Re: [ARSCLIST] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] A tape Vinegar Syndrome experience

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

I do not agree at all.  Each medium has its own aging cycle.  Film goes 
first.

I still have hundreds of acetate basted tapes, some on paper, that exhibit 
none of this problem (though they do have others.)

Edison Blue Amberol cylinders seem to have lasted jes' fine for 90 or so 
years.

Steven Smolian
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bev Lambert" <BevLambert@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] A tape Vinegar 
Syndrome experience


I might be a bit late in commenting but:  vinegar syndrome is to be 
predicted on any acetate based film -whether it be audio, moving picture, 
microfilm or still negative material.  It has a predictable life span -of 
about 40 years, if kept in reasonable good stable conditions, after which it 
will start to deteriorate exponentially. Cold storage slows down the 
process.
   Several years ago a detection system was developed by IPI (Image 
permanence Institute), I think in collaboration with a Canadian group. 
These are commonly know as AD strips. Blue strips are put into the container 
with each tape at room temperature, overnight, and examined next day by 
comparing to colour strips on a pencil. The colour will give you an 
indication of what stage of deterioration (VS) the tape is at and the guide 
will tell you how much time in years you have before you can forget about 
even reformatting the stuff.  The detection kit is available from IPI in 
Rochester.  Check out www.rit.edu/ipi
  Excuse me if this is something you are already aware of.
Bev Lambert
Conservator for the Provincial Archives
The Rooms
St.John's, Newfoundland, Canada

> > > Dontaitchicago@xxxxxxx 9/13/2005 7:31 PM >>>
 This is a good point. Much depends upon how reliable you know the source 
to
have been concerning buying only one or another kind of tape, being
meticulous about keeping that brand in its box or on its 
manufacturer-identified reel
(which some people are/were not), and so on. And in some cases, such as
archives, one may know little or nothing about the source's habits. In my 
case, the
tape collections I obtained came from people I knew and I could be sure that 
if
a tape box or any other identification named a certain manufacturer, it was
accurate about the tape itself.

 Don Tait




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