ALWAYS HAVE A ROLL of clear packing tape in the shop. It’s inexpensive, but get the premium grade; it only costs a buck or so more and you won’t be using that much of it. I’ve found clear packing tape to be one of the most useful “tools” in the shop, with almost unlimited functions. Here are just three:
It makes a quick drill stop − Use a 1/2" strip to mark the depth you need on a drill bit. If you fold it around the bit so a little flap sticks out on one side, it will also act as a fan and blow chips away from the hole. Conventional stops are a pain; you need so many of them and they take too much time.
Bundling parts for machining − If you have to drill, bandsaw or even sand several identical parts, tape them together and go at it. Pencil marks show right through, and with experience you will learn where to tape and in what order to do the machining so all parts have some tape holding them until the end of the procedure.
Identification − It’s waterproof and quite durable, so I use it to cover my name tags on the tools I occasionally loan out.
