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(From page 30)
Three
factors affect the breakdown of tape binders:
-
Humidity (above RH 40%);
-
Temperature (ideal storage 65 );
-
Frequency of use.
Studios
in humid climates (like Florida, New Orleans, etc.) can see tape
shedding problems as early as one year. But efforts to control
elimination of hydrolysis, even if you keep your tapes in a temperature
and humidity controlled environment, exposure to higher than 40%
relative humidity for just one day will trigger irreversible hydrolysis
which spreads, according to one tape manufacturer's engineer
"like a cancer through the entire tape pack". Attempts
to seal the reel in plastic only traps existing humidity within
the reel and can accelerate this tape binder breakdown.
Ampex senior product support engineer, Jay Zacharias, suggests
sealing reels in plastic with a package of silica gel to remove
existing moisture. Jay further suggests fast forwarding
and rewinding all stored reels once a year to "air them out".
He also notes that customers that use the same reels over and
over (like radio production users) seem to experience no hydrolysis
problems. The more you use your reels the better.
The three main symptoms of hydrolysis are: (in progressive
severity)
1. Higher than normal static discharge on winding. Static
discharges are actually high voltage, low current spot erasures.
(Scenario #1)
2. Audible squealing as tape "stutter-sticks" across
tape machine heads and guides. Oxide starts to shed. (Scenario
#2)
3. Finally, the tape machine downright refuses to play the tape.
Severe oxide shed occurs during futile attempts to play the tape.
Also digital tape users beware: Even though digital tape's
higher metal particle content make it less prone to hydrolysis,
it can and will still happen. And ADAT's S-VHS tapes
are formulated with standardized oxides and will likely experience
shedding problems too.
Next month: How to recover hydrolyzed tapes. See you then!
Tape
Shedding - Part Two
©
Mike Konopka 1988
Last month I discussed symptoms and causes of tape hydrolysis
or "shedding" which can range in severity from static
discharge spot erasures, to thick oxide gobs which prevents your
tape transport from even operating. This month we'll find
out how these hydrolyzed tapes can be recovered.(continued>)
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