Get to Know our Tapes

Moleskin

This tape-backed fabric is what I like to call the hidden gem of tapes – it’s a fantastic product that not many people in the bindery and finishing industry are aware of.

This tape was originally a material used for pads or insoles of shoes recommended by podiatrists for those with foot problems. At some point, the bindery industry discovered it for production and found that it worked extremely well for a number of different tasks. It’s great on grippers, guides, hold-downs, or really any material that comes in contact with paper stock. It’s also great for any paper handling machines such as stitchers, die cutters, packaging equipment, folders, and more. Truly, the uses for this tape are limited only by your imagination. It can be easily cut into any shape you desire and doesn’t absorb ink, ensuring your paper has minimal to no ink marks. This soft, durable tape that is long-wearing is a great alternative for your taping needs. 

This versatile and inexpensive tape is a great addition to the bindery and finishing needs and we highly recommend using it if you haven’t yet. Those who have used it swear by it!

Have you tried Moleskin yet and loved it? Tell us about the unique ways you’ve used it!

Duct Tape – Nashua: Premium Grade, Olive Drab

Duct Tape. Otherwise known as the tape of 1,000 uses. From using it on machines in the bindery to easy home fixes, you can pretty much use duct tape for anything these days. There is truly nothing like it in the print shop and bindery!

Duct tape is a great tool for essentially everything. From holding things together to keep them in place to attaching parts, duct tape is your go-to solution. The duct tape sold at Update Ltd is much stronger than the stuff you’re going to find at Home Depot: it has a better hold and grip for more heavy-duty jobs in the bindery and for other commercial uses.

With its durability, easy removal, and guarantee of no sticky residue left behind, it’s great for just about anything within this industry.

Tesa Tape

Bindery supply and equipment sources throughout America have adopted the name “Tesa” Tape after the European company, Tesa, which sells it. However, Tesa sells many other types of tape besides this particular one.

The term “Tesa” Tape commonly refers to the gripping tape used in binderies. This tape’s main use is for added grip on fold rollers, which are the heart and soul of folding machines – they’re what actually cause the paper to fold. While the steel on the fold rollers provides long-lasting qualities on the roller, the urethane or foam provides the grip. After thousands and thousands of sheets of paper are fed through day after the day, these materials begin to wear out and no longer pull the sheets of paper through properly.  Once they wear out, it’s an expensive and time-consuming fix.

Instead of having the rollers recovered, replacing the urethane or foam, regrinding the metal, or other fold roller fixes, you can use the temporary solution of Tesa Tape. By placing the tape in a spiral fashion on the fold roller, you are able to add the grip needed to finish the job. The life of Tesa tape greatly depends on its use or abuse of it but can range anywhere from one shift to several shifts.

This may sound obvious, but I guarantee someone still makes this mistake: when using Tesa tape  (or any other tape for that matter), make sure to replace it when necessary. Using this tape for a very long period of time will cause the tape to wear out, creating a stickier and more difficult cleanup. It will also become virtually useless once it gets to a certain point of wear. As mentioned, the tape is a temporary fix and is also a great solution for slippery stocks.

Additionally, 3M Traction tape works the same as Tesa Tape but has a thinner profile. All in all, they are both great products.

Heat Resistant Teflon Tape and Teflon Tape

Lastly, we have Heat Resistant Teflon Tape, which is used in shrink wrapping operations. When cutting shrink wrap, you don’t want it to stick to the heating wire. This tape allows the shrink wrap to be cut without it melting or sticking to the machine. Like all tapes, it does wear out eventually but it is very useful and helpful for your shrink wrapping needs.

Teflon Tape has many other uses than its heat-resistant counterpart. You can use it over all surfaces where paper comes in contact with a machine to prevent ink marks on your paper. You can also use it for processes where you want friction reduced since it’s a slippery tape that allows the paper to slide through quickly and swiftly.

You can really use Teflon Tape just about anywhere!