Trashing a sticky open reel tape and save the reel

When you have a reel tape that is sticky and useless.

How can you remove all that tape and keep the reel?. There are a few methods, but this is my favorite.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• open
• reel
• tape
• sticky

[vincedog3]

Alot of NAB reel flanges can be unscrewed, and the tape pushed off the hub into the trash. Then you just screw back on the flanges. Faster than winding on the RTR. I had some bad Ampex with the sticking problem and I just did that. Real easy.

[thereeler]

Yes, but if you unscrew the flanges it's probably than when you screw them together again, they'll be vertically unaligned. It happens too many times.

[stijnkraft]

This tape seemed quite allright. It's a scotch, right? Like your idea. I usually do this too, but without the CD which kind of makes it a bit wobbly. It's a great idea, I'll remember that.

I suppose you put some tape over the shut off sensor of your b77?

[thereeler]

I don't know if the tape was Scotch or Ampex. The reel appeared to be an Ampex.

About the sensor, I used adhesive tape over it and problem solved.

[Soundz2]

Um..why trash it? Bake it for 6 hours at 55 degrees celsius, let it cool overnight, then play it and transfer the contents - it'll be good as new for several weeks, long enough to transfer. Works on Ampex 406, 456, 407, 457 and other backcoated tapes.

[thereeler]

The answer is simple. There were nothing I wanted to save from it :)

[PJDooWop]

If you can safely unspool the tape without pulling off the backing, you can try the Nu-Finish trick (google it). The stuff is amazing.. It lasts much longer than baking and doesn't diminish the high end.

[monty78pig]

Very nice deck! Is it the 2 track or the 4 track version?

[margaretsville]

I knew CDs were good for something LOL.

[Individuell83]

rest in peace dear tape

[Watcher3223]

@DRNEGOLICIS

As far as I know, you used to be able to order it from some companies that deal with professional media.

For instance, US Recording Media stocks ATR tape pancakes up to 2500' in length.

Or you can buy NOS, such as stuff from EMTEC (BASF).

[DRNEGOLICIS]

@Watcher3223 ive herd of it but never seen it where do you get a pancake?

[Watcher3223]

@DRNEGOLICIS

"they used to sell used tape? dang thats crap i had one reel band new in the box that had two splices isnt that some shit"

Must have been used tape.

But, you can look on the bright side; the tape comes with a handy reel you can use as an empty or to wind it with high quality recording tape from a fresh pancake.

[DRNEGOLICIS]

@Watcher3223 they used to sell used tape? dang thats crap i had one reel band new in the box that had two splices isnt that some shit oh and i went back and red the box on the radio shack concertape it says budget tape lol it screams and squeals too as it passes over the guides and heads and some times wont let the machine rewind i glazed the fast forward clutch on my machine with this crappy tape i had to help the reels turn

[Watcher3223]

@DRNEGOLICIS

"i was refuring to is the budget tape Radio shack concertape it dusts baldy and stretches easy and fouls the heads and makes sticky tar"

Yep. Gotta watch out for and dodge tape like that. Cheap tape, particularly store brand tape, may be rejects, used studio tape, or video or computer tape repurposed for audio.