Re: [ARSCLIST] tape head demag

[phillip holmes <insuranceman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

That's the kind of info I was looking for (the stuff you learn the HARD 
way).
Thanks,
Phillip
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Phillips" <scottp@xxxxxxxxx>

One might add to never, never power up/down the demag close to tapes or
objects in the tape path, as you may induce a magnetic flux in the items
that 'sticks'. I confess I move tapes of any kind, particularly MRL's,
to the other side of the room before starting, and the demag device at
least at arms length away from the recorder to power it up or down.

Perhaps a bit obsessive, but the caution costs nothing but an extra
moment or two. I've serviced machines a few times with 'noisy' tracks,
only to find that an operator doing a demag had powered up or down too
close to a head. Getting rid of the induced magnetism required multiple
passes to cure, so strong was the effect. One other caution: don't
accidentally plug the demag into a AC outlet that has a light dimmer on
it...