Things I Like

There’s an old saying: If it doesn’t move and it should, hit it with WD-40. If it moves and it shouldn’t, get the duct tape.

Leaving aside the fact that WD-40 isn’t really a lubricant (I like Boeshield T-9, food-grade silicone spray and Phil Wood Tenacious Oil for those), the duct tape part of the equation is pretty good. Seems like every household has some duct tape around, and everyone uses it for something.

Problem is that most of the duct tape around these days sucks. The fabric is coarse woven and lumpy, so it doesn’t conform well to uneven surfaces, the adhesive leaves residue and pulls off paint, and the damned stuff doesn’t work well in the cold or the heat.

Not so with gaffer’s tape. It’s commonly used in the theatre and other performing arts arenas, and is kind of an open secret.

Several different companies make gaffer’s tape, but the canonical manufacturer is Permacel

It’s expensive (around $13 per roll) but worth it.