# Best Price on Blue Blockout Tape



## DixieBoy (Oct 28, 2008)

What supplier has the best price on Blue Blockout Tape?

I am currently paying $8.63 for 3"x60 yds. rolls which comes out to be around $0.048 cents per foot. I am buying it from Ship-Pack. 

Are there any other less expensives tapes out there that can be used for taping up screens? Name and Supplier?

Thanks


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## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

blue painters tape from wallyworld, home depot, lowes, etc. the local lumber yard in the nearest town here will even order it by the case if I want making it even more cheaper.

don't know the cost but that is what I use for most jobs.

hope this helps!


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## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

Try clear packing tape. It can sometimes leave a little residue behind, but it comes off easily with masking tape. For $1 a roll, it's hard to beat.


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## denck (Apr 7, 2009)

Try either Packing tape from the 99cent store or use old emultion to cover around the frame


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Personally I like brown packing tape, as it's more obvious that I remembered to tape off the screen than the clear


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## out da box (May 1, 2007)

6.50/roll or 36.00 for 6- 2" rolls at home depot.


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

out da box said:


> 6.50/roll or 36.00 for 6- 2" rolls at home depot.


Wait so you guys are saying that blue painters tape is as good to use as that nice thick plastic R-tape blue black out tape?
Out Da Box you are the man and I listen to what you say, but it seems that blue painters tape would just get too wet and messy and tear too easily. Can you use it on a ganged screen to block out a design?
If you say so I'll try it. I hate spending all that money on R-tape.


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## out da box (May 1, 2007)

I was at home depot yesterday- the 2" tape is 7.00/roll or more, pack of six for 36.00.
It works beautiful- wont tear, remove easy- not too sticky, I wouldn't use it to block out a full design, too expensive. Good for a pocket logo maybe. It's durable stuff. I have recently went to blockout soluion, though, that tape is too expensive I went through six rolls in 2 months, and we've been slow up until this month.


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## tman07 (Nov 14, 2007)

Nazdar has a 3 inch "packing tape" white color, it's pretty good, doesn't tear, no residue,
and relatively inexpensive. 3 inch gives better block than 2 inch, that's the way to go.
IMHO


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

When I started I used the R-tape I think it's pretty good, really strong and has some flexibility to it. I got some white tape from silkscreeningsupplies.com to try, it's cheaper but more like packing tape not as flexible and not as thick as the blue r-tape. I think it's ok for jobs where you not going to hold onto the screen.
I love that r-tape but it's so darn expensive.


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## majesticmind (Sep 1, 2007)

We are only blocking out the edge of the screen , so we use what ever tape is the cheapest, the dollar store! Works just as good as any other tape. Masking , painters, what ever is in the bin when I happen to be in the store.


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

majesticmind said:


> We are only blocking out the edge of the screen , so we use what ever tape is the cheapest, the dollar store! Works just as good as any other tape. Masking , painters, what ever is in the bin when I happen to be in the store.


So what do you use to block out and image on the screen?


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## majesticmind (Sep 1, 2007)

auggieboy said:


> So what do you use to block out and image on the screen?


I dont think I understand what your asking me?

But if you mean what do I block out a small defect with or pinholes? we use a liquid based blockout, and a very fine paint brush, it only has about 4 or 5 bristles, and can literally block a pinhole and nothing else. And we sometimes make screens with multiple slogans(for example) and we use regular scotch tape to tape a piece of paper over the slogans we dont want to print. The tape only sticks to the emulsion and the paper covers the image. 

Then we peel the paper off and move it to the next image and so on and so on.


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

Just as an update to this, I found a place that has R-tape blue tape for $4.00 per roll.
GM Graphics
They also have great screen prices, which I know some members are aware of already.
This is cheaper then blue painters tape from Home Cheapo, also the I think after trying the many different types of tape this one is the best for manual printing. It is a little flexible which allows for the occasional slip of the squeegee, when this happens with painters tape the corner of the squeegee was tearing the tape.


