Re: [ARSCLIST] Acetate tape discolours tape box

[Mwcpc6@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 10/17/2006 8:50:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
cpeterso@xxxxxxxxx writes:
Wow!  What a compelling picture.  There are a number of companies that 
make archival boxes specially designed to absorb offgasses, but I've 
never seen such a visually strong argument for using them before. 
********************

"I recently came across a 3-inch reel of acetate tape, not in its original 
box, that showed the following pattern in the box. I recently came across a 
3-inch reel of acetate tape, not in its original box, that showed the following 
pattern in the box."

I've seen this before, but only on the 3" reels of this type in the "tape 
correspondence" boxes. I noticed it years ago, when the tapes were relatively 
new. Can you smell any acetic acid on the tape or box? 

>From using these tapes, usually sold in poly bags without boxes, in the days 
before cassettes, I remember that they had a distinctive smell when new. The 
boxes were sold separately, unfolded, so a new one could be used when the tapes 
were reused. I haven't seen this effect on name brand tapes, even the Kodak 
tapes that smell strongly of vinegar (and always have).

One may need to do so some chemical analysis before drawing conclusions. It 
seems strange that a gas like the acid vapor would produce such a sharp image 
of the reel instead of diffusing throughout the box. Perhaps a larger molecule 
is responsible for the staining.

Mike Csontos