Where to buy gaffers tape.

[funk1196]

Hey i need a snoot for ..well.. tomorrow.

Should've bought/made one sooner, but unfortunately i am unprepared.

Where can i get gaffers tape in town? There is no photo/video stores within an hour of where i am.

Are there certain hardware stores or even walmart that typically carries it?

[shannyD]

maybe a craft store?

[ben_r_]

I had trouble finding it too. Try B&H: LINK (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=0&shs=gauffers+tape&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2FRootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=submit)

[Wilt]

A lot of photographic supply stores that cater to the professional will carry gaffer tape. You also can sometimes find it in unexpected places...like a local chain of hardware stores in the SF Bay area, called 'Orchard Supply', which has much more flexible hours than my pro supply, so it is more convenient for me to go there.

[eastcoast909]

Around here the best place is a local lighting and production company that sets up concert and stage productions. Tour Tech East.

There should be a ton of these type of companies around your neck of the woods.

[LBaldwin]

You are going to have to go into the city, Adolph Gassers, Pro Camera and Calumet all carry Gaffers tape in diff colors. It usually runs around 20 per roll.

You might try OSH they have it from time to time, but it has been a while since I have seen it there. But most likely it will be in SF.

[4x4rock]

What is a brand of gaffers tape or it's called Gaffers on the label?

I may stop by OSH to check out.

[funk1196]

A lot of photographic supply stores that cater to the professional will carry gaffer tape. You also can sometimes find it in unexpected places...like a local chain of hardware stores in the SF Bay area, called 'Orchard Supply', which has much more flexible hours than my pro supply, so it is more convenient for me to go there.

You might try OSH they have it from time to time, but it has been a while since I have seen it there. But most likely it will be in SF.

i called OSH and they have some.

dang.. i didn't realize it was $20 a roll... that's pretty pricey... seems like i'll be using up 1/4 roll lining all this cardboard in a snoot.... maybe i'll just buy a honlphoto snoot for $25

[LBaldwin]

The next time you go into the city get some cine foil it lasts forever and is great for modifiers. Be very careful creating snoots from ANY paper product or tapes. They can catch fire very quickly and are hard to put out unless you have a dry chemical fire extinguisher or other made for an electrical fire. You should have one on every shoot anyway!!

[LBaldwin]

What is a brand of gaffers tape or it's called Gaffers on the label?

I may stop by OSH to check out.

FYI gaffers tape is made for the movie industry and is very sticky without leaving a perm adhesive on anything. It is used by Gaffers or the Chief electrician and lighting planner on a movie set. They are almost always Union trained and very good at their job, safety is Number 1. Too many studios have been destoyed by fire - even one last year.

[FlyingPhotog]

The next time you go into the city get some cine foil it lasts forever and is great for modifiers. Be very careful creating snoots from ANY paper product or tapes. They can catch fire very quickly and are hard to put out unless you have a dry chemical fire extinguisher or other made for an electrical fire. You should have one on every shoot anyway!!

Big +1 for Cine Foil...

Love that stuff...

[Wilt]

My roll of gaffer tape is made by Shurtape.

Use gaffer tape to stick cords down to the floor, or to temporarily mount something to a wall. Gaffer tape does not leave adhesive residue ONLY IF NOT LEFT IN PLACE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS (more than a few days)! Or to temporarily black out a visible name on a black object. But to line a snoot, use CineFoil!

[ryan212]

I buy mine at a place called state equipment and lighting (SEAL) in orlando, There are several lighting suppliy places that carry it, but like the others are saying, but what is needed for the job, not what will work. (ie, I use the gaffers tape for taping down 12/3 SO cords for stage lighting, and such, as it was intended)

Ryan

[milorad]

wow, interestingly here in Oz, you can get gaffer's tape in pretty much every hardware store...
I could go for a 5 minute drive and pass 4 places that sell it.

I only mention it because it seems like I can't find ANYTHING else down here that I want, that's even remotely photography related, so I spend most of my time ordering from the US :/

[Jon]

Gaffer's tape, or the visually similar duct tape? The adhesives are significantly different for the two . . .

[mleone]

I get mine at home depot

[Jon]

Again, don't confuse Gaffer's tape with duct tape (even though the latter also comes in a variety of colours).

[Wilt]

Gaffer tape generally comes with a somewhat coarse cloth surface, whereas duct tape is usually a semiglossy vinyl surface. Easy to tear gaffer tape with your fingers, hard to tear duct tape without a blade.

