Duc tape and Cable Ties

[timbo]

My mate Geordie reckons the whole world is held together with Duc tape and Cable ties. Well, what about wire coat hangers......see pics.
Can you even still get wire coat hangers? Or are they now as rare as pipe cleaners and sticky backed plastic? Answers on a plain postcard, if you can still get one of them 
And is it duct tape, or duc tape, or duck tape?
Also, please post any cheap and cheerful fixes on this thread, for all our mutual benefit 

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[Moto63]

Morning Tim.... it's DUCK tape. It's a trade name bit like saying "I'm going to  Hoover up" when one might actually be using a vax or a dyson

[SteveC#222]

Duct tape and cable ties make up 50% of my tool kit!!

I use to carry a length of thin fencing wire in the pannier of my Ural. I was going to a rally in Wiltshire once with a mate when the baffle in one of the silencers broke off.The bike ran like a pig, cutting out every time the revs dropped so we pulled into a petrol station and found the baffle was still inside the silencer but just rattling around. Between the fencing wire, cable ties and a chunk of wood hacked off an old pallet we found we managed to get it sort of secured sort of in place.  It looked awfully bodged but worked until I got back home after the weekend... but the face of the power ranger watching us in the garage forecourt was priceless.....I don't think you could have done that with his bike!!

[iansoady]

Morning Tim.... it's DUCK tape. It's a trade name bit like saying "I'm going to  Hoover up" when one might actually be using a vax or a dyson

NO. It's duct tape because it's used by HVAC fitters to seal up ducts. The people who've trademarked that name have just jumped on a bandwagon and exploited people's laziness - like those who say "I've texed him" when they mean "I've texted him".

You can also get gaffer tape, used by lighting riggers etc in theatres. This will stick to almost anything and is used to hold cables up so they don't dangle in the actors' faces.

[timbo]

That is what I thought. Duck tape is just a trade name. Thanks for clearing that up fellas 

[timbo]

So I took the Enfield for its MOT the other day, and they failed it on the headlamp beam being way too high. This happens every single year, but I aways bluff it out. But my luck ran out this time, and even a meeting with the manager didn't swing it. You see, on my Bullet 500 T, the T means trials. The importer converted standards Bullets to trial type bullets, same as with Clubman style bullets. This must have affected the bikes geometry, causing the problem. There is no adjustment, as the headlamp on Bullets is in a fixed position in the casquette.
So what was the answer. Remove the bezel retaining clip completely, set the headlight correctly, and hold in that position with b##### DUCT tape 
And that's a Pass! Then remove tape, and put it all back when you get home. What a farce   

[Steve Lake]

Definitely DUCT tape,
'ere in norfik, everything is held together wiv baler twine.... your vehicle won't get passed the MOT unless there is evidence of a baler twine fix

[themoudie]

Aye Steve,

Sisal twine is better than polyprop, as it doesn't melt!    Doesn't come undone when used as "Elijahs" either; same as the "Nicky Tams" up here! 

Mind how you go, Bill

[timbo]

Great! Was hoping someone would mention baler twine. I've heard thats what you use to hold your trousers up, in the far east, ie Norfik 
I love blue rope. Is that polypropylene? There is no better feeling than sealing up the rough end, or cutting it, with a match/lighter/blow torch 

[SteveC#222]

So I took the Enfield for its MOT the other day, and they failed it on the headlamp beam being way too high. This happens every single year, but I aways bluff it out.

I always had a similar problem at MOT time with the Ural. As you probably know Tim, Urals have taper roller wheel bearings so you need to leave a tiny bit of play in the bearing to stop it overheating. Every year it would fail because there was some movement in the bearing so I had to slacken the wheel, tighten the bearing adjuster up so there was no play and then they were happy. 100 yards down the road you had to put the bike on the stand and adjust it back again before the bearing overheated, I tried to tell them several times but to no avail

[timbo]

I didn't know that, as unlike your good self, I havnt yet had a Ural/Dnepr on the road yet. Hopefully that will change this year. However, that nugget of knowledge is now lodged in my brain, forever, hopefully 

[Andy M]

....MOT ... What a farce   

Did they sell you the duct tape or had you already bought a non-strident horn and e-marked tyre air?

Sorry, I'll get my coat and head for the rants section 

Andy

[Half Ton]

I have a wonderful MOT man to do my bikes,He is VERY fair even though he does a "proper job"on the safety etc.........have I mentioned that my brother is a bike MOT tester..

[Smithy]

I remember back in the 80s taking my 1952 A10 Golden Flash and sidecar in for an MOT to a shop that dealt in modern bikes. Fortunately the old boy who ran the workshop was familiar with plunger suspension but he did call over the young mechanics to show them how to test it.

I also remember the face of the tester when I presented him with my self built JAWA/CZ bitsa trail bike for MOT and him asking 'exactly what is that?'

Mind you they both passed as I think they were less strict in those days.

Ian

[guest2053]

People always say its called duct tape as HVAC fitters use it for ducting.. Thats just an argument people have seen other people say online and then repeat themselves.  The specialist tapes available for HVAC applications arent even the same as normal duck tape.  Although im sure some HVAC people use duck tape because, well, you can use it for anything cant you lol. Also calling it duct tape would imply it was meant for/could only be used for that type of application when its clearly a multi use product.

Duck tape was invented longer ago than you might think, and the first version of it was made from duck cloth with an adhesive added to one side, hence the name.  The name also ties in with the tapes waterproof properties (like a duck) and additionally has been a popular brand name of the tape, (see hoover/vacuum).