Tapes for mounting radio mics

[Bobbsy]

I think everybody involved with mounting small mics on sweaty actors has one or two favourite medical adhesive tapes. Mine, for several years, have been 3M "Blenderm" and, when I can't get that, "Micropore".

 

However, on a show last week I had an actress who had an allergic reaction to Micropore so I asked my medically-trained wife for advice. She came up with a couple of options I'd never heard of but which worked really well.

 

First amongst these was 3M "Nexcare Steristrip" sutures. These are very thin strips of adhesive actually designed to hold open wounds closed as an alternative to stitches. As such, they stick incredibly well to moist skin, are "low allergy", and (being only about 1/8th inch wide, are almost invisible. A bit of makeup on top and they practically ARE invisible.

 

The second find was "Boots Zinc Oxide Plaster" (known in Australia as "Silk Medical Tape" I'm told. This is a flesh coloured tape much thinner than elastoplast. It also stuck very well to even very sweaty skin and was useful for holding the cable, in the "V" between ear and head and where visible on the neck.

 

Both were readily available at the local pharmacy...and both will go in the mic kit for future shows.

 

I shoulda asked the Dr/Wife sooner!

 

Bob

[AndyJones]

staple gun :blink:

[Sim]

Our actors today where told to take home there straps for the radio packs today. so I said if they loose them I will gaffa tape them around there chest and that the glue starts to burn a little :blink:

[Yorkie]

staple gun :blink:

Wooden acting?

[mac.calder]

First amongst these was 3M "Nexcare Steristrip" sutures. These are very thin strips of adhesive actually designed to hold open wounds closed as an alternative to stitches. As such, they stick incredibly well to moist skin, are "low allergy", and (being only about 1/8th inch wide, are almost invisible. A bit of makeup on top and they practically ARE invisible.

 

The second find was "Boots Zinc Oxide Plaster" (known in Australia as "Silk Medical Tape" I'm told. This is a flesh coloured tape much thinner than elastoplast. It also stuck very well to even very sweaty skin and was useful for holding the cable, in the "V" between ear and head and where visible on the neck.

 

My mum was OH&S nurse for Smith and Nephew (a company that made all that sort of stuff) - which meant I managed to get my hands on quite a few factory seconds (because where there is a fault with one, they grab a whole arm full and dump it). Steristrip is a great product which to tell the truth I had never thought about for taping radio mics to actors - I should have though. Genius!

 

As for silk tape (which I do so love), I have found that it does not take makeup too well. And because the rolls of silk tape I have a white, they are certainly not a good choice for use on the face.

[Tarqs]

staple gun :blink:

Wooden acting?

 

Staple gus don't work always, how about a Hilti Gun ?

[greateastern]

I always hand the responsibility down to someone else and give him a role of elastoplast or two. Trouble is hes not very subtle and uses an inch a time :blink: The actors assue me its neccessary after he has given them his rather biased explanation so I told them that if they carried on at their current rate it would be gaffer all the way... After one actor tried gaffer the consumption of elastoplast when down noticeable.

 

Hadn't thought of steri strips, makes perfect sense now I think of it although, how easy are they to remove?

 

Andy

[Bobbsy]

Mac: the "silk tape" we found here was already flesh coloured anyway...but took make up okay (not as good as Blenderm, but with the flesh colour it didn't need much and, in any case, was used in less obvious spots).

 

Greateastern: not sure if you mean removal from actors or from cables? No complaints from actors...and (compared to other adhesives) a joy to take off the cable.

 

As for staple guns, I actually took one into the dressing rooms once when confronted with a particularly obstreperous older woman. She took one look and never complained about the tape again!

 

That said, I now firmly believe that a condition of becoming an actor should be having an MKE2 surgically implanted, running to a bulkhead connector on the small of the back!

 

Bob

[GridGirl]

Hot glue

[Sim]

I was a bit scared when I told the actors that gaffering them on will be like waxing. One of the girls yelled out "YAY!" The guys cringed. and a little girl that took it way too seriously (poor little thing) started bawling her eyes out when we were micing up. I felt so bad

[Rowan]

have you tried transpore from 3M.

[Bobbsy]

have you tried transpore from 3M.

 

Yup, quite good but in the 3M range I slightly prefer Blenderm to Transpore for the way it takes makeup. However, at least around here, both have become "special order" items at local chemists.

 

Bob

[Rowan]

I got a load from a tattoo wholesaler for about 8 pounds a box, can't remember the address, but I'll have a look if you're interested

[BlueShift]

Just to big up steri-strips:

 

I had a similar situation recently whereby I had been using flesh colored medical tape for all actors but was then presented with a young boy, who was very active onstage, and of nigerian descent. As such, he would need a lot of tape because he spent the whole time jumping around - and all the tape I had stuck out like a sore thumb (im sure that in this case the term 'flesh colored' was prejudice :( ). But steri-strips did end up saving the day and a little bit of makeup covered them. Shame the countryman e6 he was wearing was 'flesh colored'...