UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Test Gear and Workshop Equipment

Notices

Vintage Test Gear and Workshop Equipment For discussions about vintage test gear and workshop equipment such as coil winders.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 12th Oct 2007, 1:17 pm   #21
Electric-Hair
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Hobart Australia
Posts: 241
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

ATR magnetics tape is a new one, but they are yet to produce the 1/4 inch version. That makes 4 now i.e Quantegy, RMG, Zonal and ATR. I might get a pancake, the thing is how does one transfer tape on a pancake to a quarter inch spool?
Electric-Hair is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 3:26 pm   #22
Nickthedentist
Dekatron
 
Nickthedentist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post
I believe the original name for SCOTCH was SCOTCH BOY
See post 11 from Steve, LH picture
Nickthedentist is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 4:25 pm   #23
brenellic2000
Octode
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Pancakes are most easily transfered on Shrove Tuesdays....!

They are usually supplied as 10-1/2" spooled hubs which simply require the flanges from an empty spool to be unscrewed and then fitted to the spooled hub.

If you have solid spools you need a transfer platter underneath the hub which is then placed on the feed spool turntable, lace up and then 'play' at 3-3/4ips to feed the take up spool safely.

If you have a 7" deck, then lay the deck horizontally, put the new pancake on a level surface, peg the hub centre so it rotates freely but doesn't wander and again 'play' slowly onto the take up spool. DON'T fast forward to spool up else you'll have an almighty mess!

Take care
Barry
brenellic2000 is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 4:38 pm   #24
Steve_P
Dekatron
 
Steve_P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 6,644
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Scotch Boy - Here's the inside of the box. Not exactly a Scottish guy though.

Durex Tape - If you're up to selling one of those reels, let me know. The hole in the middle seems bigger. I wonder if this is because....

Cheers,

Steve P.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCF0007.JPG
Views:	194
Size:	61.8 KB
ID:	12760   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCF0008.JPG
Views:	151
Size:	83.1 KB
ID:	12761  
__________________
If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?
Steve_P is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 4:41 pm   #25
kalee20
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
Posts: 7,059
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

The Thermionic Products 'Soundmirror' tape, yes I have a reel too. (Barry Brenellic thanks for info on it being made by Butterfly).

Don't use this stuff except to transfer old recordings - not only does it snap easily, it is VERY abrasive on the head.

The link with Brush development Co., USA (not 'British Development ..") is that Thermionic Products was a small company which made the Soundmirror tape recorder under licence from Brush. The registered office was in London, but most of the work was done at Hythe, Southampton.

Shamrock tape - I have a couple of reels of this, too. Double play gauge. Box was mostly green with a narrow strip picture of a yacht.
kalee20 is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 4:48 pm   #26
Welsh Anorak
Dekatron
 
Welsh Anorak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: North Wales, UK.
Posts: 6,884
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Hi
Currys (who?) had an own brand called Westminster (I think they also badged Fidelity machines) which actually wasn't all that bad - it was a blackish tape, so I'd guess Scotch?
As an aside, to show how perceptions change, for their own-brand products in the sixties they chose Westminster as it sounded British and therefore good - then it became Triumph in the late seventies (ditto), then Matsui and Saisho (clever these Japanese), Logik (vaguely Germanic) - and now poor old Grundig gets to be a badge!
Glyn
Welsh Anorak is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 4:52 pm   #27
brenellic2000
Octode
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Hi Kalee

Samuel Jones (Butterfly) made the Recordon paper discs but I'm not convinced they made the 1/4" paper tape. In 1949, (I think) the Canadians were seeking a UK manufacturer of paper or plastic tape but I know more.

The Soundmirror was indeed first made/assembled in London. TP moved to Hythe in 1951 and ceased making the Soundmirror circa 1953. Its all in my 'Truvox/Thermionics' history - see Brenell website.

