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Topic: Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players
Posted by: Tony Wood
Date/Time: 06/06/09 13:58:00

Anne

   The problem with old tapes is that they tend to shed their coating,it's basically rust glued to a plastic backing. Way back in time some manufacturers didn't get the formulation of the binder (glue) right,at that time they had no experience of tapes ageing as it was still in it's infancy. 

   What to do depends on where they've been stored,a cold damp attic,not packed in poly bags being the worst scenario.
All you can do realistically is to slowly bring them up to a warm room temperature,then put them on a machine at its slowest speed and do a wind from end to end then rewind to the start,and go for a transfer to CD assuming it's the right tape. Professionals have a low temperature oven were they slow bake tapes,but even that isn't always a success.

  On the bright side,if your tapes have been kept in a warm cosy sideboard then they'll probably be fine. Try to do the transfer with the absolute minimum of winds/rewinds and you'll be fine.

  Finally if you find a tape that you know you don't want, then used that to do several high speed winds/rewinds to loosen up the machine and also get it's arthritic brakes working smoothly again,it's much better to snap a duff tape than a good'n.


Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
Reel to reel tape players03/06/09 16:36:00 Anne Rowe
   Re:Reel to reel tape players03/06/09 23:28:00 Keith Welham
      Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players04/06/09 00:41:00 David Archer
   Re:Reel to reel tape players04/06/09 00:43:00 David Archer
      Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players04/06/09 02:16:00 Alan Brainsby
         Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players04/06/09 18:27:00 Tony Wood
         Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players05/06/09 11:41:00 Anne Rowe
   Re:Reel to reel tape players04/06/09 20:53:00 David Archer
      Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players05/06/09 19:46:00 Piero Vitelli
         Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players06/06/09 00:18:00 Anne Rowe
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players06/06/09 09:23:00 Piero Vitelli
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players06/06/09 13:58:00 Tony Wood
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Reel to reel tape players07/06/09 14:53:00 Anne Rowe

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