Save $$$$ On Masking Tape

Hey! In the middle of a recession everybody is trying to save a buck. Right. You can cut your costs almost in half by switching from blue painters tape to the more recognizable old standby, Scotch 2020 production or 2050 masking tape. This stuff is literally almost half the cost of the blue painters tape. Whats up with the painters tape anyway, has it got precious metals like in a catalytic converter or something in it. For Gods sake it's tape! Give us a break you people that make this stuff.

There's a couple of things to remember when using this stuff, 1st, don't use it on thin materials like 1/8" - 1/4' solid woods or plywood, or tiny frail fretwork, if you do chances are you'll rip off some material when you remove it. 2nd if you're going to use it on any softwood, it might be a good idea to seal the wood before you apply the tape, because a lot of times this stuff will raise and remove tiny bits of grain if you don't. 3rd, don't leave this stuff on more than 3 days or you'll wish you hadn't, as it petrifys and is extremely hard to remove afterward.

Beyond that, if your going to cut something straight forward, like when I cut my animal puzzles from 3/4" poplar, this is a great alternative to blue tape. Simply apply the tape overlapping by about an 1/8" or so till you cover your work entirely. Apply a good coat of adhesive, I like super 77 for this, to the back of your pattern and apply it, now work out from the center to the edges to remove all air and wrinkles. Let it dry for a couple of minutes and you can saw out your project. This stuff removes cleanly and easily if you keep the after mentioned in mind. One other benefit of using these products, is that done properly, neither one will let go when your cutting, so the pattern won't be moving while your trying to cut.

I really like the blue painters tape and use it all the time, but for quick simple projects that can be cut in a short time, try the old standbys to save a couple of bucks next time. I think you'll be glad you did...