Tape Project Forum

General Category => Prerecorded Tapes => Topic started by: Red Grant on June 30, 2009, 10:09:56 AM

Title: Baking the tape...........
Post by: Red Grant on June 30, 2009, 10:09:56 AM
I've learned that many pre-recorded reel to reel tapes from 60's and 70's have sticky tape syndrome.   One trick that fixes this temprorarily is baking the tape.

Does anyone know how to perform this?


Title: Re: Baking the tape...........
Post by: astrotoy on June 30, 2009, 02:49:50 PM
I've learned that many pre-recorded reel to reel tapes from 60's and 70's have sticky tape syndrome.   One trick that fixes this temprorarily is baking the tape.

Does anyone know how to perform this?




Go over to the Tape Machines section of the Forum and look under Tape Tech. There is a thread called "How 'bout Sticky Shed."  I have a couple of posts on how to bake a tape with a food dehydrator to temporarily solve the sticky shed problem.  Larry
Title: Re: Baking the tape...........
Post by: 30ips on July 01, 2009, 05:47:36 PM
Here is one of the definitive articles:

http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html



Title: Re: Baking the tape...........
Post by: Red Grant on July 02, 2009, 03:56:59 AM
Thanks a million!
Title: Re: Baking the tape...........
Post by: ironbut on July 02, 2009, 10:54:18 AM
Hey Red,

One thing that I've found regarding commercially produced, pre-recorded tapes, is that the incidence of SSS seems to be quite low. Of the 500 or so, tapes that I've bought, I have 2 that have exhibited this problem. These 2 tapes were both produced by Ampex . If you collect a lot of later production Londons or Phillips this could be more of a problem for you.

Squealing tapes have usually been the result of some contaminant on the tape rather than from it. Quite often it's been caused by the glue from splices where something like scotch tape has been used instead of real splicing tape. The glue seeps out and onto your machines guide or head and that's why the squealing persists until you clean it off or it collects enough oxide to become less sticky.

The folks who really have problems with SSS are studios/record vaults and archivists. The huge popularity of Ampex 456 by professionals in the 70's-90's resulted in the need to bake these tapes for reissues on newer formats.

So, before you take out the oven mitts, be sure that SSS is what you've got. (there's a section on SSS and other tape maladies in the Beginner's Guide)
Title: Re: Baking the tape...........
Post by: EMB on July 16, 2009, 09:45:06 PM
If the tape doesn't have back coating, you probably dont have SSS

The silicone dry lubricant impregnated into the oxide emulsion has probably dried out.

Pre-recorded reels generally used duplicator stock  Ampex 631 etc.  No Bake These