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This is an entry in a contest at the following link:

www.ducktapesavestheday.com

Duck Tape Contest:

Duck tape can fit any shape; is easy to reinforce with other pieces stuck on top; and easy to cut. Well, back in the day of my “Strength of Materials” class, we were testing various materials tensile strength on a machine that records the tension it takes to pull something until it breaks. My assignment was to find something to test that is even shape, yet interesting to test. I need to get this material while busy with other work and classes. My choice was duck tape. It fit the requirements and I wanted to see just how strong it was.

So I put single or double pieces into the tension machine and for its thickness I remember the tape testing fairly strong. It broke in an even straight line. Probably due to the ridges that add strength and texture. It makes me wonder if custom duck tape could be made. That is different ridges for different strengths or ridges that lock to stop tension. The only problem is manufacturing the pattern of the strings that form the ridges.

We al know what duck tape can do, but it still amazes us when we use it. People find new uses and improvisations all the time. I learned the 4 types of machine components are spring, lever, inclined plane, and duck tape.