OK, Stupid question i know but, WHAT THE HELL IS G

[Nates]

Same as topic, What is gaffer tape, where do you get it and what can it be used for!?!? Please don't pummel me too hard.

[Chance1234]

u asked for this Nate so here it is

Proper Uses
Holding the Universe together

Tying up rolls of cables

Fixing cables to the floor/roof/wall



Drama Uses
Personal Restraint Uses

A gag when we have an annoying director

Shutting up the stupid and ignorant stage manager

Tying people up (we tied someone to a scaffolding tower using two rolls of 2" gaffer, he was a bit stuck, and a bit cross, he's never spoken to us since)

Tying people up (for sexual enjoyment, or is that the realm of safety chains)

For giving techies a birthday treat (Gaffer them to the roof truss) Taping up sound crew. Preventing them going over to check out the make-up crew



Fixing Clothing

Insulation

Making LARPS weapons

Holding up stockings when your garter belt breaks and you don't have any garters

Repairing an underwired bra if the wire pokes out Fixing shoes with a hole in

Holding together motorcycle boots and leathers

Preventing holes in Jeans and trousers, press a piece each side, and wash

When my sister got married, the back of her dress kept falling too low and exposing her tattoo, so I grabbed some (hm, I wonder what?) Gaff, and taped her dress to her back.

Holding up a skirt if the elastic breaks Replacing a broken watch band

Replacing a bow tie (looks ok from 8ft away) Covering Taps on Tap shoes when they are not needed



On the Person

When I'm short of condoms

Removing hundreds of baby ticks from your legs Keeping my eyes open during a boring ballet show Making wallets

Holding on the master photographers wig when he drives around on his dolly

Wrapping around the end of maglites to make them easier to hold in the mouth

Making folders

A belt for jeans

When a condom develops a spilt

Waxing my legs (Flooring tape is better)



Makeup

Taping sea-shells to the chests of actors Attaching wigs to heads (gullable actors) Holding on false ears

Shaving during cues (rip it off!)

Repairing false mustache

Strapping down Carrie Fisher's chest in Star Wars (Alledgedly) Joan Collins uses it for the opposite

Shaving

Plugging the hole between guys and girls dressing rooms in educational theatre



On the Stage

Providing black rims to tables and sets etc Writing on the floor

For making reflectors for the infra-red receiver on a TV set. The actor was stationed at an acute angle to the receiver and the reflector bounced the signal right in!

Taping actors to statues and wheeling them around the stage (don't ask)

Taping Rubber Chickens to lighting pipes so that chickens hang on stage

Making a fake axe blade

Making a fake cactus. Paint it green and add fake prickers

Making a fake watch when its two minutes to curtain up and you forgot yours

Making a blast shield for flash pot/pyrotechnic devices To muffle clumping noises of shoes on stage

To fix props to shelves on a set that gets moved Marking stage center on the stage (usually ignored) Laying hardboard or lino floors

Holding seperate pieces of rostra together

Reparing holes in black curtains, put a piece each side of the whole and press



Set Construction (aka What the actors don't know)

Someone once made an entire set out of Gaffer Creating a full size actually working spiders web

Wedging for castors under scenery

Creative sculptures

When we run out of Black or White gloss paint For use when you run out of nail and screws

Holding a flight of stairs up before putting the screws in As masking tape

Covering gaps between the set and legs

Repairing the main curtain when it develops a rip Fixing holes in badly moulded statues

Covering up cat s@*t stains on a backdrop Securing a clock to a muslin flat

Outling the edge of a plywood table to prevent splinters Taping curtains to walls

Covering dangerous cracks in the rostra

Building a fake bomb. Three wooden dowels (1 inch x 1 foot) taped together with gaffe at the ends, an old lamp socket, and my wristwatch



Over Stage

Holding the handrails to scaffolding tower when they are too tall to use the proper uprights

Taping up the bar on a Genie Lift

Preventing steel rope from fraying (stick some Gaffer over where you are cutting the cable, and cut in the middle of the Gaffer, and it won't fray).



