2 Specialty Tapes Every Woodworker Should Know About
Sometimes the simplest workshop accessories make the biggest difference. A roll of tape might not seem like an essential woodworking tool, but the right tape can make jigs slide more smoothly, protect your workpieces, and improve your grip on hand tools.
In the first part of our series on useful woodworking tapes, we explored several common varieties and their applications around the shop.
Now we'll look at two more specialty tapes worth keeping on hand: UHMW slick tape and high-friction guard tape.
Although these tapes serve very different purposes, both can solve everyday woodworking problems with little effort or expense.
UHMW Slick Tape for Woodworking Jigs and Sliding Surfaces
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, commonly called UHMW, is a durable plastic with a low-friction surface.
UHMW slick tape combines those properties with an adhesive backing, making it easy to apply to tools, jigs, and other workshop surfaces.
The result is a smooth, slippery surface that allows workpieces and moving components to slide more easily.
Make Woodworking Jigs Slide More Smoothly
One of the best uses for UHMW tape is reducing friction on woodworking jigs and fixtures.
Apply strips to surfaces where wood or other components need to slide without binding.
For example, UHMW tape can be useful on the face of a table saw rip fence or on selected contact surfaces of shop-made jigs.
The tape reduces friction, helping workpieces move smoothly during normal operation.
As with any table saw accessory, apply the tape only where it won't interfere with the fence's alignment, workpiece control, or safe operation.
Improve Wooden Drawer Runners
UHMW tape is also an excellent solution for wooden drawer runners.
Over time, wood-on-wood contact can create friction and wear, making drawers difficult to open and close.
Adding UHMW tape to the sliding surfaces reduces friction and helps the drawer operate more smoothly.
It also provides a wear-resistant layer that can extend the life of the runners.
This makes it a useful upgrade for furniture projects that use traditional wooden drawer slides.
Protect Workpieces and Pipe Clamps During Glueups
One of my favorite uses for UHMW tape is on pipe clamps.
During a glueup, large or heavy workpieces can be difficult to position across the clamp bars.
Applying UHMW tape to the pipes creates a slick surface that allows the parts to slide into position more easily.
The tape offers two additional advantages.
First, dried glue squeeze-out is easier to remove. Glue that lands on the tape can often be chipped away with a light touch of a scraper.
Second, the tape helps prevent the dark stains that can occur when wet glue contacts steel clamp pipes.
It's a simple modification that makes pipe clamps more convenient to use while helping protect your woodworking projects.
High-Friction Guard Tape for Carving and Hand Tools
While UHMW tape is designed to reduce friction, high-friction guard tape does the opposite.
This specialty tape provides a grippy surface that's useful for protecting your fingers and improving control over hand tools.
Unlike conventional adhesive tape, guard tape sticks to itself rather than to the surface underneath it.
The tape described here consists of cotton gauze coated with a latex compound.
When wrapped around itself, it forms a flexible covering that stays in place without leaving adhesive residue on the tool or your skin.
Protect Your Fingers While Wood Carving
Wood carving often involves holding small workpieces and making controlled cuts with sharp knives or gouges.
Guard tape can provide an extra layer of protection against minor scrapes and abrasion.
Wrap the tape around your fingers in the areas where additional protection is helpful.
Because it adheres to itself, the tape can form a flexible covering that maintains its shape.
It can also be slipped on and off your fingers when you need to remove it temporarily.
Safety Note: Guard tape is not cut-resistant protection and won't stop a sharp carving knife. Always use safe carving techniques, secure the workpiece, and keep your hands out of the cutting path. Check the product materials if you have a latex sensitivity.
Improve the Grip on Hand Tools
Another practical use for guard tape is improving the grip on hand-tool handles.
The tape's high-friction surface provides additional traction, making a handle easier to hold securely.
This can be especially helpful on tools with smooth or slippery handles.
Simply wrap the tape around the handle, overlapping the layers slightly so they adhere to one another.
Because the tape sticks to itself, it can be removed or replaced without leaving behind the sticky residue associated with conventional adhesive tape.
Be sure the wrap doesn't interfere with the tool's intended grip or safe operation.
Choosing the Right Tape for Your Workshop
Although UHMW slick tape and high-friction guard tape serve opposite purposes, both can make everyday woodworking tasks easier.
Here's a quick comparison of where each tape works best.
UHMW Slick Tape: Reduces friction. Great for jigs, fixtures, drawer runners, table saw fences, and pipe clamps.
High-Friction Guard Tape: Improves grip and provides light abrasion protection. Great for fingers when carving and hand-tool handles.
The key is matching the tape to the job.
If you want something to slide more easily, UHMW tape is a good choice.
If you need a more secure grip or a flexible protective wrap, high-friction guard tape may be the better solution.
Keep These Specialty Tapes in Your Shop
Tape is easy to overlook when stocking a woodworking shop. Most of us pick up a roll only when a specific project calls for it.
But having a few specialty tapes available can save time and solve problems you might otherwise overlook.
UHMW tape can improve the operation of jigs, drawers, and clamps, while high-friction guard tape offers a simple way to improve your grip on hand tools.
Neither requires complicated installation or specialized equipment.
They're just two more examples of how a small workshop accessory can make woodworking more enjoyable.
RELATED ARTICLE: 3 Types of Woodworking Tape Every Shop Needs
