Butyl Tape Sources - Alternative to Bed-it

[team karst]

This one's working well for me on stanchions, etc.

Kohree Butyl Seal Tape RV Putty Rubber Sealant Tape White, 1/8-Inch x 3/4-Inch x 30-Foot,

from Amazon; SASE and I'll send a sample.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Wrong.


From Maine Sail's website:


SITE PLUG: After this article was published, we were forced to develop a marine specific butyl based hybrid elastomeric sealant that was specifically formulated and tested for marine use. The product is called Bed-It Tape and can be found in the; Marine How To Web Store. Hamilton Marine and Marine Outfitters in Canada are also distributors of Bed-It Tape. Sales of Bed-It Tape directly fund this site and keep it free. Please understand that despite our use of the word “butyl” Bed-It Tape is not a standard “butyl-tape”. Bed-It Tape is a hybrid product utilizing Compass Marine Inc. own proprietary formulation.


*************


Since Rod's stroke in September last year, his store isn't operating on his marinehowto website, where there used to be a longer description of how he developed his proprietary Bed It tape.


I bought two rolls from him years ago, halfway through the second roll. Great stuff.

I’m sorry to disagree with you Stu as I usually do not, however, this is simple marketing BS. While not all butyl is equivalent, most are and this one is no different.
I’ve used various butyl (and other self-amalgamating) tapes in antenna connections for my ham radio antennas for decades. As well as bedding antenna components e posed to weather for an equal period.

Boats present no different conditions.

Bottom line - I don’t like misleading advertising which this is. My objective view is you can buy good quality butyl at almost any hardware store.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

I’m sorry to disagree with you Stu as I usually do not, however, this is simple marketing BS. While not all butyl is equivalent, most are and this one is no different.
I’ve used various butyl (and other self-amalgamating) tapes in antenna connections for my ham radio antennas for decades. As well as bedding antenna components e posed to weather for an equal period.

Boats present no different conditions.

Bottom line - I don’t like misleading advertising which this is. My objective view is you can buy good quality butyl at almost any hardware store.

Cannot say if Bed-It is marketing BS or not and I have certainly purchased excellent quality butyl at the local RV store. However I have also purchase total crap butyl tape at the same store.

Also comparing Bed-It tape to the best alternatives I've found after a few years in the FL sun the Bed-It tape is clearly holding up better. The other hasn't failed but the surface is drying much more than the Bed-It. But as a data sample of one this is of course not too useful.

Bottom line, if you buy Bed-It tape you know for sure you're getting a quality product. Maybe buying from McMaster or other reliable sources would assure quality but unless you know the source you may get quality or junk.

[LWatson]

I get mine from a glass supply store, cheaper than the marine stores. Comes in various thicknesses and either black or grey. It can also be found (in Mexico at least) at AutoZone.

[DEC2017]

The best I have ever found was from my local BMW dealer parts department purchased for sealing the vapor barrier on an automobile door. Much “stickier” and even more expensive than any marine grade product I have used! In my experience there are significant differences between the various products on the market.

[ben2go]

Amazon has many version of butyl tape and not just the thin tape. They have the really wide stuff too and a few colors if that matters. In a pinch, plumbers putty can be used.


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=butyl+tap...f_=as_li_ss_tl


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=plumbers+...f_=as_li_ss_tl

[ClarkePrescott]

Mrs. Amazon has sent me my butyl tape.

[Pathfinder]

Defender: https://www.defender.com/product.jsp...279&id=1983369

[Rotten Ricky]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I went back to the store and managed to find an old timer who confirmed they all worked like that. They only sold the black and white because customers insisted for cosmetic reasons but he said they are all crap and only the gray, which cost more than double, was any good.

After several years I can confirm that the Bed-It Tape from Compass Marine is standing up much better than the RV stuff although the gray RV is acceptable.

Skipmac, I am surprised that I was not notified of your post or I would have responded earlier.

I think the problem here is that there is confusion about the different sealants involved. Other than the usual RV butyl tape, there is also a butyl sealant in a big tube that is often used around automotive windshields and other glass. This as much an adhesive and incredibly strong stuff, and expensive.

But I wonder if people have had poor success because they used what I think is often called "RV putty" or "RV mastic", or some similar name. That stuff is quite useless in adhesion, sealing and longevity.

Some of the grey RV butyl tape I have used around window frames and all kinds of non-rotating fittings on deck etc is still working well after about 30 years. Never crumbled or dried out. A roll cost about $12 I think. Maybe the colour is a clue?

I think there must be different products involved in this discussion.

Cheers, RR.

[edlepera]

I have used butyl tape single, double sticking non sticking. I found that butyl tape from lowes or Home Depot worked just as well as butyl tape from West Marine or an RV center

[Luvboats]

Hola,

The debate over which is good, better, best, useless or whether all butyl is the same or not certainly is a worthwhile discussion albeit one for which I do not possess the requisite knowledge or skill set.

For those that are looking for Bed-It brand that was sold by Mainesail and due to his recent medical issues is not currently available on his website, and in keeping my word up thread of updating you on my order from marine outfitters, I have received an email with both tracking info and shipping confirmation attached.

I will update further, when it arrives, to confirm that it truly is the Bed-It brand I was in search of.

Safe Journeys,
~Jeb

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Always struggle to understand why people are so particular about where they get it.
As you said. It’s how things are sealed on RV roofs and has been since the dawn of time. It’s available everywhere, from RV shops to Ace hardware.

Because at least one of the brands of butyl tape is horrible. Always sticky at room temperature and smears terribly.

There was a white butyl I got from a chandlery that we are still wiping off things 4 years later.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by SuW

Because at least one of the brands of butyl tape is horrible. Always sticky at room temperature and smears terribly.

There was a white butyl I got from a chandlery that we are still wiping off things 4 years later.

Crazy stuff. I have been buying the stuff for decades. Before it became popular with the rest of you guys.

I just use the gray butyl tape. It’s all exactly the same. You don’t see it anyway, so it doesn’t matter what color it is. Unless of course, you’re finding garbage that runs that I see in this thread, and the one that smears you are talking about. I can’t believe you guys came across such bad stuff. The most basic butyl tape on Amazon is much better than that. And same with anything you pick up an ace hardware. It’s all exactly the same. Same with the RV stores. Once in a while, you’ll get an old roll that’s kind of dried out and an RV store. That’s about the extent of the variation other than whatever garbage they are selling you as “marine” butyl tape in this thread.


Maybe if you just get the real stuff, you’ll have better luck. Butyl tape is NOT a marine product no matter how much you enjoy being fleeced. Lol

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Crazy stuff. I have been buying the stuff for decades. Before it became popular with the rest of you guys.
I just use the gray butyl tape. It’s all exactly the same. You don’t see it anyway, so it doesn’t matter what color it is. Unless of course, you’re finding garbage that runs that I see in this thread, and the one that smears you are talking about. I can’t believe you guys came across such bad stuff. The most basic butyl tape on Amazon is much better than that. And same with anything you pick up an ace hardware. It’s all exactly the same. Same with the RV stores. Once in a while, you’ll get an old roll that’s kind of dried out and an RV store. That’s about the extent of the variation other than whatever garbage they are selling you as “marine” butyl tape in this thread.
Maybe if you just get the real stuff, you’ll have better luck. Butyl tape is NOT a marine product no matter how much you enjoy being fleeced. Lol

Do you mind if I add that to my collection of classic online mansplaining articles?

Seriously, you've seen a number of people here report that they found Bed-It gave superior performance, so you must be right? You "can't believe"?

I might be old (I've been doing boat work for nearly 50 years) but I'm not the crazy one.

[BonesD]

Amazon