Backstage

For sticking the 191 uses of Gaffer tape to the wall during a boring performanceso that we can read them and have a good laugh

Taping cable ties to upside down plastic cups to make little springy people (and then taping the cable ties to the desk) during 4 year breaks between Qs

Gives the Theatre Manager another thing to bitch about (this costs 11 dollars a roll)

Taping flexible pieces of foam to sharp corners so actors don't injure themselves

Wheel locks on flight cases etc

When sub renting gear, cover the logo on the road case with the appropriate color gaff tape and write your own company on it... Use white Gaffer to mark the edges of steps during black outs Use white Gaffer to mark sight lines backstage

Holding your script together

Keeping animals quiet offstage

Initiating new techies

Making white shoes or socks black before the director notices. Covering BRIGHT logos on clothese supposed to be black

Getting high at alcahol free cast parties, just eat a roll and your buzed for 24 hours



Lighting Crew

Holding down lighting plans after the have been rolled for a while Using the empty roll to protect wall switches for house lights etc Replacement strain reliefs on all types of connector

Providing a protective cover on emergency stop buttons, so that lead singers don't cut out the power suppy during drum solos

Achieving greater tilt on projectors

To prevent fire exit lights ruining blackouts

Fixing gels to lights when we have lost the gel frame Making tree patterns on a piece of glass, instead of gobos Replacement safety chain (twist it together and tie a knot)

If the roll is used lying flat, the hole in the center is perfect for holding a can of pepsi/beer so I don't knock it over the lighting desk To cover random lightbulbs on a string of Christmas lights that were being used as a cheap star drop

Emergency C-clamps. Hold the yoke against the pipe, wrap about 6 turns around the two and you're done

Battery Clamp

To hold gel onto the frame when it is too small Labelling lights and sound desks

Marking on stage where lights are to be focussed

Holding truss together when you run out of pins/bolts (Not advisable if the truss hold a lot of weight.

Taping down a packet of Fruit Gums.



Sound Crew

Patching holes in speaker drivers

Suspending speaker bins from exaust fans Making Belts for radio mics

Angleing monitor wedges

When used on drums can help prevent ringing

For the band to roll across the stage "we're taping the show so clap real loud"

In the production of a digereddoo (it can also hold a microphone in one)

For repairing trumpet horns

Taping radio mic beltpacks to the small of an actor/ress' back Holding your headset together

Making apple eating sound effects (wrap it around the palm of your hands, press your hands together and the seperate them).

Fixing positions of microphone stands

To play vinyl backward on technics 1200's. Place roll of Gaffer on turntable, place record lined up carefully on Gaffer, turn stylus upside down and reweight tone arm, place needle on underside of record and listen to the hidden satanic messages



Wardrobe

Strapping intrusive genitails out of sight on some 'showgirls' Putting together costumes when there is not enough time for glue Handy on sci-fi costumes

Making inside pockets on costumes that don't have them Holding clothes together for those that can't sew Giving ballerinas toes more grip

To provide shoes with traction

Making a waterproof jacket

Making backpacks

Holding rods and other controls to puppets



Front of House

Fixing up promotional signs (including a door covered in posters suspended over the side of a bridge)

Stopping gentlemen using broken urinals in the toilets (as seen in the Victoria Apollo)



Home Usage

White Gaffer tape can be used for writing reminders that I should get out more and meet real people

A chastity belt for wives/partners while on the road

Keeping out unwelcome visitors. Merely cover a window with Gaffer and then when your light is on, people won't realise

Patching holes in swimming pool covers Holding up posters

For making a football (by saving all the scraps of Gaffer) Making sure my motherboard does not ground itself to my case Making an ashtray

Tying the front legs of sheep together (If you're welsh)

Making a CD-Rom drive holder (tape the CD-Rom to the floppy drive and save on drive rails)

Repairing my old disc box which kept smashing On the spines of books to repair the spines Making a pencil case (combined with a zipper)

Covering remote control sensors that are set off by the wrong controller

In the produciton of a bong

Covering beercans - so its's not obvious what they are! Holding duff terminators on network cables

To hold together my carton of beer

To add an extension to my change jar

Keeping my dining room table from falling over

Storing food when you don't have any tupperware (Getting a bowl and a plate and taping them together

In the tool shed

Wrap around tool handles to provide better grip

Holding together nuts & bolts that go together for during storage



Decoration

Using Gaffer on a door instead of a name plate

Taping plastic sheet around windows to act as double glazing Building a 'dust tent' to confine dust to one area of a room Taping doors and windows closed to prevent draughts

Blocking out gaps of light in a dark room

My toilet is on a platform with five stairs leading up to it. Throne? I think so. So, I'm covering the toilet in white Gaff and painting it gold!