Barry

Last edited by brenellic2000; 12th Oct 2007 at 5:03 pm.
brenellic2000 is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 9:16 pm   #28
reel-to-reel-man
Heptode
 
reel-to-reel-man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Paignton, Devon, UK.
Posts: 802
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

I have actually got some Type-A BASF tape, its slightly wider than normal and it appears to have oxide on both sides of the tape, it has slipped of the venire here but its measuring at 6.64mm
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC06765.JPG
Views:	174
Size:	59.4 KB
ID:	12764  
__________________
Vintage recorder collector
www.vintagerecorders.co.uk
reel-to-reel-man is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 9:26 pm   #29
stephanie
Retired Dormant Member
 
stephanie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Bern, North Carolina, USA
Posts: 346
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Oh dear god. Shamrock and Irish brands.

According to a friend (engineer at a local radio station here), back when he was a kid, those were the cheapest of the CHEAP tapes you could get. Apparently they were reject Scotch and Ampex stock.

When he was a kid (back in the 1950s or so), he once stayed sick at home and spent the day with a microphone against a radio speaker airchecking radio stations.

A few years ago he found the tapes and wanted to dub them onto cassettes, so he threaded one up to see what was one it. He let it run and it sounded fine, so he rewound the tape to cue everything up.

What he was left with was a pile of iron oxide and a length of shiney clear ribbon on the spool. Whatever he heard played that was the last time it was ever heard.
stephanie is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 9:27 pm   #30
reel-to-reel-man
Heptode
 
reel-to-reel-man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Paignton, Devon, UK.
Posts: 802
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Pancakes were used by the pros and Favored in Germany, they came in a variety of sizes up to 3000 feet, the idea was to cut down costs and space used up when storing them, most machines from the UK didn’t use this idea but Germany was very fond of it, my C-37 Studer uses this method and because of the way it’s designed it does not make a mess when spooling unless you use thin tape.

A pic of the C-37 using BASF tape with no reel cheeks.


http://www.vintagerecorders.co.uk/Im...tuder-C-37.gif
__________________
Vintage recorder collector
www.vintagerecorders.co.uk
reel-to-reel-man is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 9:50 pm   #31
arjoll
Dekatron
 
arjoll's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Posts: 3,440
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Electric-Hair View Post
That makes 4 now i.e Quantegy, RMG, Zonal and ATR.
Quantegy stopped production earlier this year. I understand that ATR were only going to be manufacturing "hot" tape (like 499 or GP9) so if you're wanting to get tape to run on vintage recorders it might pay to get a stock of 406/7 (631 or similar if your recorder has pressure pads!).
arjoll is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 10:06 pm   #32
reelguy
Heptode
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 746
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Electric-Hair View Post
ATR magnetics tape is a new one, but they are yet to produce the 1/4 inch version. That makes 4 now i.e Quantegy, RMG, Zonal and ATR. I might get a pancake, the thing is how does one transfer tape on a pancake to a quarter inch spool?
I was given some platters full of tape and transfered them to ordinary reels by placing them on a record player turntable and feeding the tape
hrough the recorder .The tape wasnt any good though so I shouldnt have bothered..
Peter W.......Reelguy
reelguy is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2007, 10:07 pm   #33
Tim
Dekatron
 
Tim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 3,301
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Not forgetting Grundig's own brand. I have some with a Goon show recorded on it, and it is still in perfect condition. It has a sort of red or pink backing, and a pale brown oxide coating.
I have some other obscure brands too. I'll try and take some pics.
__________________
"Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly."

Last edited by Tim; 12th Oct 2007 at 10:33 pm.
Tim is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 7:26 am   #34
arjoll
Dekatron
 
arjoll's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Posts: 3,440
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

OK, as promised I took some photos today!

The tapes I have are a mixture - some I've picked up myself during the years from radio stations and when recording, plus there are some of dads from when he used to record local operatic and choral performances in Oamaru, Christchurch and Invercargill, plus some of my late father-in-law's tapes which were sourced from all over the world and contain lots of off-air mono recordings from the 60s and early 70s.

