4 ms·

Just wanted to point out that it is called duct tape, just to avoid misunderstandings since i had a similiar spelling error as a non-native speaker :)

by domano 6y ago

dharmab 6y ago
This error is understandable as there is a popular brand of duct tape called Duck Tape.
- Lio 6y ago
  ...which is named after cotton-duck material tape once used for repairing ducts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_duck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_duck
DavidAdams 6y ago
Interestingly, waterproof fabric-based tape was originally called "duck tape" (for its waterproof quality). The same kind of tape was later also called duct tape, but it's actually pretty terrible for ducts. You want to use the all-aluminum tape for ducts. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52151/it-duck-tape-or-duct-tape https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52151/it-duck-tape-or-du...
- domano 6y ago
  Oh wow, so there actually is something called Duck Tape. TIL
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
Igelau 6y ago
"Duck tape" originally referred to tape made from duck cloth. They started using it for duct work, and began to call it "duct tape", to the point where "duck" fell out of common use and was able to be trademarked. They've also stopped using it for ducts. So call it either one and people will know what you're talking about.
edoceo 6y ago
Check out Gaff Tape as a replacement for the duct-tape at home use-case. And for actual ducts you'll want to use foil-tape because temperature changes wreck the adhesion of duct-tape, then the moisture leaks into the walls/ceiling which is $$$$ bad.
- webmaven 6y ago
  > And for actual ducts you'll want to use foil-tape because temperature changes wreck the adhesion of duct-tape, then the moisture leaks into the walls/ceiling which is $$$$ bad. This strongly depends on the type of duct. Flex ducts that are a plastic skin over a wire coil don't work so well with aluminum tape.
  - edoceo 6y ago
    Oh, yes. I'm referring to rigid steel/tin works only.
offtop5 6y ago
I'm a native speaker. I use alot of Duck Tape . From the little language study I've done, English is one of the most flexible. You can discard entire parts of speak and it still works. Saying , ,'ey you woke up yet', is ok in many contexts.
krsdcbl 6y ago
it's funny how culture shapes our designations of the same thing. In (specially us) english it's duct tape as the product is primarily known for installation work, and often referred to as "duck tape" for it's well known brand, whereas in (german speaking) europe we also employ an English word for it, but call it "gaffer tape", for it's usage by light operators in the event business (so called gaffers)
- biztos 6y ago
  I don’t think gaffer’s tape and duct tape are the same thing. Gaffer’s tape needs to be easily removable, which duct tape generally is not.
- IggleSniggle 6y ago
  Gaffers tape is a very different kind of tape similar only in appearance. It’s got a soft cotton content and is used to keep wires taped to things like rugs seamlessly so that people walking around your studio/tv-station/theatre etc don’t accidentally trip on it, potentially damaging the extremely expensive attached equipment in the process. If you’ve ever tried using “duct tape” as gaffers tape, you’d have a bad time, as it wouldn’t be that great at keeping wires down AND it’s likely to leave a residual adhesive on the floor when you take it off. Duck tape is the stuff developed for the US army to waterproof things closed. Post-war, they made it silver instead of green and marketed it for use with ducts (since being waterproof made it also SEEM like a good candidate for the job in heating systems), but its pretty terrible for this purpose since temperature changes degrade the adhesive rapidly. The tape you actually want to use for ducts is foil-backed tape. In short, it was and still is a great marketing gimmick, but Duck Tape was only ever “ok” at keeping things water proof and only looks like gaffers tape or the tape you want to use on ducts.

Just wanted to point out that it is called duct tape, just to avoid misunderstandings since i had a similiar spelling error as a non-native speaker :)

by domano 6y ago

Just wanted to point out that it is called duct tape, just to avoid misunderstandings since i had a similiar spelling error as a non-native speaker :)

dharmab 6y ago

This error is understandable as there is a popular brand of duct tape called Duck Tape.

Lio 6y ago
...which is named after cotton-duck material tape once used for repairing ducts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_duck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_duck

DavidAdams 6y ago

Interestingly, waterproof fabric-based tape was originally called "duck tape" (for its waterproof quality). The same kind of tape was later also called duct tape, but it's actually pretty terrible for ducts. You want to use the all-aluminum tape for ducts. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52151/it-duck-tape-or-duct-tape https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52151/it-duck-tape-or-du...

domano 6y ago
Oh wow, so there actually is something called Duck Tape. TIL
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]

Igelau 6y ago

"Duck tape" originally referred to tape made from duck cloth. They started using it for duct work, and began to call it "duct tape", to the point where "duck" fell out of common use and was able to be trademarked. They've also stopped using it for ducts. So call it either one and people will know what you're talking about.

edoceo 6y ago

Check out Gaff Tape as a replacement for the duct-tape at home use-case. And for actual ducts you'll want to use foil-tape because temperature changes wreck the adhesion of duct-tape, then the moisture leaks into the walls/ceiling which is $$$$ bad.

webmaven 6y ago
> And for actual ducts you'll want to use foil-tape because temperature changes wreck the adhesion of duct-tape, then the moisture leaks into the walls/ceiling which is $$$$ bad. This strongly depends on the type of duct. Flex ducts that are a plastic skin over a wire coil don't work so well with aluminum tape.
- edoceo 6y ago
  Oh, yes. I'm referring to rigid steel/tin works only.

offtop5 6y ago

I'm a native speaker. I use alot of Duck Tape . From the little language study I've done, English is one of the most flexible. You can discard entire parts of speak and it still works. Saying , ,'ey you woke up yet', is ok in many contexts.

krsdcbl 6y ago

it's funny how culture shapes our designations of the same thing. In (specially us) english it's duct tape as the product is primarily known for installation work, and often referred to as "duck tape" for it's well known brand, whereas in (german speaking) europe we also employ an English word for it, but call it "gaffer tape", for it's usage by light operators in the event business (so called gaffers)

biztos 6y ago
I don’t think gaffer’s tape and duct tape are the same thing. Gaffer’s tape needs to be easily removable, which duct tape generally is not.
IggleSniggle 6y ago
Gaffers tape is a very different kind of tape similar only in appearance. It’s got a soft cotton content and is used to keep wires taped to things like rugs seamlessly so that people walking around your studio/tv-station/theatre etc don’t accidentally trip on it, potentially damaging the extremely expensive attached equipment in the process. If you’ve ever tried using “duct tape” as gaffers tape, you’d have a bad time, as it wouldn’t be that great at keeping wires down AND it’s likely to leave a residual adhesive on the floor when you take it off. Duck tape is the stuff developed for the US army to waterproof things closed. Post-war, they made it silver instead of green and marketed it for use with ducts (since being waterproof made it also SEEM like a good candidate for the job in heating systems), but its pretty terrible for this purpose since temperature changes degrade the adhesive rapidly. The tape you actually want to use for ducts is foil-backed tape. In short, it was and still is a great marketing gimmick, but Duck Tape was only ever “ok” at keeping things water proof and only looks like gaffers tape or the tape you want to use on ducts.