Sticky Tape Engineers Use A Stimpmeter To Measure Tackiness

Sticky Tape Engineers Use A Stimpmeter To Measure Tackiness

I was watching a video this morning on the science behind duct tape (don’t ask) and was struck that the device used by engineers to test tackiness is basically a stimpmeter.

For those not in the know, a stimpmeter is a standardized way to measure the speed of golf greens. Edward Stimpson reportedly was inspired to invent it after watching Gene Sarazen putt a ball off the green at Oakmont.

A stimpmeter consists of a ramp, which when lifted to around 20 degrees, releases a ball down the slope. The distance the ball rolls out is the “stimp” of the green.

Stimpson created the device in 1935, but the USGA didn’t adopt it until 1976.

US Open greens have gotten as high as 14. An eight or a nine is typical of public courses. Clubs whose members prize faster greens might play to a ten or more.

I don’t know what the green speeds are at my home course — Washtenaw Golf Club — but everyone agrees that they are fast. Indeed, when away from Washtenaw, the thing I struggle with most is hitting putts hard enough. A putt that might blow past the hole at Washtenaw will fall short at lots of other places.

But back to adhesive engineering.

The adhesive tape stimp meter measures the tackiness of tape by how far a metal ball rolls across the material before stopping.

I note that the angle of descent is the same as with a stimp meter — around 20 degrees.

The video about duct tape is below and the part about the stimp meter comes in at 9:36.