[stevehertz]

I recently dug out my dinky little Sony Handycam DCR-PC350E. In case you're unsure which format I mean, the tapes are very small, you can conceal one in the palm of your hand. Anyway, I have a load of tapes that I want to erase now. Putting them into the machine and recording with the lens cap on is out of the question. How can I bulk erase these tapes? Obviously some kind of AC magnetic field, but what to use? I know there are commercial bulk tape erasers but they are quite expensive and I don't expect to get a fortune for the Handycam if/when I sell it.

I realise that the tapes can simply be recorded over etc etc, but as I'm thinking of letting the machine go and including the tapes I don't want my recordings (family gatherings, beach holidays, my collections, guitars etc) to be seen or even used.