Customer Reviews

Scotch 8959 Bi-Directional Filament Tape, 50 mm Width, 50 m Length, Transparent (Pack of 1)

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ITEM SHOWN & DESCRIBED IN LISTING: Scotch 8959 EXTREME Bi-Directional Filament Tape, Transparent 50mm Wide x 50M Long. ITEM RECEIVED HAS NO PACKAGING LABEL, NOR DOES INSIDE CARDBOARD IN WHICH TAPE IS WOUND ON HAVE ANY LABEL. DIMENSIONS / BI-DIRECTIONAL FILAMENT TAPE SEEM ACCURATE. RECEIVED IN A TIMELY MANNER (SELLER / BUYER BOTH IN CA). AN OFF-BRAND / GENERIC TAPE THAT WILL DO THE JOB. NOT SCOTCH BRAND TAPE AS DESCRIBED.
I DON'T LIKE BEING LIED TO! I PURCHASED SCOTCH - RECEIVED ??? BUYER BEWARE - THIS LISTING IS FALSE ADVERTISING!

This tape is the best I found for fabricating/repairing sanding belts it's rubber based adhesive and bonds extremely well to dry rubber contact adhesive. The belt edges must be thoroughly cleaned with lacquer thinner or scuffed clean with sandpaper, don't skip this step! Make sure the 30 to 45 degree splice fits so the ends of the belt are perfectly parallel or the belt will never track correctly. Then apply a thin coat of solvent based contact adhesive to the cleaned surfaces. I haven't tried water base contact adhesive which may work. Let the contact adhesive dry to the point where paper will not adhere to surface. I use an unusable belt/scrap with adhesive applied at the same time to do this test. Clamp the seam edges with boards set back slightly more than 1/2 tape width as tape guides recheck parallel belt ends do this while the contact adhesive is drying. On narrow belts equal or less than the tape width apply the tape parallel to the belt with tapered ends for more strength using a larger tape edge overlap. This maybe done on belts up to 6 inches belts too. Apply the Scotch 8959 tape by using a small piece of swimming pool noodle or other firm foam/rubber like a squeegee pressing firmly and leaving overlap on both ends, make sure there are no air bubbles and the tape is perfectly flat covering both splice ends equally. Once the tape is applied to the contact adhesive surface it will be impossible to remove so take time to do this correctly. Allow the seam to rest at least 24 hours then test by sliding a round steel over the seam both directions looking for lifted edges. Then apply a coat of poly urethane paint to seal the tape edges only. Now trim the overlapping end edges of tape. Re-coat lifted edges with poly urethane if needed. Normally I apply auto paste wax to the seam for high speed belt sanders and have had no slippage. The wax allows the seam to wear in smooth when new. This wax works well on the platen surface to reduce friction and heat. Rubber drive rollers grip/life can be improved using auto belt dressing. Start sanding with light pressure gradually increasing as the joint smooths out. Belts made this way maybe used in either direction since the seam is only a few mils thick. I have inquired about getting factory seam tape and been told it is not available for consumers so don't even ask, this is the DIY best alternative I have found. This also works for sandpaper conveyor belts like my Jet 16-32 drum sander. Used wide belt sander belts are usually available at cabinet maker shops for the asking since they don't have time to clean them. The belt maybe cleaned using a strong cleaner like Simple Green/409 allowed to soak in then and a scrub brush to remove caked on resin finally rinsed clean with water and allowed to dry. Belts made this way maybe cleaned also. Belts maybe run in both directions to get a new cutting edge. I also reinforce wood joints especially splices using the same procedure. Good luck and happy woodworking and thanks 3M for this great tape.

It always amazes me that simple products like tape are still being improved well into the 21st century. One would think filament tape should have been perfected decades ago. Yet, 3M has shown there is room for innovation on common products with the creation of the Scotch 8959 Bi-Directional filament tape. It is a uniquely strong and flexible product useful for many applications, albeit at a steep cost.

As someone who has used over 30 types of tape both around the house, in a home workshop and in research laboratory, I have learned to appreciate access to the right tool (or tape) for the task at hand. What I especially like about this particular tape is that its flexibility allows for conformation to curved surfaces. Even when the particular application doesn't require its high tensile strength, it performs better in most applications than alternatives such as duct tape or Gorilla tape. Moreover, the Scotch adhesive isn't as gummy as those products, so cleanup is less labor intensive.

While I haven't had an application where this tape has failed, most of my applications have not been that extreme. In one instance, I did tightly wrap this tape around a slightly fractured [stationary pedestal] shaft of a high-powered 12v Caframo fan and there have been no problems since. Other mundane applications include fixing and strengthening a cardboard retail box of a tool for which no hard plastic case was offered. With several areas covered with this tape, the retail box has become a permanent storage box.

This Scotch 8959 Bi-Directional filament tape is an excellent product if you can afford it. Realistically, the premium being charged is too high but 3M marketers must have thought the price point issue through very carefully. With the tape itself, I see no flaws and would suggest it for any number of consumer, research or industrial applications.

Pros
Flexible
Strong

Cons
Too expensive

This is some strong tape. It is not easy to tear, in fact I have had to cut it to keep from destroying my hands or turning the tape into rope. I use if for a very specialized purpose where strength is imperative. I have tried many others and this is the best. The best part is that the strength is bi-lateral not just one direction. Scotch/3M does it again, thank you!!