11. Why do 8-tracks break and/or jam so easily?
Description
This article is from the 8-track Tapes FAQ, by Malcolm Riviera malco@interpath.com with numerous contributions by others.
11. Why do 8-tracks break and/or jam so easily?
The main problem of breakage is the sensing foil, which serves double
duty by holding the loop together at the splice. Like any adhesive
tape, it becomes not quite as adhesive as time wears on. The best thing
we've run across to remedy this is placing a piece of Mylar splicing
tape (they still sell it at Radio Shack) on the reverse side of the tape
section with the splice. This will reinforce the splice, making it the
strongest section of the tape.
Tapes jam because the carts, over time, are exposed to heat or are
abused in other ways. The tape becomes packed and will no longer move
smoothly. Also, the tape can stretch due to heat exposure, causing
uneven portions of the tape loop. Tapes that have been sitting for a
long time, especially in shrink wrap, can be worse than old, well used
tapes because of the heat factor. The players can also be the problem
here; a player with dirty rollers or heads can cause excess drag on
the tape, causing it to jam. Another problem is the dreaded "black
gunk" [see answer 12] which, once it is introduced into the player,
can cause all future tape to jam up. Cleaning the player regularly
with tape head cleaner will help.
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