I'll second (or third, or whatever) all those recommendations for isopropyl=
alcohol; and I'll
also second Lou's advice about the coloured TDK liquid. I used to use that =
TDK stuff on my
cassette decks back in the '70s, one blue liquid and one red liquid. Worked=
well, but it's
probably pretty old now and not something I'd be relying on.
Go to your local chemist and get some real isopropyl alcohol. Make sure the=
y don't give
you the stuff made for sporting injuries, which is in some kind of rubbing =
oil. If you
explain that it is for cleaning tape heads and needs to be very pure, you'l=
l get the 90%+
stuff.
Some further advice:
1) Use isopropyl on all the metal parts of the tape path.
2) If the tape deck is lying on its back with the capstan shaft pointing up=
wards (vertical),
use the isopropyl sparingly on the capstan shaft to prevent it running down=
the shaft and
flushing out the lubricants from the bearings. This will cause you much gri=
ef!
3) Don't use isopropyl on any rubber parts in the tape path, especially the=
pinch roller. Use
hot water for cleaning those things. Alcohol will remove the natural oils a=
nd cause it to dry
and crack over time (alternatively, it will cause the roller to go all gooe=
y and sticky, as it
did with the Otari 2" 24-track machines of yore).
You may also want to consider de-magnetising the heads...
Good luck.
- Greg Simmons
P.S. Definitely do what someone else suggested: hook up a digital recorder =
and transfer as
much as you can into the digital domain. Do it as you listen to the tapes, =
because you
never know if you'll get a second chance.
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