"Coocking" Audio Tapes - Help call

[r2d2]

Hello everybody ,

a friend called me because need to "restore" some old multitracks audio tapes (2 & 8 tracks)

time ago a guy told me about a particular oven for cooking old audio tapes
before put them on a analog recorder machine ,
for avoid troubles like tapes damage
and heads , rollers , too....

anybody have had experiences about ?

thanks in advance for helps/info posted

R.

 

[fazer]

I use the Presto Food dehydrator.  2 hrs for 1/4"  8 to 10 hrs for 2"

 

[bruno2000]

We use a dehydrator as well, but our "times" are MUCH longer.  Maybe we have a smaller unit, or the tapes we get are in worse shape.  Some 2" tapes that we processed have taken 3 days to dry out.  YMMV.
Best,
Bruno2000

 

[nashkato]

a nice PDF , in german though , with lots of pics describing the process of "tape baking" with dehydrator.
http://www.tonband.net/rest_tonband.pdf

 

[Winetree]

I have baked many tapes, but it's been awhile
Ampex has a Data sheet on this.
I'll have to look for it for exact times and tempature.
I use a convection oven. 2" is something like 185 degrees for 18 hrs.
Once baked the tape should be transfered right away.
I had one cheap client that insisted I record his project on the baked tape. It didn't work.

 

[fazer]

I live in Colorado which is a dry climate.  Maybe thats why I get by with less time.  Back in the 80's I know people were talking about tapes getting sticky (Ampex 456) after 6 to 7 years.  My tapes would work fine in Colo. but after about 10 years I noticed problems like others had.  I think its due to the dryness here.  I haven't baked a tape in sometime.  I plan to later this winter and do another round of transfers.  It might take longer as others have suggested.  I would not reuse old tape that was baked. It's asking for trouble.

 

[Brian Roth]

Much info is on the 'net regarding this:

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

Plenty of info in various pages here:

http://richardhess.com/notes/formats/magnetic-media/magnetic-tapes/analog-audio/degrading-tapes/


Bri