Date Code On Ampex Tape?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I have several reels of Ampex 456 and 499 lying around. I think you are
supposed to be able to tell the date of manufacture from the sticker on
the spine. Does anyone know how to decifer the code?

For example, one says "91281"

--
Eric

www.Raw-Tracks.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Steven Sena wrote:
> "91" The Year "281" day of the year
>

Am I safe to use 15 year old 456 if it is still sealed in the factory
plastic. Or is there a chance it is junk?

--
Eric

www.Raw-Tracks.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <359qlfF4i9sl8U1@individual.net> eric@Raw-Tracks.com writes:

> Am I safe to use 15 year old 456 if it is still sealed in the factory
> plastic. Or is there a chance it is junk?

It's never junk, but check it first, and if it's sticky (as it's
likely to be) bake it first. Contrary to the seemingly obvious, it can
get sticky even when sealed in its original wrapper. It's a chemical
breakdown process, not a "gets damp and turns to glue" process.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers - (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <35bi38F4jh4pnU1@individual.net> eric@Raw-Tracks.com writes:

> Thanks Mike. I don't think I would want to bake it in order to record
> onto it. That seems counter-productive to me.

What's counter-productive about making the tape good as new again?
Haven't you been reading about how difficult it is to buy new audio
recording tape these days?

We've learned a few things about the chemistry of tape binders since
the early days of the discovery of the sticky shed syndrome. There are
a number of articles on the web (including one of mine) that haven't
been updated and are based on the initial theory that the binder
becomes like a sponge and absorbs water from the air, making the tape
sticky. Baking drives out the water and then it will be OK long enough
to recover the recording (but no longer).

Recent information is that what really happens is that certain
materials in the binder become molecularly unbound and the actual
chemical composition of the binder changes. This is a function of age
and not water absorption. Heating the tape allows the chemicals to
recombine and the tape goes back to its original physical state. It
may take as long to get sticky after baking as it did to get sticky
after original manufacture - but you don't really know when it reached
the 'unusably sticky' state.



--
I'm really Mike Rivers - (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <35ff3vF4mes05U1@individual.net> eric@Raw-Tracks.com writes:

> I have been talking about new old stock tape still in factory sealed
> plastic. I am not going to bake tape so I can record on it.

First sentence understood. Second sentence not understood. If you
don't try it, you might as well toss it. Of maybe you can sell it on
eBay at a good profit.

> Right, I know. Again, we are talking about recording onto NOS tape. I am
> sure I could bake tape so that I can record onto it. But then, it
> wouldn't be long before I'd have to bake it again to play it back. That
> is what I am saying is counter-productive.

According to Bill Lund, formerly of 3M and one who has probably done
more research on this than anyone else (as well as testing), it would
be long before you'd have to bake it again, like maybe ten years.

But suit yourself. You'll be very lucky to find "young" tape today.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers - (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <35hr9lF4ked0vU1@individual.net> eric@Raw-Tracks.com writes:

> > be long before you'd have to bake it again, like maybe ten years.

> Ten years, I had no idea it would be good for that long. I was always
> under the impression it would fix the tape for a few weeks, or something
> like that.

That was the original thinking - short term fix, play it once to
transfer to another medium, then store it away in case the worst
happens (and your new media doesn't ply). The long term fix is a
fairly recent theory, and of course nobody's verified it. But I have
tapes that I've baked a couple of years ago that still play just fine
and haven't gone sticky again (yet).




--
I'm really Mike Rivers - (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

well, since I haven't been able to find any 1" 456, I tried baking and
rerecording. Not one problem. In fact, I rerecorded on a 14 year old
tape (just to try it)- not a single dropout.