8mm Forum: Cleaning magnetic sound heads

This is topic Cleaning magnetic sound heads in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Chris Drumma (Member # 380) on June 27, 2006, 02:00 PM:

Is this necesaary and how is it done? I have an Elmo St600.
Excuse my ignorance,
Chris

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on June 27, 2006, 02:11 PM:

Hi, Chris, yes they should be cleaned. You could use tape head cleaner from Radio Shack if they still sell it. I think Film Renew would be okay also(ask Kev). I use a cue tip, but some people use a cloth because a cue tip may leave fibers.

[ June 27, 2006, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: Dan Lail ]

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on June 27, 2006, 03:32 PM:

I go alomg with that method. I also use qtips dipped in isoprop or tape head cleaner. Dont know about using Filmrenew but Derann's Liquid Film Cleaner work a treat as its mainly isoprop. I also use this for doing the whole film path including the rollers and capstan etc.

Kev.

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on August 08, 2008, 03:19 PM:

Thought I'd renew this thread to talk about sound head issues...

What about degaussing - demagnetising - Super 8mm sound heads? I have a degaussing iron/rod. Is it worth doing? What are the issues here?

In the long term what prospects are there for recutting or reshaping sound heads, etc. I did a search on the board and there is reference to companies that might do this. The thread was old though. What's the current state of affairs on this?

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 09, 2008, 11:15 PM:

Wouldn't your standard "rubbing alcohol" be good for cleaning magnetic film heads? I remember with my tape decks, (which I still occasionally use), they would have a little bottle of rubbing alcohol along with the head cleaning cassette.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on August 10, 2008, 06:23 AM:

Rubbing alcohol is useful for a lot of these things but you need to look for the "good stuff". Regular rubbing alcohol at the pharmacy can be as low as 50% alcohol, which leaves a lot of water when it evaporates. I can get 91% pure rubbing alcohol for a little more money. If you really want to pay you can get much closer to 100% pure, but that's an industrial chemical and a pharmacy won't carry it.

It's important to keep the bottle sealed as much as possible because alcohol just loves to pull moisture out of the air. Besides, who wants to spill something flammable enough to be a motor fuel?

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 12, 2008, 02:16 PM:

Yes, this is a good thread to bump.

Regarding the different styles of magnetic sound heads in projectors, some are easier to clean than others.

I have used Sankyo ST-800's for over two decades. The sound heads are very easy to clean. After the outer projector cover is snapped off, they are right there, accessable.

However, on my BAUER T-610, I can't figure out how to get to the heads. Does anyone on this forum have experience with BAUER projectors, that could give advise?

They don't appear to need cleaning yet (the sound is fine), but, in time I will want to clean them.

Thanks, hope someone can help.

James.

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