RE: [AV Media Matters] Re-Evaluating Tape Mastering Stock

[Peter Brothers <lists@specsbros.com>]

Jim raised some questions about flanges, pancakes and containers.  While
more expensive, for archiving material for extended periods it is only
logical that the more protection given the tapes the better.  Both metal
flanges and plastic shippers do add a noticeable amount of protection.

Metal flanges can be bent if dropped or impacted but the amount of damage
done to the tape is substantially less than if the dropped tape is only
pancake on a hub.  Flanges also protect the tape from penetration damage.

Since we specialize in disaster recovery, the effects we see to tape are
often extreme.  In almost all cases, reel to reel audio tapes we get that
are on reels with flanges have suffered less damage than tapes
from the same
disaster that were stored as pancakes.  Similarly, tapes stored in plastic
shippers have suffered less damage than tapes stored in boxes.
An important
disaster related issue is water:  Almost any wet cellulose product that
remains in contact with the tape after a flood retains water and increases
the probability of both hydrolysis of the tape and fungal growth on the
tape.

I know most decisions are not based on the assumption that a disaster will
occur to the material but that's why they are called DISASTERS.

Peter Brothers
President
SPECS BROS., LLC
peter@specsbros.com
web-site: http://www.specsbros.com
TAPE RESTORATION AND DISASTER RECOVERY
SINCE 1983

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