sticky tapes

Scott Quinn wrote: I have had problems with the tensioning band or rubberband turning due to rot (from Los Angeles Air). I saw this in only a few years of age. There was a black type of band that 3M used that was composite and not subject to degradation, but would not tolerate much stretching. I'd recommend very careful moving of the capstan in the center of the cartridge and see if there appears to be any adherance between the band and the media first. if there is, then get a stock of expendable cartridges of similar vintage and try swapping the rubberband out between the other one and the one you are backing up. again go make sure there is no sticking thru a full loop of the thing. I doubt that any "baking" would be a good idea without explicit information as to the media, or the other parts of a cartridge. I know of parts of several I have seen that would not tolerate a baking, assuming this to be some sort of heat treatment. Of course any tape will heat up in use, in some closed enclosures for tape drives, but a lot of those units failed for the same reason. Jim