Re: arsclist Reels and boxes

["Gerald D Gibson" <ggib@xxxxxxx>]

Good morning:

I've been out of  pocket for several weeks and have just recently
found
the discussion about precision reels and plastic tape boxes. 

First, the following comments on plastic tape boxes refer ONLY to
those designed by 3M as their 'library box,' the same whose molds and
specs were taken over by Quantegy. Other plastic tape boxes are
outside these comments.

HEAT SEALING : Either I've missed something or the issue of heat
sealing tape reels/boxes has nothing to do with the 3M/Quantegy
plastic tape boxes. (Further --and to me this an entirely different
subject-- there is a definite reason and purpose for heat sealing
containers than has been raised or considered here. I am convinced
that such heat sealing has its place for long term preservation of
archival materials).

PRECISION REELS: For me, the information shared on using precision
reels for archival materials covers the reasons known to me. 
Regardless, it would be of use for all concerned with this issue to
review Pickett and Lemcoe's PRESERVATION AND STORAGE OF SOUND
RECORDINGS [P&L](Library of Congress, 1959; reprinted by the ARSC in
the 1980s and available there)(pp.53-62) and renew their understanding
of the study and recommendations that are the basis for many archives
using precision reels (and the Library of Congress activity in
developing the 'black plastic' tape box from 3M). 

In addition to P&L's reasons for using precision reels, we now have
tape sticktion, as has been mentioned (and, yes, Virginia, in addition
to there being a Santa Claus, the tape can become so sticky that the
layers will adhere together and the oxide on one layer will adhere to
another and be peeled off if you have to reel the tape off before
recovery efforts can be undertaken).

PLASTIC TAPE BOXES: (i.e., initially made by 3M, and now by Quantegy)
: Because of real and anticipated problems with the various
paper/cardboard boxes acquired and used over the years in the Library
of Congress collections (see below), the Library of Congress
approached our then supplier of open reel analog audio tape --3M-- to
help us to either locate or develop an archival quality, chemically
inert, acid free container that met the requirements of the Picket and
Lemcoe recommendations re tape storage.

The outcome of that work was the 3M design now used for the Quantegy
boxes. We settled on a stable, chemically inert plastic instead of the
various other options suggested in the P&L (p.61, #2)("... sealed
metal cans or sealed boxes of a materials such as poly....") since it
was more economical than any of the other options available to produce
the package we wanted, and since its long-term usability was
considered greater than any of the paperboard combinations.

The Library of Congress tested the 3M container, and, when 3M left
the tape business and Quantegy took over the design and molds, we
again evaluated that from Quantegy.  In both cases we found --with a
single exception-- that both meet all of our requirements. The
original 3M box was accepted without qualification. Our only
reservation with the Quantegy box was the color of the container and
the coloring agents that might be potentially used.  Quantegy agreed
to make the "un"modified box on special order (i.e., provide us with
the box made only with carbon black coloring). Our concerns with the
Quantegy blue/gray box was that a) other coloring agents that MIGHT be
used in the future (NB, the coloring agents used in the single
Quantegy batch we tested were acceptable) could POTENTIALLY contain
additives/chemicals et al. that would affect the life expectancy of
the magnetic tape and b) carbon black is, itself, a stabilizing agent
and will aid in extending the life of the already long-lived,
chemically inert carton.

Quantegy has confirmed that this modification (only carbon black
coloring of enough quantity to produce a black tape box) is available
as a special order to all that might wish it. If your local Quantegy
sales rep doesn't know about it, contact their head of sales, Steve
Smith, at <smith@xxxxxxxxxxxx>.

Some of the problems with which we had experience and/or with which
we anticipated problems with the 'standard' paperboard box of various
designs are:

a) all paperboard boxes that we tested (several dozens of different
boxes covering the full chronological period of open reel tape
manufacturing) were from high to very high in acid, thus definitely
shortening the life of the tape box, itself, and stood a high chance
of adversely affecting the tape inside the box;

b) the traditional cardboard boxes did not always have the necessary
design or strength to allow the precision reel to be suspended from an
inner hub, thus adding to the probability that the flanges were
actually supporting the weight of the reel of tape and were, hence,
more likely to be deformed;

