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  1. Member
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    I have a cassette tape that is broken where the tape meets the clear leader. The clear leader is wrapped around hub. Are their any tricks to get the clear leader out to repair the tape?
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  2. Member
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    Is this an audio or video cassette?
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    The only method I know is to take the cassette apart, join the two bits together, rethread the tape and put the cassette back together.

    To get it apart turn the cassette face down
    There should be a screw in each corner (and for video another in the center)
    Turn the cassette face up (CAREFULLY)
    and then gently lift the top half of the cassette up and off

    Be very careful to catch all the bits and note where they came from etc etc

    Personally I'd practice on a tape that's not broken (and one that's not important) so you can see the path of the tape and make sure you know how to get it back together.

    I've done it a few times - getting the rollers (for video tapes) back in the right place is often the most complicated part.
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  4. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    You'll have to re-warp the tape, and you'll lose some of the initial footage. I've done it before. This is a real nuisance to fix.
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  5. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    There may be a small plastic 'wedge' that holds the end of the tape to the hub, at least on VHS type tape cassettes. If you can extract that, you may be able to attach the tape itself directly to the hub. Or you can get a splicing kit to join the clear leader to the broken tape end. But it may not be as strong as the original. And if the tape broke, it's also likely stretched at the break, so you may lose a bit of the video.

    If you attach the tape without the clear leader, be aware that most rewinding mechanisms look for that clear piece of tape to stop the rewinding and you may break the tape again if you rewind. I would also be a little suspicious of why the tape broke in the first place.

    With VHS there is also a brake that keeps the tape tension correct when the end of the tape is reached. With the optical sensor to detect the clear piece of tape and turn off the rewind and the brake to control the tape tension, you want to make sure that neither is malfunctioning or you may damage other tapes.

    Or if you are asking about audio cassette tapes, much harder to repair.

    Or if you are using a cheap external rewinder, you are taking your chances with tape damage.
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  6. Member
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    I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear. This is an audio cassette.
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  7. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    Probably with a audio cassette, I would just splice the tape back together, then get the audio off it and toss it in the trash. As long as it has screws to hold it together, you should be able to open it and repair it. I'm not sure how audio cassette ends are held in place, but they may also use a wedge of some sort.
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  8. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    Audio cassettes are basically the same as a VHS tape. I've done audio tapes too, same principles hold them together. But these are smaller, even more of a pain.
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    Boy, it's been a long time since I've seen an audio cassette, let alone fix one. But from memory:

    First try the pencil method, if it works you do not have to open the case. On the side of the tape where the leader is wrapped around the hub insert a pencil into the drive sprocket. Turn the pencil to make the hub unwind the leader. Sometimes I have used tweezers to get ahold of the end of the tape and gently pull while turning...extra hands required.

    Otherwise you have to open the case. Lay it on a flat work surface with the screws facing upwards. The object of the game here is to undo the screws and lift off the top cover without moving, tilting or disturbing the bottom half. There are little tensioners, wheels, etc that will fall out if you tilt the bottom once the screws are out. Good luck ever figuring out where they all go, if you can even find all of them on the floor. Once the top cover is off you will have to carefully lift out the hub with the leader and unwind it. Place the hub back in and splice the tape together - Scotch Tape works well or use a splicing kit if you prefer. Pay attention to the tape path to ensure it will not bind on anything once it is back together. Carefully place the top cover on and tighten the screws. Then rip that baby to your hard drive and burn to a CD...
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