You can repair anything with duck tape...Buts why this?

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Here are some rails I refabricated for an apartment a couple of months ago  They wanted their painter or welder or capenter or general laboror to strip the tape.  We all walked away.  The painter started stripping one rail after day and part of a towel, he threw in the towel.  There are  4 sets of steps/rails all with duck tape completely covering them. The fittings are threaded.  The first picture is of the original rails, I am starting to cut.  The next is a closeup of the fitting with duck tape. To remove the duck tape I burned the tape off in my forge.  I dipped them in acid to remove remaining paint, rust and prepare for brazing.  I brazed the fitting back together to eliminate so much rethreading of new schedule 40 pipe. Apparently the original installers ran out of appropriate fitting-- the next pictures show a modification of terminal end fittings. I'll get pictures completed rail later. For some reason I don't have a picture.Anybody know why somebody would put tape on rails like this?  The rail were almost 60 years old.  However, there was abolutely no rust anywhere.  The paint appeared to be in good shape underneath the tape.  Intereting NOTE.The post were cored and lead was poured into the holes to set the post.  I have never noticed that before.Last edited by MicroZone; 05-28-2007 at 11:07 AM.
Reply:Looks to me..And it's all I can think of..The tape was there for padding..So if a little kid whacked his head on it it would only result in a bump rather than an concussion.. Or something to that effect..Other than that..Someone had way too much time on their hands.. And its duct tape by the way.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:This is the reason I refuse to buy duct tape for the shop. I have a roll hidden in my service truck for true emergencies. When I first took over the maintenance where I work I found a 10 foot step ladder that was broken about 7 foot up. It was repaired with a pallet board and duct tape. This is when I decided that there would be no duct tape in the shop.
Reply:Originally Posted by tresiThis is the reason I refuse to buy duct tape for the shop. I have a roll hidden in my service truck for true emergencies. When I first took over the maintenance where I work I found a 10 foot step ladder that was broken about 7 foot up. It was repaired with a pallet board and duct tape. This is when I decided that there would be no duct tape in the shop.
Reply:I don't know why anyone would put it on a railing.....BUTYou know those things that carry air to and from a forced air furnace?Some of them are round, and some of them are rectangular. They connect a forced air furnace to the hot and cold air vents in all the rooms in a house.I once saw a guy using DUCT tape on one of THOSE things!Patrick
Reply:Originally Posted by Sober_Pollock...I once saw a guy using DUCT tape on one of THOSE things!
Reply:Insulation, maybe?  It wouldn't be as cold to the touch in the winter, and maybe (I'm totally guessing here) ice wouldn't build up on it as easily.PatrickLincoln 175HD
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterAnd its [Bduct[/B] tape by the way.. ...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by TEKActually, when the U.S. military developed it in WW2 it was for waterproofing and was called "duck" tape because it was, well, waterproof. I saw that on the "History Channel" and that is all I know about it.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapster When I.S.C. came out with multicolored "duck/duct" tape for drag racing it was called "200 M.P.H." tape...
Reply:Originally Posted by seamusThe OD green stuff is still called "100mph" tape in the Army.
Reply:ive had the green 4" stuff that's good stuff  i think it was an attempt at grip or a crackhead with a roll of tape350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Words you'll never hear a redneck say: "Oh, Gosh! Duct tape won't fix that!"Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:It's pretty obvious you guys don't know "your duct tape" very well!!! There's good stuff then there's great stuff. The cheapo garbage from K-mart won't hardly hold up to more than forty five on a tail light repair. The thick stuff like Ms Hunt used on the library books is probably good for 100 mile'n hour side windows. Holds up better than the visqueen.   Some of it has too much sticky goo for chair repair. You really have to check that first before using on any good chairs.  For radiator hose repair you need lots of fibers in the tape plus lots of sticky stuff.
Reply:Say what you will about duct tape.  But to my knowledge, it's good to at least 350 MPH for a few seconds.  Just ask any drag racer.  Oh, and it seals ducts too!Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:Oh, and it seals ducts too!
Reply:Originally Posted by seamusThe OD green stuff is still called "100mph" tape in the Army.
Reply:Sandy, Don't give the mfrs. any many ideas.  Soon they wil be coming up with "designer" duct tape formulated for specific purposes.  Soft, hard, sticky, fibered, colors, flowers (for woman) and who knows what else.  Then when we need a roll, we'll have to check the reference chart to make sure you get the right one.Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:Originally Posted by IcabodMy father was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and said the mechanics would check out the aircraft and if there were any bullet holes out came the duct tape.
Reply:they already have many styles they even have a scholor ship contest http://www.ducktapeclub.com/contests/prom/now these people know how to get down with tape350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Originally Posted by maxyedorThat must be the "helicopter" tape I hear the comentators from WRC, ALMS and F1 races refer to. In the right aplication the stuff is magical, in the wrong aplication its dowright scary.
Reply:Thats a lot of tape. As expensive as it is, I would hate to have to pay for it to just cover the rail.
Reply:I agree with Zap, that's the only reason I could think of too.  But why duct tape?  And why not just build new rails out of something else?  That's a lot of cleanup.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools