Re: [ARSCLIST] BASF LH 60

[Mike Hirst <mike.hirst@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I've got enough web space to make 
this work. I'll put together some xml, css and php. I should be able to 
start posting images in a couple of weeks. I'll contact the list and as 
soon I've got anything worth showing.

Best wishes

Mike

Marie OConnell wrote:
> Thanks for the pictures Mike, it helps.  I have worked on more cassettes than I care to remember but, it was the cleats that caught my eye.  I found them often in random tape stock including BASF.  Most often they would break in half or I would encourage them to! (A wee fast forward at the end of the side in the Nakamichi).  I had a large collection of hubs and cleats/clips and would replace them.  Hubs with the much smaller clips/cleats were far more reliable plus I noticed that the plastic used seemed to be a different compound.  The larger ones seem to go hard and brittle making them break in half under tension.
>
> I am very interested in your project of collecting images of cassettes.
>
> Cheers
> Marie
>
>
> Marie O'Connell
> Analogue Tape Preservation Archivist
> Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero
> PO Box 1531
> Radio New Zealand House
> Level 1, 51 Chester Street West
> Christchurch
> Phone  +64 3 374 8443
> Fax  + 64 3 374 8448
> www.soundarchives.co.nz 
> --- My opinions do not necessarily represent those of my institutions ---
>
> > > > mike.hirst@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 7/10/2008 10:23 p.m. >>>
> Further to my posting of yesterday re detached tapes in the cassette 
> mechanism of BASF LH C60s, I have spent some time looking into the 
> source of the problem. These are my findings so far:
>
> In the period 1975-85 there are three distinct version of the BASF LH 60 
> cassette. Externally these differ municipally in the size and shape of 
> the central window.
>
> Prior to 1980 all tapes have a small window:
>
> http://www.mikehirst.netfirms.com/BASF/BASF1.jpg 
>
> c.1980-81 the window changes shape and size:
>
> http://www.mikehirst.netfirms.com/BASF/BASF1.jpg 
>
> After 1981 the window size is increased again:
>
> http://www.mikehirst.netfirms.com/BASF/BASF1.jpg 
>
> In the small window version of the cassette the leader is attached to 
> the spools using wide clips or cleats:
>
> http://www.mikehirst.netfirms.com/BASF/cleats.jpg 
>
> In the later versions the fixing method is modified:
>
> http://www.mikehirst.netfirms.com/BASF/spool.jpg 
>
> It is the earlier version of the cassette that is causing the problem 
> (the image shows a selection of broken cleats).
>
> In the later versions the fixing method is more reliable and can be 
> viewed for verification prior to playing in the later large window version.
>
> It seems to me that the greatest vulnerability in working with vintage 
> cassette tapes is the tape mechanism itself. Following this experience I 
> intend to spend some time collecting images and details of the internal 
> mechanism of the cassettes I work with. If there is interest, I would be 
> happy to share this information with others.

--
Mike Hirst
Managing Director
DAS-360°
16 Ocean View
Whitley Bay
Tyne & Wear
NE26 1AL

tel: 0191 289 3186
email: mike.hirst@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
web: http://www.das360.net