28
These shipping tape things (media.piefed.social)

Are they terrible or am I using it wrong?

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[-] Kolanaki@pawb.social 10 points 1 month ago

Probably using them wrong. These things are great if you have a lot of boxes to tape and need it done fast.

[-] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 2 points 1 month ago

That or really bad tape was what I was thinking.

[-] AlphaOmega@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Where I work, we use the cheapest tape known to man. It's pretty much 50/50 if they work or you spend 30 seconds fixing it. Helps if you adjust the tensioner...

[-] Cevilia@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 1 month ago

You must either have a bad one or you're using it wrong. The one we have is amazing.

[-] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

They're less bad if you use quality tape.

[-] SloppyJoe@toast.ooo 3 points 1 month ago

100% and figuring out how tight that tension bolt needs to be for the tape you are using.

[-] Smeagol666@crazypeople.online 4 points 1 month ago

Years ago I worked 2nd shift in a bindery at a medium-sized print shop. One day when I came in at 3 pm, the 1st shift straw boss announced that we had to get a certain job folded and boxed and ready to ship by 5 pm. The asshole who ran the folder on 1st claimed it was "all set up and ready to go". It was not. So to add to the frustration of the situation, this one c*nt, whom her co-workers called "Pricess Smith" because she was fucking the married supervisor who's name was Smith (no, not really), used to hide one of only two tape guns in her toolbox. So after wasting an extra 10 minutes looking for the one remaining tape gun (after 15 minutes finishing the set-up of the folder), we barely got the job folded, boxed and palletized in time for the truck driver to load and deliver it.

Later, once we had time to breathe, I was still feeling salty. I broke into her assigned plastic toolbox by removing the hinge. I took out "her" tape gun (not hers. just to be clear) and taped it up in a huge wad of tape, then put it back and put the hinge back on, and put the toolbox back where she kept it.

The next day, we heard that she cried about it and even went to the company VP about it. After placating her, according to one of the other supervisors, they all laughed their asses off.

[-] Cooljimy84@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Cheap ones are s##t, worn out ones are also s##t. Adjusting the tension on the tape roller is a fine art as batch to batch the glue can change.

God I need to get out more !

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

You can say "shit" on the Internet.

[-] 13igTyme@lemmy.world -1 points 1 month ago

Let them self censor. It's their comment.

I'd personally prefer to see special characters than word replacement like "unalive"

[-] Zorque@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Unalive is a s##tty replacement for the word shit.

[-] 13igTyme@lemmy.world -1 points 1 month ago

Unalive is the replacement for dead.

[-] Lumidaub@feddit.org 1 points 1 month ago

Hey, you're trying to censor with asterisks but Lemmy interprets those as formatting instructions. If you want the asterisks to show up, you need to put a backslash in front of them like so:

Cheap ones are s\**t, worn out ones are also s\**t.

[-] whaleross@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

And we're all adult enough to handle reading the words.

It's such a strange idea to use bad words but okay it by censoring letters out. Either use the word or don't.

[-] Lembot_0004@discuss.online 1 points 1 month ago

They are super cool. They can be used with only one hand for any sealing-related jobs. But you need to practice with them for 5-10 minutes before it "clicks"

[-] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 1 points 1 month ago

You're likely using it wrong. They're great, when you have a good one.

[-] pixelmeow@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

A good one of these makes moving much easier and less painful and aggravating than the cheap ones or the plastic things. Just don't use it too long, take breaks if you're making a lot of boxes at once. You can stress your hand and wrist using it.

There's also a technique to it, which you can find examples of online. Try a few ways and see which works for you. Also practice helps. ๐Ÿ˜

My search: https://www.ecosia.org/search?q=how+to+use+packing+tape+dispenser&tt=iosapp&_sp=42E1644D-3938-4D1B-A693-C152F5E91823

[-] Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Bought one when moved to a different country and had to pack a lots of big boxes.

Its great time saver, only downside is how god awful loud they can be.

[-] polle@feddit.org 1 points 1 month ago

I felt dumb at some point to put hearing protection on for using these things. But they are actually realling fucking loud.

[-] shoe@feddit.uk 1 points 1 month ago

Managed to perfectly perforate my chin with one of these as a foolish 16 year old in my first job. Entirely user error (I'll let you guess how) and left my chin looking like you could tear it off like a postage stamp for weeks after.

Safe to say I wasn't allowed to use it again after that, so my only experience with these is that they're terrible - though that's probably not a fair judgement given the circumstances ๐Ÿ˜‚.

[-] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

They work great until someone drops it and bends the frame. As soon as there's misalignment it's becomes frustrating garbage.

Working warehousing, I bought my own and tethered it to my push cart because every one in the building kept getting destroyed by other employees.

[-] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 month ago

Depends on the item.
Some are great some are annoying.

But generally: Skill issue

[-] mrductape@eviltoast.org 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I use them everyday. I work in logistics. Trick number one is to have special tape that isn't as loud when unrolling it.

Tip number two is just use your finger to put the first bit on, hold it with the finger and do the rest. At the end, push the top part against the box to make the knife cut the tape.

Wipe over the tape with your finger if needed, some tapes and kinds of carton don't have much holding power. If you move your fingers over the tape, you'll heat up the glue and it will stick better.

[-] EvilFonzy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

The ones where the plastic shield pressing against the box makes the little teeth plunge into the tape are friggin' orgasmic.

[-] Jarix@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago

I prefer static blades imo there are better for a wider variety of situations.

But I've that could be the dynamic nature of things I use tape on. The pressure ones are absolutely wonderful for their intended task though. Although not Jean creamingly if you are me

[-] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Although not Jean creamingly if you are me

Edit: I finally understand. "Jean-creamingly." Ejaculating in denim, not a first name. 10-4.

[-] 0li0li@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

A triangle shaped thumb nail and the tape roll alone is all you need to be lightning fast. Seen pros do it for a living, so I had to try. Beats these things by a mile!

I don't think it's possible to use sheathing tape without one.

[-] blattrules@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago

The only way Iโ€™ve been able to get these things to work is to put my thumb on the tape roll so it stops rolling out and I can cut it with the blade part. I have historically had the same issue as you though.

[-] perishthethought@piefed.social 0 points 1 month ago

Oh, thank you! Based on these replies I assumed I am the dumbest person on the planet.

[-] scutiger@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

You shouldn't need to do that, but a lot of people do.

Instead, when you apply the tape, roll it away a little bit to get the end to stick, and then pull on it to unroll. When you're done, press the flat end down and twist the tape gun into the tape to cut it cleanly.

Once you've the the technique down, it's very efficient.

this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2025
28 points (88.9% liked)

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