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Head cleaners



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 28th 06, 07:43 AM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
Scott Irvine
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Posts: 37
Default Head cleaners

Is this true:

I strongly
recommend that they never be opened and certainly never be used, since
8-track head cleaners were invented by tape recorder manufacturers to
destroy tape head so that people would have to go out and buy another
tape machine. Cleaning your machine is done much more efficiently,
safely and
cheaply with q-tips and some rubbing alcohol...

I found this in the archives. I was going to ask opinions of head
cleaning cartridges and was doing some research. I have four of them. Do
they really do anything? I have read that a Q-tip and alcohol is much
better. Any replies appreciated. Thanks,

Scott Irvine
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  #2  
Old July 28th 06, 11:52 AM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
[email protected]
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Posts: 26
Default Head cleaners

If you want to keep your head cleaner sealed, that's cool. I have a few
sealed ones. I can't see how your are going to damage your heads, etc
on your player if you use a head cleaner a time or too. I use a q-tip
and rubbing alcohol all the time. Don't we all?
Scott Irvine wrote:
Is this true:

I strongly
recommend that they never be opened and certainly never be used, since
8-track head cleaners were invented by tape recorder manufacturers to
destroy tape head so that people would have to go out and buy another
tape machine. Cleaning your machine is done much more efficiently,
safely and
cheaply with q-tips and some rubbing alcohol...

I found this in the archives. I was going to ask opinions of head
cleaning cartridges and was doing some research. I have four of them. Do
they really do anything? I have read that a Q-tip and alcohol is much
better. Any replies appreciated. Thanks,

Scott Irvine


  #3  
Old July 28th 06, 04:19 PM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
DeserTBoB
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,541
Default Head cleaners

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 02:43:35 -0400, Scott Irvine
wrote:

Is this true:

I strongly
recommend that they never be opened and certainly never be used, since
8-track head cleaners were invented by tape recorder manufacturers to
destroy tape head so that people would have to go out and buy another
tape machine. Cleaning your machine is done much more efficiently,
safely and
cheaply with q-tips and some rubbing alcohol... snip


Somewhat true, although there are some errors. Some "cleaning tapes"
are OK...if they're non-abrasive. Many of the **** cleaners out there
are actually abrasive strips that will destroy a head with regular
use. The ones that use a textured paper ribbon are best. Also, never
use "rubbing alcohol" on your heads or other ferrous parts...go to the
drug store and get 92% isopropyl alcohol. "Rubbing alcohol" is 70%
alcohol, 25% water and 5% glycerine. The water promote rust, the
glycerine goops things up.

I found this in the archives. I was going to ask opinions of head
cleaning cartridges and was doing some research. I have four of them. Do
they really do anything? I have read that a Q-tip and alcohol is much
better. Any replies appreciated. Thanks, snip


If you use a long Q-tip and 92% isopropynol (or "head cleaning
solution," as sold by MG Chemicals and others) you do get a better
cleaning. Paper tape "cleaning carts" are fine for "on the go"
cleaning, although I wet them slightly with isopropynol before running
them. Memorex used to sell one that had a green plastic tape
inside...they're also OK, but not as effective as textured paper. The
light green ones with the abrasive tape WILL groove your head surface
with continued use. Beware of things like the "beeper" cleaner, the
"4-in-one" with the magnet that magnetizes your head, and several
others, including the Decca cleaner. A good cleaner/demagger is the
Ampex 228 which uses a spinning magnet. They're fussy, though, and
oft times dont' slowly retract from the head like they should. I have
one in excellent shape I use in the car on road trips.

Most used cleaners are junk, like the ones Charlie Nudo
sells...garbage. "New-in-package" is usually the only way to go. If
you do have used ones with paper tape, you can remove the tape and
soak it in isopropynol to remove oxide and dirt, although it's usually
not worth it. For proper cleaning, wooden long handled cotton swabs
made for the purpose are best IF you can get access to the heads from
the top. That's hard to do in an installed car deck, so I devised my
own cotton pad mounted on a wood stick to properly swab and clean the
head, capstan and track contact switch surfaces.
  #5  
Old July 28th 06, 04:41 PM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
William W Western
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Posts: 438
Default Head cleaners

That white tape on head cleaners reminds me a bit of Tyvek which was not in
use at the time as a building wrap. Anybody know what the composition of the
tape cleaner material was?


