Reel-to-Reel care?

From: Mike Gemeny <MGemeny_at_pgcps.org>
Date: Sat Dec 13 10:04:30 2003

Whereas, Al Kossow wrote:

 

>The long term prospects of tape transports with any rubber parts is not
good, either.
>Almost all of the 1/4" cartridge tape drives I own are inoperable because
the drive
>pinch rollers have turned to goo.
 
Now therefore:
 
I?m left to wonder of these rubber parts could be recast. I have had success
casting rubber
using Devcon flexane. It?s a 2 part mix with extremely low shrinkage. The
medium ?80? liquid
has a companion softener flex-add which allow one to adjust the hardness of
the resulting rubber.
 
I have used Freeman machinable wax to make molds with good results. I would
think that with
reasonable machining practice a run-out of a thousandth or so could be had
re-rubberizing a roller
spindle. (A human hair being about 3 thousandths of an inch)
 
If greater precision were required a machining allowance could be added to
the rubber and it could be
frozen and ground after casting. (Not that I would look forward to liquid
nitrogen all over my south bend lathe,
and it?s not like we?re making disk heads here)
 
The bottom line is that if it was made, it can be made. After all, some
telescope hobbyists make their own mirrors!
 
Your thoughts?
 
Mike.
 
 
 
 

 
Received on Sat Dec 13 2003 - 10:04:30 GMT