Pest Control

A trap for ants (like fly paper)

Use Gaffer tape on curtain cords etc to stop cats chewing them



Travelling

Constructing a make-shift solar array to provide power to an ailing space station (at space camp)

Taping your seat belt shut while flying (just in case) Back up cycle clips

Repairing backpacks when heavy strain from books causes them to disintegrate

Tying objects to a roof-rack

Fixing a video camera to a sail plane

Making funky stripes on the brake light of our car



Car Repairs

Holding the break fluid line in place on a kombi after hitting a kangaroo

Fixing side view mirrors (a friend fell off my roof and broke it off) Repaing holes in my car roof (it works)

Repairing holes in exhausts (this works quite well if you can clean the exhaust)

Fixing a car accelerator (gas pedal), use it with roofing nails. Just the job.

Setting the spark plug gap

Repairing the break light on a motorcycle

Holding on the Licence/Number plate to my car (lasting about a year) Clutch Alignment tool (with a spanner & 3 foot of scaf pipe)

I was on my way on a skiing vacation to the north of Sweden, where of course I'm from, and since I have a small car I couldn't fit the packliner on it's roof properly without bending the doors open at the top. Then I found my roll of Gaffer and we had one of us masking the car from the outside with one front door window rolled down and the othersmasking it from the inside to keep the cold air and draught from getting to us on our 12 hour drive in mid winter. Afterwards he jumped in throught the window and we masked it from the inside while a guy at the gas station finished up the window he jumped in through with the last of the tape. We then started our journey but it turned out to become a real nightmare since we couldn't go out of the car except to get gas (we had to sacrifice one window in order to do that) since we were out of Gaffer and we had to sit on our bladders for over 12 hours.

Fixing Taxi signs to the top of taxis



Dangerous Uses

Covering asbestos covered pipes (don't tell anyone there there) Insulation tape on bare wires

Holding the walls in our theatre together. When painting the theatre from time to time(O.K. frequently) we come across cracks in the wall (large several inches high by several feet long) the solution is simple, just cover in Gaffer and paint over.

Rewiring live orchestra pit lights during act one Fixing the Genie when the control box fell off Keeping plugs together when you have lost the screw Sticking things to the floor (esp Dance shows)

Holding together a scaffolding tower with CID followspot on top, plus the operator and cue reader



Medical Uses

For replacing plasters (and stiches) when I cut my finger

For holding dislocated fingers in place during a performance (before you can get to the Hospital)

Taping an actor's ankle after he broke it leaping into the wings at the end of act II. Fortunately it was the closing night.

[eddie]

Yep. Gods Sellotape. (thats sticky tape for american readers, not condoms....)

[Chance1234]

have a confession thats not my list, but could easily come up with one jsut as long, things such as

fixing broken kettles
turnign trainers into boots
fixing tubing to actress
Paintstriping
removing patterns from footballs
S&M games
fixing packerts of cigarettes to stuff for easy access
marking out blocking
repairing ripped combats
shutting up the girlfriend
covering car logo's
turnign inside of a car to a space ship
fixing bits of computers to garage doors
making balls of gaffer tape to flick at people
sealing bags
making a bit of wood seem like a gun
rigging explosives
hiding cables
sticking a strip to the back of peopel for pure humour
picking up drawing pins form the floor ]
eliminating leaking light
setting speed straps for hamsters and other small creatures

Chance

[Brewski]

Gaffer tape is similar to Duct tape in texture. It`s Black in color instead of gray and is extemly sticky. But leaves little to no residue.
What can you use it for? Well just about anything. Generaly it can be found at most hardware stores.

Hope this helps!!

------------------
I`LL SLEEP WHEN I`M DEAD

[Brewski]

Jesus!!! That is a list I can`t even top!!!

[JAB]

Hi,

Sorry to sound so knowable (I ought to be on WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE with my grasp of general knowledge.

Gaffer tape was originally used for temporary repairs to Phantom Jet Fighter Aircraft, i.e. repairing bullet holes so they could be put back into service as quickly during armed combat.

Jimn Bird.

It is now used for the asforementioned purposes as detailed above.

[Jon Taylor]

Chance,

You didn't mention that Gaffa tape is handy if you want to tie up a policeman to a chair, before cutting off his ear with a cut-throat-razor, whilst listening to a 1970's soundtrack (and wearing a black suit).

Jon.