nancythomas•8d agoMost Upvoted

Pro tip: stop using that cheap drafting tape on your originals

I learned this the hard way last Tuesday when I pulled some blue painter's tape off a set of floor plans I'd been working on for a week. It left a sticky residue that smeared my pencil lines and messed up the whole sheet. Took me an extra three hours to redo the drawing. That tape was from a big box store cost me maybe 3 bucks. Switched to a proper drafting tape at $8 a roll from the art supply shop two blocks from my shop. No residue at all, comes off clean every time. Has anyone else dealt with tape ruining a set of plans?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wren8d ago

Man, I had this happen with a roll of that masking tape from the grocery store. I was trying to hang some concept sketches for a meeting (not my brightest move) and when I pulled them down the tape took a chunk of the paper with it. Left this weird fuzzy edge that looked like a mouse had been chewing on it. My boss just stared at me while I tried to smooth it back down. The cheap stuff really is a gamble every time you peel it off.

wesley3857d ago

Hold on, is it really the tape's fault or was it just old? I've used the cheap blue stuff for years and the only time it left residue was when I left it on a drawing for like three months and the adhesive baked into the paper. The key is knowing when to peel it, not how much you paid for it. If you're planning on keeping tape on your originals for more than a day or two, sure get the fancy stuff. But for quick mockups or temporary holds the cheap stuff works fine if you just pull it off the same day.