[QuadList] Plasticizer--Photos?

Thu Mar 18 10:27:07 CDT 2010

In regard to white powder, I have seen it on 3M 400 and Ampex 175.  
Rarely on Memorex Chroma 90. Never on Fuji.

Mold is another story.

One has to assume that a 3M flange is actually holding 3M tape. The  
same for Fuji, Memorex, etc. You don't know where that tape came from  
(usually).

The worst offenders for stickiness are Ampex 175, Memorex Chroma 90,  
and certain  batches of 400. Never on Fuji.

David Crosthwait
DC Video
Archived Media Transfer and Re-mastering Services
177 West Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA. 91502
818-563-1073
818-563-1177 (fax)
818-285-9942 (cell)
DCFWTX at AOL.COM
DAVID at DCVIDEO.COM
WWW.DCVIDEO.COM

Quoting John Walko <jwalko at scenesavers.com>:

> Bill:
>
> We did a large 1" project a couple of years ago (about 1000 tapes).  We
> could identify brands by smell.
>
>
>
> I would guess some tapes uses coconut oil, because the tapes smelled like
> suntan lotion (or coconut lifesavers.pick your favorite).  Other tapes
> smelled like waxy crayons (like a new box) and still others smelled musty,
> like old gym socks.
>
>
>
> And, as was mentioned (surprisingly), Fuji tapes were among the ones that
> held up better/were easier to play back.  I think they were also the ones
> that smelled of coconut (I may be wrong on this, though).
>
>
>
> We have some 2" in here now that is giving us fits.lots of stickiness
> (mostly from the black back coating) and lots of shedding.  These tapes
> don't appear to have too much of the white residue, but are quite musty
> smelling.  Most of the reels have the foam coated flange reel, so we're not
> sure if the odor is coming from the tapes or from the foam rubber degrading.
> I'll have to ask our engineer if he is seeing the white powder.
>
>
>
> John Walko
>
>
>
>
>
> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
> [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of
> bill.spencer at northstarstudios.tv
> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 10:02 AM
> To: quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Plasticizer--Photos?
>
>
>
> The white powder referred to is the lubricant drying out.  The lubricant was
> a fatty acid called Palmetic acid and the source for some manufacturers was
> whale oil.  It gave it that characteristic "new tape" smell.  Memorex was
> the worst for 2".
>
>
>
> Although I have seen it a few times in 1" it is much less than in quad and
> seems to mostly happen with stock manufactured in Japan rather than in
> Alabama.  Of course the whale oil is more available in Japan and I never did
> find out what the others used here, but I'll bet someone on this list knows!
>
>
>
> Bill Spencer
>
> RF Engineering Supervisor
>
> NorthStar Studios, Inc.
>
> 3201 Dickerson Pike
>
> Nashville, TN 37207
>
>
>
> Phone 615.650.6000 ext. 6610
>
> Cell 615.445.5616
>
> Fax 615.650.6027
>
> email bill.spencer at northstarstudios.tv
>
>
>
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> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
> [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of John Walko
> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 8:53 AM
> To: 'Quad List'; videovault at sky.com
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Plasticizer--Photos?
>
>
>
> We've seen this before on 1" videotapes.  I do not know the brand.  I didn't
> think to look at what brand/type of 1" tape it was.I just assumed it was a
> problem with all 1" tapes of a certain age.
>
>
>
> What we noticed was a white power when cleaning the tapes.  This white dust
> would get all over the cleaner and on the Plexiglas door that covers the
> cleaning tissue and burnishing guides.  We originally thought it was mold,
> but upon checking we found out that mold would not come off the tape as a
> dust.  In fact, mold would smear on the tape.
>
>
>
> I don't think it is a plasticizer.what I've been told is that it is the
> lubricants in the tape that are solidifying and coming to the surface of the
> tape.  If you clean the tapes, you can get a good play, but if you allow
> them to sit for a couple of weeks after cleaning, the white dust will be
> back.  If you clean the white material off with alcohol, it turns the
> cleaning cloth yellow.which will eventually fade over time.  I used to have
> one of the cleaning cloths that I used for demo purposes.but it has since
> faded back to white (not as effective a demonstration any more).
>
>
>
> John Walko
>
> Scene Savers
>
> 800-978-3445
>
> 859-291-5100 (extension 1110)
>
>
>
> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
> [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Ted Langdell
> Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 11:48 AM
> To: videovault at sky.com; Quad List
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Plasticizer--Photos?
>
>
>
> If I'm correctly interpreting what Walter's describing here...
>
>
>
> When dealing with film, it appears as a dandruff-like stuff.
>
>
>
> We see a lot of that on telecine's Particle Transfer Rollers when
> transferring older material.
>
>
>
> Walter: is this what you're referring to?
>
>
>
> If you take a digital picture or several photos, please post to the list as
> attachments.
>
>
>
> Keep the entire message size under 1MB and it will go directly to the list.
> Otherwise it gets held up for list-parent review.
>
>
>
> Ted
>
>
>
> On Mar 17, 2010, at 10:24 AM, Trevor Brown wrote:
>
>
>
> Never heard it called that before
>
> What brand are the tapes in particular the 2"   ie Memorex Chroma 90 ?
>
> Trevor
>
> UK Member
>
>
>
> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
> [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf OfWalter Forsberg
> Sent: 17 March 2010 15:15
> To: quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com
> Subject: [QuadList] Plasticizer
>
>
>
> Hello Quad Groupers-
>
>
>
> I'm looking for info / documentation / personal experiences any of you may
> have had with white plasticizer, offering itself up from the winds/packs of
> 2" and 1" videotape.
>
>
>
> Specifically, are there any trends or commonly believed reasons for this
> stuff appearing? (Eg. specific stocks, a particular environmental storage
> condition, or manufacturer's container / reel materials.)
>
>
>
> I'd also be happy to receive a quoted forward of past discussions on this
> topic, as I'm a relative newbie to the list.
>
>
>
> Happiest shamrocks & thanks in advance,
>
>
>
> Walter Forsberg
>
> NYU-MIAP
>
>
>
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>
>
> Ted Langdell
>
> Secretary
>
>
>
>
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