# Tape to cover seams?



## cvanp (Jan 31, 2008)

Hey everyone,

Our set has a bunch of seams in it because of the way it was constructed... now the question is, how do we cover and eliminate these seams? It's been a pretty consistent vote for tape even though in my history with it, tape tends to bubble up and become noticeable. Still, tape seems to be what people want to use, they don't want to deal with any kind of filling material.

So my question - is there a certain kind of tape we can use to cover the seams that won't bubble up and will be paintable?

Thanks!


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## Van (Jan 31, 2008)

When Dutchman-ing, I've found using 3" masking tape will work but you want the blue stuff. I'm also a big fan of using Latex Painters Caulk. If you build a set in a shop, slice the seems, load it onto a truck, then re-assemble in the theatre , the caulk can be a God send. Internal seams on a flat are best dealt with, with Bondo, as Joint compound tends to be too fragile for transport. 
But if everyone is married to the tape Idea, the wider the better.

I don't think Dutchman is in the Wikki yet I'll have to fix that. Dutchman-ing flats used to be done with strips of muslin dipped into glue. You would apply the dutchman over the seam in question, working out all the bubbles with a paint brush. you would then paint over everything. Worked really well in bigger theatres. Now days we tend to spend a whole lot more time working on seams, as the set I'm working on right now would attest to.


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## deadlygopher (Feb 1, 2008)

We still do the muslin in glue method of dutchman. It looks great when done well, but it is very hard to get right. I hope I'll figure it out someday, but we have a freshman who is good at it, so I don't really have to.


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## avkid (Feb 1, 2008)

If you're in the mood for fun you could you use fiberglass tape and drywall joint compound.


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## punktech (Feb 1, 2008)

i don't really see why the people you're working with think that tape will be any easier, you'll still have to spend a considerable amount of time taping the seams, it's hard to work the bubbles out and get a straight tape line. personally i'd prefer to spend that time on a joint compound, as it would look nicer in the end.


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## cvanp (Feb 1, 2008)

punktech: that's my argument, but it hasn't worked so far.


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## Van (Feb 1, 2008)

punktech said:


> i don't really see why the people you're working with think that tape will be any easier, you'll still have to spend a considerable amount of time taping the seams, it's hard to work the bubbles out and get a straight tape line. personally i'd prefer to spend that time on a joint compound, as it would look nicer in the end.


 
Yes but the mess factor is greatly reduced with Tape. Still Latex painters caulk is my preferred method.


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## icewolf08 (Feb 1, 2008)

I always enjoyed dutch-ing a set. Get all covered in glue and then peel it off your hands for hours. So much fun! Oh and it looks really nice too when done well.


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## derekleffew (Feb 1, 2008)

Don't worry about the seams. The Lighting Designer will fix it.


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## TupeloTechie (Feb 1, 2008)

our teacher likes to tape them with white gaff, then paint over it. the gaff dose not get bubbles and it somewhat matches the texture of the muslin on the flat, however it is still kinda noticeable.


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## punktech (Feb 1, 2008)

cvanp said:


> punktech: that's my argument, but it hasn't worked so far.



tell them that the cost effectiveness of the tape will be pretty much so obliterated by the fact that you will have to spend many man hours putting it on, and that it would be significantly better looking (use the aesthetically pleasing to the audience argument if art directors and the director are involved).


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## Van (Feb 1, 2008)

TupeloTechieKid said:


> our teacher likes to tape them with white gaff, then paint over it. the gaff dose not get bubbles and it somewhat matches the texture of the muslin on the flat, however it is still kinda noticeable.


 
Holy Crap Batman!?!?! I wish I had a budget that would allow me to use Gaff for dutchmanning! That's expensive.


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## TupeloTechie (Feb 1, 2008)

we have small sets, no more than 7-8 seams per show, plus for some reason we have like 6 rolls of white gaff laying around, and I never use white gaff for anything, except for dutchmanning


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## punktech (Feb 1, 2008)

once you start realizing the joy of labeling (or a few freshmen do) that white gaff will disappear in the blink of an eye...


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## TupeloTechie (Feb 1, 2008)

what would I want to label with gaff? I use board tape for the console and an electric label maker for anything else...


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## punktech (Feb 1, 2008)

when cabling i love me my roll of 2 of white gaff. every time i have to add another length i rip off two pieces and write the circuit number on each and then slap them on the plugs. makes it about one million times easier to troubleshoot stuff and it generally helps keep things neater. it's VERY nice when using socapex. i hated life until i found this, no more guessing if you're pulling the right sh*t, all you have to do is look at the plug on the instrument and keep following that number...*sighs* i remember the dark ages...


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## David Ashton (Feb 1, 2008)

I have toured small sets for years a always used plain masking tape and painted over it, mind you these are generally one night stands and an immaculate job is not required, however it works ok for me.


