Saturday, March 13, 2010

The History Of Duct Tape...!


I don't know about you, but I love Duck Tape!

Of course, being from the South...I have a long and pleasant history with the stuff! There are so many uses of this tape, I wouldn't begin on trying to list them all!

What I did do, however, is to find a little history of "The Tape" for those of you that didn't already know about it.

There are conflicting accounts concerning the history of duct tape. According to Manco, Inc. (maker of DuckTm Brand tape), it was created by Permacell—a division of Johnson and Johnson—during World War II in the 1940s. Other experts claim that the tape product was invented in the 1920s by researchers for the 3M Company, led by Richard Drew. Most accounts agree, however, that Permacell perfected duct tape during the war. Using state of the art technology, their research team developed a process to combine multiple layers of adhesive onto a polyethylene coated cloth backing. Some say this early product was nicknamed "duck tape" because it repelled water like the bird's feathers or because the fabric mesh was made from duck cloth.

Regardless of its origin, the military found many uses for duct tape. One of its earliest applications was to hold ammunition boxes together. For this reason, soldiers referred to it as "gun tape." The Air Force found other uses for the product and duct tape was used to cover gun ports on planes to cut down the air friction during take off. Like many other military products, duct tape was originally colored olive green, but after the war it was changed to the more familiar silver color. Manufacturers began marketing it to household consumers who found a variety of new uses. The tape is easier to use and just as effective as screws and bolts when it comes to holding together the kind of ductwork that is found in new homes with forced-air heating.

As the consumer demand grew, marketers began packaging their tapes in a more consumer-friendly fashion. According to Manco, they were the first company to shrink-wrap and label the duct tape so that it could be easily stacked on display shelves. This packaging improvement made it easier for shoppers to distinguish between the different grades. By 1999, Manco was selling approximately 5,900 short tons (5,352 metric tons), or 246,217 mi (396,240 km), of tape each year.


How about the many uses of duct tape? There are so many lists, I couldn't put even a fraction of them here...Just have to make up your own mind as to what works for you, I reckon!

Now, let's get some coffee and sit at the kitchen table for a bit. Rain outside today!

10 comments:

  1. ...i think i've heard the one regarding duck cloth,refering to origins...anyway,it's as good as gold,if ya ask me...remember the moniker of '2 hundred mile-n-hour tape'...and race cars gettin' bandaged up and put back in...ahhh those were the days...

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  2. How about the prom dresses constructed from duct tape?
    Today is my day off and I have a lot to do around here soooo where is my tape???

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  3. The prom dresses and tuxedos made of duct tape.

    http://www.duckbrand.com/Promotions/stuck-at-prom.aspx

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  4. I use it to add layers to the door sweeps under my outside doors. Keeps the cold air out. It's also good for taping Bible covers back together. A former landlord taught me to use it to wrap pipes and seal off leaks on the drain under the sink -- as long as the whole U-joint didn't crumble. It worked! ~Liz

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  5. Myth Busters made a duct tape cannon. And fired it! Amazing stuff...

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  6. Ok, HJ. It's true confession time... What to do when wearing a nearly backless dress? Make a duct tape bra, of course. Yes, I've done that. Hurts like hell when removing it, but duct tape is the best for keeping "the girls" up there. Removal is best done when still a little tipsy from the night out. To forego some of the removal ouch, you stick it to a terrycloth towel before sticking it on, which picks up some fibers and keeps it from sticking so much to skin. Still hurts like hell. How was Julia Roberts transformed into Erin Brockovich? Duct tape, my friend!

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  7. Hey Ken...
    Can't imagine a survival kit without the duct tape! Comes in handy for so many things...

    I read about the Germans even using it on their tanks!

    Gotta love the stuff!

    Hey, thanks for coming by, buddy!


    Hey Sis...
    I know you MUST have a roll or two around there somewhere!

    Enjoy the day off, Sis! And thanks for coming by!


    Hey Anon 8:21...
    Just shows how inventive even the young ones can be if the desire is great enough!

    Probably a good lesson for them!

    I do appreciate the visit today!


    Hey LizBeth...
    So many quick home repairs can be done with duct tape...it's not even funny!

    Good idea about the door sweeps, though!

    Thanks so much for coming by today!


    Hey Mayberry...
    I love those guys on Mythbusters! All kinds of practical stuff!

    That was a great cannon, wasn't it? In fact, that whole show was a good one!

    Hey, buddy...thank you for dropping over today! I do appreciate it!


    Hey Ginger...
    I had read that it could be used for that...but didn't know that someone actually had the nerve to do it!

    My opinion of your bravery just increased a whole bunch...and it was already pretty high!

    Question...does it take very long for the skin to grow back? Just wondering!

    Hey, thank you so much for coming by today, my friend!

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  8. Mechanic in IllinoisMarch 13, 2010 at 8:27 PM

    Sorry Jim, I sound like a broken record, duct tape is another staple of boy scouts. I wouldn't even think of going camping without duct tape. I'm glad I don't have to choose between duct tape and my wife,just kidding. Thanks for another good posting.

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  9. Hey Mechanic...
    The scouts were a good start on the right kind of life style for a lot of us! If the government guys would leave it alone, it still could be!

    Keep that tape close...never can tell when it will come in handy!

    Hey, thanks for coming by, buddy!

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  10. Hermit, have you ever heard the great Alaskan Duct Tape ball? They do it every year during Fur Rondy which is a festival to sell your trappings and before the Iditarod. They make really interesting costumes and such. Bing it and look at the pictures.. they are always fun to see. :)

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