Can anyone recommend a glass reinforced packing tape that is UV resistant? (Brandname and part number) I have used it to reinforce the luff on my sails but I find that it starts to peel after a while.
Thanks
Don
Not clear - but try the kite shops since many have sticky dacron in variety of weights that are designed for either leading or trailing edges of kites, and which should work as a luff tape. I’ve seen 1 inch wide and 2 inch wide - but don’t remember if they make it narrower like 3/4 or 1/2 inch.
AS AN EXAMPLE:
Try “Hang-em-High” kites and click on fabrics and I recall they are near the bottom of the list - email and ask for a 2 inch long sample to see if it will do what you want. Obviously, there are a variety of colors to choose from to compliment or contrast to your sail color.
If by “not clear” you mean you don’t know what kind of tape I am talking about, it’s the kind of stuff they use to hold frig doors closed during shipping. It is plastic of some kind with longitudinal glass fibers in it, very strong. I first saw it used on sails on the luff of a set of Gordon Stout sails.
Don
Sorry Don - I wasn’t clear about “clear” …
I meant the kite tape wasn’t clear, but colored.
The tape you want can be found at most office supply stores. It’s called nylon fillament tape, and comes in varying levels of adhesive “tack” (stickyness) Office Depot, Office Max, and maybe even home centers will carry it. My daughter-in-law gets me mine from 3M Employee store, but lately they seem to have changed formulations and it doesn’t seem as sticky. I never bothered to look at the product number.
Back to the kite tape - I like that since you can color match :rolleyes: it to the sail patches on the clew, tack and head … Some sailors are so vain ! 
Back to my first post. I’m looking for UV resistant packing tape. The last stuff I used fell apart after about 6 months of not very regular use. That’s why I need the brand name. So I get some that lasts in the weather.
Thanks
Don
Don -
I think 3M 890 tape might be your answer. Very high strength, but you will need to order “black” for UV resistance. From what I can tell, the clear stuff will eventually breakdown.
I can check with my son’s wife for any in 3M Employee’s Store, but because it is so heavy duty, I think odds are slim there will be any over-runs. I can also include a roll to U-line with our order at work, but we just placed an order, so will be a while unless you can wait. If you need in a hurry, I can write U-Line and ask them for a sample roll - will black work ?
That’s about all I can tell you unless there is a specialty mfg. out there. Is Gordon still around? If he is, you might call and ask him for product number.
Here at home, I use 3M #863 and 3M # 897
Thanks for the offer Dick. I’ll look around town and see what I can find first. I thought of asking Gordon but I drew a blank trying to find him on Google.
Don
From what I have heard and seen as an EPP foam glider guider (pilot) almost all strapping tapes are not very UV stable and break down after a few months, hence using Ultracote/Monokote covering over the strapping tape that covers the foam of the plane. I’m sorry to say that I have not heard of a UV stable filament/strapping tape.
What you might have seen was laminated mylar used as a luff tape?