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## bobgaggle (Feb 1, 2008)

In my department we usually use aluminum tape to cover seams. Don't ask me why, its what the director wants (as I said in another thread, she's anal about weird things). Its expensive, wrinkles too easily, and only sticks to our usually foam set pieces before paint is applied (no room for patch-ups after the art department has had their way with the set)


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## RiffRaff54 (Feb 3, 2008)

punktech said:


> when cabling i love me my roll of 2 of white gaff. every time i have to add another length i rip off two pieces and write the circuit number on each and then slap them on the plugs. makes it about one million times easier to troubleshoot stuff and it generally helps keep things neater. it's VERY nice when using socapex. i hated life until i found this, no more guessing if you're pulling the right sh*t, all you have to do is look at the plug on the instrument and keep following that number...*sighs* i remember the dark ages...


I like when people do that, except for when they don't take it off and every cable has 2-4 pieces of old gaff on it. Some people at my college aren't that smart 

 edit by derekleffew: See the thread AND Glossary Entry "Courtesy Tabs".


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## cvanp (Feb 3, 2008)

So suppose I want to use latex painters caulk to get these seams fixed up. What is the appropriate process?


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## Marius (Feb 4, 2008)

If your plan is to reuse the flats I've found that simple spackle does the trick. I like the stuff that goes on pink and dries white. I've used masking tape, and if your audience is far enough away it's ok, but it's a biatch to get off afterward. Spackle just scrapes off. 

For those of you advocating dutchmans(dutchmen?), do they work on hard covered flats? I've all but abandoned muslin flats, and have never tried to dutchman the luan ones.


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## CynicWhisper (Feb 6, 2008)

*shudder* Admittedly, spackle works well enough. My issue with it is that it basically ruined all our flats. The construction crew chief on the show before I was construction chief used tons of spackle on our seams and after trying to deconstruct those evil things, I never wanted to see spackle again. Wasted a good week of my crew's time trying to get our flats back to working condition. 
Could we hear some more about this latex painter's caulk? We use lauan covered flats, will it work there? How do you use it?


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## Marius (Feb 6, 2008)

CynicWhisper said:


> *shudder* Admittedly, spackle works well enough. My issue with it is that it basically ruined all our flats. The construction crew chief on the show before I was construction chief used tons of spackle on our seams and after trying to deconstruct those evil things, I never wanted to see spackle again. Wasted a good week of my crew's time trying to get our flats back to working condition.
> Could we hear some more about this latex painter's caulk? We use lauan covered flats, will it work there? How do you use it?



True that, but if used sparingly, and then sanded judiciously before painting, spackle can be tamed.


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## Van (Feb 6, 2008)

Latex Painters caulk can be applied pretty much in the same way you would applly spackle. Here's a few things I do to make seams easier. 
1. When constructing flats if there are internal seams, for flats taller than 8' or wider than 4' I typically take a grinder, with a sanding wheel on it, and make a small channel rignt down the center of the seam. Depending on you favorite method then fill the channel. I prefer Bondo, but that is not always a viable solution as regards toxicity, and vapors. If you use caulk, just run a thin bead down the center of the channel then using a putty knife, or a plastic squeegee, _the kind used for appying decals and vinyl signs_ that has been dipped in water, smooth the caulk into the channel just like spackle. The nice thing about caulk is you can then move the flat realitvely quickly to lean it against the wall etc. With spackle and to a lesser extent bondo, you must be much mor careful not to flex the flat too much or the spackle will crack, bondo is a bit more plastic but not much.

2. I also like to grind/ round over the outside edges of hard flats. then make sure they are smooth. This way when stood up and put together it will give you a much easier area to fill with caulk. It's easier to fill a big gap then it is to fill a micro mini gap. 


3. Cool things about caulk ;
a. Once applied it's easy to slice the seam with a razor knife then re-assemble the flats onstage < if you build in a set-up floor then transport to the theatre.>
b. It cleans up with water. Bondo does not, Spackle does but it clogs your sink, and once hard sanding is the only way to get it off. 
c. When finished with a production, Latex Painters caulk will "peel" right off the side / seam of the flat it's been applied to, sometimes you might need a knife but mostly it zips right off.

d. when applied it cleans up with water. I like to keep a rag with me as I'm seaming, if you get little beads to the outside of your squeegee / knife or you accidentally get some caulk where you didn't want it, a quick rub with a damp cloth takes it right off. 

e. Caulk sticks to more surfaces than spackle does. You can use latex caulk on plastics, laminates, wood, metal, Electircal cables < No don't it pisses off the electricians.> 

f. It's waterproof when "dry" < it doesn't really dry so much as set-up"> which is why it's a primary component of VSSSD.


Hope that helps.


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