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## majesticmind (Sep 1, 2007)

Put the tape on the other side of the screen.


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

majesticmind said:


> Put the tape on the other side of the screen.


I find that leaves a huge mess when the ink mixes with the adhesive on the tape. I guess if I cleaned my screens the minute I am done printing that would not be a problem but it never seems to work that way.
It also seems to speed up my de-inking process to tape on the inside (less nooks and crannies to get ink out of).


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## printfinks (Dec 4, 2008)

auggieboy said:


> So what do you use to block out and image on the screen?


We use magazine or catalog pages. If you're printing two different images on one screen & you don't want to get ink into the other image, tear out a page & put it over the image (on the inside) then tape the edges. Makes clean up a bit faster too.

If you're done printing one image & want to mask it off, do the same thing on the outside of the screen. Another plus is that no tape residue gets into the image to block ink.


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## BOOSH! (Jul 31, 2009)

Here's another vote for the clear packing tape from the dollar store.

I tape squeegee side with it, all round the design. Then when it's time to clean, I can grab one corner of tape, pull, and the entire thing comes off. Leaves ink only on the area closest to the image. Makes cleaning screens that much easier.


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

printfinks said:


> We use magazine or catalog pages. If you're printing two different images on one screen & you don't want to get ink into the other image, tear out a page & put it over the image (on the inside) then tape the edges. Makes clean up a bit faster too.
> 
> If you're done printing one image & want to mask it off, do the same thing on the outside of the screen. Another plus is that no tape residue gets into the image to block ink.


I had never heard of this until I bought some used screens from a shop that closed in my area. When I went to clean them up they had magazine and newspaper everywhere. They had like 6 logos on one screen and bits of paper and tape covering them. They came right off and the screens cleaned up well but I thought that was an odd way to do things. I guess not.

I use the budget 3' tape from Lowes for $6.76 for 3 rolls. Works great leaves very little residue and cleans up nicely.
I have in a pinch used the clear tape from the dollar store and it works the same I just happened to forget it is there or don't tape right and I get a small area of ink on my shirt where it shouldn't be because I didn't tape off properly so to make sure I do I use a tape with some color to it.

Katrina


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

printfinks said:


> We use magazine or catalog pages. If you're printing two different images on one screen & you don't want to get ink into the other image, tear out a page & put it over the image (on the inside) then tape the edges. Makes clean up a bit faster too.
> 
> If you're done printing one image & want to mask it off, do the same thing on the outside of the screen. Another plus is that no tape residue gets into the image to block ink.


This is a great rick that I tried this week!! It worked great, saves a lot on tape!


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## printfinks (Dec 4, 2008)

Glad to help!


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## printfinks (Dec 4, 2008)

I guess I should have said to use glossy pages & not newspaper. Newspaper form is good to blot dry screens after shoot out. Helps dry 'em quicker. A hair dryer works good too if you're in a rush.


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## Ken Styles (Mar 16, 2006)

I got to the dollar store and get this light brown packing tape. It works just as good.
The only thing it's 2" wide and the rolls are not as long and the tape tears a little easier due to the thinnes. But for $1. It's cost can't be beat.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

majesticmind said:


> Put the tape on the other side of the screen.


 
Explain please?


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

So in my quest for the best and cheapest tape, I tried some of the Dollar store blue tape. Not bad as an on screen block out tape.
Tried the white block out tape that some suppliers sell cheaper then the blue tape, hated it. Tears off in small pieces and not one strip when removing after use.
Tried liquid block out, works pretty good if you have the time for it to dry.
Tried taping off my screens on the shirt side (as someone suggested in this thread) definitely easy to tape off, but clean up is messy. When the ink mixes with the adhesive of the tape the 2 form a colored goo mess. Not a problem to blast out with a power washer and a good solvent, but definitely more of a hassle.
I still like the R-tape blue block out tape the best, and at $5.00 a roll its not that bad. I use it to block out the outside of the image, and then use the cheap Dollar store blue tap to block any pinholes or unused images on the screen.


