Folks,

Please don’t think me rude that I never responded to all the fine suggestions that were offered a few days ago. Inexplicably, since my last post, I stopped getting any digests from ARSClist, and just today, through the good graces of Nathan Georgitis, learned how to access the ARSClist archives, where I read your various suggestions about lubrication, baking, refrigerating, etc. Off list, I received the suggestion from another list member, Jay Bruder, suggested that sometimes on these cheap cassettes, the actual hubs can cause the squealing and said he had in the past spliced new hubs and leader to old cassette tape and then put it in a new shell with new lubrication sheets. Since it has been so long since I needed to edit magnetic tape, I had to order editing tape, which I got over the weekend, along with some brand-new Maxell cassettes. Although I don’t look forward to it, I’m ready to try surgery to see if it makes a difference. Regarding other suggestions, I have some additional quetions:


I’m willing to try Richard’s refrigeration gambit. Do you actually run cables into the fridge and play it while both deck and tape are refrigerated?
I’m also willing to try baking, though I don’t own a dehydrator. How important is it to have one vs. using a standard oven. I have a very new one (a Samsung) with the ability to dial in a temperature digitally.
Steve Greene suggested an alternative lubricant to D5, which he referred to as a "silicone spray mold release agent.” Is there a particular brand of it you recommend? I have seen many options online.
Corey Bailey suggested I read this post about lubricating RTR tape, but I couldn’t find a recommendation on what kind of lubricant to use, and how it could be applied in a cassette situation: http://www.baileyzone.net/LUBRICATING%20POLYESTER%20AUDIO%20TAPE.htm <http://www.baileyzone.net/LUBRICATING%20POLYESTER%20AUDIO%20TAPE.htm>
Finally, does anyone have a suggestion for an order of operations (i.e. try this first, then this, then this)?

Thanks again to everyone who has opined on what I should do in this situation. I truly appreciate it.

All the best,
Dan

Dan Gediman 
502 299-2565 
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www.dangediman.com <http://www.dangediman.com/>