A while back I had to replace a tape gun, and found it had been changed for some reason. Tape guns now feature a "safety device" that makes using a tape gun slow, awkward and dangerous. The safety device, naturally patented, keeps the cutting edge of the tape gun receded until you make a final, awkward twist, which brings out the cutter for a moment to do its duty. That motion is fraught with slippage and danger which can lead to an injury, with a tool for which I've had a 40 year history, and never an injury.
You see that flange out to the farthest left in the picture? That is dual purpose: 1. it press down the tape as you dispense, and 2. when you press it further as you end your taping run it extends the cutter to cut the tape. one used to tape with one hand and press the tape down with another, while deftly folding the tape at the corners for a professional seal. Perhaps the new (to me) design is good idea, but a disaster in execution. In practice it slows down the taping process, it misdirects tape, it makes a mess and can cause injury as one tries to adjust to the awkward requirements of the design.
So I have been looking far and wide for a replacement, one without this new feature. As I look I am suspicious as to why this new feature exists. It certainly cannot be market demand. All vendors note their tape gun "meets OSHA standards." O dear. Did someone game the system by designing a tape gun with a patented feature and then make it a OSHA requirement that it be used? Sounds very likely. I could find nothing on the OSHA site s to the history of this standard, but we've seen this kind of mischief before.
So I went to craigslist thinking perhaps some old-school warehouse shutting down would have some for sale. I found a fellow offering 4 for $20. Wow! they are usually $30 each. And his came with tape preloaded, usually about $4 a roll. Deal!
I was worried when I saw them because they had the flange, but the cutter is never retracted, so the flange serves no purpose and it can be removed. I was amused that these guns were branded a large company who no doubt bought a massive run of these only to learn they were not OSHA standard.
The toy industry destroyed the second hand toy trade in USA by regulations, but I think this tape gun business is to small to be outlawed. I am glad of that. In any event, these last forever, and you need only replace them when they get lost, or run over by a forklift. I've got four now, and they are mine!
But why do we need an OSHA? think of all that time talent and treasure that could be working in the free market! it was the republican Nixon that gave us the DEA, EPA, OSHA and so many other of these deleterious agencies. Republicans adore big government and waste, fraud and abuse.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
You see that flange out to the farthest left in the picture? That is dual purpose: 1. it press down the tape as you dispense, and 2. when you press it further as you end your taping run it extends the cutter to cut the tape. one used to tape with one hand and press the tape down with another, while deftly folding the tape at the corners for a professional seal. Perhaps the new (to me) design is good idea, but a disaster in execution. In practice it slows down the taping process, it misdirects tape, it makes a mess and can cause injury as one tries to adjust to the awkward requirements of the design.
So I have been looking far and wide for a replacement, one without this new feature. As I look I am suspicious as to why this new feature exists. It certainly cannot be market demand. All vendors note their tape gun "meets OSHA standards." O dear. Did someone game the system by designing a tape gun with a patented feature and then make it a OSHA requirement that it be used? Sounds very likely. I could find nothing on the OSHA site s to the history of this standard, but we've seen this kind of mischief before.
So I went to craigslist thinking perhaps some old-school warehouse shutting down would have some for sale. I found a fellow offering 4 for $20. Wow! they are usually $30 each. And his came with tape preloaded, usually about $4 a roll. Deal!
I was worried when I saw them because they had the flange, but the cutter is never retracted, so the flange serves no purpose and it can be removed. I was amused that these guns were branded a large company who no doubt bought a massive run of these only to learn they were not OSHA standard.
The toy industry destroyed the second hand toy trade in USA by regulations, but I think this tape gun business is to small to be outlawed. I am glad of that. In any event, these last forever, and you need only replace them when they get lost, or run over by a forklift. I've got four now, and they are mine!
But why do we need an OSHA? think of all that time talent and treasure that could be working in the free market! it was the republican Nixon that gave us the DEA, EPA, OSHA and so many other of these deleterious agencies. Republicans adore big government and waste, fraud and abuse.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
1 comments:
I remember working for a company that used this type of tape guns and let me say that by the time I left there, none of these tap guns had any safety device. That safety device was a guarantee that my mornings would be hell...Extremely frustrating to use.
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