Tape Hold Down Tape Question

[jeri]

I'd like to get opinions on acceptable hold down tape for keeping the free end of prerecorded tapes from unwrapping.

I started using round 3/4" diameter Avery labels and they seem to work fine, at least for now.  But I don't know if there is any long-term risk or if they will keep the tapes wound properly during prolonged storage.

Is there anything wrong with doing this?  Should I replace them all with genuine hold down tape??

[steveidosound]

Back in the day there were these little dense foam blocks marketed that pressed in between the reel flanges against the tape pack to hold the end rather than taping the end down with some sort of adhesive. I suppose one could recreate these somehow. They were about 1/2" long by a bit over 1/4" square so they would be under slight compression and stay snug inside the flanges.

[ironbut]

I used to use some of the round Avery labels for hold downs (and I still use them to label the slip covers of my 7" prerecords) but I found them to be tough to pull off and after a while, they can leave sticky adhesive that has to be cleaned off.
I now use regular 1/4" hold down tape I get from US Recording Media.

The issue with the foam or plastic "clip" type hold downs that fit into the reel is they can deform the reel sometimes (especially aluminum reels). Sometimes it isn't the actual hold down device that deforms the reel but it's placement or removal when it's a partially loaded reel and the outside layer is more than a 1/4 inch or so deep in the reel.

[steveidosound]

The issue with the foam or plastic "clip" type hold downs that fit into the reel is they can deform the reel sometimes (especially aluminum reels). Sometimes it isn't the actual hold down device that deforms the reel but it's placement or removal when it's a partially loaded reel and the outside layer is more than a 1/4 inch or so deep in the reel.

Always a bad idea to jam your fingers down in there! :-)