride Fail”
An “epic fail” (how many did you count? Faceplant is one..)
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TechPaul,
Duct Tape was one of the greatest innovations in the 20th Century. I’ve seen that Gorilla Tape… How strong is Gorilla Tape?
Rick
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Rick,
I have to agree with your assessment. Though, certainly not on the same plane as, say, radio, or fission, (or the ‘internal combustion engine’) I think some of Man’s inventions are just as important — yet “unsung” — concrete; vulcanized rubber; plexiglass/fiberglass .. and, yes, adhesives.
(for a look ahead see, The Next ‘New Big Thing’? Reader Asks Me To Guess The Future — NBD)
.. going to have to look into this ‘gorilla tape’..
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Put it like this, make sure your aim is good when you place it on something. I think they have used a lot of duct tape on the space shuttles but don’t make the claim. I have to say that microwave popcorn was the biggest innovations in the 20th Century and the microwave it’s self was the ‘top-gun’ of all, wonder how many Americans don’t own one ? A tip on Gorilla glue, buy it in the smallest amount you can, when you go to re-use it you will probually find out it is “FUBAR” ..
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You have earned a silver star as the first person to use my favorite (military) acronym. (See, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fubar.)
I’m afraid I have to disagree with you a little bit.. as I place the microwave oven as great, yes. Life changing, yes. But it ranks farther down on my list… below satellites and the integrated circuit..
I agree with the person who said, (I paraphrase) “the three “events” that changed life as we know it in the 20th Century were the bomb, the pill, and TV.” (Though it’s clear they were thinking “second half of”, or you would have to include the internal combustion engine.. which gave us manned flight, etc.)
Thanks for your input, and response!
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this i use
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Thank You, Thank You Very Much !
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