[QuadList] Foam tape reel flanges-cleaning glue off of flanges and tape--NFSA found something that worked!

[Ted Langdell]

Doing some further investigation on the subject.... I came across this April, 2005 thread on the archives of the Association of Recorded Sound's ARC-List:

http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/arsclist/2005/04/msg00148.html

Essentially, someone else had the same problem, and asked about it.

Jim Lindner reported that he'd seen amazing results in Australia at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra.  I've re-formatted it here for easier reading:

I recently learned something while at the NFSA in Australia - (formerly
Screensound). I had also removed the glue in an expensive and time
consuming process for years. We used Triclor at that time to do it. It
did not do a great job and took forever. 

At screensound they have been using Eucalyptus Oil to remove the glue. 

I had my doubts when they told me this but then we actually did a reel.
The result was amazing - and I do not use "amazing" often. The
Eucalyptus oil absolutely dissolved the glue - it removed it from both
the foam on the flange and the tape. 

I expected the foam to be affected and the tape edges as well. That was
not the case. It just came off incredibly cleanly and easily. 

You don't have to wind the tape and clean the edges separately - it just
all comes off. Now I realize this may sound like an advert. For citrus
miracle or something - but it isn't. 

They had to experiment with a couple of different brands - one was a bit
too aggressive - but the demonstration I saw was incredibly impressive.
The tape edges looked great - certainly good enough for a playback. I
just thought I would pass it on. 

Give it a try Peter - you will be surprised.

jim

In a followup post, Jim expanded on his observations:

I saw it with my own eyes - straight out of the bottle, put on a swab -
wiped over the surface - and the stuff is just gone, poof, and no
noticeable effects on anything other then the glue. The tape looked
great. 

There may be some long term longevity issues - but the goal in this
situation is to just get the gook off and make a copy so I was not
thinking about "long term" in these particular situations anyhow. 

As I mentioned they experimented with two different types - but as
described they chose one of them because it was less aggressive. 

Interestingly years ago before 3M went out of the business - I was told
that they spent a huge amount of money researching this (after all they
had the problem in the first place) and found that Triclor was the ONLY
thing that worked. I never thought of questioning it.

The stuff works great - much better then Triclor.

And as an added feature - - -  I had a cold when I visited and a nice
person at the archive gave me a small bottle which I opened up in the
hotel room and it filled the room with that lovely fragrance, and it did
make breathing easier. 

I had to leave it behind however - I did not want to have to explain to
customs what it was.... now that has me wondering if there is a
connection between nasal congestion and Flange glue - LOL. But seriously
- it works really well. No reservations on recommending this one.

There are other informative posts in the thread, including a notation from Gerald Green that:

I also was introduced to eucalyptus oil while in Australia, and it works
marvelously as a glue or adhesive remover. 

Aussies use it for darned near anything: my bottle has directions for use in "cold and influenza
symptoms; muscular aches and pains; satins, grease marks on clothes, tar
on paintwork," etc.  

It has a powerful - but not unpleasant - odor.  

My bottles (50 and 200 ml.) are labelled Bosisto's Eucalyptus Oil and
marked POISON in large red letters.  It's from Felton Grimwade and
Bickworth Pty. Ltd., 61 Clarinda Road, Oakleigh south, Victoria  -- 
Jerry Green

In a separate thread about powdery substances, videotape restoration facility Spec Brothers' Peter Brothers went into the history of the problem:
http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/arsclist/2005/04/msg00145.html

The cushion-flange glue problem only happened on 3M (Scotch) 1" and 2"
video.  

Most cushioned reels are fine but, at one point, 3M subcontracted out 
the cushion attachment part of the reel manufacture and the
subcontractor used the wrong glue. 


I did some more googling, and apparently Eucalyptus Oil is useful/used for all kinds of things... including lice control, removing gum from hair and other things.  Don't use on the cat, however.  It's toxic to kitties.  Not that they should be in the room where you're transferring tape or film, anyway :)

HOWEVER...  I also ran across this document on the website of the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials...
http://www.aiccm.org.au/docs/Bulletin1992/Brandis_Bulletin_1992_Vol18No1and2.PDF

which did some research into the effectiveness of Eucalyptus Oil and removing adhesive material.  This was focused more on paper items, so some of this may not apply to glue removal from metal flanges or possibly, videotape.

The Abstract says:

The use of eucalyptus oil as an aid in the removal of adhesive material as been advocated for some years. No scientific evidence for its effectiveness appears to have been published. This report describes preliminary investigations into the effectiveness of eucalyptus oil in the removal of adhesive materials and of stains caused by these materials. It was found that eucalyptus oil was not as effective in removing adhesive materials as was the more conventional solvent, acetone, and eucalyptus oil caused some staining.

So... your mileage with Eucalyptus Oil may vary and use at your own risk.

Hope this is both helpful and interesting.

Ted

Ted Langdell
Secretary



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