Videotape Chewed/Snapped

see the post in alt.video.vcr

"b" wrote in news:1139218658.053297.157320 @g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

See also repairfaq.org

The VCR section has what you need.

(Thanks Sam for repairfaq.org, I appreciate it!)

Puckdropper

--

Old computers are getting to be a lost art. Here at Uncreative Labs, we still enjoy using the old computers. Sometimes we want to see how far a particular system can go, other times we use a stock system to remind ourselves of what we once had.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

On 6 Feb 2006 01:23:59 -0800, "tkbirdie" wrote:

Yes you can use regular invisible tape to mend it, though it won't hold up for repeated plays. If possible check with your local pro hifi or sound shop. Any place likely to have splicing tape used in audio recording.( Some of the better hifi/video shops would carry it as leader splice, so customers could repair vhs tapes that had "despooled" or snapped their leader.) If you use the invisible tape I'd recommend you dub what's on that tape over to a new one for safe keeping. Also the splice should be applied to the back of the video tape, not the front. Use a single edge razor blade or an exacto knife to make a clean vertical cut on both ends of the broken tape, apply the invisible tape to the back of one side of the tape. Then holding it carefully mate the other end of the splice flush up to the edge of the taped section. Ensure the splice is straight, not skewed, then gently apply pressure to seat the video tape to the adhesive tape.(I use cotton gloves to avoid getting any skin oils on the video tape, you could simply use a powder free latex exam glove or a lintless cotton patch when pressing the splice together.) Test the splice by gently pulling on either side of the splice to ensure it'll hold. If the splice is good then rewind it back into the cassette. It's imperative not to stick it back into the machine untill it's been rewound enough to get the splice away from the threading process of the video deck.( The Threading arms can tear the splice aprt and you'll wind up with the tape stuck to the arms, heads or drum.) Use a tape rewinder or simply lift up the dust cover on the tape shell and push the spool dampner control button to allow you to get the reels "debraked" so you can manually turn the spools at their hubs. Once you've got the tape rewound enough you should be able to get at least one pass out of it to allow you to get a good dub.

I have some tapes that were used weekly for several years after being reattached to the leader with ordinary 1" wide Scotch tape. First cleaning the surfaces with alcohol may have helped. I never spliced in the middle, except to make a copy of the broken tape and then toss it, that is, make 2 shorter tapes from it.

If spliced not at one end and not done exactly right, you risk damaging the video heads.

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AND Scotch tape should never be used. Get some real splicing tape instead.

Mark Z.

even when splicing to the leader, scotch tape will, sooner or later, ooze adhesive onto the adjacent layers of tape and risk sticking the tape to the drum, tape path and pinch roller when in use. Cleaning that mess up will be difficult if not impossible if the adhesive gets into the head gaps on the drum. You are risking a lot by doing that.

-B.

As I recommended. However the OP may be in a local where it's not available. And as I warned using regular scotch tape would only work for a pass or two at regular play.

It'll be safe for a pass or two to allow the OP to dub the content over. Even then the worst that'll happen is a pull apart and having the tape stick to the drum or path components, all which can be remedied with swabs and denatured alchohol.( the adhesive in rgular scotch tape isn't THAT bad.)

Or pull the head chips right out of the drum.

Mark Z.