Those who know and understand entrainment industry can easily attest that gaffer tape is practically indispensable for stagecraft and any temporary installations. The gaffer tape is typically made of vinyl, or sturdy, durable cotton cloth. It is pressure-sensitive, and once it has been pressed into place it guarantees strong adhesive bond. Unlike any other industrial tapes, this unique adhesive provides clean removal while leaving minimal, if any, residue. All this makes the gaff tape perfect for film, theatre, and television productions, as well as live performances or any event involving stagecraft.
On top of securing cables and equipment, gaff tape can be used in an array of stage and performance related applications, sometimes even some unexpected ones. Camera assistants use it to mark blocking spots for the actors, additionally, it can be used to save some broken items or props. Even though the gaffer tape is widely used and needed, you should still do some research and inform yourself about the different types and the benefits each offers. Let's go through some of them.
- Nashua 357 Gaffer Tape – it holds “the world” together. This type is preferred by theatre and film/ video professionals. The nashua 357 gaffer tape has a proven reputation for reliability under the most difficult conditions. Superior tensile strength and clean adhesive release resists delamination and it is curl resistant. Moreover, it offers outstanding performance over a wide range of temperatures and environments. Available colors: black, white, silver, matte black, neon yellow, neon green, neon orange, and neon pink.
- Polyken 510 Gaffer Tape – this vinyl coated tape has a heavy-duty design and offers flexibility and moisture resistance for a wide range of applications. The non-reflecitve matte cloth is low gloss and waterproof, thus making it ideal for the outdoors, where weather and temperature are important factors. Another advantage of this type of gaffer tape over the others is that it has softer adhesive, which ultimately means that it works well when used on carpeting. Available colors: Black, brown, grey, red, white and yellow.
Besides the many uses in the industry fields of entertainment, the gaffer tape can have many other additional uses and benefits. You can use it to label your photography gear, for example. This is especially good and beneficial for outdoor location shoots since they are waterproof and resistant to many environmental conditions. Even if you do not use any special equipment you can still use it to mark your camping gear, or when completing your school supplies and sports equipment for kids and you want everyone to know what's yours and what's not.