These first four are brands I'd never seen before we picked up my father-in-law's old ones - Gee, Lafyette, Sonocolor and Synchrotape.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	gee.jpg
Views:	178
Size:	38.1 KB
ID:	12782   Click image for larger version

Name:	lafyette.jpg
Views:	159
Size:	41.4 KB
ID:	12783   Click image for larger version

Name:	sonocolor.jpg
Views:	179
Size:	31.7 KB
ID:	12784   Click image for larger version

Name:	synchrotape.jpg
Views:	168
Size:	30.4 KB
ID:	12785  
arjoll is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 7:31 am   #35
arjoll
Dekatron
 
arjoll's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Posts: 3,440
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

These are the rest of my father-in-law's tapes:
(a) an old EMItape with a plastic case - unfortunately the tape is long gone, but the case is similar in shape to the red leader tape packs (but larger, around a 5 inch spool)
(b) Scotch, I suspect not as old as Steve P's Scotch Boy, but the tape lineup still includes acetate, and the concept of triple play is just scarey!
(c) some of his pre-recorded tapes; I don't share his taste!
(d) the oldest Maxell I've seen, this is acetate tape

There's also a closeup of the Maxell - if you're not sure if you have acetate, this is what you look for when holding it up to the light.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	emitape-old.jpg
Views:	188
Size:	43.8 KB
ID:	12786   Click image for larger version

Name:	scotch.jpg
Views:	196
Size:	79.8 KB
ID:	12787   Click image for larger version

Name:	prerecorded.jpg
Views:	162
Size:	53.8 KB
ID:	12788   Click image for larger version

Name:	maxell-a50-7.jpg
Views:	199
Size:	47.5 KB
ID:	12789   Click image for larger version

Name:	acetate.jpg
Views:	174
Size:	32.3 KB
ID:	12790  

arjoll is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 7:36 am   #36
arjoll
Dekatron
 
arjoll's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Posts: 3,440
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

These are some of my dad's old tapes:
(a) everyone has to have one of these, BASF LGS35!
(b) Overture, which had an oddball centre cine hub
(c) Teletape - he has a lot of these, apparently he got some sent over from the UK, the story he had was that it was ex-BBC bulk erased tape but I'd take that with a grain of salt!
(d) Zonatape - the first two reels he bought when buying his second-hand Ferrograph in the early 60's, this brand went on to become Zonal
(e) Some of the last tape be bought before switching to cassette, good old Maxell UD 35-90B.

He also has some late 70's Scotch and BASF (in the plastic box), but that hasn't made it out here yet, plus one of the next box (silver) of Maxell which was the last tape he bought before switching to cassette (urgh!).
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	basf-lgs35.jpg
Views:	376
Size:	46.4 KB
ID:	12791   Click image for larger version

Name:	overture.jpg
Views:	183
Size:	34.2 KB
ID:	12792   Click image for larger version

Name:	teletape.jpg
Views:	170
Size:	32.5 KB
ID:	12793   Click image for larger version

Name:	zonatape.jpg
Views:	194
Size:	27.9 KB
ID:	12794   Click image for larger version

Name:	maxell-ud-3590b.jpg
Views:	169
Size:	42.1 KB
ID:	12795  

arjoll is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 7:45 am   #37
arjoll
Dekatron
 
arjoll's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Posts: 3,440
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

On to ones I've either bought new or picked up from radio/studio contacts.

The first is mid 80's Ampex 406 from a radio station. If you see tape in this box, it will be suffering from sticky shed - if its important you'll need to bake it!

The next two are 5" spools of 406 and 456, both from the mid 90's and both still in good condition.

Then there's the good stuff - for domestic decks anyway - Maxell XLI 35-90B.