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## evo noche (Dec 11, 2008)

I do this:

If I am cataloging screens (more than one print session) I use red polyethylene "stucco" masking tape in the corners of the squeegee side of the screen. This is available at Home Depot and other places. It's like the blue block out tape but the adhesive is even more aggressive. Intertape makes some (thin) and so does 3M (thicker).

For temporary masking of one image or another on the same screen, I use scrap film positives or glossy magazine or catalog pages taped down with thin packing tape. Make sure to use a mask larger than the image - I NEVER apply tape directly to the image area, this is just asking for trouble. (clogs, mess or even worse the tape damages the stencil on removal)


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## Digitee (Jan 13, 2008)

GM Graphics

Ausome price
Thanks


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## out da box (May 1, 2007)

Using R-Tape on roller frames. The tape will hold during reclaim and is water resistant. I can set jobs up without taping up screens. Saves 20-30 percent or more on set-up times. Great stuff if you need a more permanent tape. 
I'm liking the cheap 3.00 masking tape for blockout on other frames.
I will eventually tape all of my frames with the blue r-tape though, it's a epiphany.


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## garagegirl (Sep 19, 2010)

DixieBoy said:


> What supplier has the best price on Blue Blockout Tape?
> 
> I am currently paying $8.63 for 3"x60 yds. rolls which comes out to be around $0.048 cents per foot. I am buying it from Ship-Pack.
> 
> ...


I know what you're talking about. I, too, use the blue R-tape but the cost is killing me. I can remember getting this for $3.24 a roll and now I'm looking at $4.95 and I'm in shock. It stands up to wash after wash, and I don't want a lesser tape, but OMG.


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## Fuzzyfreak (Sep 24, 2013)

majesticmind said:


> I dont think I understand what your asking me?
> 
> But if you mean what do I block out a small defect with or pinholes? we use a liquid based blockout, and a very fine paint brush, it only has about 4 or 5 bristles, and can literally block a pinhole and nothing else. And we sometimes make screens with multiple slogans(for example) and we use regular scotch tape to tape a piece of paper over the slogans we dont want to print. The tape only sticks to the emulsion and the paper covers the image.
> 
> Then we peel the paper off and move it to the next image and so on and so on.


we use Bic brand White Out Quick dry, Cheap and has a brush already with it, dries in seconds


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## garagegirl (Sep 19, 2010)

My reference is to around the edges. We use an emulsion pen for holes, etc. Maybe I am misunderstanding.


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## Fuzzyfreak (Sep 24, 2013)

auggieboy said:


> I find that leaves a huge mess when the ink mixes with the adhesive on the tape. I guess if I cleaned my screens the minute I am done printing that would not be a problem but it never seems to work that way.
> It also seems to speed up my de-inking process to tape on the inside (less nooks and crannies to get ink out of).


Always clean screens and remove all tape when done, great habit to just get into. Only put ang control ink on screen in the print area, we never tape the inside of frames, a large assortment of different length squeegees helps to onl cover design to be printed, not the whole frame. Regular old masking tape is all!


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## Fuzzyfreak (Sep 24, 2013)

garagegirl said:


> My reference is to around the edges. We use an emulsion pen for holes, etc. Maybe I am misunderstanding.


Same here around edges, simple masking tape, we run so many different screens, once they are dry we dont have to wait for blockout to dry, so I use White out for what pin-holes we have, dries in seconds.Try it, its a dollar store thing around here. Have a great day!


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## jimcr (Feb 3, 2009)

I use the same type of tape you would find in a paint shop, beige in color , works with solvent types of ink, if your using water based stick to the vinyl type of tape. 
I have thought of using scrape vinyl but have not tried it yet.


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