Official Luthiers Forum!

What alternatives are there to the Stew Mac binding tape? These orders for individual items are killing me with shipping.
Or is the Stew Mac tape really just some tape I can find at Lowe's or Hobby Lobby? What about the 3m blue painters tape? I've got plenty of that.

Oh btw, this will be used with black boltaron and a bwb purfling on a dread.

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Jeremy Douglas

Just double up some regular masking tape. Works fine. I do like the SM tape, but this will get you by until you make another order. Dunno about the painter's tape, don't think I'd stick well enough to pull the binding in tight.

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

I like the SM tape... the blue tape does not even come close.

15 rubber bands? Are you serious? Look at your pic again.

Mike

I have arrested development with the Stew-Mac brown tape and love the stuff. It comes off easily and can be doubled in areas where it can tear like the waist. Stealing...... I mean purchasing a dispenser that sits on your bench makes life much easier.

The blue tape is not robust enough IMHO. As mentioned the fiber impregnated strapping tape works well too and is available without a Stew-Mac order. Do be sure to warm it up and pull when possible at 45 degrees to the grain to avoid lifting fibers. I shellac my tops 2" in from the binding also to avoid lifting fibers when removing binding tape.

That stewmac tape is probably the most used tool in my shop. I used it in Harry Fleishman's class and when I got back home I ordered a dozen or more rolls of it. I wish Stewmac gave a quantity discount on that tape.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

I use strapping tape. It's the only thing I have found that has enough tensile strength. You can get a reasonable price on it buying in bulk from U-Line.

Mark

Reinforced stripping tape. 3M 864 or 865. It is far less susceptible to CA. Holds as well or better than Stewmac binding. You can pull tighter with out fear of breaking or shearing around edges. I think I have fewer fiber tears with it as well.

Thanks for the replies. I'll go with the strapping tape since I've got a few days off and plan on binding the guitar today or tommorrow, so I don't want to wait on shipping.

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Jeremy Douglas

I couldn't find twill tape to mummify my guitar with

How about alternatives for that?

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Jeremy Douglas

Those of you looking for quantity discounts on binding tape and other hardware should check out Allparts.

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How long is that in luthyears?