Finally, just to prove you can't trust tape boxes from radio stations - Ampex tape in a Pyral box with a Japanese spool! This tape came from Radio Rhema who used to buy pancakes of tape and load their own spools and carts. And, surprise surprise, its shedding!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	ampex-406-shedding.jpg
Views:	169
Size:	20.5 KB
ID:	12796   Click image for larger version

Name:	ampex-406-5in.jpg
Views:	243
Size:	30.7 KB
ID:	12797   Click image for larger version

Name:	ampex-456-5in.jpg
Views:	151
Size:	33.5 KB
ID:	12798   Click image for larger version

Name:	maxell-xli-3590b.jpg
Views:	417
Size:	46.3 KB
ID:	12799   Click image for larger version

Name:	ampex-pyral.jpg
Views:	203
Size:	45.5 KB
ID:	12800  

arjoll is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 7:53 am   #38
arjoll
Dekatron
 
arjoll's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Posts: 3,440
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

The last lot:
(a) some post-Scotch 3M, 5 inch spool, from memory not shedding
(b) our local community radio had literally hundreds of these - unti the mid 90's the British High Commission in Wellington sent them out to pretty much every station and they were good tape (probably Zonal) which was (ahem!) very useful for recording spots etc!
(c) this is an older one from Rhema, BBC programming sent to various stations, and good quality Zonal tape!
(d) a guy from another forum sent me two of these Ampex 521 tapes as 'period' tapes to look good on the Ferrograph - this is acetate tape, and if you look carefully you'll see the telltape cupping that indicates its starting to break down; although it doesn't smell of vinegar (yet) its stored separately from other Acetate tapes - google 'vinegar syndrome' for more info
(e) finally one of dad's that he can't remember the origin of - obviously sound effects for a play he was helping with, its a wee 3" spool of Mastertape containing an ancient Radio New Zealand News bullletin and a sound effect of a cave collapsing!

None of these are as cool as paper tape but I hope they're of some interest!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	3m.jpg
Views:	159
Size:	28.6 KB
ID:	12801   Click image for larger version

Name:	world-radio.jpg
Views:	176
Size:	51.2 KB
ID:	12802   Click image for larger version

Name:	bbc-zonal.jpg
Views:	167
Size:	27.8 KB
ID:	12803   Click image for larger version

Name:	ampex-521.jpg
Views:	190
Size:	44.6 KB
ID:	12804   Click image for larger version

Name:	mastertape-3.5in.jpg
Views:	156
Size:	38.9 KB
ID:	12805  

arjoll is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 8:49 am   #39
reel-to-reel-man
Heptode
 
reel-to-reel-man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Paignton, Devon, UK.
Posts: 802
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Another brand though I do not believe its their own tape, Nagra brought out a few specialist recorders, the Nagra JR which used a small cassette and the Nagra SN which used a miniature reel with 1/8" tape

http://www.vintagerecorders.co.uk/Po...Smallspool.jpg


It came in three styles, the TAA I think means normal play, there was double and triple play, the later reels had one side of the metal reel Red, Blue or Green to signify the lengths, later they changed the reels to plastic as the rivets on the metal reels were not to strong.
__________________
Vintage recorder collector
www.vintagerecorders.co.uk
reel-to-reel-man is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2007, 10:38 am   #40
brenellic2000
Octode
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
Default Re: brands of tape now and in the past?

Re Stuart's BASF 'Type A' tape being "coated both sides". BASF's first plastic tapes were coated cellulose acetate with a lacquer bonded carbonyl iron oxide powder. They then introduced ferric oxide and PVC emulsion in the late 1930s which was extruded as a thin ribbon but had considerable drop out. In 1944 they introduced their present two layer bonded tape which used in the world beating LGS35 and LP35LH. Incidentally '50' is standard play, '35' is long play.

The Grundig and Nagra tapes were sourced from major tape makers.

TTFN
Barry
brenellic2000 is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 1:51 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.