When I discovered cable path tape a couple years ago, it made the process of gaffing down cables even more trouble-free. Cable path tape is basically gaffer tape that lacks adhesive on the middle of the tape (for those of you unfamiliar with it); this means the cables don't stick to the tape and the adhesive on the edges attaches to the floor just like regular gaff tape. I typically get cable path tape in bright yellow (or yellow with black slashes) color to easily distinguish (for me) that it's not regular gaff tape, and also increase visibility for audience/crew. Makes striking the cables so much nicer when there's no danger of getting the tape wrapped around the cables! (I do use the method you've demonstrated with tacking down the cable for straightness/direction with a little strip of gaff tape.) In corporate environment, clients have favorably commented on liking the visible yellow color as a safety practice, by the way; I do more event work on location than strictly formal stages, for what it's worth. Any reaction to cable path tape? (Enjoying your videos: pacing, subject matter, production value, and perspective are interesting!)

Q: what do you call a roadie holding a roll of gaff tape? A: a thief!!

@Mtaalas

3 жыл бұрын

Now that's funny :D

Thanks for doing this it reaffirm some things I was doing and gave me some new ideas. A lot of us work in isolation and we don’t get feed back from peers.

Wow, I just finished recording a 14 minute video about doing what you just did. It's nice to see the re-enforcement about what I was doing in my video. Thanks.

@DcSoundOp

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for checking out the video! It's great to see another pro-audio channel, I just subscribed so I can keep up with your videos! Best of luck with the channel!

That's what I do (somebody has learned it to me, of course !!!); thank you for that clear video, it shall be help the team I work with 😉!

@DcSoundOp

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the message Frank, I'm glad this video is helpful for you!

Well I guess I've been doing it mostly right that's good. Although I usually try as much as practical to avoid traffic areas and use walls and then I cut down on my tape usage. I really like the tip about the direction on the tape that I did not think of.

Exactly the video I needed. Thx.

@DcSoundOp

7 ай бұрын

Glad it helped

Thanks, bro. I'm using this for a short film I'm shooting. This also applies to making movies!

Great stuff man! Very informative

Thank you for making this. I really enjoyed the video. Watched on 1.5 speed.

You can buy these devices that are specifically made for gaffing down long runs safely and easily. They ahve a place to put a tape on and then you just run it along the tacked down cable run and lay the tape as you walk along. They exist because this IS the correct way to do this.

@DcSoundOp

3 жыл бұрын

Those are called the GaffGun, they cost nearly $300 and cannot use standard rolls of gaff tape. They are an overpriced novelty & recently stopped selling the adapters for regular tape rolls, so you now have to buy their tape. Thanks for watching.

@Mtaalas

3 жыл бұрын

@@DcSoundOp someone has then told me wrong, I saw one used before pandemic and asked what that was and is it expensive, guy told me they're not expensive at all... so I believed them. Not that I'd need one any time soon, I was just curious... well that's a bummer :(

@DcSoundOp

3 жыл бұрын

There are other ones out there, like the Mighty Line, but that's like $150+ too. I'd be very interested if you can track down the one you saw so we can take a look. I'm not against the idea, just the cost and proprietary tape requirements.

@Mtaalas

3 жыл бұрын

@@DcSoundOp Well 150 sounds much more "manageable" since if you get one, you get it since you're really laying out a lot of tape... and it'll pay itself back. But if these things use proprietary tapes etc on top of it, i think it's just nope... Maybe for a big company that has constantly need for one it makes sense... but i'll keep looking if I'll find something less stomach turning. I mean the concept and mechanics isn't rocket science :)

Gaff tape coming back from a gig totally wrapped around cable has to be one of the worst things about this job other than the guy on the gig mixing all the gear and sending them back in the wrong road cases.

Fantastic video!

@DcSoundOp

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

This is awesome thanks!

Great video, thanks very much!

Good info, thanks!

You're the man.

Most use the "perpendicular" application only (tape is perp to cables) to save money. Typically low-budget, underfunded, etc. projects (e.i. poor financial forecasting) rather than due to inexperience, with the rationale that "it's just temporary, it's unimportant" etc. Have witnessed this "unimportant" aspect of setups numerous times, ultimately wasting more time, costing more money (due to reapplication of tape!). Great pointers, suggestions, feedback. Will forward this to others ... maybe they'll listen to YOUR vid!

@antonquintus578

5 жыл бұрын

As one of the poor guys that can't afford gaff tape (or the time to do it) I usually manage to get by with a few extra cable lengths to keep cables at the edge of the stage and a few floor mats for when I absolutely cannot avoid crossing a traffic area. We also have a few stage "doilies" for improvised stage setups (usually weddings and such) to cover our cable runs across the front and help define the stage area.

@DJWRailroad

5 жыл бұрын

@@antonquintus578 - First, which of us "unpublished" or "unpromoted" photogs are NOT "poor guys" ;-) Good ideas, we've used the rubber floor mats as well. In high traffic areas such as large conventions (for lack of immediate, better examples), sometimes gaffers' just doesn't work as well as the rubber mats and... the mats are reusable, for we "poor guys" right?

Thank you!

thanks champ!

Great video. Thanks for posting it. What are your thoughts on using brighter colors, like bright green, yellow, or orange?

@DcSoundOp

6 жыл бұрын

Hey, Thanks for watching! A good workbox is usually stocked with all sorts of colors, Black and white in multiple widths, usually 2" gray and then 1" or smaller width bright colors for spiking things on stage or marking something like the edge of a step or platform.

instructions too complex, tape is gone

@DcSoundOp

7 жыл бұрын

Case in Point 😂

@eightup

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks

When laying down the long pieces of gaff tape, do you only go as far as 2 "tack" pieces? Thank you! great video

@DcSoundOp

4 жыл бұрын

You can go as far as you’re comfortable with depending on the situation. It’s usually down to how many cables, how difficult they are to work with & how good the gaff is. Cheap thin gaff makes everything so much harder than the real heavier stuff, especially for long runs. Thanks for the message!

nice clean thanks interesting

Simplify that dreadful thing that no one wants to do, buy a gaffgun™, only 200$

and if there are 20 or more mic cables how you tape them?

@RetroElectroville

5 жыл бұрын

Use a runner rug

@mindbombtv

5 жыл бұрын

erm..perhaps use a snake, or a cable ramp? Gaffer's tape is not a do-all, be-all.

over /under video?

@DcSoundOp

6 жыл бұрын

Maybe someday... people are fanatical online about cable wrapping though, I don't know if I want to open that can of worms here honestly.

@lootguitar

6 жыл бұрын

DcSoundOp touche sir!

What about carpet gaffing

Hey I am looking for a job

@DcSoundOp

4 жыл бұрын

How can I help you John?

Obviously the reason for this video, is for people lacking common sense.