Re: [ARSCLIST] Adhesive tape survey

[Richard Warren <richard.warren@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

That's a great way to put it, David. How about people who use Scotch 
Magic Tape or the older, clearer type of ordinary Scotch Tape (and 
I've seen lots of that used as splicing tape).

Richard

At 09:45 AM 1/23/2007, you wrote:
> I don't use anything (haven't, in over 50 years of handling 
> thousands of reels) EXCEPT when I'm shipping a reel, because the 
> tape will become loose in transit. Less problematic if it's 1.5 mil 
> but thinner tapes tend to wrinkle or stretch when you try and 
> tighten them. I'll use splicing tape (only the more recently made 
> good stuff) to hold the end of the tape to the side of the reel.
>
> People who use masking tape should be shot.
>
> People who pull the last inches of tape down inside the reel don't 
> even deserve the dignity of a firing squad.
>
> dl
>
> Richard Warren wrote:
> > Hello Christie Peterson,
> > The best general rule I know of is NOT to use ANY sort of adhesive 
> > material on reel-to-reel tape, neither splicing tape (unless 
> > absolutely necessary for repair) nor hold-down tape. Eventually the 
> > adhesive will bleed through the tape or ooze out at the edges and 
> > cause trouble. And those plastic hold-down tabs, which are not 
> > adhesive, are at least as bad as adhesive, since they damage many 
> > layers of tape. I've never noticed any problem, in about 40 years 
> > of experience, from using nothing.
> > Sincerely, Richard Warren
> > At 09:05 AM 1/23/2007, you wrote:
> > > Hello, ARSC-listers:
> > >
> > > I'm looking into what kind of adhesive tape to use to affix the 
> > > end of 1/4" open-reel audio tape to the reel for long-term 
> > > storage.  As an archivist, I am perhaps obsessively afraid of 
> > > adhesive tape (it still makes me cringe a little inside every time 
> > > I have to use splicing tape), since I have seen first-hand what it 
> > > does after 20, 40, 60, etc. years.
> > > Still, I am at least equally afraid of damage to improperly stored 
> > > audio tapes, so I'm looking for advice.
> > >
> > > From those of you who have been in the "business" for multiple 
> > > decades, and/or who have worked extensively with older tapes, 
> > > what type of adhesive tape do you advise (and not advise) 
> > > using?  Is there anything out there that doesn't seep 
> > > excessively, or do other *terribly* ugly things as it ages?  What 
> > > do you use and why?
> > >
> > > As a corollary, the original tapes I'm working with have been 
> > > stored with their ends un-secured for 30-40 years, and most don't 
> > > seem to have suffered any ill effects from this.   Any 
> > > opinions/horror stories on the importance of taping the end down?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > >
> > > Christie Peterson
> > > Project Archivist, Muskie Archives & Special Collections
> > > Bates College
> > > 70 Campus Avenue
> > > Lewiston, ME 04240-6018
> > > (t) 207-753-6918
> > > (f) 207-755-5911