DEC Tape TU56 head pictures

[Mike Katz]

Thank you.

On 2/9/2022 3:46 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
> On 2/9/22 12:44, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
>> On Wed, Feb 9, 2022 at 10:11 AM Mike Katz via cctalk
>> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>> I'm still not sure how to clean the front of the head where the tape
>>> touches the head.  Any ideas?
>> Back in the day there was "Tape Head Cleaner" Which was a little tin
>> of trichlorotrifluoroethane (a.k.a. Freon 113) where you screwed the
>> cap off and it had a rod with a fluffy ball on the end inside, and you
>> would slather that all over the heads of 9-track tape drives etc. It
>> evaporated almost instantly. Of course after evaporating it floated up
>> and destroyed the ozone layer, so probably not super obtainable these
>> days.
>>
>> A search for "Tape Head Cleaner" suggests there are similar modern
>> formulations used for HiFi equipment etc. that might be applicable.
> I find that perchloroethylene works to get stubborn tape-head deposits
> cleaned up.  Can be found in some formulations of brake cleaner as well
> as the usual dry-cleaning solvent.   Nonflammable, but somewhat toxic,
> so use in a well-ventilated area.  Not really plastic-safe, so use
> sparingly.   Also makes a great solder flux remover from PCBs.
>
> --Chuck