Review: X-Fasten Woodworking Tape
Double-sided tape holds fast, removes easily
I use double-sided tape very frequently. Whether attaching a router template to a workpiece or adhering small parts to a panel so I can send them through the planer, I find this simple accessory as essential as any tool in my shop.
Unfortunately, there’s a fair amount of cloudiness around the various types of double-sided tape, and plenty of debate over which ones work best for woodworkers. Maybe that’s why XFasten created a variety specifically for the craft. They’ve certainly ended the debate in my mind, as XFasten Woodworking Tape is the best double-sided tape I’ve used. In fact, I keep rolls of the 1⁄2-in. and 1-in. sizes ready to go in separate holders.
A thin woven core makes XFasten tape strong yet not too thick (0.008 in.), and helps it hold powerfully without being difficult to peel off. Rather than prying and scraping with a sharp blade, your fingernail is all you’ll need to remove the backing or peel off the tape after use.
—Ben Strano is editor of FineWoodworking.com.
Photos: Ben Strano
Comments
I purchased a 3 pack of this tape from Amazon a few years ago and did not like it for woodworking. I found it to be way too sticky and difficult to remove. It would occasionally leave a gummy residue. When using the tape to secure templates, it would sometimes tear the veneer, either on my template or workpiece, when pulling the template off.
Maybe I got a bad batch or they've improved their formula since my purchase. The double-sided tape from Shaper Tools has worked much better for me.
Thanks for the tip, 4nthony!
That tape that Shaper sells is Intertape 591, which Amazon also offers for a few bucks less, and in a few widths that Shaper doesn't carry.
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