A trick I sometimes use with baking cassette tapes is to loosen or remove the case screws then hold the case halves apart by inserting a few wooden match ends. It allows the humidity to clear better but affords some protection for the tape pack from dust and dirt. Tim------- Original Message ----------

I had to open the shell anyway - it will be interesting putting it
back together! Had to be opened to allow me to get to the tape as it
had stuck to it self inside the shell so I had no choice I will er on
the side of caution and bake in a open shell. As the tape ripped
across a 4 inch section I will have to cut that out and rejoin. I will
manually wind past the splice a few turns before attempting to play
again so hopefully it will never have to come into contact with the
head. The tape is a full movie score, an edited version having already
been issued on CD (which as luck would have it was my remaster). I'm
keeping my fingers crossed that the damaged section is part of the
released version! Thanks for all your advice. Richard On Fri, 30 Oct
2020, 21:30 Dave Radlauer, [log in to unmask] wrote: Fascinating
thread. Keep in mind that U-matic are at least, what, three or four
times the width of DAT. And, I suspect, much thicker. So the wider
bakes longer rule applies. But U-matics could also contain as little
as 2:00 minutes worth of tape for mass distribution of commercial
spots for instance. DAT is extremely thin tape and pretty wispy and
easy to lose wrap once removed from the shell. Perhaps our colleagues
might share any experience with this? What about drilling ventilation
in the old shell for baking, then transferring to a working shell for
playback. Dave R On Fri, Oct 30, 2020 at 12:48 PM Haudy Kazemi
[log in to unmask] wrote: This article
says there are several different causes for the problem, and not all
tapes are affected equally, due to manufacturing differences. It also
says cased U-matic tapes don't bake as effectively as uncased tapes.
I'd guess that uncased would dry best, if you can safely uncase it. If
not, perhaps longer drying times will help.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky-shed_syndrome I've not tried
splicing videotape, only audiotape, but I assume the methods are
similar. If the tape broke close to the beginning of the reel, you
could add extra 'filler' tape to create new leaders. I don't know if
there are good options for recovering content from wrinkled tape.
Pyral is a French brand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyral Thanks,
Haudy Kazemi On Fri, Oct 30, 2020, 14:10 Mint Records
[log in to unmask] wrote: Thanks Graham. Will give it a try -
its currently unplayable, so don't think I have much to lose. Best
baked out of it the shell or in do you think? Richard On Fri, 30 Oct
2020, 18:41 Graham Newton, [log in to unmask] wrote: On
10/30/2020 10:10 AM, Mint Records wrote: Came across an oddity this
morning. I've been transferring some DAT Tapes when all o f a sudden
one snapped. It's a brand i'd never come across before called "PYRAL".
On taking aprt the shell it's clear that the tape is stuck together -
The original break was a tear across rather than a snap and when i
tried to loosen the tape on the reel, more started to tear. PYRAL is a
well known French trademark... they used to make very good lacquer
disc recording blanks. It has the appearance of sticky shed, but i've
never come across this in a DAT before. Very rare, indeed.... I've
only come across one like the problem you describe. Has anyone else
come across this? Can the tape be baked? If so, for how long. Yes, it
can be baked like regular reel to reel tape, use low baking
temperature (120 degrees F) and long time (48 to 72 hours), and be
sure it has fully returned to room temperature before you try to do
anything with it. You may need to bake it a second time at slightly
higher temperature, say 125 degrees F. Some cautious experimentation
with it may be needed. Hope this helps! ... Graham Newton -- Audio
Restoration by Graham Newton, http://www.audio-restoration.com World
class professional services applied to tape or phonograph records for
consumers and re-releases, featuring CEDAR's CAMBRIDGE processes. --
cell and text# 510-717-5240 www.JAZZHOTBigstep.com