Brown gummed paper tape

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Not your average framer
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Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Not your average framer »

I have not been able to get the better quality brown gummed paper tape for many years now and there was not any particular reason why I contacted my local packaging supplier about it, but I just thought I would ask the question. Previously they could not supply what I wanted, except in boxed quantities, but for whatever reason they now can supply what I want in small quantities, so I've ordered some.

Although it's no problem to get the thin gummed paper tape, I want the 100gsm (or thereabouts thickness), so I've now get some coming. It's 90gsm and 70mm wide. I would have gladly had it a little bit thicker, but beggers can't be choosers. The heavier tape thickness is much better in many ways;

!. it is much more opaque and renders the fixings for the backing board invisible under the tape.

2. in my own experience I would say that the amount of gum on thicker tapes is also thicker and is much easier to get a good adhesive bond.

3. It is less prone to splitting during application and handling afterwards.

4. I it is so much easier to get the tape down flat with no wrinkles, compared to thinner gummed paper tapes.

5. Add the heavier gummed coating seems to stay sticker for longer.

I know it's only a personal opinion, but for me I think that the finished presentation, is much more to my taste.

I already have two tape wetting machines, from the days when I employed a framing assistant, so it is very easy for me to use gummed paper tape in general. I wonder how many framers still use gummed paper tape in this day and age, I suspect that most are using self adhesive tapes these days, or am I wrong?

Any comments?
Mark Lacey

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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by David McCormack »

Not your average framer wrote:...I suspect that most are using self adhesive tapes these days, or am I wrong? Any comments?
What is this self adhesive tape you speak of? :giggle:

I've only ever used gummed tape for sealing the backs of frames. I use Arqadia's tape which I find very nice but I'd be interested in some thicker stuff, where are you getting it from Mark?
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by prospero »

There ya go Mark..... :D

https://www.getmepackaging.co.uk/collec ... paper-tape

The 90gsm 70mm appears to be cheaper than the 70gsm. :roll: About £3.60 a roll for 18 rolls.

It doesn't say, but I assume they are 200m rolls.

I've been using the 96mm 70gsm and it's OK. 90gsm would maybe be a tad better....
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Not your average framer »

I use the "Kikisui" tape for the adhesive tape uses. I have admit that I'm not really a fan of self adhesive tapes, but gummed paper tape does not tend to stick too well onto waterproof backing boards. Unfortunately in my location, there's a lot of really old buildings and a damp environment is more common inside peoples homes than we would like, so I have to provide waterproof backing board and waterproof tape more often than I would like.

However from my own personal preference I find the gummed paper tape is generally much superior and looks so much better. My local packaging supplier is not a national company and delivers by van in my area. The company is called "Torbay Packaging" and their phone number is 01803 315015, they don't normal do mail order, but are happy to do this subject to normal delivery costs.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Not your average framer »

Prosperro and I have already had this conversation earlier today. I also would encourage anyone else, who wants to suggest any suppliers particularly of better quality, or thicker weights of gummed paper tape to feel free to add any further supplier and product details.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by poliopete »

Mark, I find the better quality gummed tape from Lion meet the 5 criterion you mention in your op.

Peter
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Not your average framer »

Unless Lion have changed their product from when I last bought it from them, it only used to be 70gsm. There's quite a big difference between what appears to be available from the framing suppliers and what is available from packaging suppliers. When it comes to companies who buying gummed tape to seal boxes, if the tape is no good the contents does not stay in the box.

That's why packaging suppliers will source the specification you require for your needs. You should take note that the amount of adhesive on the tape is also part of the specification. Not everyone knows this, but most cheap tapes don't have a very thick layer of glue. If you don't ask the right questions, you will probably get whatever is cheapest and cheapest is not going to be the best. You will almost always pay for what you get and cheap is usually the inferior end of the market.

The particular gummed paper tape that I have ordered is 90gsm and 22gsm of that is the gum coating. Generally the weight of the coating goes down as the paper tape gets thinner, but not all tapes of the same weight will have the same amount of gum coating as another apparently similar tape. The gum costs more to produce that the paper, so have a guess where the cheaper brands are going to save money, so that they can sell it at a lower price!
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by prospero »

The trouble is, that gummed tape is made primarily for the packaging industry. Cardboard boxes for the assembly of.
It's not made for sealing the backs of picture frames. The self-adhesive brown tape is aimed more at framing.
Therefore, if it's good enough for cardboard boxes then that's the quality that gets made. Sealing the backs of frames
with tape seems to be a peculiarly British convention. Other countries, the US/Canada in particular use an overall covering
with craft paper as a rule. So, take away all the UK framers who prefer s/a tape and the market for licky-sticky tape in
the framing industry is very small. Not worth any manufacturer making a dedicated wet-gummed tape tailored for frame sealing.

:|
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by A3DFramer »

Just as an aside there is another reason why framers could be using good quality BGPT, it is a very quick and effective way of making glass covers. The Victorians and Edwardian taxidermists and other model makers used it in proliferation and their work has survived to this day. It is probable a more suitable method of making a cover out of 2mm glass than modern adhesives.

