Out of Gaff Tape!

[photoatdv]

We go through about 6-12 rolls every dance production, but that's because we have to tape down all the pieces of Marley. So it's a legit production use (the marley is REALLY expensive, so we can't use duct tape on it).

Speaking about duct tape vs. gaff on skin we had an interesting experiment on an event I did this weekend(I will post the story of that show when I get the chance... it was quite an adventure... in a good way). So this was a fundraiser and middle of the night some guys decided they'd shave their legs if people would donate money. Well the people doing the shaving didn't know what they were doing so we had some injuries and I grabbed gaff tape (for lack of a first aid kit). And next thing they were taking donations to pull the hair off their legs with gaff tape and/or duct tape. The gaff pulled a little bit of hair but didn't hurt much. The duct really hurt (and pulled more hair). By the way this is all being determined by what I saw... I was definately NOT part of that circus.

Note: There was NO alcohol involved... I don't think the guys from the production co. believed me when they came back in the morning and heard all the stories (and found several hair covered pieces of tape during strike).

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Actually, for Marley floor, you should be using NEITHER gaff, or God forbid, duct tape, what you should be using is vinyl dance floor tape: Pro-Splice Vinyl Dance Floor Tape, Black, 2" X 36 yd

I had a fight with a dance student recently over me using it for other purposes other than Marley. It's nice cheap wide flexible vinyl tape. She was convinced it cost $20 a roll. Its $5.


I never use duct tape hardly ever anymore. Only if I'm making the seldom wallet.
Gorilla tape is great stuff, I seldom use it but its great if you never want it to come off, and I"m serious, it does not come off. We used it in high school to tape the legs together on our old stage platforms who's edges were so beat up the locks didn't work.

 

[thatactorguy]

Used your gaff to tie up the sheriff in a show.... yeah duct would have worked but it could have been a lot more painful to remove if it got on skin. As a TD I would definitely go for gaff first in this situation.

Had I known they were going to tape him in the first place, I would've suggested rope instead. Wrap it around the wrists a few times, the audience will never know the diff

I wound up doing sound- not running- for HSM2, and am in charge of taping the lapels on the actresses. Removal at the end of the show makes me cringe when they cringe; takes me back to my days of performing Greater Tuna and having a lav taped on me...

 

[NickJones]

I had a fight with a dance student recently over me using it for other purposes other than Marley. It's nice cheap wide flexible vinyl tape. She was convinced it cost $20 a roll. Its $5.

Silence is golden,
Duct tape is silver.

I have been very tempted to gaff some peoples mouths up many times.

We pay $16 AUD per roll, (about $12 US) for Nashua gaffa, and we buy it in bulk, 100 rolls

As for a waste, I must admit, one show I got rather bored during a show, and gaffered my laptop lid. It looks pretty awesome. I have to admit. It looks like the leather bound ones, and it doesn't scratch!

I found this in a store room the other day
Waste much? (I'd like to point out this wasn't me, I wouldn't have the patience!)

Nick

 

[gafftapegreenia]

I use medical tape to put on lav mics.

I remember in high school they would take my gaff tape and use it to tape the mic packs on the actors. So much gaff....

 

[thatactorguy]

I also use medical tape, gafftapegreenia; sorry for the misunderstanding. One would think a theatre person would know better about communicating clearly