fzabkar wrote:
I have a general observation about tape drives, VCRs, and any electromechanical storage device that uses rubber parts. Over time, drive belts and pinch rollers will degrade into a sticky "goo". IMO, it is highly advisable to tear down the drive mechanism and inspect it for deterioration of this type. Pinch rollers, for example, bear against the tape, so media damage will be inevitable in such cases.
They are a wreck. I've had to restore many cassette and R2R machines. I've got ones I put new belts in and never put to use which are already in need of replacement just from sitting a few years. I don't know what it is with those rubber formulations, but some will simply dry up, stretch, or break, and others will transform into that disgusting goo you mention, which proceeds to transfer itself to everything it contacts. Speaking of which, there's also a decade or more of tape (mainly reel) plagued with what people call "sticky shed" syndrome where the coating breaks down over time, not only degrading the tape, but coating the heads and transport parts. I had to buy a dehydrator for that.
Take Care