Taping Wood

[rayzir]

Howdy All,
When you tape the wood, do you wrap the tape across the bottom too? I did that on my first portrait. It did well, but I spent a lot of time removing the taped. On my second portrait, I only put it on the front. Unfortunately the BB chipped out the back on the delicate parts (front still looked great though). I'm guessing the extra tape on the bottom helps support the delicate parts.

How do you tape your projects?

[Mike Crosa]

I have only done the front and I am using blue painters tape on the wood then I glue the pattern on top of the tape. I have often wondered if they put it on the back also. From pictures and some videos where they are using the tape they say lets put the tape on and then cut away to the actual scrolling without actualling showing the procedure. In the pictures I have seen they are using clear tape so it is hard to see if it is on both sides.

Mike C

[BobD]

If I use clear tape, I hit it with some mineral spirits or Goo Gone before I even attempt to remove it. Personally, I've gotten away from the clear tape and gone to the blue painter's tape because I've gotten to the sanding/finishing stage too many times and found a bit of clear tape I missed...

It's worth it to me to pay a bit more for the blue tape. It prevents burning the same way the clear tape does. Mike M. explained to me that it is the lubricant on top of the tape, that prevents the tape from sticking to itself on the roll, that lubricates the blade, not the tape itself.

Bob

[Marsha]

I use clear packing tape, and wrap it all around the wood. I use clear tape because I tape after the pattern is on. I can't seem to get the tape smooth enough to afix the pattern properly if I tape first. A little mineral spirits removes the tape guite easy.
Marsha

[Bill Wilson]

When stack cutting, I will apply the pattern to the top of the stack, directly to the wood, then apply a blank piece of paper to the bottom of the stack. Then I wrap the whole thing with clear tape. I've found that the paper comes off the wood easier than the clear tape does, with a little mineral spirits. And with the paper on first, it's easier to tell that you got all the little pieces removed.

[Mick Walker]

Travis, I use the purple or lavender painter's tape, you can leave it on the wood for weeks and it still comes off easier than the blue. I sand my wood to 320 or 400 grit before I apply the tape. I butt the edges together and just apply it to the front side. Then I use spray adhesive on the back side of the pattern. When stack cutting several layers I nail them together in the waste areas cutting them last. I then apply enough tape all the way around the stack to hold it together while cutting the last few nailed pieces.