Taped Seams - can the tape be re-stuck down?

[Reiki_chick]

The tape from the seams inside my waterproof RaceFace jacket has started coming off. It's mostly happened on the seams from the underarm zips, but is also occurring on the other seams. Does anyone know about re-sticking it? Is it possible? What glue would I use?
Thanks, in anticipation...

 

[PpPete]

The tape from the seams inside my waterproof RaceFace jacket has started coming off. It's mostly happened on the seams from the underarm zips, but is also occurring on the other seams. Does anyone know about re-sticking it? Is it possible? What glue would I use?
Thanks, in anticipation...

I think I'd ask someone like Point North they sell seam tape and various adhesives, will no doubt be happy to offer advice.

 

[Fiona N]

It's a bit tricky as there are two types of tape - cold adhesive and heat sealed. The latter is most common for Goretex and similar breatheable waterproof fabrics and basically it's heated as it's applied so that the adhesive layer bonds with the inside of the fabric.

You need to look at where the tape has come away - if it's clean and smooth and the same on the tape, the chances are it was this sort of tape and it just wasn't heated enough to bond properly. It maybe possible to reheat the tape to stick it down again (you need to find a piece of wood the same thickness as the tape, place this under the outside of the seam and gently and gradually apply a warm iron to the inside of the garment, along the tape - go gradually and carefully to avoid damaging the fabric either side of the tape). But it's worth testing a bit of tape first as you don't want to melt it onto the iron in the case where it's just straight adhesive tape.

Silicone seam sealant is the fall back position for both tape types - available from camping shops.

 

[Reiki_chick]

Many thanks for your advice PpPete and Fiona. I'll follow your leads...
It's amazing how you know this stuff!

 

[Gerry Attrick]

You can get McNett's Seamgrip in Milletts. It's good stuff.

 

[welshsandwich]

Thanks for the advice. Just restuck lots of tape on my waterproof jacket. Didn't need any wood. My tip is keep increasing the temp bit by bit until all parts are stuck.

 

[ColinJ]

A bit of a thread resurrection there, but it does serve to remind me of a question that came to my mind when I was out on a ride recently - what happened to Fiona N? She used to be a regular on CC and she came along on several of my forum rides but there has been no sign of her on the forum since 2012.

(I do actually have a phone number of hers from back then but I am not going to use it to check up on her. I think when numbers are exchanged for forum rides, it should be assumed that that is only for contact about those rides unless stated otherwise.)