c) there was no latching device or mechanism on any of the cardboard
boxes, so if they were dropped (which we are sure would NEVER happen
at any collections on this site) the boxes could come open and the
tape reel goes rolling; 

d) since debris is one of the big enemies of magnetic tape,
constructing a long-term container of a material which would, itself,
produce debris as it aged seemed to be counter productive; 

e) the design of most cardboard tape boxes appears to encourage
including  inserts of work notes, programs, etc., into the container
with the tape, a factor that introduces more paper, more acid, and
frequently over-stuffing and crowding of the already limited space in
the box, thus increasing the potential for debris and/or crowding
--and hence, warping-- of the tape and the reel; and

f) the 'traditional' box seemed to encourage writing directly on it,
with little regard to whether the surface of the box would hold the
ink used on a long-term basis. Our experience was that in many cases
the ink used to label the item did not bind well to the paper and/or,
if it bound acceptably, had a tendency to fade over time. The
3M/Quantegy box comes with space for a label and a good quality
peel-and-stick self adhesive label. This has aided in getting
standardized information on the labels.

AWKWARD HANDLING: I see that one of the reasons cited in two or more
instances reported on this site for NOT using the 3M/Quantegy box is
that they "are impossible to handle in batches." My first response is
that no archival materials --including magnetic tapes-- should be
handled in such quantities as would cause the possibility of dropping,
much less its likelihood. Further, all of the 3M/Quantegy plastic
boxes I have seen have both built-in handles on one of the corners AND
stacking dimples. In fact, one of my reservations with the box is that
when a shelf is REALLY full (to the point of describing it as being
'stuffed') it is difficult to retrieve a single item because of the
stacking dimples on the sides of the tape package. I am not sure how
many reels/boxes are carried at one time by some of you, but I really
can not see the problem. In fact, I would presume that the slick paper
covered boxes would have more likelihood of slipping when being
carried in stacks than would the dimpled plastic box.  Could we get a
little more information on this problem?

WEIGHT: Another issue raised was the weight of the 3M/Quantegy
plastic container: I weighed two of the most common types of
paperboard boxes (a clam-shell-type from Ampex and an envelope-type
-or c-box in a slipcase- box from Scotch), a current Quantegy plastic
box, and one of the Gaylord metal edge clam-shell type boxes. Without
reels or tape the weight of the first three came out to within 4.6
ounces of each other. 

     paperboard clam-shell box (Ampex) : 226 grams/8.07 ozs
     paperboard envelope type box (Scotch) : 242.3 grams/8.65 ozs
     plastic box (Quantegy) : 356.4 grams/12.71 ozs
     clam-shell metal edge box (Gaylord) : 371.2 grams/13.26 ozs

Unless you are carrying a LOT more boxes at one time than I suspect
should ever be considered for archival materials, and/or unless you
are a lot more weight-sensitive than I, I do not see the additional
weight as a problem.

LABELS: As for the adhesion of labels, one of the writers has a lot
more faith in off-the-shelf stationary store labels than I do. Various
adhesives have strengths and weaknesses for various surfaces. From
personal discussion during the development of the 3M box I am sure
that the adhesive used on the labels for the original 3M plastic box
was better for sticking to that *particular* plastic than most
--all?-- labels that could be acquired off the shelf at a stationary
store or elsewhere. It is my understanding from Quantegy that they
have maintained the same concern and care for matching adhesive and
material. If you have problems with either --the 3M or the Quantegy
boxes and their supplied self-adhesive labels-- please let me know. 
Further, I checked with the folks here at LC who live with these
containers and was told that there has been no problem known to or
experienced by them where the label supplied with the container had
come off, and our use of these particular boxes/labels goes back to
the very first that were introduced by 3M.  Unfortunately I can't say
the same for other self-adhesive labels applied to the various
paperboard boxes that have come in over the years.

Sorry for the long winded presentation. Hopefully it has been be
useful to hear from someone who was involved in the issues and
concerns related to the development of the 3M/Quantegy plastic box, as
well as living with them in various capacities for almost 30 years.

Gerald D. Gibson
Audio and Moving-image Preservation Specialist
Preservation Research and Testing Division
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20540-4560

(202) 707-1055 = Ph
(202) 707-6449 = Fx
<ggib@xxxxxxx>