Abstract: Taping apparatus (27) has a body (3) with a mouth (3a) opening to one side radially of an axis (A). A head (1, 5, 16) having a mouth (3a) radial of the axis (A) is mounted for rotation about the axis (A) on the body (3) and has a gear disposed around the head in meshing engagement with two gears (17) mounted on the body. The gears (17) are both in mesh with a gear (9) rotated by a gear (11) driven by motor (12) thus to rotate the head. A tape reel (28) is carried by chuck (6) rotatably disposed on an axle (8) on the head for rotation about an axis (B) parallel with the axis (A). A counterbalance (4) is mounted on the head (1, 5, 16) opposite the chuck (6) on axle (8) comprising a weight (2) movable towards and away from the axis (A) and a roller (26) urged by a spring (24) against the outermost layer (28a) of the tape on reel (28) thereby detecting the diameter of tape carried by the reel (28) thus to move the weight (2) to a position to substantially counterbalance the reel as it rotates.