Tape cleaning machine

Techmoan showed an analog tape cleaning device in a hilarious way: https://youtu.be/4AxhNpT_PFI

Could something like this be adapted for cleaning DCC especially for the museum or would it harm the tape?

I have already contacted Techmoan about this and he tried and tested the machine with a dcc. It did not fit, but could maybe mechanically be Made to fit. The machine is on Ebay for $800. I would love to see if this could work, but not at this price.

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@drdcc correct me if I’m wrong here but the trouble with DCC tapes originates at the back of the tapes isn’t it? So this machine that Techmoan showed us is pointless? It only cleans the information side.
Now if I had the time and tools I would design something based on those useless chinese transport system that is out there at the moment and come up with a wet system that draws the tape out, guide it through some feltpads drenched in alcohol and pass it through in real time 4,75 cm/sec. Perhaps even a dripper system to keep the felt from drying out.
I don’t think this will cost the $800 this unit will cost and will do a much better job!

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Maybe throw in an erase head that is switchable to clean and erase used DCC?

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It would be better to clean both sides, but not necessary needed.
Most problems com from the top side.
The erase head would certainly be a good addition.

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@Fretlessfender Be aware that when the tape is fed through alcohol pads and it is wound up immediately after that, that it is still wet and cannot dry properly. It is probably not good for the base, the binder and maybe also for the magnetic layer of the tape. So you would have to solve that.
I may be wrong, but it is just something that I thought of when I read your post.

-Philip.

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Noted!
There should be a tape extraction system. The wet pads at the start… somesort of route the tape will take depending on the drying time. Erase head at the end and than back into the cassette… I will make a drawing to show. (Now that will be something… :sweat_smile: I can’t draw) I’ll give it my best shot!

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And while you are at it, please design a machine to inspect and slice VHS tapes as they might work. I know, sadly all purely hypothetical.

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My goodness! You are right!
I get straight to it!

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…and the wet pads should constantly have a new fresh contact surface to the tape, so they have to rotate slowly, or they have to be in the form of tape or something. If you know what I mean.

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Hmmm… things get complicated…
But I see your point!
But I’m not an engineer, I’m just a simple photographer/ musician. But I will give it my best shot.
I thought that at the lecture of @Jac there was a guy in the audience who claimed that there was already a solution for splicing VHS tape?!

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Yes, that was Jeremy. He had inquired with a company that also had tape.
When we followed up with the company they were not able to do the splicing after all.

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Ah! Okay… we have to come up with our own solution… “back to the drawing board.”

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You could use a DAT mechanics… it uses a tape with the same mechanical characteristics as the DCC and, in addition, it runs at very low speed. You could implement ribbon cleaning on the head drum … :upside_down_face:

Nice idea! Bit expensive perhaps but if my design falls to the floor (and it may do) I can still use your plan! Thanks for the input!

Still at it… takes some time…

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For all the solutions I came up with a new problem, still at the drawing board!

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By the way… I’m not sure… is VHS tape the same thickness as dcc Tape? And of not so… wich comes close? 180… 240???