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"Baking" old open-reel tapes

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DSatz:
OK, my dehydrator has arrived and been tested, and tomorrow I'll try baking my first tape. (I may have to order a chef's hat from a costume store.)

But I have a question: The advice from various sources that I've seen seems to agree that tapes should be wound smoothly (e.g. "library wind") before baking them. I can certainly do that--but if possible I'd like to understand why it's important, and how important it actually is (or isn't).

--best regards

EmRR:

--- Quote from: DSatz on December 09, 2020, 10:44:57 PM ---But I have a question: The advice from various sources that I've seen seems to agree that tapes should be wound smoothly (e.g. "library wind") before baking them. I can certainly do that--but if possible I'd like to understand why it's important, and how important it actually is (or isn't).

--best regards

--- End quote ---

I think it's to avoid any chance of base deformation, as with long term storage. 

GLouie:
You would need a transport with no fixed guides if you need to library wind a sticky tape before baking - somewhat rare. Sometimes you may not have much choice, but I think there are some physical changes going on and a smooth wind is better for the bake. For sure, the tape pack shrinks after baking and can be very loose - don't put it on a machine that is not gentle.

DSatz:
GLouie, the Nagra IV-S has no fixed guides in the path when a tape is being rewound, and the QGB large-reel adapter (which also has only rollers) gives further control over the tape tension.

But since my Nagra gear is in storage, for my first experiment I used a Revox A 77 with the tape going directly from one 7" reel to another, not passing through any guides or over any heads (which is beginning to sound like "over the river and through the woods"). If you hold down the play button, about 2/3 of the reel will shuttle from the feed side to the take-up side at a stately pace. The last 1/3 I drew across by turning the take-up reel manually. The tape pack is decently even--not perfect, but better than you'd get from a fast wind.

The cookie is in the oven now, set for 8 hours. Do you think with a 1/4" tape on a plastic reel, there's any point in flipping it at the 4-hour mark?

EmRR:
I know I've seen warnings about plastic reels warping, I don't know offhand what the recommendations are. 

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