Antibarrier tape / stickyback

[jmc4sail]

Several years ago Brian did a lot of work on our rigging and used what I will call an anticorrosion sticky-back product to stop/inhibit electrolysis from occurring between 2 different metals such as a stainsteal mast fitting and an aluminum mast. I was also given a 4" wide strip which I am now out of and cannot seem to find anywhere. Can anyone tell me what that tape/sticky-back is called and/or where to find it? Thanks in advance, John

[Brion Toss]

Hi there,
We like UHMW tape, but any durable non-permeable plastic will do. Electrician's tape is famously prone to going brittle, so avoid that.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[jmc4sail]

HI Brion,
I'll do a search on UHMW tape, thanks very much!!
But if I can't conveniently find it, can I order some from Brion Toss Rigging, and have it shipped? We're in Mexico right now and would have to have it shipped to an Arizona address where my wife could pick it up.

Tuff Gel - The only places I've seen tuff gel talked about is here on spar talk and with you, Brion Toss Yacht Riggers. Hard to believe, but Tuff Gel seems to be another mistery among at least some riggers and other's I've talked with. My Google search seems to be equally nebulous. Questions are: Tuff Gel, is it still around; if so, can you supply it?

Cheers,
John, Music (Nordic 44)

[Jim Fulton]

UHMW polyethelyne tape is available from McMaster-Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/#). The anti-seize product you're looking for is Teff Gel (not tuff gel); It's available from Jamestown Distributors (http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/main.do) and other suppliers.

Jim Fulton

[jmc4sail]

I've been using teff gel for only about 13 years and the problem with it is that when you are on the ocean sailing 24/7 screws have a tendency to back out of things that work like masts. A friend of mine attended a lecture about a year ago that Brion did where he mentioned that "Tuff Gel" is stronger and than teff gel and has similar holding characteristics as blue locktite, but better anti-seize characteristics. Maybe my friend was mistaken, but he was very adamant about it being Tuff Gel. While many years ago, recall a comment from Brion about using Tuff gel when you really want something stronger than Teff Gel.

UHMW tape - Thanks for the info!

[Jim Fulton]

There is a short thread in the archive that may have the information you're looking for: Tuff-Gel vs Tef-Gel.

Jim Fulton

[John D]

Bad news, USS had discontinued Tuff-Gel. See http://www.tef-gel.com/contain.php?param=tuffgel_infor#.