[sdiy] Tape head collage (pretty much not synth DIY, sorry)

[James Patchell]

Yes, unfortunately, there are demagnetizing cassettes.  Personally, I think 
these things do more damage than the prevent.  To properly demagnetize 
heads, you need to gradually increase the alternating field and then 
gradually decrease it.  This is done by approaching the heads with the 
demagnetizer.  But then again, maybe I went a little over board when I used 
to degauss the heads in my tape deck.  However, this was the recommended 
procedure in the maintenance manual.


At 02:15 PM 11/25/2004 -0800, Scott E. wrote:
>I have never heard of a demagnetizing tape, only tapes that "clean" heads. 
>Demagnetizing involves the use of a hardware device that produces a 
>magnetic field for the purpose of demagnetizing the tape head. I also 
>think the best way to clean tape heads is with a cotton swab and denatured 
>alcohol.
>
>The technique of demagnetizing is not complicated, but one must be 
>careful, as done improperly, can actually magnetize the head even further. 
>The technique is to bring the demagnitizer close to the tape head and move 
>it back and forth for a few seconds, then, while the demagnitizer is still 
>on, remove it from the proximity of the tape head slowly, moving the 
>demagnitizer in a back and forth or circular motion. Drawing it straight 
>away would be a poor technique. It should be several feet away from the 
>tape head before powering it off. Also, the tape machine should NOT BE 
>POWERED ON while this procedure is performed.
>
>Also, if the demagnitizer has an exposed metal tip (not covered in 
>plastic), be careful. The magnetic field it generates can pull the 
>demagnitizer into the tape head and if contact is made, scratching of the 
>tape head may occur.
>
>Regards, Scott
>==============================================================
>nN AAt e e wrote:
>>to demagnetize a normal tape head, you can buy a special cassette that has
>>the stuff in it to demagnetize the head so it won't ruin yr tapes and sound
>>bad etc... but if someone is constantly running a head back and forth over
>>strips of tape glued to a board, i think demagnetization is the least of
>>their problems...
>
>         -Jim
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>http://www.oldcrows.net/~patchell
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