These Tape Dispensers

[TromboneAl]

The below tape dispensers are good, and we have three in our house, but for all of them, you can't pull the tape out without the dispenser sliding along the desk surface. Even pulling the tape up doesn't work. I can hold it with my pinky while pulling out small segments.

I seem to remember only needing one hand—am I remembering wrong?

 

[ls99]

Clearly an operator error.
My SWAG, must pull fast so inertia keeps the thing in place.

 

[W2R]

The one handed tape dispensers that I remember, were the heavy metal ones.

With this one, maybe it would help to glue a rubber backing to the bottom of the dispenser.

 

[Sunset]

old ones used to be heavy, and they had a rubber bottom to stick to the desk.

Maybe they make them light nowadays so it's cheaper to ship from China.

 

[Walt34]

I seem to remember only needing one hand—am I remembering wrong?

You remember correctly.

They still make them but you have to search for "weighted tape dispenser":

https://www.amazon.com/Weighted-Dis...ix=weighted+tape+,aps,207&tag=mlbonsitepub-20

 

[GrayHare]

Yes, they were heavy enough that the fresh tape end could be detached with one hand. Just don't unspool adhesive tape in a vacuum, doing so generates x-rays. I'm not making that up.

 

[NW-Bound]

They don't make them like they used to.

This thread should be merged into the "Pet Peeves" thread.

 

[Janet H]

old ones used to be heavy, and they had a rubber bottom to stick to the desk.

Maybe they make them light nowadays so it's cheaper to ship from China.

I have one of those. It has an old property tag on it from the radium appliance company. Works well...

 

[folivier]

Silicone sticky pads like these work well for many things. I use a couple to hold a laptop on the dash of my motorhome.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071XDN6G6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Gumby]

Hey, me too!

 

[Janet H]

Hey, me too!

Hmm - I see my scale may need calibration.

 

[Gumby]

Hmm - I see my scale may need calibration.

Or mine. Maybe my tape is heavier.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

old ones used to be heavy, and they had a rubber bottom to stick to the desk.

Maybe they make them light nowadays so it's cheaper to ship from China.

Even the plastic ones like in Al's photo usually have sand in them...or something, it sure feels like sand when I shake it. (I have one at home and one at work just like that one.)

 

[Scrapr]

Life hack....tape the dispenser to the table top. Or go fancy & double side tape the bottom to the table top

 

[NW-Bound]

This thread should be re-titled to "My tape dispenser is heavier than yours".


PS. I should have a couple of dispensers somewhere. Why do I have to use the naked roll in a kitchen drawer? I don't think mine weighs 2 lbs though. I am dispenser-deprived.

 

[CaptTom]

Yup, had one break open once. It's sand all right.

How about the old metal Swingline stapler? You couldn't kill those things!

 

[Gumby]

How about the old metal Swingline stapler? You couldn't kill those things!

Got one of those too.

 

[Janet H]

You can buy an old heavy one on ebay for the same cost as the new ones on amazon... but I bet that a little time spent at yard sales and thrift stores would pay off. Seems like a 3 dollar second hand store item.

 

[TromboneAl]

Nice to hear I wasn't imagining things.

I wonder whether the old ones had lead in them.

 

[ERD50]

Made me check. My plastic one is filled with sand (you can hear it), weighs just over 1 pound.

It slides on a smooth table, but the rubber pads are worn smooth. If I could find the pack of silicone bumpers I bought I'd try those. If you get just the right angle, you can lift up, but the roll comes out pretty easily.

I'm picturing one of those "there I fixed it" entries. Two bricks duct taped to the tape dispenser.

-ERD50

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I'm picturing one of those "there I fixed it" entries. Two bricks duct taped to the tape dispenser.

-ERD50

Looks like you're the first to think of that! Meanwhile, there are three other tape dispenser "hacks":

https://failblog.cheezburger.com/thereifixedit/tag/tape-dispenser

 

[CaptTom]

Then there's the heavy metal scissors with the handles painted black. And I have this cast iron hole punch with a long handle that looks like a medieval torture device. Plus an old desk phone; not as rugged as the old rotary phones, but still nearly indestructible.

How about those old Steel Case office desks and chairs? We had hundreds of them in storage at my old j*b. They took a bunch of them out of storage, repainted them, and furnished a whole new building with them. And of course all the walls were painted that industrial puke greenish color that was so popular.

But we can't really continue this discussion without talking about Milton's Red Stapler:

 

[TromboneAl]

Here's something interesting: If you pull straight up, it would work with one hand, but the roll of tape pops out.

IOW, with a slight design change for the slots that hold the axle and a sticker that says "Pull straight up!" the problem would be solved.

This is what happens when the accountants overrule the engineers.

 

[Boho]

You can get the scotch tape with the 3" core and a 3" core dispenser. Mine weighs 2.36 lbs.