How To Thread a Packing Tape Gun

If you mail a lot of packages or just find that you often need to do a lot of industrial-strength packaging, a tape gun will make the job a lot easier. Tape guns can be purchased inexpensively from paper supply companies or even from "big box" discount retailers. Figuring out how to load the tape into the gun can be a challenging endeavor for the uninitiated taper. A few simple directions will get you sealing those boxes with ease.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2-inch industrial tape dispenser
• 2-inch roll of clear packaging tape

1. 
    

   Insert the roll of clear packing tape onto the large plastic roller on the top-right of the tape dispenser with its handle grip to the right. The tape should be inserted so that it will come off the roll to the left.

2. 
    

   Pull down on the tape guide, and pull the tape between the guide and the rubber roller. If you have the tape in upside down, the tape will stick to the rubber roller, so make sure the sticky side is down.

3. 
    

   Pull up on the tape so the tape is over the cutting bar. Tear off the tape leader. Your tape dispenser is now ready to use.

Tips & Warnings

• When taping, use the clear plastic pressure strip on the top of the dispenser to press the tape to the package as you pull the tape off the roll. Continue pressing and pulling while you apply pressure on the tape to touch the cutting bar, and give the dispenser a quick twist to cut the tape. You can use other types of tape in your dispenser such as duct tape, masking tape and United States Postal Service "Priority Mail" tape.
• Be extremely careful of the sharp cutting bar.

Resources

• Source for tape guns and shipping supplies