+1 The self-fusing tape is pretty darn cool but it is darn expensive like you said -and not as easy to find. It's also harder to work with. You can find it at any electrical wholesale house though -not just McMaster Carr.


Here is an old electrician's trick to non-sticky electrical tape: Wrap it BACKWARDS (sticky side up) on the bar first -or whatever you are wrapping it around. Then wrap it again forward over the top of that. Make a tape sandwich with the stuff and the sticky stuff in the middle. Don't stretch it too much and it will stay put -or at least the nicer 3M super 33+ rubbery stuff will stay put. The cheaper vinyl tape is more slippery and will tend to migrate and slide around, but the good stuff will tack down and grip with the backside just as well as the self-fusing tape. And if you ever want to take it back off all you need to do is cut it carefully with an exacto knife from the inside out and it will cleanly come off without leaving a sticky mess beneath. Smart electricians back-wrap split-bolts and other large wire joints first so they can re-use the fastener someday when they take it apart instead of having a sticky gooey mess.

Make sure you don't over-stretch it as it will want to stretch back and pull and make a mess. And cut it at the end with a scissors carefully nice and straight. Don't just yank and tear it. That makes a crappy wrinkly end that will pull back up.