Workbench Essentials: Reinforced Aluminum Tape

It’s been a while since my last rummage through the tool drawer, so I figure I’m overdue.  This time around I’ve picked one of my very favorites: reinforced aluminum tape.  I know that doesn’t sound very interesting or glamorous, but give it a chance and you’ll be sold.  I promise.

Foil tape is really only useful when it comes to polycarbonate and “milk jug” bodies, but because just about every RC out there has some type of plastic shell on it no hobbyist should be without a roll… or five.  It’s great for insulating plastic body material from hot exaust pipes – just line the inside of the body where the pipe touches and you’re done.  Have a full-fendered vehicle like a sedan or short course truck?  Put a strip of tape around the insides of the fenders to keep your tires from wearing through.  Your $60 custom paint job will thank you for it.

This do-it-all tape is also excellent for reinforcing post and antenna holes.  Just ream your holes as usual, cut off a generous square of tape, and place it over the hole on the inside of the body.  Grab a nice sharp hobby knife and carefully cut out the part of the tape that’s covering the hole.  It will prevent the paint from being rubbed off by the body retainers and helps prevent cracking.  As an added bonus, foil tape also does a great job of silencing that annoying rattling sound that all plastic body shells make.

So, it’s just tape, right?  That must be all it can do.  Nope, it still has one more trick up its sleeve.  It is arguably the most perfect substance in the world for installing LED light kits.  Put down a layer of aluminum tape around the inside of the headlight, glue or servo-tape in your light bucket, and back it with more tape.  Just like that you have a neat and durable light kit install with absolutely zero light leaks.

If your local hobby shop doesn’t carry reinforced aluminum tape, just ask them to order some.  It’s a few bucks a roll and is available from a number of manufacturers, including HPI and Tamiya.