17 Aug
1999
17 Aug
'99
10:32 a.m.
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 19:04:22 -0700 (PDT)
Reply-to: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
From: Dwight Elvey <elvey(a)hal.com>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers"
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re[2]: DC300 Tape Repair
ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
Hi
I remember trying to do this and it took several hours.
It was a 3M tape as I recall but it did have data the
needed to be saved. I don't recall how I did it but
I did get it repaired.
Dwight
The trick is to have torsion on the tape itself, it's easier to have
one spool wound and other spool bare of tape. AFTER band is in place
first. The idea is: Put the replacement band around one side with
full tape first and take the idler wheel around the band and PULL and
put it on the post. Spin it around to even the band up in direction
the full tape spool winds up, watch all the idler wheels are down
against the plate while spinning it by hand.
That band have LOT of elasticity! When I popped one off for fun,
amazing how much it snapped back. About 35% of it's original size.
Second job is to respool it, I have done this several times before.
The trick is led the tape around the posts and feed into the take up
spool and tug the tape end gently to put some torsion on the tape
while keeping the drive band still. That takes some work to get it.
Then carefully feed the end of the tape FLAT against the spool barrel
and rotote the drive wheel to get tape wround. You don't want
any space there between barrel and the tape. You can tell by gently
touching the tape there if it moves. Try again till it's not.
At that stage, wind it more till *ALL* optical HOLES are all past and
on the "take up" spool.
DONE and test, back up the data onto another good tape if required
and use it as scrap data.
DO IT with freshly washed hands or worn with surgical gloves, vinyl
better and less allergic than latex. Oils and any dirt have no
business there.
Wizard