CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:44 pm Post subject: Tape baking/shedding

We were talking in another thread about tape baking and oxide shedding. See below. This is(was) a new old stock Ampex 20/20+ tape that I bought last weekend. Tape ran fine until about the last 1/3 of the reel, then the tape started shedding, and I decided to let it run. THe pix is about 1/2 the tape that flaked off. The binder towards the centre of the reel gave way. Almost guaranteed that tape baking will solve this. I'll find out on the weekend.

Here's a great article on tape baking for those that have shedding tapes:

http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html

Bucketfoot · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 698 Location: Centennial, CO

I've got some 25+ year old 8-track recordings (1/2" and 1/4") that I'd love to transfer to digital one of these days. I'd definitely want to go through the whole baking process before doing anything with them!

Boilermaker · Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 527

That is a fantastic article! I have over 50 master tapes dating from the late 60's to the mid 70's and really need to do some baking to preserve them.

Curt, what are you using to do your baking, and how well is it working? I don't want any of my tapes to look like your picture does. That really sucks, I hope it wasn't a valuable tape!

Bob

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:21 pm Post subject:

This is what I use. Various techs have said various baking times, but I throw a tape(s) in usually for 8-12 hours, and it comes out fine. Haven't tried that tape above yet, but I will.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ronco-5-Tray-Food-Dehydrator-w-Fruit-Roll-Up-Tray-American-Harvest-Jerky-Gun-/251207464889?_trksid=p2045573.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555001%26algo%3DPW.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D146%26meid%3D4686716344489521279%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D1079%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D370727164319%26

Boilermaker · Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 527

Thanks - I'll be getting one! Kinda scared to put my tapes in an oven!!!

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 6:54 pm Post subject:

Which is why I don't... use an actual oven. An oven's thermostat isn't accurate, but the low radiant heat of the Ronco (or other brand) is perfect.

Trust me, it works. That 2" 24 track machine I was working on.. 1973 master tapes were being played on it, and they all needed baking. The engineer's junk test tape caused attenuated high frequencies after a mere 5 minutes of play.