How do you store your tapes ? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

mieite · 28th Apr 2006, 7:52 pm

Hi
I have some reel to reel tapes without boxes and do not know how to store them right.
Can I wrap them in plastic or does it harm the tapes or should I make boxes for them ?
Regards
Nisse

roger_a · 28th Apr 2006, 8:08 pm

This site has some general info

http://www.solinet.net/preservation/...cfm?doc_id=789

Roger

jim_beacon · 28th Apr 2006, 8:13 pm

Hi Nisse

I'm wary of wrapping things in plastic, there are often fumes released that react with the material being stored.

At the very least, they need to be vertical (reels on edge), and in a dry, cool atmosphere.

Jim.

Brian R Pateman · 28th Apr 2006, 10:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim_beacon

Hi Nisse

I'm wary of wrapping things in plastic, there are often fumes released that react with the material being stored.

At the very least, they need to be vertical (reels on edge), and in a dry, cool atmosphere.

Jim.

Jim is right, avoid plastic as different types can cause some very strange reactions.

Dry well ventilated atmosphere at reasonably constant temperature in cardboard boxes and on edge seems to be the best solution.

Regards,

reel-to-reel-man · 29th Apr 2006, 12:38 pm

Freezer bags are good, usually something like 200 for 99p, you can get them large enough to store 7" reels in, also a good idea to place the bags on reels in boxes too. There are a few companies who are still doing boxes, one in England called Protape

www.protape.co.uk

another which I don't know if it's international is Canford Audio

http://www.canford.co.uk

hpe this helps

mitajohn · 29th Apr 2006, 1:14 pm

Hi Nisse and all,

There are some general rules of magnetic tape storage written in an old EBU document "Tech 3202-E". From there you can find:
Store the tapes in rooms whose temperature does not exeed 28 C (a low temperature limits the appearence of the print-through effect) and whose relative humidity does not fall below 50%. Avoid strong magentic field sources of more than e few Oesterds (800 A/m or 10 Oe at max) in the vicinity of the tape storage area. Precautions to toxic or corrosive gases must also be taken. Store the tapes rewound slowly and back-to-front (in other words, not to rewind them after replay) ; such a precaution limits the risk of tape deformation, reduces the print-through effect and makes possible, moreover, a verification of the mechanical quality when rewinding the tape for further replay. Finally avoid splices which are responsible for much trouble in replay. Tapes last more than 50 years by taking simple precautions, which often are nothing more than common-sense.

John.

mieite · 29th Apr 2006, 1:37 pm

Thanks to everyone for the tips on storing tapes.
Freezer bags were on my mind but now I have decided to use cardboard boxes and no plastic.
I have about 40 tapes without boxes so it will take some time for me to make them.
Regards
Nisse

28th Apr 2006, 7:52 pm	#1
mieite Tetrode Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 26	How do you store your tapes ? Hi I have some reel to reel tapes without boxes and do not know how to store them right. Can I wrap them in plastic or does it harm the tapes or should I make boxes for them ? Regards Nisse Attached Thumbnails

28th Apr 2006, 8:08 pm	#2
roger_a Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Croydon, London, UK. Posts: 40	Re: How do you store your tapes ? This site has some general info http://www.solinet.net/preservation/...cfm?doc_id=789 Roger

28th Apr 2006, 8:13 pm	#3
jim_beacon Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bishop's Waltham, Hants, UK. Posts: 939	Re: How do you store your tapes ? Hi Nisse I'm wary of wrapping things in plastic, there are often fumes released that react with the material being stored. At the very least, they need to be vertical (reels on edge), and in a dry, cool atmosphere. Jim.

29th Apr 2006, 12:38 pm	#5
reel-to-reel-man Heptode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Paignton, Devon, UK. Posts: 805	Re: How do you store your tapes ? Freezer bags are good, usually something like 200 for 99p, you can get them large enough to store 7" reels in, also a good idea to place the bags on reels in boxes too. There are a few companies who are still doing boxes, one in England called Protape www.protape.co.uk another which I don't know if it's international is Canford Audio http://www.canford.co.uk hpe this helps __________________ Vintage recorder collector www.vintagerecorders.co.uk

29th Apr 2006, 1:14 pm	#6
mitajohn Pentode Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 197	Re: How do you store your tapes ? Hi Nisse and all, There are some general rules of magnetic tape storage written in an old EBU document "Tech 3202-E". From there you can find: Store the tapes in rooms whose temperature does not exeed 28 C (a low temperature limits the appearence of the print-through effect) and whose relative humidity does not fall below 50%. Avoid strong magentic field sources of more than e few Oesterds (800 A/m or 10 Oe at max) in the vicinity of the tape storage area. Precautions to toxic or corrosive gases must also be taken. Store the tapes rewound slowly and back-to-front (in other words, not to rewind them after replay) ; such a precaution limits the risk of tape deformation, reduces the print-through effect and makes possible, moreover, a verification of the mechanical quality when rewinding the tape for further replay. Finally avoid splices which are responsible for much trouble in replay. Tapes last more than 50 years by taking simple precautions, which often are nothing more than common-sense. John.

29th Apr 2006, 1:37 pm	#7
mieite Tetrode Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 26	Re: How do you store your tapes ? Thanks to everyone for the tips on storing tapes. Freezer bags were on my mind but now I have decided to use cardboard boxes and no plastic. I have about 40 tapes without boxes so it will take some time for me to make them. Regards Nisse