Methods to fix "eaten"/crinkled VHS tapes?

[lordsmurf]

I'm curious how many methods out there (good, bad and ugly) have been tried for repairing tapes that have been mangled by a VCR.

What have you tried?
What has worked for you?
What have you thought about as feasible, but never used/tried?

[minidv2dvd]

tried and worked but doesn't recovery bad spots-

if at the beginning cut it out and re-spool onto the hub.

if in the middle, transfer up to the bad spot. cut out the mangled tape. scotch tape the pieces back together, wind the video by hand past the tape job, continue transferring.

there are still tape splicers available but for a single job scotch tape should hold for one playing.

[themaster1]

yeah if the reel is cut, scotch is ok but only on one side of the reel (the one that's not in contact with the drum)

Then if your tape need a cleaning, there is this kind of machine a bit expensive though

[lordsmurf]

I've never seen evidence that the TapeChek is "all that" and at $10K, it's a bit pricey.

I find cutting the tape and splicing it to be an awful practice. It's a quitter practice to me.

[cal_tony]

I've done the scotch tape repair years ago when I had video tapes. Same as said above.... Scotch tape only on the side away from the drum. I didn't wind it through by hand though. The directions I had been given said play it through the tape but only play it once. However, being the skeptic that I am, I played one tape at least a dozen times without it coming apart again.

Tony

[Timoleon]

Scotch tape on both sides for me --- never had any issues.

[Number Six]

If the tape is crinkled but not torn, I carefully pull it out of the cassette, flatten it as good as I can between 2 pieces of paper without touching the oxide, then I put the damaged section inside a thick hard cover book and put a heavy weight on it for about a week - this usually makes it flat enough to get at least 1 or 2 good plays out of it for copying to a new tape or DVD.

[mstone321]

On a blank section of tape:

Try using an clothes-iron on medium heat, no steam between pieces of paper...

Just an idea, I have not actually tried this. When I delivered newspapers as a boy, I used to iron all my crinkled currency/bills (from the collection cycle) to make them a little more manageable.

M

[Marvingj]

If a tape is cut , I have a Glue that is probably back from 1970's that is a tape adhensive that will work like wonder. I got the glue for betamax but it works great with vhs , I brought a case. So I will have enough for the next 50 years......

[handyguy]

I just rewind by hand & hope for the best.

Got some mold on some. Haven't figured out what to do about that one.

[Cornucopia]

I know they're probably a whole lot harder to find than they used to because of the decline in tape's popularity, but REALLY the best way to splice a tape, be it VHS or any other type, is to use a correctly sized splicing block with correctly formulated splicing tape. They are made and you can still find them (try Makertek to begin).

The difference is that the block helps hold down the tape correctly lined up and flat, plus creates a channel with which to lay (and trim if needed) the tape. And it helps in creating consistently matching splices that can be butted up together better with less jaggedness (which would be a BUMP when run past the R/P video heads).

The tape is formulated so that it will adhere quickly and keep its hold with reasonable strength, but if pulled on correctly can be removed without completely ruining the tape. And especially, it has a stickyness that doesn't ooze even with heating (unlike Scotch tape). Oozy/gummy stuff can easily get onto your R/P video heads and quickly RUIN them, so you want to avoid this.

A top quality splicing block is at most going to cost about $35USD and the tape is cheap (~$7/small roll USD, IIRC) and good 1-sided safety razors (so you can hold onto them easily) are also cheap. This makes these a very worthwhile investment if you have more an one or two tapes to fix.

BTW, the IRON idea does work to some degree, but it has to be a very low temperature (probably < ~180 degr F).

Scott

[CobraPilot]

If you try the "ironing" method, you may want to consider the possible electromagnetic fields around the heating coils of an iron, which might introduce "noise" or even erase the damaged part.

To avoid that, simply unplug the iron and wait a short while before placing it on the tape.

[olyteddy]

In lieu of a splicing block I've had good luck getting a clean matching cut by overlapping the tape by about an inch, taping both layers down to a countertop. Cut both layers at once at a slant and remove the top on one side and the bottom on the other. Then tape and play.

[stiltman]

The iron trick, but we used 1/16in tempered glass and not paper

[lordsmurf]

The iron trick, but we used 1/16in tempered glass and not paper

Now this is interesting.
Where would one locate glass of this nature?

[handyguy]

glass shop.

[stiltman]

The iron trick, but we used 1/16in tempered glass and not paper

Now this is interesting.
Where would one locate glass of this nature?

I go to glass companies that sell windows and sliding glass door. I always ask if they have any remnants. You'd be surprised!


BTW, after thinking about it some more, my Dad had this contraption that was like a foot or 2 wide with wheels at each end and was spring load. He had a heat lamp inbetween the wheels. The tape went around the wheels and was slightly stretch with the heat and that did the trick too....I just can't remember if this was for old film tape or VCR/1in tape