Best high temp tape?

[Spork Schivago]

Hello,

Not sure if this is the best place on BadCaps.net to ask, I just wanted some suggestions on what people thought would be the best high temperature tape.

I'm currently looking into Kapton tape. From their website ( http://www.kaptontape.com/1_Mil_Kapton_Tapes.php ), I see it can handle temps as high as 260°C (500°F). Does anyone know of tape that can handle higher temperatures? Maybe 426°C (800°F) - 482°C (900°F) Thanks!

[budm]

Re: Best high temp tape?

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...=5473999&rt=c3

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...apes?N=8704967

[rhomanski]

Re: Best high temp tape?

Kapton can burn. It's been outlawed in aircraft because of it. A lot of planes were retired instead of being completely rewired.

[rievax_60]

Re: Best high temp tape?

I notice that the Kapton tape I see used in equipment, I mean where it is place there during manufacture, has strong adhesive. The Kapton tape that I bought has uselessly weak adhesive.
The 3M glass tape appears to be useful. Now, where to buy it?

Ouch! http://www.shop3m.com/3m-thermosetab...d-8-3-mil.html

[rhomanski]

Re: Best high temp tape?

I still have some kapton tape left over from before the ban. I've got some copper tape and other kinds from when I was still working.

I imagine the kapton wire was probably responsible for the retirement of the Lockheed p-3 and the adoption of the Boeing 737-800 for patrol duties. I didn't expect the p-3 to be replaced for many years. Too much raw power in those engines and a long loiter time on station. I wonder if the 737 is as good.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

Thanks guys. I basically want it to protect plastics and maybe caps when I'm using hot air, so I don't have to worry about stuff melting. I had some SMD micro-USB ports and melted the plastic on it when I was trying to remove it. The replacement ones had, what I now think was Kapton tape, that prevented the plastic from melting.

I'm not really looking for anything that's super adhesive. Just something to cover stuff up while I'm working with hot air, then remove it when I'm done. I'll probably go for that 3M high temp tape because it can withstand up to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C)

**EDIT -- The 3M I was looking at, 3M series 5433, seems to cost over 800$ a roll! I was expecting around 30$ - 50$.

[budm]

Re: Best high temp tape?

http://circuitsassembly.com/ca/magaz...work-1410.html

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

http://circuitsassembly.com/ca/magaz...work-1410.html

Thanks Budm. So, I think I'll purchase some polyimide tape and then use the ceramic fiber stuff. Around 18$ for 6mm thick, 61cm x 30cm ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/3713533...&ul_noapp=true ).

It's for furnaces I think but I don't see why it wouldn't work. What's nice, it looks like I can reuse it. Then I'll just purchase some of that polyimide tape to tape it to the board. My understanding, polyimide tape and Kapton tape are the same thing. I won't be using the tape to shield anything, just to hold the fabric in place. For some of the smaller stuff, like the SMD micro-USB ports, I might need some really thin ceramic fiber, so it just covers the top but not the pins that get soldered.

[mariushm]

Re: Best high temp tape?

What's wrong with plain Aluminum foil, if the purpose is to protect stuff against hot air the foil will act like a heatsink and spread the heat.

Remember, it takes time for components to heat up, the heat will also dissipate through the pcb traces and the pcb itself... You don't need tapes or materials that handle more than 150-200 C.

As for the USB port... you should have heated the pcb from the bottom to a reasonable temperature then just bring hot air from the top through a thin nozzle for a few seconds (not enough to melt the plastic) and job done. It's just a different technique.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

What's wrong with plain Aluminum foil, if the purpose is to protect stuff against hot air the foil will act like a heatsink and spread the heat.

Remember, it takes time for components to heat up, the heat will also dissipate through the pcb traces and the pcb itself... You don't need tapes or materials that handle more than 150-200 C.

For some stuff, I need to play with hot air temps around 800F (~ 425C). Do you think the Aluminum foil would be fine for that? Last time I tried using it, the problem was getting it flush to the board. The component I was trying to use hot air on was close to plastic. I put the foil down and when the hot air hit the board, it went under the foil. I think if I had some tape to hold it down, this wouldn't be a problem.

As for the USB port... you should have heated the pcb from the bottom to a reasonable temperature then just bring hot air from the top through a thin nozzle for a few seconds (not enough to melt the plastic) and job done. It's just a different technique.

I will remember this next time. I used a preheater to warm the board up but the only tip I had for the hot air is waaay to small. So I removed the tip and just used the hot air tool with no tip. I'm supposed to be getting a little bit larger tip for a belated Christmas present. Just gotta go down and get it. The guy buying it for me might have changed his mind though and might have bought me something different.

It was difficult because the pins were recessed and behind the metal shield or whatever it's called. I had to put the air at an angle and it went right onto the plastic. With that type of micro-USB jack, I found the only way to do it was with my micro-soldering iron. The temperature needed to melt the solder paste was just too high and would melt the plastic.

