On 1/23/2012 2:29 PM, Tom Fine wrote:
> . I've also found it much easier to work with a reel actually on the
> tape machine and slowly spool on the tape from the mess on the floor
> or in a clean bucket or box. Once in a while, the tangling will get to
> be so you need to take the reel off the machine and turn it around and
> around to relieve some of the tangle. If you can confine the tape to a
> skinny round bucket, you can just spin the bucket too. Overall it's an
> unpleasant undertaking.
>
> -- Tom Fine

I've put the reel on a turntable rather than on a tape machine. You can
hand-spin the turntable at whatever speed will be convenient, and the
flywheel effect will keep it going. But you can stop it instantly by
hand if you get a tangle. This also works very well if what has
happened is the center of the pancake falling out but most of the rest
is still intact but limp.

Mike Biel [log in to unmask]