FOR THOSE IN A HURRY: Personally, id screw my piece to my workbed whenever possible. It’s cheaper and stronger. But in the cases where you need double sided tape for woodworking, this is my pick
Last year the school where I work bought a CNC machine. It’s great although the practicalities mean I needed to look for ways to hold pieces on the bed.
I read something that said double sided tape can work so I bought a few to test. Here are my results…
1. XFasten Double Sided Woodworking Tape
| Width | 1″, (also available in ½“, 2½“, 3″, 4”) |
| Length | 32 metres (36 yards) |
| Backing | Cloth |
| Stickiness | ★★★★☆ |
| Thickness | < 1/16 in (when peeled) |
| Made in | China |
XFasten is a cloth tape. It’s is like thin cloth when using it because it isn’t rigid at all. It will join to itself which can make using it more than once a little difficult.
When I tested the different tapes, it had great sticking power. It isn’t as strong as epoxy, but it does have good sticking power. It also peels off with no stickyness left on the material (even after being stuck for an hour.)
There was a slight pulling up of grain (which is hard to see in the images) but it is very minimal.
It is good value for money. I received 3 rolls in the pack as all the other tapes came as a single roll.
Available here – XFasten Double Sided Woodworking Tape
2. LLPT Double Sided Woodworking Tape
| Width | 25mm (1″), (also available in 35, 45, 55 & 65mm) |
| Length | 32 metres (36 yards or 108 feet) |
| Backing | Silicone based |
| Stickiness | ★★☆ |
| Thickness | < 1/16 in (when peeled) |
| Made in | China |
This silicone based backing makes this tape easier to pull off and on than the Xfasten. Because of this It is also easier to use more than once.
However, I didn’t think it was as sticky which means you need more per part. It is also a little more expensive than the others.
I liked using it and for the right job (small and repetitive) it is a good choice but i probably wouldnt’ buy again.
As you can see in the images above there was some sticking to the tape from the hardwood. It definately does stick
Available here – LPT Double Sided Woodworking Tape
3. Primens Double Sided Carpet Tape
Available Here – Primens Double Sided Carpet Tape
| Width | 52mm (2″) |
| Length | 11 metres (12 yards or 36 feet) |
| Backing | Hot Melt Based |
| Stickiness | ★★★★☆ |
| Thickness | < 1/16 in (when peeled) |
| Made in | Not Specified |
4. ATack Extra Sticky Clear Double-Sided Tape
Available Here – ATack Extra Sticky Clear Double-Sided Tape
| Width | 52mm (2″) (also available in 1/2″, & 1 1/2″) |
| Length | 18 metres (20 yards or 60 feet) |
| Backing | Silicone based |
| Stickiness | ★★★★☆ |
| Thickness | < 1/16 in (when peeled) |
| Made in | China |
5. Trazon Carpet Tape Double Sided
Available Here – Trazon Carpet Tape Double Sided
| Width | 52mm (2″) |
| Length | 11 metres (12 yards or 36 feet) |
| Backing | Hot Melt Based |
| Stickiness | ★★★★☆ |
| Thickness | < 1/16 in (when peeled) |
| Made in | China |
The Tests
OK so i’m not a scientist. I did attempt to do some base level testing (see images above).
I also have notes here form using the different tapes on the jobs I was doing on the CNC.
Residue and Surface Finish
After attaching the tape for 15 minutes, then pulling it off different materials the tapes were very similar across the board. Here are a few notes from my observations.
- The Xfasten was harder to pull up than the LLPT because of the construction of the tape.
- The carpet tapes were quite strong but also quite thin which was a downside for me because the top of my wasteboard is typically uneven.
Performance on Real Jobs on the CNC
The jobs differed a little from each other but here are some general observations:
- XFasten worked well and left only a small amount of residue. However it did move a couple of times which wrecked jobs. I had tape in the centre of the four sides for this test. More tape would have helped.
FAQ:
What is the difference between using screws and double sided tape to hold down material on the CNC?
Double Sided Tape isn’t going to damage your router bit. This means you can use smaller stock than with screws that need a buffer. The tapes sold today are quite good at not leaving any stickyness behind.
Depending on the size of your part, you do need to use quite a bit of tape.
Screws, in my opinion, tend to give a stronger grip than tape, are cheaper to use and also mean there is less guesswork (how much tape is enough?). Although screws can damage your router bit as well as leave holes in your sacrificial board meaning you will need to change it more often.
Conclusion
Although I own quite a bit of tape now, and in the future I will still use screws fastened to the wasteboard to hold down my work in most cases. In my opinion its stronger, cheaper and im in the habit of leaving some room around the outside of my stock piece.
As far as when i need to use tape, I would go for the xfasten again. Mostly becasue of the value, and the fact taht it is as sticky as any of the others.