Printed Gaffer, Gel Repair and Electrical Tapes.

Pro Gaff Caution Cable — Printed Gaffer Tape

Identical to Pro Gaff — same cotton cloth, same adhesive, same clean removal. The difference is the print: “CAUTION CABLE” across a fluorescent backing.

Why fluorescent, and why on the cable

Caution Cable does two jobs at once. It holds the cable down like any gaffer tape, and it warns people a cable is there — printed “CAUTION CABLE” so no one has to guess.

The fluorescent colour is the point. On a dark stage, in a dim backstage passage, or during a blackout, a plain black taped run is invisible and someone trips over it. A fluorescent orange, yellow, green or pink run stays visible in low light, so crew and performers see the cable and step over it. It is a safety product first, a hold-down second.

Because it is just printed Pro Gaff, it still comes up cleanly and leaves no residue on the floor or the cable jacket. For routing longer runs across a walkway, pair it with cable path tape.

JLAR — Gel Repair Tape

Optically clear and non-yellowing — it holds performance and appearance under UV and heat, which ordinary clear tape does not.

Why a special tape

Lighting gels and scrollers sit right in front of hot, bright fixtures. A normal clear tape yellows, clouds or lifts under that UV and heat, and shows up in the beam. Pro Gel Repair is built for exactly this: optically clear, non-yellowing acrylic adhesive, heavy-duty polypropylene backing that resists edge tear and splitting. It splices torn gels and repairs scroller strings without leaving a mark in the light.

Pro Plus — Electrical Insulation Tape

Flame retardant, non-corrosive adhesive. Stays firm at 10°C and keeps performing to 105°C.

Why the UL listing matters

For electrical work the certification is the point. UL Listed 510 and CSA Approved mean the tape has been independently tested to insulate to its rated 600 volts — not just marketing. That is what an electrician, a venue inspector or an insurer looks for. It is flame retardant, cold-weather resistant (won’t crack or harden at 10°C), and its adhesive is non-corrosive so it will not attack the conductor. Used for wire splices, harness wrapping and general maintenance.

What is printed gaffer tape used for?

Caution Cable is Pro Gaff printed with a “CAUTION CABLE” message on a fluorescent backing. It holds a cable down like any gaffer tape and warns people the cable is there — the fluorescent colour stays visible in low light and blackouts, so crew and performers do not trip over it. Same cotton-cloth construction and clean removal as Pro Gaff.

Can I use normal clear OPP tape to repair a lighting gel?

No. OPP tape — oriented polypropylene, the everyday clear packaging tape used for carton sealing — is the wrong product here. It is built for sealing boxes at room temperature, not for sitting in front of a lamp. A lighting fixture puts out intense heat and UV right where the gel sits, and under that the OPP tape softens, its adhesive melts and oozes, the film shrinks and curls away from the gel, and it quickly yellows and clouds — so it shows up in the beam as a discoloured patch. Pro Gel Repair is a different construction for exactly this job: biaxially oriented polypropylene with a solvent acrylic adhesive rated to 82°C, optically clear and non-yellowing under UV, so the repair stays invisible in the light.

Is Pro Plus electrical tape certified?

Yes, by two independent North American safety bodies. UL Listed 510 means Underwriters Laboratories (UL) — the US safety certification organisation — has tested the tape against its Standard 510 for flexible insulating tape and listed it as compliant. CSA Approved means the Canadian Standards Association has independently certified it for the Canadian market. Both are recognised worldwide by electricians, inspectors and insurers, and neither mark can be used unless the product has actually passed testing. In practice it means the 600-volt insulation rating is verified, not a manufacturer's claim. It is also flame retardant with a non-corrosive adhesive, and stays flexible at 10°C while performing to 105°C.

What is the difference between these three tapes?

They are three different jobs. Printed gaffer (cotton cloth) warns and marks; Pro Gel Repair (clear polypropylene) repairs lighting gels; Pro Plus (vinyl) insulates electrical connections to a UL/CSA standard. Only the backing and adhesive suited to each job will do it safely.