I second John's recommendation of using different tape. I tried about 4 brands before I settled on this one:
Screen Tape 2" Wide Low Adhesive
It leaves no residue and is easy to work with. I've tried the 3" wide stuff they sell but had to send it back because the adhesive was really stinky... no joke, it smelled gross.
There have been many things I have tried to do in an attempt to save some money. After spending far too much time on "saving money" I realized my time is much more valuable than a few dollars here and there on good materials.