Thanks all for the 456 comments. For sure my audio guy in Glendale is well versed on 456 issues but it's good to hear from those who have dealt with this model #. This is a lot like Ampex 175 or Memorex Chroma 90. Impossible to move at all on the transport till baking is finished. Even worse, I had a reel of VTC 1000 videotape that ran two sessions of 48 hours last week, each at 126-130 degrees plus their respective cool downs. Finally, the tape would play but it was still somewhat sticky. However, I got through it. 

Let's hope for a great outcome. 

Regards,

David Crosthwait
DC Video



On Jan 28, 2016, at 2:13 PM, Richard L. Hess wrote:

> Hi, Steve,
> 
> The Ampex patent has in its claims both 50 and 54 °C. That was where the higher temperature came from. It is still well below the Tg of the base film. (67 - 81 °C) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate)
> 
> Ampex patent here:
> http://www.richardhess.net/restoration_notes/USP5236790.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> On 1/28/2016 4:10 PM, Steve Greene wrote:
>> I used to bake 15" quad reels with a high degree of success at 120F for 24
>> hours, with a long ramp down time of another 24 hours before handling it.
>> Knowing what I know now, I might go as high as 125F. 54C (130F) seems high
>> to me.
>> 
>> Steve
>> 
>> Steve Greene
>> Audiovisual Archivist
>> Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
>> National Archives and Records Administration
>> (301) 837-1772
>> 
>> On Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 8:38 PM, Corey Bailey <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi David,
>>> 
>>> My experience with baking 2" tapes comes from my experiences at Warner
>>> Bros. Studios, Burbank, CA. As Richard Hess said: "456 is the poster child
>>> for SSS" so, don't ask, just bake it.! Regarding the question of how long
>>> to bake is dependent on the size and type of oven, the number of tapes to
>>> be baked at one time and (obviously) the condition of the tapes themselves.
>>> The oven at WB is commercial grade, capable of baking 34, 10.5" reels at a
>>> time. I've baked as few as two reels on up to an oven full. For two reels
>>> of 2", the average baking time is 18 - 24 hours. I would suggest that you
>>> only bake as many tapes as you can process in a day so that the
>>> stabilization process is as fresh as possible. You mentioned leader breaks.
>>> Expect any splices to have to be replaced after baking. Not always the case
>>> but, build the labor cost into your budget.
>>> 
>>> Cheers!
>>> 
>>> Corey
>>> Corey Bailey Audio Engineering
>>> www.baileyzone.net
>>> 
>>> On 1/27/2016 8:29 AM, David Crosthwait wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hello Tom and Richard,
>>>> 
>>>> In my digging through a church archive yesterday with new clients, we
>>>> uncovered many reels of 24 track on 2" among other audio tapes. One tape of
>>>> interest I have with me, destined to a comrade here in town who is as
>>>> passionate about vintage audiotape recovery as we are with videotape, is a
>>>> 24 track on "Ampex Grand Master" 456 from 1988 in a cardboard box. It has
>>>> track assignments within. The tape has leader breaks. In a test of sorts,
>>>> we are going to link this up with a 1" C of the concert (same production,
>>>> same date) to create a new stereo mixed version. I've done this before so I
>>>> am familiar with the routine. The question to you two (and others) is: What
>>>> should we expect from a stickiness standpoint (if any) from 1988 vintage
>>>> "Grand Master" 456?
>>>> 
>>>> The client has multiple reels of this concert so this is a test of sorts.
>>>> The 24 track will create a ProTools session for the mix down and new stereo
>>>> imaging (5.1?), to be done at the client's facility. I'm going to be
>>>> remastering the 1" C today to file (it too is in stereo albeit with weak
>>>> L-R imaging as viewed on the phase scope). It's a full orchestra with choir.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you.
>>>> 
>>>> Best Regards,
>>>> 
>>>> David Crosthwait
>>>> DC Video
>>>> Transferring NTSC, PAL&  SECAM Two Inch Quad and Helical Source Tapes
>>>> (and More)!
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.dcvideo.com/what-we-do
>>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>> 
>>>> www.dcvideo.com
>>>> 
>>>> Follow DC Video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcvideo
>>>> Follow DC Video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/dcvideoonline
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>> 
> -- 
> Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
> Aurora, Ontario, Canada                             647 479 2800
> http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.