Salute to Duct Tape and a Craft Project to try

Duct tape or duck tape is a cloth or scrim backed pressure sensitive tape that may or may not be coated with polyethylene. Duct Tape was created during World War II by Revolite , product developed to use as adhesive tape made from a rubber based adhesive applies to a durable duck cloth backing. Duck tape is resists water and is often used as seal tape.

Duck tape was first used to make shoes stronger for decoration on clothing as well as for wrapping steel cables or electrical conductors to protect them from corrosion or wear. The magazine Popular Mechanics was used to make adhesive tape at home using plain cloth tape soaked in a heated liquid mixture and rubber from inner tubes.


One way duct tape is used today is through art. Here are a few pictures of Duct Tape Art

Some other craft ideas to do with duct tape include





2 11×16-inch Tyvek Priority Mail envelopes (from an Post Office)
Scissors
Duct Tape in a variety of colors (from any hardware store)

Have 2 Tyvek envelopes on hand for each messenger bag. Find colored duct tape at any hardware store. Seal the ends of both envelopes. Cut one long edge of one envelope. To make the flap, lay the short edge of the uncut envelope over the long, cut edge of the other envelope. The two should overlap about 4 inches. Tape down securely.

Decorate! Decorate all sides with tape and add a colorful edge for a finishing touch.

To make the handle, tape two 24-inch pieces of tape together.

Tape each edge to the inner corner of the bag. For a completely flat messenger bag (great for papers and sketches) – you’re done! If you’d like to make a flat bottom, start by folding over an inch of the bottom edge. Crease and release. Then, fold in the corners on each side; crease and release.

Here’s the tricky part (especially if you’ve used a lot of tape, like we did):  Coax the folded corners towards the interior of the bag to shape the bottom.

Tape on the inside.

Tape on the outside.

Now that you’re done, you can pack it with your stuff!

Have on hand for next Friday’s project:

Nylon weaving loops (like the kind used for making pot-holders) – you can buy bags of these at most toy stores. All those little plastic toys, bits and bobbles from goody-bags, the bottom of toy boxes and the back of your junk drawers, etc.

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