It looks like ordinary painter's tape from the hardware store, but its appearance can be deceiving. Most clean-release tapes like this are not inherently elastic. That's great for painting, but it's not very useful as a temporary tape when used in veneer joinery. The ideal tape is one is made with PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) and can be stretched and return to its original size. The elasticity is critical because it pulls and holds the veneer edges tight while the standard veneer tape sets up.

This clean-release tape has the ideal amount of stretch and a strong memory so that it pulls back with enough force to keep unruly joints tight. I can't stress enough that this is not the same tape found most hardware stores. Don't let the blue color mislead you.

What's nice about this tape is that the user can control the strength of the "return". In other words, if it's stretched lightly then it will gently hold the veneer seam tight. Increase the stretch and it will work more aggressively to pull the seam closer together.

Made in the USA.

Size: 11/16" x 180'
Thickness: .004" (+/- .001")

Instructions: Traditional Joinery Method

1. Cut a straight and clean joint line with a veneer saw and a straight edge board.
    
   
2. Apply the tape across the seam on the back side of the veneer using several pieces spaced 3 to 5 inches apart. Use finger pressure to set the first half of the tape in place on one side of the joint.
    
   
3. Use finger pressure to hold the starting section of tape in place (from the step above). Then gently stretch the tape across the seam line and press the second half of the tape in place so it can pull the joint tight. If a gap between the two veneers is visible, then lift the tape from one side of the joint and stretch the tape more forcefully before pressing it down onto the veneer. Note that a very large gap may indicate that a veneer edge is not straight and needs to be cut again with a veneer saw.
   
   Note from Joe: Consider experimenting with scrap material to get an idea of how much the tape can be stretched and how that relates to the amount of pull on the veneer seam. It is possible to stretch the tape so much that it causes one veneer to pop-over the other. Obviously that is a bit too aggressive, so remove the tape and try it again with less strecthing force.
   
   
4. The face side of the veneer can be taped with standard veneer tape once the blue tape is applied.
    
   
5. After the standard tape has set, remove the blue tape by pulling at a low angle and 45° away from the direction that the tape was attached as shown in the image below. As long as the glue has fully cured, you can use a hair-dryer (not a heat gun!) to warm the tape and make removal even easier.

Instructions: Modern Joinery Method

This tape can also be used on the face of the veneer as a simple solution for keeping seams tight. Traditional water-activated paper tape is not needed with this joinery method. Use the same technique as described above to set the tape, but apply it to the face of the veneer instead of the back side. Carefully remove the tape, as shown above, after the panel has been pressed.

This process works on most, but not all species. It's always a good idea to test on scrap materials first. Since this is a PSA tape, removal is more difficult if the panels are clamped with excessive pressure. For vacuum pressing, 21" Hg of vacuum is typically recommended.