Technical Instructions for Salvaging Audio

Technical Instructions for Salvaging Audio Cassettes After the Magnetic Tape Has Been Torn or Partially Destroyed

Purpose of Instructions:

The availability of microchip-based audio recording equipment has made magnetic tape-based recording obsolete to a large extent. However, magnetic tapes such as traditional cassette tapes are sometimes used, particularly where the music or verbal conversations memorialized on them predate more recent electronic methods of preserving audio information. One of the disadvantages of traditional magnetic tape- based audio cassettes is their vulnerability to physical mutilation or destruction during playback.

More often than not, where magnetic recording tape becomes tangled in the tape deck mechanism, only the portion actually entangled is destroyed, but salvaging the remaining tape is difficult to accomplish, because audio cassettes are not designed to be opened and then reassembled. Nevertheless, it is possible to open the cassette, remove the damaged portion of the tape, splice the remaining tape, and reseal the cassette cartridge.

Tools and Materials:

Philips Head Screwdriver -Scissors -Tapered Screwdriver (thin) or Tapered Letter Opener -Tweezers -Clear Scotch Tape -Plastic Epoxy (or "Crazy Glue") -Ordinary Pen with Pocket Clip -Ordinary Toothpick

Technical Instructions:

The first step after removing an audio cassette that has become tangled in a tape deck is to identify the portion of the tape that has been mutilated, which is evident by the creases on the smooth magnetic tape. Using ordinary scissors, cut out the damaged section of tape and discard it. Try not to disturb the positioning of the remaining tape and allow the cut end to protrude from the cassette instead of receding into the case.

Next, locate any mechanical screws holding the two halves of the plastic cassette case and unscrew them with an appropriately sized Philips head screwdriver. Note that the four holes evident near the corners of the disassembled tape case below depicts their usual location.

After unscrewing the screws, gently insert a tapered letter opener or thin screwdriver between the two halves of the cartridge and carefully pry apart the two halves by sliding the tool along the edges of the cassette until they separate completely.

Leave the bottom half on the table exactly as illustrated above and put the top half aside until you are ready for reassembly. Before proceeding further, carefully examine the position of the cut ends of the tape, noting the exact path that the tape is designed to follow around the guide rollers and over the cushioned pressure pad on the metal support for it. On reassembly, you will have to duplicate this exact same tape path in order for the tape to play properly.

After noting the precise tape path, pull out enough tape from both sides to permit you to manipulate the ends for splicing them together. Using the scissors, tweezers, and Scotch tape, carefully trim a small piece of Scotch tape to the appropriate size for splicing purposes. Ideally, the adhesive tape should allow you to cover both sides of the sliced magnetic tape ends without any exposed adhesive tape protruding beyond the edges of the magnetic tape. Use the scissors to trim any excess adhesive tape and make sure that no exposed adhesive tape remains, because it could cause the cassette tape to stick together after reassembly.

After checking the physical integrity of the splicing and ensuring that no excess adhesive tape remains, leave the open cassette housing flat on the table and manipulate the tape reels with your fingers, carefully rolling back the tape. Make sure that the magnetic tape lies in the exact same path that you identified earlier as the correct tape path. Carefully reposition the other half of the cassette case above the half on the table and line up the edges so that they meet perfectly and then reattach the two case halves.