[Franko515]

Gaffer tape generally comes with a somewhat coarse cloth surface, whereas duct tape is usually a semiglossy vinyl surface. Easy to tear gaffer tape with your fingers, hard to tear duct tape without a blade.

this is the only difference you have wrong, duct tape tears just as easy as gaffers tape.

The part about gaffers tape not leaving an adhesive coat behind is what makes it attractive to photogs

[Wilt]

this is the only difference you have wrong, duct tape tears just as easy as gaffers tape.

The part about gaffers tape not leaving an adhesive coat behind is what makes it attractive to photogs

Although Wikipedia is not always 100% right, what they say is, "is a vinyl, fabric-reinforced, multi-purpose pressure sensitive tape (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_sensitive_tape) with a soft and tacky pressure sensitive adhesive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_sensitive_adhesive). It is generally silver or black in color but many other colors and transparent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#Color_variants) tapes have recently become available. With a standard width of 17⁄8 inches (48 mm), duct tape was originally developed during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) in 1942 as a water resistant sealing tape for ammunition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammunition) cases.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#cite_note-0)[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#cite_note-1)...Duct tape is sometimes used by musicians and on film sets and in theaters, although a more specialized product, commonly known as gaffer tape (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape) in entertainment circles, is preferred as it does not leave a sticky residue when removed and is more easily torn into thin strips for precise application."

Gaffer tape tears easily into thin strips. Duct tape does not tear in that direction well, into somewhat uniform width strips.

[milorad]

Gaffer tape generally comes with a somewhat coarse cloth surface, whereas duct tape is usually a semiglossy vinyl surface. Easy to tear gaffer tape with your fingers, hard to tear duct tape without a blade.

Well, its labeled gaffer's tape... does that count?

[Wilt]

Well, its labeled gaffer's tape... does that count?


It should count for something, if they are not misbilling it!

'Duct tape' is not very good for taping HVAC ducts, but it is called that anyway.

[Hermes]

wow, interestingly here in Oz, you can get gaffer's tape in pretty much every hardware store...
I could go for a 5 minute drive and pass 4 places that sell it.

I only mention it because it seems like I can't find ANYTHING else down here that I want, that's even remotely photography related, so I spend most of my time ordering from the US :/

Same here in the UK, I can go for a 5 minute walk and find 4 places that sell it. Having said that, I find electrical tape to be better for lighting and light modifiers as it is matte black and sticks/peels a lot cleaner. Gaffer tape is good for grips and general quick-fixes but is a lot less neat and leaves a residue when it heats up or is left for a long time.

[smorter]

I use Permacel Professional Grade to tape up my cameras. Unfortunately I can only get them from BH Photo for Australia, noone else sells or ships it to Australia.

[Franko515]

Although Wikipedia is not always 100% right, what they say is, "is a vinyl, fabric-reinforced, multi-purpose pressure sensitive tape (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_sensitive_tape) with a soft and tacky pressure sensitive adhesive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_sensitive_adhesive). It is generally silver or black in color but many other colors and transparent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#Color_variants) tapes have recently become available. With a standard width of 17⁄8 inches (48 mm), duct tape was originally developed during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) in 1942 as a water resistant sealing tape for ammunition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammunition) cases.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#cite_note-0)[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#cite_note-1)...Duct tape is sometimes used by musicians and on film sets and in theaters, although a more specialized product, commonly known as gaffer tape (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape) in entertainment circles, is preferred as it does not leave a sticky residue when removed and is more easily torn into thin strips for precise application."

Gaffer tape tears easily into thin strips. Duct tape does not tear in that direction well, into somewhat uniform width strips.

Yep this is correct, just to tear it off the roll is about the same as gaffers (width wise), but to tear it into thin strips gaffers tape wins hands down (gaffers tape is easily torn length or width wise). I think it has something to do with the strings on the inside of the tape.

[shadowchaser6276]

Go to www.cinegearstore.com

They are a new online store and have better prices than studio depot. 2" gaff tape is $14.48

Never try to make a snoot out of tape or anything that could burn because it surely will. Use blackwrap to shape your lights, or if you can't get any, use heavy duty aluminum foil. It will do the same thing and you probably have it in your kitchen. Attach the foil with Penly brand clothes pins because they don't really burn very easily. NEVER put tape on a light or in front of a light, it will smoke and in some instances catch fire!

Another thing you can do is to just cut a hole in a piece

[ErikatSSI]

I'm not sure about SF but here in Nashville many hardware stores and lighting supply places carry it, but thats probably due to the large number of production, tour, and lighting based companies in town. I would think surly SF has somewhere to buy it.