Jammydog Tape By Matt Bittner

A new source for tape. But wait, it's not just any ordinary tape. In fact, it's not even "ordinary" Tamiya tape, although some of it is lo-tack. This is Jammydog tape, stuff you want. Tape you need. Tape I had no idea how I did without before.

For the longest time I held out buying Tamiya tape. I thought to myself that if I "detack" regular masking tape it would be less expensive in the end run and I could "get by". And I did - get by - for the longest time. But I finally gave in. I admitted to myself that maybe - just maybe - the Tamiya tape is all it's cracked up to be. And you know what? It was - it is! I don't see myself ever going back with just using "plain 'ol" masking tape. But I still use it, especially when I have larger areas to cover. Since I model in 1/72nd and 1/144th I didn't pick up anything bigger than Tamiya's smaller size, so if I have a large area to mask I still use "detacked" masking tape.

I see myself feeling that way about the Jammydog tape. There are three distinct types Jammydog carries: multi purpose paper masking tape, low-tack blue vinyl masking tape, and polypropylene tape (no longer in production). I was sent the three thinnest in the multi purpose and the polypropylene tapes, along with the 3mm blue. The multi purpose tape I see along the same lines as Tamiya tape. The polypropylene is for something you want to keep the tape down permanently while the blue tape is along the lines as "painter's tape" - very low tack with no residue left behind at all.

There are a number of uses for this tape, but three I can thing of off the top of my head. Masking canopies by hand will go much easier with multi purpose tape, followed by the blue. The polypropylene will be good for not only seat belts, but also making ribs on biplanes and the like. Finally, use the multi purpose as a loop to put down your photoetch onto a small patch of glue, for those tough-to-get-to places (that last idea was actually the publisher's).

The uses for this tape is only as limited as your imagination. Currently I can only imagine those three ideas (besides the "usual paint masking" on larger parts) but there is no doubt more. As we use these tapes we'll be sure to let everyone know to what purposes they were used.

Many, many thanks to Jammydog for the tape. First up for me will be to use the polypropylene tape to make the ribs on the top side of a Morane Saulnier Type AC wing, while using the multi purpose to give the reverse rib impression on the undersaid of said Type AC wing.

Note: Unfortunately the polypropylene tape is out of production because Jammydog thought the quality of the material which they could purchase has declined and as a result they felt that it was no longer performing as well as they would like. Until they can resolve the material issues they are not going to be offering the thin film polypropylene tape to their customers. The multi purpose and low tack blue are still available.