Using Pancakes to store recorded tapes

[astrotoy]

Is anyone using pancakes on an NAB hub to actually store their recorded music?  Right now the price of a pancake is about the same as a metal reel. So if you just use the pancake, it will cost about half as much as a regular reel.  I've seen some videos where a pancake is being used to playback music, so I am surmising that they are not using a reel, but just using the pancake.  I've bought pancakes before, when I was able to buy a bunch of used metal reels on the cheap, or when I bought plastic reels, and transferred the pancake to the reel.  Obviously, people need to have a horizontal deck to play a pancake.   

I noticed that there was one tape seller (in Europe) that offered their tapes either on metal reels or on pancakes (at a savings).

Thanks, Larry

[High and Outside]

I generally don't, but that's just because I don't like to handle pancakes--it's an unnecessary risk that I might spring the tape and wind up with a mess.

Having said that, I do handle them all the time, as we do our duping on pancakes. We have a regimen that minimizes the risk, and I recommend this to you if you should choose to store some of your tapes this way. We simply put the pancake between flanges whenever it's on the machine. This works great with the VIF style reel clamps we use on the ATR's, and it works fine with Tascam clamps too. Just put a spare flange on first, dimples up. Then put the pancake on. Then put another spare flange on, dimples down. Now secure the clamp and you're ready to go. You essentially have put together a reel for it, you just haven't screwed the reel together. Think of it as a temporary reel.

[astrotoy]

Thanks, Paul.  Great idea.  I'll be doing some dubbing with pancakes and this will minimize the risk of a spill.  Not sure whether storing them that way is worth the risk.  Larry

[Jeffersondd]

Thanks, Paul.  Great idea.  I'll be doing some dubbing with pancakes and this will minimize the risk of a spill.  Not sure whether storing them that way is worth the risk.  Larry

On my ATR; I occasionally play pancakes on a 14” flange.  This is great for having one complete album on one reel.  Using a second flange is a great tip Paul and gives me a little more piece of mind.