You know what’s handy? Having a roll of tape on you. In the same way that I advocated keeping a cheapy backpack full of ropes and straps, I advocate keeping a few rolls of different kinds of tape handy. Duct tape, Gorilla tape, Box tape, Electrical tape, Safety tape, whatever kind of tape you’ve ever had to stop a job to go look for or, more specifically, whatever kind of tape you’ve ever had to throw up your hands and announce to the heavens “What I wouldn’t give for just a little (fill in kind of tape here)”
Here’s my current collection of tape- all dangling from a handy piece of rope that’s got a biner holding the ends together. Good thing to have in the trunk of your car, or the bottom of your camp box or wherever you’re most likely to need it.
Once, I was showing this pile of tape to a pile of Cub Scouts and trying to explain that it’s really good to have with you. They weren’t buying it, particularly, until one of the Boy Scouts from across the hall came in and said they’d broken a window playing dodgeball. Their motto, “Be Prepared”, wasn’t being followed, and they didn’t have a replacement window on them. Or tape. They asked me for tape, which seems odd, since what they needed was another window. Still, I had the tape.
The Cub Scouts saw the tape, and it was good.
Other times, I’ve used the tape to patch tents, tent poles that had cracked, hold a damaged tail light in place until we were done getting where we were going, and various other odd things. On the other hand, when you’ve got a hammer, all problems look like a nail. Turns out that you CAN make a short length of fairly useful rope out of twisted duct tape, if absolutely necessary.
Got Tape?
As Red Green used to say, “Duct tape, it’s the handyman’s secret weapon.”
Yep, you can get another couple of years out of a ol’ tent and maybe ‘nother fi’ty thousand miles outta a ol’ rustbucket- with enough duck tape.
Did you watch Mythbusters? Maybe you could make a small boat or something.
Ah heh heh heh heh… I think we just got another sport for the outdoorfest. Would you mind if I used that boat idea?
That will be fine,go ahead and use it.
Mythbusters have made the following with duct tape:
Water bottles, hats, hammocks, boats, wallet, bridge … they’ve patched airplanes (and it flew!) amongst other things.