In a message dated 11/22/03 6:49:35 AM Pacific Standard Time,
mail@woodworkingboy.com writes:
> Can anyone suggest a way to nicely seal off the tape on bars when only
> wrapping to a point half way up. I'm using cloth tape over double sided
> tape, and since the tape ends at a curve, no matter how much I pull or angle
> it, the top of the tape won't lie flat against the bar. Otherwise I would
> just put a little dab of glue on the last bit and paste it to itself. I
> don't particularly like using paper or plastic tape to finish it off over
> the end, and on bars that only are wrapped part of the way up, it looks
> weird. Please don't say to start at the upper part and wrap down, since the
> shellac has already started to dry.
>
I was going to suggest that you start at the bottom, go half way up, then continue back to the bottom. It gives you a double layer of tape, with no joint. It may be too late for my other suggestion as well. I usually cut the thicker plastic (Bike Ribbon, etc.) tape at an angle, the length of the cut being the circumference of the bar (at the wrap diameter). This allows the pointy end to fall right into where the cut starts at the root of the diagonal.
There is also some thinner cloth tape (Gaslo?) that can be used for
finishing. What color do you need?
Stevan Thomas
Alameda, CA