Best cleaning solution for tape heads? |
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Best cleaning solution for tape heads? |
 Nov 28 2011, 03:01
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#1
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Group: Members Posts: 36 Joined: 26-October 11 Member No.: 94698  |
I have been using Methyl Hydrate to clean tape heads on my open reel and cassette machines. Does anyone know if it might leave a residue?
-------------------- Harry
-- http://harry.cckerala.com Streaming Pop & Rock tunes |
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Nov 28 2011, 03:03
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#2
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Group: Members Posts: 36 Joined: 26-October 11 Member No.: 94698 |
OOPS! This might be more relevant under Audio Hardware...saw it only too late. However, I cannot delete this post...
-------------------- Harry
-- http://harry.cckerala.com Streaming Pop & Rock tunes |
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Nov 28 2011, 03:47
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#3
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Group: Members Posts: 3080 Joined: 1-September 05 From: SE Pennsylvania Member No.: 24233 |
If this is pure methanol then it should not leave a residue, but you should read the label. It is possible that there are other things added to it.
I wonder if methanol might be too strong a solvent though. I seem to remeber there being products that were especially for cleaning heads. I also remember a special tape that you run through the deck that cleans the heads. |
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Nov 28 2011, 04:25
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#4
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 Group: Members Posts: 619 Joined: 15-March 07 Member No.: 41501 |
My recollection is that isopropyl alcohol was the usual stuff, but I could be wrong.
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Nov 28 2011, 08:06
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#5
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 Group: Members Posts: 1311 Joined: 4-June 02 From: Cologne, Germany Member No.: 2213 |
IMO, methanol is far too toxic to be used as a cleaning solution for tape heads, capstans and rubber reels ... it will also embrittle rubber parts by washing out the softening agents if used too often. Then again, rubber parts in tape machines have to be replaced regularly anyway.
Back in the day, I used concentrated isopropanol with q-tips and a demagnetizer coil from time to time. -------------------- The name was Plex The Ripper, not Jack The Ripper
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Nov 28 2011, 19:48
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#6
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Group: Members Posts: 2114 Joined: 24-August 07 From: Silicon Valley Member No.: 46454 |
I think I used to use isopropyl alcohol (or regular 'ol "rubbing alcohol" from the drug store).
I wouldn't worry about residue, since "everything" should be absorbed by the Q-Tip and wiped-away. It takes quite a bit of contamination to affect the sound. I don't think I ever ran across a case where the heads looked clean and cleaning made a difference. In fact, I'm not sure if cleaning obviously-dirty heads ever made a difference... But, it's been a long time since I worked on a tape machine and maybe I just don't remember... |
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Nov 29 2011, 05:11
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#7
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Group: Members Posts: 36 Joined: 26-October 11 Member No.: 94698 |
Thanks for all your responses.
The reason I asked this was because at the radio station I worked during the 80's, methyl hydrate is what they used on the expensive open reel equipment heads. And, I figured they should know.  Or not?
This post has been edited by musicollector: Nov 29 2011, 05:12 -------------------- Harry
-- http://harry.cckerala.com Streaming Pop & Rock tunes |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 19th May 2013 - 11:43 |
