Blue Monster PTFE thread-sealing tape can be used on a wide range of materials, including pipe and fitting threads made from galvanized steel, iron, brass, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, CPVC, ABS, and fiberglass.
The Blue Monster 70885 thread seal tape is 1/2″ wide and you get 1429″ of the stuff. The company says that this is “5 times more tape than conventional rolls of low-density thin tapes.”
Its thickness is specified to be 0.0035 inches, ±10%.
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You can get a 260″ roll of the thin cheap stuff – “economy-grade low-density tape” – for around $1. Blue Monster tape is ~$4 per roll. Thus, it costs more, but you get more value for the money – a roll of 1429″ is 4X the price gives you nearly 5.5X the tape.
Home Depot lists out the types of fluids that this tape is suitable for:
Blue Monster is suitable for use on lines carrying diluted acids, compressed air, alcohol, aliphatic acid, ammonia, aromatic solvents, chlorinated solvents, cutting oils, diesel fuel oils, ethylene glycol, fatty acids, gasohol, glycerin, heating oils, hydraulic oils, hydrogen, jet fuel, kerosene, ketones, LPG, mineral oils, natural gas, nitrogen, petroleum solvents, soap, steam, vegetable oils, potable water.
It’s good to have around. I misplaced my roll and will be ordering another.
Blue Monster tape is available in 1/4″, 1/2″, 3/4″, 1″, and 2″ widths.
Price: ~$4 (1/2″)
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My search on Amazon for a competitive link turned up the “mini Monster” roll of Mill-Rose Blue Monster tape, for $5.14. Amazon says 1K+ bought this in the past month.
I then had to do an alternate search with the exact model number, 70885, to find the proper listing. Amazon says only 50+ bought this in the past month.
1000+ people bought the 1/2″ x 260″ roll, which seems to be consistently priced at or above $5.
50+ people bought the 1/2″ x 1429″ roll, which seems to bounce between $4 and $9 as per the 90 day price history.
How many people do you think are buying the Mini Monster tape at over $5 for 260″ vs the regular Blue Monster tape at $4 for 1429″ deliberately vs because of social proof?
Blocky
As a renter, I always buy the $1 stuff at the closest neighborhood hardware and misplace it after every task. That’s how I have five rolls of it under the sink, where I should have looked in the first place.
JoelLikestools
I like the oatey megatape for many tasks. Although I prefer the xheap white stuff for plastic fitings, where the thicker tapes tend to be overkill and make it too tight.
PETE
This is my favorite teflon tape. Always buy a roll when i’m working on a plumbing project. Once you use this stuff it’s hard to go back to the cheap thin white stuff.
Chuck
I’m a pro and it’s my go-to tape for plumbing and pipe fitting. I go out of my way to find and use it.
Hon Cho
The only situations I have encountered where the normal “cheap” pfte tape is inadequate is where pfte tape of any kind is not the answer. There are likely applications I probably will never encounter that a “premium” or specialized pfte tape will work better. However, until a special requirement appears, it’s the regular stuff for me.
Richard
I’ve used this on air fittings and had more problems with it than normal Oatey tape. YMMV I guess.
Steve
I agree with Pete. This is my preferred tape. I’m not sure if it’s actually better but it’s thick and I’m afraid I’m one of those “if a little is good than more is better ” guys.
ebt
I have the pink stuff. Its thicker than the white. I don’t think I’ve ever exhaust a roll in all the threaded work I’ve done (faucets, bibs, toilets, black pipe,..). I prefer dope when I have drying time.
Bonnie
I’ve sworn off tape entirely. I use rectorseal #5 for everything these days and it’s so easy to get a good seal with the first time and I’ve yet to have it fail.
MM
Same. I rarely use tape. I use T+2 for most things. Sometimes Permatex No. 3 if gasoline is involved. In my opinion the pastes seal more effectively than tape.
As for tape, the thicker stuff is better than the cheap 95% of the time. It’s definitely more effective and nicer to work with than the thin stuff. But, I have encountered situations where tolerances stack the wrong way and the fit is too tight for the thicker tape to work. I’ve never had that problem with ‘pipe dope’.
IronWood
Agreed. Loctite 567 or Gasoila for air, fuel, or hydraulics, Rectorseal 5 for almost everything else.
Jerry
This is the good stuff. The cheap $1 a roll thin stuff is OK for aome things, but where I really don’t want leaks, I use this or Rector Seal.
W
Blue Monster Blue teflon tape is my second favorite. My favorite is Blue Monster Yellow teflon tape for its 4 mil thickness, vs 3.5 mil for the blue. It doesn’t sound like much, but I never accidentally rip the yellow tape and you can really get a good stretch on it. Plus you can do one or two less wraps.