Exercising audiotapes

Annual exercising is good at any speed. If done at play speed, I
would dedicate a machine by removing the play, record and erase
heads completely. Maximum evenness is achieved if the tape is at
about 30 degrees from flat, i.e. *not vertical*. Prop up your
machine accordingly.

Akai make a set of fluids for rubber and metal components. Use
cotton buds.

Most stores sell flux demagnetising cassettes such as the excellent
TDK one.

30% RH is OK. Below 5 degrees C  is too cold as condensation when
delivering to a reader, and brittleness become problems.

If possible, the advice about storing wound to the end is *very* good
advice. Alternating ends after each "exercise" will help with
cassettes.

Maybe the National Sound Archive, London, would help you with any specific
problems, (+44 171 412 7440).  Have fun,

Mark Clarke
+44 181 678 0726

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:93
                  Distributed: Wednesday, May 24, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-93-008
                                  ***