OK... at the severe risk of sounding like a true idiot ---- Is it possible that if a tape is played right out to the end.... and then left on the take-up spool ... and then put back on the machine... in the assumption that it is a feed spool.. then you would not be using the tape correctly? Thinking about it... the correct surface would still be presented to the heads.. hmmm the reason I ask is that I changed tape and now recording is working ok (???) I tried two other tapes and nothing would record. Using the same setup. Baffling.
Phil
The inside of the reel is the oxide side where the recording exists. Running a reel through the machine to the take up reel and then moving that as the feed reel will still have the oxide on the inside. (this isn't a Mobius strip, after all) If you were to record on the tape first, and then flip it as you describe, you should hear sound, but backwards.
Not to sound condescending, but I'm actually somewhat surprised by this type of question. I learned how tape recording worked when I was about 8 yrs old! It's not rocket science. It seems people try to make things harder than they really are!