Masking tape?

[Don Armstrong]

I have to procure some more masking tape, to tape the glass, in my form. I have been using the dark blue. It is kind of a bear to get off after it cooks for 6 hours at 180 degrees. Is the frog tape or the light blue any better than the blue or the regular old brown. Thanks, Don

[Dick in Seattle]

I use the regular blue, mostly; the beige/brown if that's what's on hand.   I use two layers, not sure why, just the way I was taught.  I've not had problems taking it off if I just start at one end and go slowly.   Usually get it off in one long strip.   One difference is I don't cook that hot... 160, or that long.  Used to cook for 5 hours but I learned that Craig at Hill Archery only cooks for two hours at 150 and it does seem to work         I'm not quite that brave,  I've been cooking for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.  I feel a need a little extra time for the oven to get back up to temp after I put the layup in due to my using metal clamps and an aluminum form.   Takes the metal a little time to heat up.

[Don Armstrong]

Thanks Dick, I have some regular brown. I might try some of the frog tape next. I think my problem is how messy I am, when gluing up a bow. I can't seem to keep the smooth-on off my tape, hair, arms, shirt, pants and anything else in my shop.   :D  . Don

[Dick in Seattle]

Messy and smooth on are not a good combination!

Hmmm...  just had another thought.    At what point do you try to remove the tape?    When I pull the bow from the form, The plastic comes with it, so I've got the whole nasty mess there.   I grind the glue snot off fast on the end of the big belt sander, not trying for true edges, then I run it through the drum sander to get it down to desired final width.   All this time the tape is still on.   Once I have a finished bow blank, I take the tape off.  By that time any issues of glue on the edges of the tape are long gone.    I put new white tape on the back to draft the final bow shape on, then grind to those lines again on the sander.     May be the same way you do things, but I thought I'd throw it in here just in case it helps.

[Don Armstrong]

I usually grind the glue off with my edge sander. When I'm ready to lay out the center and cut the nock grooves, I peel the tape off and put new tape on. I get smooth-on on my tape when I'm gluing up. The form is waxed so getting the bow out is not a problem. Peeling the tape is a pain though. Don

[PV]

I use scotch brand masking tape. All masking tapes aren't created equal. When I used the cheap stuff it was a pain to get off. I would use a heat gun if it got stubborn. I find the longer you leave it on the easier it is to peel.Like Dick said go slow.I leave the tape on ,peeling back enough to put on any overlays, until the bow is ready for final sanding.

[Bodork]

I use the scotch regular brown tape. The blue left gooey stuff behind. I don't peel mine off until last thing. Like PV, I peel just enough for overlays and tip overlays. It peels alot easier if all the smooth-on is off the edges, I peel riser to tip. In my mind, that keeps any glass splinters from developing. It sure is hard sometimes to do all that work not knowing how things look under clear glass. You just have to have faith that there are no bubbles under there.

[PV]

Originally posted by Bodork:
It sure is hard sometimes to do all that work not knowing how things look under clear glass. You just have to have faith that there are no bubbles under there.

X2

[michbowhunter]

Get the Frog tape!  It stays on and comes off super easy...well worth the extra $$$.  It's all I use now!

[Dick in Seattle]

Bodork...  that tip about peeling riser to tip to avoid fiber pulls is neat!   Thank you.   Never thought of it that way, but it would be a big help when using the unfinished gray glass I have like on that recent one, "Javelina".    The fibers on that stuff are really vulnerable.

[Crooked Stic]

The light green from Menards or the purple painters tape.

[BigJim]

I use a decent quality tape from uline. They all stick tight and don't want to come off so I just take it off with a sharp chissel. Always go from riser to tip or you will regret it. Get the right angle and don't gouge the glass. Takes it off slick as a whistle! and it don't matter how long it has been on.

bigjim

[Don Armstrong]

Thanks guys, I have several options now. Don

[Lee Robinson .]

I don't take the tape off until after I profile the limb, so by that time any excess glue has been removed from the sides. I also wipe off the tape prior to glue up to make sure I don't have epoxy on it.

Most tape will come off easily if the bow is warmed up slightly. It doesn't take much heat to get the tape to ease its hold. 100 degrees should be plenty. On a warm day, I can generally pull it right off. If it is cool out or if the tape wants to stick really good, you can set the bow in the sun or put it in an open oven for a few minutes...or what I have found to be the easiest is to get a hair drier (my wife tends to leave it plugged in and ready anyway...lol). My 5 year old son loves pulling off the tape, so if I use a blow drier I only blow the heat on it for 10 seconds or so and get the tape started by scratching an edge up once on the tape once it is warm. You don't have to heat up the bow itself, just the tape. As he pulls off the tape, I lead him with the drier. Once it is started, I don't even have to go that slow. I can generally get the tape off in less than a minute. If I do it by myself I will run the drier back and forth to heat up the riser and one limb, pull the tape off down to the riser, heat up the other limb, and then finish pulling off the tape. Peace of cake.

Oh, BTW, I only use one layer of tape on each side of the bow. I have tried two layers and that definitely helped if the tape ever had epoxy on it, but now that I wipe off any epoxy that gets on the tape I don't have any issues with just one layer. Either the tan masking tape or the blue 3M tape works well for me when I do this.

[Bradford]

Fun to read every ones approach to this.  Same problem originally.. I was only using one layer.  I use the blue tape.. 3m I think.  Nothing but a pain.  Then I started using two layers of tape and that helped.. but your right, heating it up works.

So now, two layers of tape.. glue up.  Out of the oven goes straight to the belt sander to get the gloobs off then I peel the tape when still warm.  Clean it all up and retape with one layer for marking.  Been working good for me.

[matts2]

I have found that 2-3 layers makes a world of difference.  I usually go three layers.

[Lee Robinson .]

I have also used some "Scotch" blue painter's tape from Walmart. I actually like it a lot too. It is blue, but has the orange writting on it. It is very thin, but more of a "plastic" feel even though it obviously has a paper tape feel to it and is a "painter's tape." It is harder however a little harder to tear than the normal masking tape tape and therefore generally comes off easy.