Thanks!

[diif]

Re: Best high temp tape?

Nozzles are cheap from Aliexpress (about 10$)
I use cheap Krapton tape from China and foil if i'm using my BGA station, i use hot air a lot but don't use shielding when i am.
I hand solder micro USB but it's very easy with a stereo microscope, but try heating from the bottom as mariushm suggested.

[keeney123]

Re: Best high temp tape?

I would think aluminum would be the cheapest way to go. I am not sure what you are trying to do, but Aluminum foil is one way. Aluminum also comes in thicker hand bendable grades that would tolerate more heat. The thing I think is to use a heat insulator on one side of the aluminum that is flexible so the heat will not transfer to the other side where the components are if you are getting the board real hot. Otherwise bendable Aluminum will work and you can bend it to any shape you might like and it will stay that way. With Aluminum Foil you could tape it into place with the copper tape.

[stj]

Re: Best high temp tape?

foil-tape

and hot air nozzles are a lot cheaper than $10, i paid less than that for a set of about 7
i would do a mini-usb with the smallest - 2.5mm

[dmill89]

Re: Best high temp tape?

If you can find it and the whole "cancer risk" thing doesn't bother you, aluminum-backed asbestos tape, should work extremely well, there is also the slightly "safer" and easier to find aluminum-backed fiberglass tape (may not be as bad as asbestos, but you don't really want to inhale fiberglass or handle without gloves either).

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

I would think aluminum would be the cheapest way to go. I am not sure what you are trying to do, but Aluminum foil is one way. Aluminum also comes in thicker hand bendable grades that would tolerate more heat. The thing I think is to use a heat insulator on one side of the aluminum that is flexible so the heat will not transfer to the other side where the components are if you are getting the board real hot. Otherwise bendable Aluminum will work and you can bend it to any shape you might like and it will stay that way. With Aluminum Foil you could tape it into place with the copper tape.

I like the taping idea. Generally, I can get it into the form that I want, just getting it to stay on the board and not be off a like an inch or so is the problem. If I could tape it down, that'd be great. I didn't think aluminum foil was a great idea, but from what everyone's said, maybe aluminum foil is the way to go. Just tape it down with Kapton tape or something that won't catch fire, to hold it to the board.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

foil-tape

and hot air nozzles are a lot cheaper than $10, i paid less than that for a set of about 7
i would do a mini-usb with the smallest - 2.5mm

My hot air nozzles go for around 50$+. Can I use non-Weller nozzles for my Weller WHA900? It'd be nice if I could grab some cheaper ones. For ICs, Weller makes some real nice ones where you just put them over the IC. They fit perfectly and just heat the pins mostly, instead of the whole chip. Then, because of the way hot air works or something, I guess it'll lift the chip off the board. Kind of cool.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

If you can find it and the whole "cancer risk" thing doesn't bother you, aluminum-backed asbestos tape, should work extremely well, there is also the slightly "safer" and easier to find aluminum-backed fiberglass tape (may not be as bad as asbestos, but you don't really want to inhale fiberglass or handle without gloves either).

Thanks. The cancer thing does scare me. Seems to run in the family and I have a baby on the way. I'd like to avoid stuff like asbestos.

I didn't know fiberglass was bad to inhale. We've never wore masks when we've put it up (my dad and me). We've used gloves because of how itchy it is. Thanks for letting me know.

I believe fiberglass was invented in my hometown by a guy who worked at Corning Glass Works.

[dmill89]

Re: Best high temp tape?

I didn't know fiberglass was bad to inhale. We've never wore masks when we've put it up (my dad and me). We've used gloves because of how itchy it is. Thanks for letting me know.

While it isn't quite as bad as something like asbestos, glass fibers (and the tiny glass particles on/in them) are very abrasive and definitely not good to inhale, and while it is being phased out, formaldehyde is often used as a binder in fiberglass insulation, and formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Best high temp tape?

While it isn't quite as bad as something like asbestos, glass fibers (and the tiny glass particles on/in them) are very abrasive and definitely not good to inhale, and while it is being phased out, formaldehyde is often used as a binder in fiberglass insulation, and formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.

Wow, that's horrible! There's better insulation out there now as well, albeit more expensive. There was a guy in California (I believe) who insulated his house so well that it took very little energy to cool / heat the place.

Now they have that spray on type insulation. I've heard that's supposed to be pretty good stuff.

[keeney123]

Re: Best high temp tape?

If aluminum had a rubber back to it that would work. Just don't use real rubber. You could use synthetic rubber as that is much more stretchy. They have some guy on TV that has a spray on rubber. You could take a piece a aluminum foil and spray a light coat on one side. That will also help to hold it together, act as a insulator and you could tape it down.