Vinyl Tape and PVC Cement
Stop vinyl electrical tape from unravelling with just one drop.
I use vinyl electrical tape for all sorts of things, such as wrapping tool handles for a better grip and repairing extension cords. It doesn’t matter whether you tear or cut the tape when you’ve finished wrapping; it inevitably starts to unravel. I solve this problem by dabbing a drop of plumber’s PVC cement on the very end of the tape as I finish the wrap. This welds the tape’s end and prevents future unraveling.
— J. Kaye, Phenix, Va.
Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #273
View Comments
Most mistakes when using electrical is in how you end the last few wraps. Most people will simply tear it off or cut it off as mentioned in the article after having stretched it tight. Simply wrap the last few wraps without tension or stretching. This way the tape has no "memory" and wanting to go back to it's natural state before it was stretched.
Oh and by the way...I personally don't use electrical tape for wrapping tool handles. Used on tool handles the glue gets warmed up and seeps out from under the tape and gets all over your fingers requiring acetone to get them clean.
PS....OSHA does not allow taping up extension cords to repair it.
Whatever happened to friction tape? I remember using it on baseball bat handles as a kid. My Dad used it on his tool handles.