Head cleaner if you can get it, otherwise IPA for cleaning the head and cleaning the tape path.1) Is IPA okay to use for cleaning the tape path and rollers or is it too harsh for old rubber parts?
Don't use either on the rubber pinch roller. With this you are visually checking the condition. Is it still round? Is it contaminated such that it can't grip the tape? Maybe very, very lightly scuff the surface using very, very fine glass-paper (sandpaper) to improve the grip (back in the day the advice would be to renew it, but getting a new one may be problematic now),
This is in the cassette tape case. No, not cleaning, but checking it is still present, has not degraded and still holds the tape in contact with the head.2) What am I checking on the felt pad - is this dirt again and if so how do you clean those?
See photo (yes this is an audio tape, but computer tapes are similar)
If the oxide coating is going to fall off, it's going to happen anyway, especially during playback. If the tape is tight, the deck may struggle to play the tape at the correct speed. By winding and rewinding fully, this loosens the tape, which should ease the problem of a tight or sticky tape.3) I did have to rewind the tapes but I didn't do a full wind forward and backwards in case it caused more damage to the old tape. (the oxide coating may be brittle and fall off more on older tapes also the winding and sudden stops and the end of the tape may stretch the tape making things worse. Are these unnecessary worries?)
You can always stop the FF/RWD before the end of the tape if you are concerned about tape stretching. Normally this is only a problem on C120 tape. Most computer cassettes are C15 or shorter.
Mark
Statistics: Posted by 1024MAK — Sun Mar 31, 2024 8:34 pm