Last time I spoke with her she said that due to patent process they can't reveal or sell the chemicals but if a tape is sent to them they will work on it. Cheers Shai Drori Expert digitization services for Audio Video Hi Res scanning for film 8mm-35mm www.audiovideofilm.com [log in to unmask] On Sat, Jan 30, 2016 at 3:44 AM, Hood, Mark <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Nadja Wallaszkovits has presented some research (at both the AES and ARSC > conventions) that she and her colleagues at the Vienna Phonogrammarchiv > have done to reconstitute the mechanical integrity of catastrophically > degraded acetate-based tapes. The results were dramatic, physically and > sonically. Perhaps for intellectual property reasons, they have not yet > fully revealed the details of the chemistry and workflow of this process, > but it might be worthwhile for you to contact her directly to see if they > have any insights or suggestions. > > Best, > Mark > > Mark Hood > Associate Professor of Music > Department of Recording Arts > IU Jacobs School of Music > > > > > > > On 1/29/16, 7:13 PM, "Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List on > behalf of Eric Jacobs" <[log in to unmask] on behalf of > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > > >We have a 1/4-inch open reel tape (TDK Synchrotape ca 1966 Japanese stock) > >that is quite literally disintegrating and cannot hold any tension. The > >very slightest amount of tension causes the tape to snap. The tape cannot > >even hold a leader without snapping. We¹ve turned the tape tension way > >down > >on our Studer A820, but it can¹t be pulled through the transport without > >snapping. > > > >The tape is heavily curled along the edges (only the center 25% is flat) > >and > >is anything but straight from exposure to presumably high temperatures > >over > >the past 50 years. The outer wraps have bonded to each other. We can > >deal > >with the edge curl and the age-induced country-laning by using a custom > >mechanism that gently increases the tape wrap around the PB head (forces > >the > >tape flat) and additional edge guides fore and aft of the PB head that > >keeps > >the tape centered on the head. We can even separate the outer wraps, > >albeit > >in 1-inch segments that would need to be spliced together this seems > >like > >a bad idea, but I don¹t see any other choice if we want to get past the > >outer wraps. > > > >But it¹s the fragility of the tape (lack of tensile strength) that is the > >central issue. If it were possible to ³back² the tape, it might keep it > >from snapping. But how do you efficiently and reliably ³back² 1200 feet > >of > >tape that snaps with the slightest bit of handling? And what do you back > >the tape with? Splicing tape? It might be easier to apply backing to the > >centerline of the tape rather than the full width because of tape > >shrinkage > >and edge distortion, but then the resulting tape pack would probably be > >quite poor, especially if the backing doesn¹t stack precisely on top of > >the > >previous wrap. Also, a narrow backing (like cassette splicing tape) may > >or > >may not affect the ability to force the tape flat at the PB head > >essential > >for a quality transfer. > > > >Looking for ideas and suggestions. > > > >~ Eric > > > > Eric Jacobs, Principal > > The Audio Archive > > 1325 Howard Ave, #906, Burlingame, CA 94010 > > Tel: 408-221-2128 | [log in to unmask] > > www.theaudioarchive.com <http://www.theaudioarchive.com/> > >