DEC Tape TU56 head pictures

[Wayne S]

If you haven’t seen this, there’s section 3.3 on replacing and testing out a tape head in the tu-56.

http://www.bitsavers.org/www.computer.museum.uq.edu.au/pdf/DEC-00-HRTC-D%20TU56%20DECtape%20Transport%20Maintenance%20Manual.pdf

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 9, 2022, at 14:11, Mike Katz via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:

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