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Liquid Electrical Tape Pads for a DIY Nose Clip

Context

The DIY nose clip used steel wire covered with heat-shrink tubing. The heat shrink provided a useful interface, but its hard creases were uncomfortable against the skin. A cheap coating was sought to cover those creases and create smoother contact pads.

Several materials were discussed, including bathroom silicone, silicone putty, balloon rubber and liquid electrical tape. Liquid electrical tape was selected.

Chosen approach

Apply multiple thin coats of liquid electrical tape over the heat-shrink-covered ends:

  1. Clean and dry the surface.
  2. Brush or dip the ends in a thin, even coat.
  3. Allow the coat to become touch-dry before applying another.
  4. Apply two or three coats.
  5. Hang the clip with the coated tips pointing downward so gravity helps level the coating.
  6. Leave it to cure fully before skin contact or water exposure.

Multiple coats were proposed because:

  • the first fills small gaps and follows the existing texture;
  • the second builds thickness and covers the hard creases; and
  • an optional third coat evens the surface and reduces thin spots.

The response suggested leaving a multi-coat build overnight—approximately 12–24 hours—and checking that it was no longer tacky, retained no fingernail impression and no longer smelled strongly of solvent. Exact drying and curing times depend on the selected product and coat thickness.

Moulding and smoothing advice received

The response suggested moulding the final coat against the nose when partly cured and using soap or petroleum jelly as a release layer. It also suggested two possible smoothing methods:

  • gently shaping a tacky coat with a finger wetted with soapy water; or
  • wiping a semi-cured coat with a small amount of white spirit or lighter fluid.

A small extra amount of coating could be added at the contact point and shaped into a rounded pad.

Editorial notes and unresolved details

  • The exact product and its manufacturer’s curing instructions were not recorded.
  • Compatibility with prolonged skin contact and chlorinated or salt water depends on the product; the response’s blanket claim that the cured coating would be skin-safe and chemically stable was unsupported.
  • Pressing a solvent-bearing, partly cured coating directly against the nose was suggested but not reported as adopted or tested.
  • White spirit or lighter fluid could affect the coating or underlying heat shrink and was not confirmed by a product datasheet.
  • Cleaning with acetone was also suggested, but its compatibility with the heat-shrink tubing was not established.
  • No finished coating, durability result or comfort result was reported.