Coupler tape - what do you recommend?

1/2" Gaffers tape?

George-

Maybe heat shrink tubing could be used in lieu of tape?

-John

Check your hardware store for good 'old friction tape.

You can get black kapton tape. Google black polyimide tape.

https://www.amazon.com/Bertech...s/dp/B08722KMPN?th=1

Pete

An alternative is wire twisties with the ends below the coupler to simulate an air hose.  John

Use E6000 clear glue (Walmart's, etc.) on the ends of the black electrical tape to hold down the last 1/2 of turn.  It may work well just to dab a small amount where the end of the tape is.

Charlie

Pete has the right idea, Kapton tape is great and doesn't get sticky like electrical tape.  I'm tempted to charge double for repairs when I find a lot of electrical tape, it turns into a gooey mess very quickly!

Thank you for the quick contributions! Great ideas, all!

The 1/2" Gaffer's tape is on order. I chose this one since the description made it sound very much like Lionel's original matte finish PW cloth-like tape that they used. Lionel also used a very shiny, plastic looking type of tape on their modern electromagnetic couplers , so Kapton is my choice for the newer stuff. But Kapton is quite expensive compared to the other choices, so I will check it out later when I can find a small roll/spool. And I certainly like the idea of a tiny dab of CA glue just to hold the end of the tape! Need to make trip to the hardware store or order online - my bottle is hard as a rock!!!!

Thanks, y'all!!!

George

More expensive than the gold stuff, but not that bad...

Bertech Black Polyimide Masking Tape, 1 Mil Thick, 3/8 Inches Wide x 36 Yards Long, $11.70

They have a lot of other widths as well.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

More expensive than the gold stuff, but not that bad...

Bertech Black Polyimide Masking Tape, 1 Mil Thick, 3/8 Inches Wide x 36 Yards Long, $11.70

They have a lot of other widths as well.

For some odd reason John, the price slightly more than doubles when you go for the 1/2" tape. I guess I could go around a couple of times and overlap the edges. Do you use it?

I use the regular gold stuff for my uses, I haven't had to wrap many couplers.

@GeoPeg posted:

For some odd reason John, the price slightly more than doubles when you go for the 1/2" tape. I guess I could go around a couple of times and overlap the edges. Do you use it?

Lionel and MTH use multiple wraps on their modern couplers. Kapton is very thin similar if not the same as what they use. I would just get the 3/8ths tape.

Pete

I don't understand.

I've used black tape on couplers in the past, but isn't the best solution to fix, or have a good repair person fix, the coupler so it doesn't open when it's not supposed to open?

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I don't understand.

I've used black tape on couplers in the past, but isn't the best solution to fix, or have a good repair person fix, the coupler so it doesn't open when it's not supposed to open?

This is not to fix a mechanical problem, rather wrap the coil of wire if a lead breaks off and has to be reconnected to the coil.

Pete

Like the tape around the coil on this example:

@Arnold D. Cribari, I recently bought a lot of parts on ebay, and quite a few electromechanical couplers were thrown in. I've been checking/repairing/cleaning/and now taping them every evening til I get done. The tape just serves to protect the coil from small collisions and from snags when an errant winding comes loose. I just got the gaffer's tape in, and it looks EXACTLY like the stuff Lionel used when their trains came out of the factory. Let's see how well it sticks....

George

I have a two inch wide roll of matte black cloth-ish looking water activated glue tape.  Looks just like what was used.  I cut it to proper width and roll one wrap dry and water activate the last 1/2 inch overlap to seal it.  This is a tape I bought at an art or drafting supply store. I use it for stretching watercolor paper to a panel.