Re: [ARSCLIST] S-S-S and tape baking

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My experience is that the recommended baking cycle (12 hours bake at 125-130 degrees, 12 hours 
cool) -- as per 3M and Ampex various executives and published information -- is NOT a good idea for 
non-SSS tapes. It DOES deteriorate tapes, usually not one or two cycles but over more, definitely. 
SSS is not some "suspended animation" thing. A sticky tape should be baked, transferred at high 
resolution and no bets should be made that it can be baked and play as well again.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lou Judson" <loujudson@xxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 12:41 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] S-S-S and tape baking


Hmm, I find it a lot safer to bake all open reel tapes before playing
or winding them - except for acetate of course. Saves possible loss of
oxide and signal and messing up machines... and doesn't hurt the non
sticky ones.

By the way, the previous post that mentioned 60C - isn't that 140
degree Fahrentheit? I think 130 is a lot safer, 54.6 C or something
like that. 140 is too hot for audio tapes, I believe...

<L>

Lou Judson • Intuitive Audio
415-883-2689

On Jun 4, 2006, at 9:11 AM, David Lennick wrote:

> Since I know the problems are there, I run old tapes through my fingers outside the head
> assembly to find the potentially sticky sections.