Bulk Tape Eraser

From: Gary Hildebrand <ghldbrd_at_ccp.com>
Date: Mon Jun 17 17:44:40 2002

Chris wrote:
>
> I just found a box of stuff that hasn't seen the light of day since my
> company moved to our current building some 15 years ago.
>
> In it was a Bulk Tape Eraser. The box pictures it being used on 5.25
> floppies (as well as an 8 track tape and reel to reel tape). Is it safe
> to use on floppy disks? I have a stack of HD 3.5's that I want to blank
> out. Previously I just run them thru a computer to format them, but if a
> bulk tape eraser can be used, it just saves me the trouble.
>
> Also, how exactly are you supposed to use one? It has been as long since
> I used one (probably this same one, used to use it to blank reel to reel
> audio tapes). I thought I remembered that all you do is turn it on, hold
> it over the item for a few seconds, wave it back and forth a bit, and
> that was it. The item would be erased.
>
> I just tried this one on a VHS video tape, it doesn't seem to do anything
> to it. The picture is slightly distorted, but the tape is certainly not
> blanked, not even close. I left it on for a good 30 to 45 seconds (the
> label on the side of it says 1 minute on 20 minutes off, so I didn't want
> to go beyond 1 minute).
>
> It has a momentary switch on the handle, so it clearly isn't designed to
> be left on very long. It makes a slight humm when on (and vibrates just a
> touch, nothing visible, but you can feel it in your hand) so I assume it
> is working. However, this is a Radio Shack brand item, so who knows if it
> is doing what it should considering it is probably over 20 years old.
>
> Any clues?
>

yeah, they work great on floppies, even on some with soft errrors that
formatting doesn't remove. Just keep in mind you'll still have to
format the floppy after the degaussing.

Wasn't suprised to see that it doesn't do VHS tapes very well. You need
quite a bit more gauss to do those, but a hand held will do floppies,
cassettes and 1/4" tape pretty well.

To use, squeeze the trigger switch while the demagger is away from the
media, and bring it up and slide it over and around in a random pattern
for several seconds, 10-30 seconds is usually adequate, then remove the
media while holding on to the switch. This eliminates a big glitch of
magnetism on the media.

What ever you do, DO NOT USE a degausser on a hard drive. There is
embedded information on the tracks for tracking, and if removed, you
need a high cost formatter. Bottom line . . . demag a HD and it becomes
a doorstop.

Gary Hildebrand
St. Joseph, MO
Received on Mon Jun 17 2002 - 17:44:40 BST