  #6  
Old July 28th 06, 05:30 PM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
DeserTBoB
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,541
Default Head cleaners

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 15:41:59 GMT, "William W Western"
wrote:

That white tape on head cleaners reminds me a bit of Tyvek which was not in
use at the time as a building wrap. Anybody know what the composition of the
tape cleaner material was? snip


They were all different. Some used a plastic tape with a rough
surface, others used Mylar coated with an abrasive similar to Emory
cloth, others used textured paper. The paper ones did the least
damage and work as a wet cleaner, as well.

Ask any VCR repairman from the past (no one fixes cheap Chinese VCRs
anymore) about the use of "head cleaners." Many unscrupulous shops
would sell "head cleaners" in order to get more head assembly
replacement jobs. For audio, as stated, the textured paper ones are
the least damaging and work the best overall, and I use them for "on
the go" gap cleaning. The "double enders" sold under various names
use a paper tape AND a polyester mesh capstan cleaner. I found those
to be great for cleaning on the road, and the Ampex 228 is a good
hedge to use after auditioning an obviously magnetized tape.

  #7  
Old July 31st 06, 05:11 AM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
detonator
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default Head cleaners

I always use denatured alcohol to clean the capstan and heads for both
my 8-track decks and my cassette decks. Isn't denatured alcohol the
best choice over all the other alcohol solutions to use for this
purpose?
Lisa
DeserTBoB wrote:
On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 02:43:35 -0400, Scott Irvine
wrote:

Is this true:

I strongly
recommend that they never be opened and certainly never be used, since
8-track head cleaners were invented by tape recorder manufacturers to
destroy tape head so that people would have to go out and buy another
tape machine. Cleaning your machine is done much more efficiently,
safely and
cheaply with q-tips and some rubbing alcohol... snip


Somewhat true, although there are some errors. Some "cleaning tapes"
are OK...if they're non-abrasive. Many of the **** cleaners out there
are actually abrasive strips that will destroy a head with regular
use. The ones that use a textured paper ribbon are best. Also, never
use "rubbing alcohol" on your heads or other ferrous parts...go to the
drug store and get 92% isopropyl alcohol. "Rubbing alcohol" is 70%
alcohol, 25% water and 5% glycerine. The water promote rust, the
glycerine goops things up.

I found this in the archives. I was going to ask opinions of head
cleaning cartridges and was doing some research. I have four of them. Do
they really do anything? I have read that a Q-tip and alcohol is much
better. Any replies appreciated. Thanks, snip


If you use a long Q-tip and 92% isopropynol (or "head cleaning
solution," as sold by MG Chemicals and others) you do get a better
cleaning. Paper tape "cleaning carts" are fine for "on the go"
cleaning, although I wet them slightly with isopropynol before running
them. Memorex used to sell one that had a green plastic tape
inside...they're also OK, but not as effective as textured paper. The
light green ones with the abrasive tape WILL groove your head surface
with continued use. Beware of things like the "beeper" cleaner, the
"4-in-one" with the magnet that magnetizes your head, and several
others, including the Decca cleaner. A good cleaner/demagger is the
Ampex 228 which uses a spinning magnet. They're fussy, though, and
oft times dont' slowly retract from the head like they should. I have
one in excellent shape I use in the car on road trips.

Most used cleaners are junk, like the ones Charlie Nudo
sells...garbage. "New-in-package" is usually the only way to go. If
you do have used ones with paper tape, you can remove the tape and
soak it in isopropynol to remove oxide and dirt, although it's usually
not worth it. For proper cleaning, wooden long handled cotton swabs
made for the purpose are best IF you can get access to the heads from
the top. That's hard to do in an installed car deck, so I devised my
own cotton pad mounted on a wood stick to properly swab and clean the
head, capstan and track contact switch surfaces.


  #8  
Old July 31st 06, 05:42 AM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
DeserTBoB
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,541
Default Head cleaners

On 30 Jul 2006 21:11:47 -0700, "detonator" wrote:

I always use denatured alcohol to clean the capstan and heads for both
my 8-track decks and my cassette decks. Isn't denatured alcohol the
best choice over all the other alcohol solutions to use for this
purpose? snip


"Denatured alcohol" sold at retail is usually methanol, which may not
be compatible with certain plastics used in tape decks, especially the
potting of the head itself. If you wind up with a head that has
plastic potting, you can soften and ruin the head surface in one pass.

The best overall is 92% isopropyl alcohol, available at most
pharmacies and many hardware stores. Don't use "rubbing alcohol" for
the reasons stated.
  #9  
Old July 31st 06, 08:19 PM posted to alt.collecting.8-track-tapes
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 75
Default Head cleaners

Thanks for the info, Bob. I'd always thought all green-ribbon cleaners
would nicely sand your heads down to a nice, shiny surface. :-)

 




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