The famous taxidermist company (at that time) Roland Ward of the Strand made many a case, best described as a semi-carcase case using BGPT. Though the examples of this companies work that I came across were a bit shoddy. Other companies produced some very fine work using this simple method, an all glass case on a fine light oak base with cover made with unstained BGPT but french polished, protecting an exquisite diorama passed through my hand in the late 1980's. It was in as good condition as it had been made in 1921 by Spicer's of Leamington Spar. The basic technique would be well within the scope of a workshop with standard framing equipment and would outclass any plastic box.

I hope the OP will excuse this off topic observation.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by prospero »

A3DFramer wrote:Just as an aside there is another reason why framers could be using good quality BGPT.......
Excuse me for asking but it sounds as if you know where to get this stuff. I had assumed it was all but extinct. :roll:

I've had a few 'sandwich' frames sealed with this type of tape to frame 'properly'. They must have been 80 years old or older
and the tape was still stuck firmly. :o

I would like to use it for covering the backs of stand-up photoframes.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Rainbow »

Not your average framer wrote:I wonder how many framers still use gummed paper tape in this day and age, I suspect that most are using self adhesive tapes these days, or am I wrong?
I use gummed tape. I'd like to get a better quality as the last batch I got was very inferior (thin), but very often the exact specification isn't mentioned, even if I knew what specification I wanted.

Re self-adhesive tape, intially I didn't use it because I know it can turn into a sticky mess over time if you get an inferior specification, but again I wouldn't know what specification to look for. However I do wonder with the current emphasis on cutting down on plastics, whether there's an argument for not using self-adhesive tape. Any thoughts on this?
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by prospero »

Most of the frames I do are wide hand-finished ones. The backs look very untidy, especially stacked ones. That's why I
like to paper over the entire back. Typically it takes two widths of 4" gumstrip, sometimes three. If I did that with 2" s/a
tape I would get though a LOT.

With wet gummed tape I can slap it on with impunity. :D
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by A3DFramer »

prospero wrote: Excuse me for asking but it sounds as if you know where to get this stuff. I had assumed it was all but extinct. :roll:
The short answer is,"Sadly no". I have been out of the loop for getting on 15 years. But I will try to add to this quest, I did have various grades of BGPT, how they came into my possession I cannot remember, but it was pre-internet. In the days when you could phone up a 'man that can' or 'a friend that knew a friend'. I remember a conversation that I had with Martin Harold, he told me something that made me think he had at some time bought direct off the manufacturers of BGPT and not another wholesaler. He told me that BGPT could be ordered in any weight of paper and finish (glazed or not) with the appropriate formulation of glue.

Bear with me, because the chain of thought goes deeper; If you have observed from using BGPT, the level of skill in application depends on the wetting of the paper part of the tape and as the glue has a property that absorbs more water than is needed to activate the adhesive. The posts so far have assumed that the market is limited to the packaging industry and the wholesale/retail outlets. But perhaps there is an industrial use, where the manufacture supplies for mechanical application within a process. This would mean that the wetting properties would be paramount in both time and weight of paper.
I have tried to rack my brain for such a product and the heavy cardboard tubes on which carpets are rolled comes to mind, because the spiral seams were covered with a BPT. It may be a wild goose chase.

I will just add, if I were to restore an old BGPT case with today's 'off the shelf' end product I would layer it. This procedure can be improve by use of a hair drier, I suspect that the lessons learnt in edge wrapping glass with BGPT teach more about the properties of the product.

There is also a heavy brown paper tape that is used or was in the building trade by plasterers, used with PVA glue this does have some of the properties for restoration work, but far too labour intensive your purposes, I suspect.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by prospero »

Thanks for that info. :D

You are right in saying that something might be concocted with enough time and effort which the job doesn't justify.
There are decorative papers that might serve, but then I'd have to slice them up and try and find a permanent gum.
Altogether a huge faff. :(

The tape I usually use on stand-up frames is the black 'B' tape from Lion. Made by Scapa. It looks good but after a few years it
starts to come off. Not cheap either. Best I've found so far though.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Not your average framer »

I spent the majority of my working life as a design engineer in various major engineering companies. These companies generally have their own specifications for GPT and get it manufactured to the specification that they require.

Those of us who buy from wholesalers, or distributors usually are not interested in getting batch quantities made and have to settle for the most suitable specification we can obtain off the shelf.

It's not that high spec GPT is not obtainable, but if suppliers can sell the basic cheapest stuff and no one complains, then sadly it will be all about competing on price and very little else will matter. However the good stuff is still out there, if you are willing to look for it.
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Re: Brown gummed paper tape

Post by Not your average framer »

My four 200m rolls of heavy duty gummed paper tape arrived on Thursday. I gave a bit off one of them a quick try out of a scrap piece of backing board and was more than pleased with the result. I'm yet to use the stuff in anger yet, but I'll be back to using the good old GPT starting next week.
Mark Lacey

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