4 ms·

British English word for "boss", traditionally in blue-collar jobs (building sites, factories, that kind of thing) but used informally everywhere.

SixSigma 11y ago
Gaffer is the name of the head electrician in film production, the assistant is called the Best Boy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_%28filmmaking%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_%28filmmaking%29 Hence "Gaffer tape" which is black, rather than duct tape, which is the same construction but grey.
- samstave 11y ago
  PSA: Gaffer's tape makes the best ad-hoc mouse pad for surfaces that are not mousable... (at a trade show and your new shiny glass counters are acting weird with mice... make a small square with gaffers tape, which you already use to secure cords under carpet... Its my favorite tape for general use.
  - EvanPlaice 11y ago
    FYI, unrelated to the topic but they make mice that work on any surface how. I currently use this one on my glass desk: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Anywhere-Mouse-Mac/dp/B0082D5660 http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Anywhere-Mouse-Mac/d...
    - samstave 11y ago
      I replied to myself - but meant to reply to you: >Haha yeah I have at least ten of those... They do not work on certain glass surfaces, namely any shiny black granite desk.
      - EvanPlaice 11y ago
        Do you own one of the 'Darkfield Technology' ones? That's specifically why I bought this one and it works flawlessly on every glass surface I've tried.
        samstave 11y ago
        Apparently not, I'll have to try one of those.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
- DanBC 11y ago
  Traditional gaffer tape was a cotton cloth adhesive tape. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape#/media/File:Black_gaffer_tape.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape#/media/File:Black_... It's a bit harder to get this style, because when people say "gaffer tape" they normally mean "duck tape, or duct tape, or anything like that".
  - SixSigma 11y ago
    That looks like it is much better. The times I have spent trying to get tape off light stands etc. when it has been heated and cooled.

SixSigma 11y ago

Gaffer is the name of the head electrician in film production, the assistant is called the Best Boy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_%28filmmaking%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_%28filmmaking%29 Hence "Gaffer tape" which is black, rather than duct tape, which is the same construction but grey.

samstave 11y ago
PSA: Gaffer's tape makes the best ad-hoc mouse pad for surfaces that are not mousable... (at a trade show and your new shiny glass counters are acting weird with mice... make a small square with gaffers tape, which you already use to secure cords under carpet... Its my favorite tape for general use.
- EvanPlaice 11y ago
  FYI, unrelated to the topic but they make mice that work on any surface how. I currently use this one on my glass desk: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Anywhere-Mouse-Mac/dp/B0082D5660 http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Anywhere-Mouse-Mac/d...
  - samstave 11y ago
    I replied to myself - but meant to reply to you: >Haha yeah I have at least ten of those... They do not work on certain glass surfaces, namely any shiny black granite desk.
    - EvanPlaice 11y ago
      Do you own one of the 'Darkfield Technology' ones? That's specifically why I bought this one and it works flawlessly on every glass surface I've tried.
      - samstave 11y ago
        Apparently not, I'll have to try one of those.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
DanBC 11y ago
Traditional gaffer tape was a cotton cloth adhesive tape. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape#/media/File:Black_gaffer_tape.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape#/media/File:Black_... It's a bit harder to get this style, because when people say "gaffer tape" they normally mean "duck tape, or duct tape, or anything like that".
- SixSigma 11y ago
  That looks like it is much better. The times I have spent trying to get tape off light stands etc. when it has been heated and cooled.