What Are You Using To Make Music Recordings?

[rob aylestone]

Most of the muck build up is on edges - so the gaps either side of recording heads are holes that collect debris. Cleaning tapes have the job of removing this debris, and there is a very fine line between removing muck and removing metal and resin. There were wet cleaning tapes that tried to dissolve the dirt, then wipe it away, but they rarely did a good job. Worse is that the video and audio heads are proud of the surrounding surface, so the cleaning tape tends to be quite hard on them. Nobody ever produced a cleaning tape better than the junior engineer could clean them manually, with only a bit of training. In another topic I mentioned the kinds of machines they used in broadcast. Very often we'd haver them in a rack on pull out runners, and usually they would not have the top covers even on them. We had orange can Colclene - great stuff, the can said suitable for cleaning guided missiles - and was a blend of isopropyl alcohol and other solvents, and it evaporated completely, needing no residue. The procedure was a simple one on video heads (and MII video heads were expensive!) You never used fluffy cloth and never cotton buds - those little fluffy wisps of cotton would catch on the heads and you could snap them off if you moved them vertically. Horizontally, they were a little stringer. The rule was a lint free cloth. You gave the head a good swoosh, and as the liquid was under pressure, it softened the debris and flowed it away, then evaporated. You could also poke a finger into the cloth, squirt the tip and then rotate the bump of the head under your finger tip with a tiny bit of pressure. A bit more on the capstan, and a wipe of the guides and you were done. This was the same process on virtually any machine, analogue or digital with stationary or rotary heads. The real pain of course is the size. Video machines had space for chunky fingers. DCC never did. Some cassette machines made cleaning a cinch - others forced you to virtually dismantle them. Cleaning tapes were an obvious solution - even though potentially destructive/useless.

 

[TalismanRich]

I remember using very small open cell foam swabs for cleaning video heads. There wasn't enough drag to damage the head, and no chance of leaving cotton fibers anywhere. My company had to buy them to clean a laser particle size analyzer system. Ours were a bit more expensive than what you got at most supply houses, since the handles had a threaded end for adding an extension. We stuck with 99.9 isopropanol, since we had access to lots of high purity chemicals.

 

[Smithers XKR]

Most of the muck build up is on edges - so the gaps either side of recording heads are holes that collect debris. Cleaning tapes have the job of removing this debris, and there is a very fine line between removing muck and removing metal and resin. There were wet cleaning tapes that tried to dissolve the dirt, then wipe it away, but they rarely did a good job. Worse is that the video and audio heads are proud of the surrounding surface, so the cleaning tape tends to be quite hard on them. Nobody ever produced a cleaning tape better than the junior engineer could clean them manually, with only a bit of training. In another topic I mentioned the kinds of machines they used in broadcast. Very often we'd haver them in a rack on pull out runners, and usually they would not have the top covers even on them. We had orange can Colclene - great stuff, the can said suitable for cleaning guided missiles - and was a blend of isopropyl alcohol and other solvents, and it evaporated completely, needing no residue. The procedure was a simple one on video heads (and MII video heads were expensive!) You never used fluffy cloth and never cotton buds - those little fluffy wisps of cotton would catch on the heads and you could snap them off if you moved them vertically. Horizontally, they were a little stringer. The rule was a lint free cloth. You gave the head a good swoosh, and as the liquid was under pressure, it softened the debris and flowed it away, then evaporated. You could also poke a finger into the cloth, squirt the tip and then rotate the bump of the head under your finger tip with a tiny bit of pressure. A bit more on the capstan, and a wipe of the guides and you were done. This was the same process on virtually any machine, analogue or digital with stationary or rotary heads. The real pain of course is the size. Video machines had space for chunky fingers. DCC never did. Some cassette machines made cleaning a cinch - others forced you to virtually dismantle them. Cleaning tapes were an obvious solution - even though potentially destructive/useless.

Hi Rob

I took the DCC apart today and used Iso and cotton buds to clean the heads Capstans and pinch rollers. It was a bit of a faff as there is a little metal frame above the mechanism and has some push out push in plastic bits which I would probably break if I tried to remove it.

Liked your post, and as musician first but only an enthusiastic amateur tech, you have confirmed what I thought... cleaning tapes are no good and will only damage the heads.

Also yes about the cotton buds .... will leave bits and it is hard to apply any pressure to clean, especially the metal Capstans.

I have cut up a clean Chamois leather into strips, I have heard they can do the job better? As long as you use the smooth side and do not rub too hard.

Now...just got to take apart.... the 2 ADATs, and the VCR to get the job done. Fortunately the twin deck on the home Technics stereo and the Yamaha multitracker have easier access.

Thanks for the advice Rob ???

Smithers.

 

[Smithers XKR]

I remember using very small open cell foam swabs for cleaning video heads. There wasn't enough drag to damage the head, and no chance of leaving cotton fibers anywhere. My company had to buy them to clean a laser particle size analyzer system. Ours were a bit more expensive than what you got at most supply houses, since the handles had a threaded end for adding an extension. We stuck with 99.9 isopropanol, since we had access to lots of high purity chemicals.

PS .... I use electrical contact cleaner spray to sort out stuff on my classic car. Do you think this will work with the music equipment? It evaporates quickly and is probably very similar to Iso so I will have a look on the can and compare the ingredients.
Thanks ?

 

[TalismanRich]

The problem with some contact cleaners is the presence of a lubricant. I have a can of contact cleaner, and it is fine for cleaning things like volume controls because it also lubricates to make things turn smoothly, but it definitely leaves a residue.

If you can, look up an SDS for the contact cleaner that you have. It may tell you what chemicals are in there. They vary widely in composition. Otherwise, squirt a little on a clean piece of glass and let it completely dry. If there is anything left on the glass, don't use it on video heads.

 

[Smithers XKR]

The problem with some contact cleaners is the presence of a lubricant. I have a can of contact cleaner, and it is fine for cleaning things like volume controls because it also lubricates to make things turn smoothly, but it definitely leaves a residue.

If you can, look up an SDS for the contact cleaner that you have. It may tell you what chemicals are in there. They vary widely in composition. Otherwise, squirt a little on a clean piece of glass and let it completely dry. If there is anything left on the glass, don't use it on video heads.

Yes thanks Rich... it does leave a white residue so will stick with the Iso I think..

You have confirmed what I thought.

Many thanks mate, always like to seek advice from those in the know.

Cheers ?

 

[rob aylestone]

I remember the BASF tape rep saying once. “The trouble is cleaning tapes are stupid. They’re very good at removing stuff. Dirt, oxide, contamination etc. the trouble is once they have done that, they’re quite good at removing heads, guides and rollers”.

don’t forget too that the tape itself can also be an abrasive. So the medium that leaves the deposits was also continually wearing other surfaces.

when I was teaching in college, one music technology student asked a question. He said that ferric tapes was basically rust? I thought a bit and said that it was very fine, very consistent material, but yes, essentially, rust. We decided to have a bit of fun with a VHS recorder. It was scheduled for the bin, but it still recorded and played. We got some ferric oxide from the science department, and found some sticky tape that was half an inch wide. We laid a twenty foot strip sticky side up on the floor and covered it in the oxide, and patted it down carefully. Then we wound it into a cassette case. We got a few seconds recording and we did get a tiny bit of playback, before the heads were gone. It was amazingly rough on the machine. I wonder what grit it was? It felt like talcum powder, not sand, but hastened the vcr’s doom to a few seconds. One student said “now I know why tape is so expensive”.