Replace roller rubber on HP 9825 tape drive

[Joe R.]

At 12:10 AM 7/7/05 +0100, you wrote:
>> 
>> Well, I finally got around to attempting to re-spool this stupidly
>> designed tape.
>
>It's actually avery ingenious design (it's the same design, basically, as 
>QIC tape cartridges). Remember you want a constant tape speed past the 
>head. By driving the outside of the tape spools at a constant speed 
>(that's what the belt and drive puck do), rather than turning the spools 
>themselves by their axles, that's exactly what you get. It avoids the 
>capstan, pinch roller, slipping clutches, etc, used in audio tape and 
>cassette recorders.

   The really ingenous part is that the belt attempts to rotate the take up
spool about 10% faster then the other spool. That's what tightens up the
tape if it ever gets slack.


>
>> 
>> Your description sounds like a different tape than what I was dealing
>> with.  The tape did not come off of either spool but was instead attached
>> onto both spools.
>
>THere were several designs, sure...
>
>> 
>> At any rate, the stupid tensioning belt (whatever its called) broke on me.
>> Oh well, fuck that tape.  I'll try to read it anyway (is the tensioning
>> belt necessary?)  I also noticed numerous spots on the the tape where the
>
>Of course the belt is necessary. It's how the tape is driven. You can 
>borrow one from another tape cartridge.

   Good luck! I could never replace a belt and make it work :=/


>
>> oxide had flaked off, so any re-attempt may well be futile.  Whoever
>
>Obviously you've lost data where that oxide is missing. You'll also have 
>problems becuase these drives use optincal BOT/EOT detection (there's a 
>small hole in the tape, a mirror as part of the cartridge housing, and a 
>bulb/photodetector in the drive). The system will think it's got to the 
>end of the tape if it finds a clear spot.
>
>> designed these tapes is a moron.  I can't imagine how impossibly expensive
>> it must've been to manufacture them.
>
>See above. Tell you what, you see if you can come up with a better design.

     Better yes, cheaper - no.
>
>> 
>> I hate computers.
>
>Feel free to send me all your collection.

  Sellam would need a container ship to move all of his collection!  He
should ship it all here to Florida and avoid that nasty Atlantic crossing :-)

   Joe


>
>-tony
>