Re: [ARSCLIST] Vinegar syndrome audio tapes

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

The tapes you mention are Scotch 111.  From some boxes I've seen (I've some 
Israeli 111 in house at the moment), they may have also manufactured tape 
outside the U.S. for European and, perhaps, African distribution.  Another 
possibility is that the bout it from another manufacturer an sold them in 
their own boxes.

I'm forwarding this to Del Eilers, the former tape product manager at 3M. 
He may know more.

Steve Smolian

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Casey, Michael T" <micasey@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 11:13 AM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Vinegar syndrome audio tapes


Hi,

We have just found a collection of Scotch 111 tapes with vinegar
syndrome. The tapes test between the 1 to 1.5 levels using the IPI A-D
strips (the color reference provided with the strips does not seem very
accurate and it is difficult to be precise). This is below the
autocatalytic point and below the critically endangered level, but the
tapes clearly have the problem nonetheless. The collection consists of
76 tapes recorded by ethnomusicologist Alan Merriam in 1951 in the Congo
and accessioned here in 1966. The tapes have been stored in Scotch 111
cardboard boxes, no plastic bags, in the ATM vault which maintains
temperatures around 68F with 45% RH. These levels have become more
consistent over the past few years--for the previous 30 years I can't
say, but I think storage conditions were close to this although less
consistent. Before the 1985 move into our present space conditions were
probably not very good. We have tested 8 reels and they all show roughly
the same level of VS. We have transferred around 35 reels so far--all
smell like vinegar, but all are playing back fine with a little edge
curling on a few of them. We are taking a few precautions--the playback
machine (Studer 810) is situated by itself away from other things in the
studio, we are wiping down the entire machine periodically, and we are
careful about putting our MRL tape up on the machine even though it is
polyester. ATM staff are meeting today to talk about how to store the
collection.

We have over 2,300 reels of 111 at the ATM and don't know how many of
those are a problem, but I'll probably put together a survey. We've
transferred many tapes on 111 over the past few years and haven't
noticed VS until now. We have considered it stable and it has not given
us many problems.

The Music Library at IU has collections of Sarkes Tarzian tape
exhibiting vinegar syndrome as well, with some tapes testing around 1
but others testing at about 1.5. We also have this tape brand and
suspect that it has VS.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone else who has encountered vinegar
syndrome problems with audio tape.

Mike

---------
Mike Casey
Associate Director for Recording Services
Archives of Traditional Music
Indiana University

(812) 855-8090
micasey@xxxxxxxxxxx

Co-chair, ARSC Technical Committee


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