Re: [ARSCLIST] If I knew you were coming I'd've baked a tape...

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

Yes, this is a good article,  but the Ampex patent on this (US 5,236,790
1993 08 17) specifies 50-54C or about 122-130F, much lower than the
temperatures mentioned in the email, below.

I would also caution that this writer's experience with cassette tapes and
baking is that most squealing cassette tapes appear to be suffering from
loss-of-lubricant (LoL) rather than the more common Sticky Shed Syndrome
(SSS) that afflicts reel tapes.

While LoL can affect reel tapes (I've seen it in Sony tape from the 1970s),
SSS is more common. I have not actually seen a proven case of SSS in
cassettes, while I have seen several instances of LoL. In fact, I just did
an Ampex air-check cassette from the early 80s for a client that was LoL. I
was pretty sure, being Ampex, it would be SSS, but I was disappointed.

We wish the correspondent(s), below, a safe return.

Cheers,

Richard
http://www.richardhess.com/tape/

At 10:59 PM 1/8/2005 -0500, Dick Spottswood wrote:
> I don't know much about this topic but I know it remains of interest here,
> so I'm forwarding it.
> Dick
>
> ----- Forwarded by Dick Spottswood/dick/AmericanU on 01/08/2005 11:04 PM
> -----
>
>
> ChiaroscuroJazz@xxxxxxx
> 01/08/2005 12:45 PM
>
>         To:     BruderJA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>         cc:     ChiaroHank@xxxxxxx, dick@xxxxxxxx
>         Subject:        FW: Analog: A Race Against Time
>
>
> Hi Jay,
> Hank forwarded your email to me. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any
> info specifically about cassette tapes, but because of the plastic casing
> and much smaller surface area than other tapes, I'd experiment first with
> a cassette that you don't care that much about.  Otherwise, this piece by
> Eddie Ciletti is about as in depth as any I know of on tape baking:
> http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html
>
> We've had great success with the baking process, and since this article
> came out 10 years after we were already doing it, I use a small Farberware
> convection oven (model T4850) that was recommended to me by Ampex at the
> time. It works great!  I also hear that the Snackmaster Pro (shown in this
> article) is wonderful too.  I bake most tapes (as many as six 1/4" reels
> at a time) at 175 degrees for 3-4 hours.  I always try to slow wind them
> first (always onto metal reels, not hubs), unless they are so gummy and
> badly dried out that my 2-track machine can't even play them. Doing this
> has always saved the tapes, but I've destroyed several heads and 2 entire
> machines over the past 15+ years. (I'm currently using an Otari 5050, and
> I'm sure I'll eventually ruin that too). If you need more info, there's no
> greater authority than Wendy Carlos (whom Ciletti refers to in this
> article).  She also happens to be a good friend of Hank's, so I'm sure he
> could pick her brain further if you need him to.
> In the meantime, I hope you're back home safely in the very near future.
>
> Thanks and regards,
> Jon Bates
>
>
> Subj:
> FW: Analog: A Race Against Time - Billboard August 28, 2004
> Date:
> 1/7/2005 1:08:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
> From:
> BruderJA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To:
> ChiaroHank@xxxxxxx
> CC:
> dick@xxxxxxxx
> Sent from the Internet (Details)
>
>
> Hank:
>     How do you bake your tapes? Last Spring when I was home I was having
> problems with my 70's and 80's cassettes (air checks mostly).  I suspect
> it is a similar humidity issue.  I would like to get them all transferred
> to digital before they deteriorate further.  This will be one of my
> projects when I return to the States.
>     If you know Dick, you have probably heard him say that nothing will
> outlast a shellac 78.  Looks like he may be correct.
> Best
> Jay Bruder
> Col. Jay Bruder
> Commanding Officer I MHG
> Headquarters Commandant
> Camp Falluja, Iraq
> DEN 318-3401-700
>
>
>
> Jon Bates
> DOWNTOWN SOUND / CHIAROSCURO RECORDS
> www.ChiaroscuroJazz.com
> www.Downtown-Sound.com