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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 17th Jan 2017, 3:07 am   #1
Grubhead
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Default Storage of tape belts

I was searching through my plastic box that I use for storing any kind of rubber belts and tyres in. It's one of those plastic compartments type with a lid that just clips on. I kept the different sized belts in each section. But what I discovered that one or two of the belts had turned into sludge string which made a mess of my hands and the box.
So what I decided to do is store the belts in those plastic seal type bags. You can get them in different sizes too. These should give better protection from the air. Plus if they do make a mess, you can see it straight away a chuck the bag away.
It's the first time I have noticed that these belts just turn into like a inky sludge, which is a pain to get off your hands and anything it comes into contact with. I found that a bit of washing up liquid is the best way of getting it off. But it is more messier than get printing ink refill off your hands.
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Old 17th Jan 2017, 3:55 am   #2
Restoration73
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Default Re: Storage of tape belts

The actual decomposition of the belts is related to age and materials, and may not be
influenced by the storage method. Rubber (not neoprene) is a natural material and the
inclusion of a small hole in the bag allows it to "breathe" and may preserve it.

White spirit is useful for removing belt residue.
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Old 17th Jan 2017, 12:55 pm   #3
sylar2a
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Default Re: Storage of tape belts

I found out that wipes (I used baby wipes) clean that Goo real easily.
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Old 17th Jan 2017, 1:57 pm   #4
Hartley118
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Default Re: Storage of tape belts

I guess that many of us have experienced the way that polymers (which ISTR being taught were inherently stable) can spontaneously depolymerise. Can anyone recommend a storage approach which minimises the risk? In my experience, it happens even in the dark, but I guess that temperature must have quite a bit to do with it, as it does with most reactions.

Martin
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Old 17th Jan 2017, 3:21 pm   #5
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Default Re: Storage of tape belts

The freezer?
 
Old 18th Jan 2017, 2:14 pm   #6
ricard
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Default Re: Storage of tape belts

It seems to me that not all types of rubber turn to goo, no matter how old it is. So it would seem that rubber which does turn to goo has been manufactured differently, be it the constituent materials or the manufacturing process itself. I would think the 'gooey' process has a significant advantage of some sort (most likely cheaper), or there would be no reason to adopt it.

Something seems to have happened to Philips belts in the early 1960s. I've never seen a belt on a 1960 EL3541 turn to goo, whereas belts and pinch rollers in machines made in the late 1960s and later generally do. On the Philips EL3547 originally from 1962 my (admittedly fairly limited) experience has been that the pinch roller and belts survive to this day, but that the rubber tyres on the intermediate wheel used for fast wind will deteriorate in the gooey manner. I've been thinking that they introduced a new manufacturing process to the less critical components first, and then after a while to all rubber components once there was enough experience with the process.
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