Topic: "Baking" old open-reel tapes

[Scooter123]

That’s possible. The glue that held the oxide coating breaks down and goes a couple steps from a solid to a liquid. Dry heat at a temperature below melting temporarily solidifies that glue. Mere dryness without heat might work.

Sticky shed as it is called is a bitch.

[328]

That’s possible. The glue that held the oxide coating breaks down and goes a couple steps from a solid to a liquid. Dry heat at a temperature below melting temporarily solidifies that glue. Mere dryness without heat might work.

Sticky shed as it is called is a bitch.

You'd think that somewhere the industry would have released a bit of tape formula science.
Like that article from the retired (3M ? / BASF?) dude that I cannot find...

Liberal media:
https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2012/05/30/153917107/a-sticky-situation-baking-the-tapes

[Space Cowboy]

This topic has been an amazing read. There really should be a documentary made about the preservation of analog tapes as it's a true work of art.

[DSatz]

The tape "pancake" that came apart on January 1: Over the past week I finally overcame my dread, and in three separate sessions, spent about seven hours unknotting it (with white cotton gloves on) and putting it onto a reel.

Then I baked it again (because it had been more than a month since the first time), and tonight I transferred it. It sounded quite good overall, though some of the levels on the tape were a bit too hot and there was a little distortion on some peaks. Fortunately it was a 15 ips recording, which tends to help conceal minor amounts of physical damage a lot better than 7-1/2 ips. And it was Dolby "A" encoded, which prevents print-through from being a problem most of the time.

Before and after photos are attached.

[morst]

Before and after photos are attached.

Now that's dedication!
Good going!
Could have done a 1000 piece jigsaw, but this is cooler.

[Massive Dynamic]

My wife found a reel of 3M Scotch 175 and a reel of 201 while moving her father out. Would these likely need to be baked? Or is there a recommended service that would do the transfer? We don't have a deck, and she doesn't know what is on the tapes but is curious.

[GLouie]

By rule of thumb, those 3M tapes are not back coated, and 60s era, so don't bake. 175 polyester and 201 acetate, but I don't know if either has a history of problems.

https://aes2.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/aorprod-cust.pdf

Never bake acetate anyway. This is not to say that they won't have other problems, such as vinegar, or loss of lubricant. Or they may be different tape inside those boxes. Or warpage or mold or poor tape pack or splices.

My tactic is if they are not back coated, to gently try playing and see how it goes after a few seconds.

The people who do this professionally charge real money. The casual inquirer may want to seek out an advanced hobbyist, who has experience, has gentle machines and can figure out track format and speed, then digitize decently, for less cost.

[Massive Dynamic]

By rule of thumb, those 3M tapes are not back coated, and 60s era, so don't bake. 175 polyester and 201 acetate, but I don't know if either has a history of problems.

https://aes2.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/aorprod-cust.pdf

Never bake acetate anyway. This is not to say that they won't have other problems, such as vinegar, or loss of lubricant. Or they may be different tape inside those boxes. Or warpage or mold or poor tape pack or splices.

My tactic is if they are not back coated, to gently try playing and see how it goes after a few seconds.

The people who do this professionally charge real money. The casual inquirer may want to seek out an advanced hobbyist, who has experience, has gentle machines and can figure out track format and speed, then digitize decently, for less cost.

Thanks for the quick reply. My wife thinks it could be her parents wedding ceremony, so '60s era tracks. We'll try to find someone with a R-R deck and give it a spin.