--- On Tue, 5/4/10, Dan Nelson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Dan Nelson <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Cassette brands and known issues/DAK
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 10:43 PM
> Hello Mark>>>>>
> Here is some input regarding DAK brand cassettes from
> someone who was involved  DAKs tape operation.
> The early DAK 60/90 cassettes were brown oxide in sealed
> housings that were actually BASF relabeled. The Basf 120s
> had screw housing same brown oxide.  The biggest
> problem is the leader pulls off the hubs due to the little
> round holding pin that attaches the leader to the hub. 
> There is some leader to tape glue seepage that sticks the
> hub to the liner. No way to free this up you have to re
> assemble these in new housings.
> DAKs second generation  cassettes all have screw
> housings. At this point DAK began coating their own stock
> with  6 and 9 inch width webs of mylar (Dupont) or
> other polyester film. The webs were rewound after coating
> and leader film was spliced into the whole width.  The
> web was then slit to cassette width. A major problem was the
> splicing tape was the same width of the tape and would
> eventually ooze adhesive  and bind up the hub inside
> the housing. The saving grace is the screw housing and a
> little solvent on a cotton swab will  get the adhesive
> off the slip liner.
> The third generation had black oxide for improved 
> frequency response. These were still web coated but better
> splicing tape was used and didnt bleed adhesive as bad.
> All the DAK in house coated tapes have a tendency  to
> cup where any of the oxide is exposed to the air. This is
> due to the binder drying out. If wound this is not as much a
> problem.
> In the final output stage we used Ampex duplication grade
> bulk cassette tape with automatic in cassette winders. These
> use splicing tape narrower than the tape width and no hub
> sticking problems. The Ampex tape seemed pretty stable 
> I have these tapes that are at least 20 years old in good
> condition.
> I hope this contributes to  your knowledge
> base...   
> dnw 
> 
> Ps as i remember  blue leader = 120, yellow = 90, red
> = 60 for the DAK  coated stock .... ill have to double
> check, now where did i leave my glasses????  my memory
> fades at 80.
> If you want any other DAK info ping me. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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