Re: [ARSCLIST] [AMIA-L] Tape binder heals itself?

["Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks to Ian Gilmour, Scott D. Smith, and David Wexler for their replies
on this subject. I heartily recommend the AMIA list for this discourse.

I hadn't looked at this problem as sticky-shed. The tape played fine when I
played it while still in its fragile condition. There was no shedding.
There was just a fragility at the base-oxide interface under stress. As I
originally stated, what triggered my concern was the frequency with which I
saw clear base film at the heads of tapes where the tape had been threaded.

David, I'm on the other side of the Hollywood Hills and have slightly lower
humidity <smile>.

Scott, your observation about wind tightness was spot on. The tape that I
had transferred had been played on a Sony APR-5003V which is a constant
tension professional machine that produces far tighter winds than the
Wollensaks and other machines at the archive. Also, I had spliced on about
six feet of leader and the entire pack was smooth and tight when I looked
at it a couple of days ago.

So, should what should I tell the archive? I guess step one is lower their
humidity, but I cannot guarantee the results.

Cheers,

Richard