[GreenKeys] paper tapes and rubber bands = bummer

[gil smith]

Hi Chris:

If you make an optical reader (which would actually be a fun little 
project) you could motorize the tape pull.  I have seen motorized (and even 
wind-up) tape pullers on ebay from time-to-time.

Or, you could make a reel and add a gear motor.  Here's a $10 motor I like 
a lot:
http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=9477

It runs 4 to 15 rpm with 3V to 9V in.  Has a big plastic wheel that is 
easily drilled to add a few screws and mount something to it.  I am using 
them in my tradeshow booth this year to drive 6-ft dia foam disks -- makes 
the top of the booth truss frame look like a giant reel-to-reel tape 
deck.  Working on a giant VU meter to mount under it.

BG-Micro has other speed gearmotors too, but this one's plastic disk makes 
it really handy, since you don't need to worry about matching up to shaft 
diameter.

BG-Micro is a great place to find all kinds of cool surplus stuff, and I 
think everyone on the list should check it out.  And to add some of my 
other current favorite places:
http://www.bgmicro.com/
http://www.allelectronics.com/
http://www.goldmine-elec.com/
http://www.sparkfun.com/

And of course, there is always, mouser, digikey and jameco.

gil





At 07:46 AM 8/7/2008, Chris Elmquist wrote:
>Yes...  I agree that a non- or minimal-contact approach is the way to
>go for these old tapes.
>
>The only downside to a home brew optical reader is that you have to pull
>the tape through manually and some of these tapes are really long--  eg,
>8K BASIC for the 680 is a roll about 5" in diameter with a 1/2" center,
>so you'd be pulling tape for a long time.
>
>The appeal to the old mechanical reader on the M33 is that it is
>automatic.
>
>I haven't gotten back to trying to remove or dissolve the rubber band
>remenants on the tapes yet but I hope to soon.
>
>Chris NØJCF
>
>
>On Thursday (08/07/2008 at 07:17AM -0700), Michael O'Day wrote:
> > Chris,
> >  The optical reader is definitely the way to go. In my
> > former life, I have worked with both mechanical and
> > optical tape readers, and have had the unfortunate
> > experience of having more than one of my older program
> > tapes jam up (and get shredded)in a mechanical reader.
> > As I recall, the sprocket holes were also used as the
> > "index pulse" to trigger the reader. Just make sure
> > that the tape is being fed straight through the
> > reader, and remains at a right angle to the reader
> > sensors.
> >
> > Mike
> > N9ODM
> > --- "Paul A. Pennington" <paulpenn at knology.net> wrote:
> >
> > >     Chris;
> > >
> > > > Those tapes are not in bad shape other than to
> > > have this
> > > > gooy rubber band remnants all over them.  I
> > > obviously do not want to feed
> > > > that stuff through my tty33 tape reader :-)
> > >
> > >     I just remembered a device from about 1976 that
> > > may help you read the
> > > tapes without gunking up your ASR-33:  the Oliver
> > > Engineering OP-80 paper
> > > tape reader.  It uses optical sensing only, and the
> > > tape does not touch
> > > anything important.  Here's a article showing how to
> > > build one easily:
> > >
> > >
> > http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/s_paper.html
> > >
> > >     Besides, your old tapes are likely going to be
> > > pretty soft after using
> > > the solvents on them.  The ASR-33 reader pins are
> > > likely to go right through
> > > the paper and mis-read.  That won't be a problem
> > > with this optical reader.
> > >
> > >     Paul Pennington
> > >     Augusta, Georgia
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GreenKeys mailing list
> > > GreenKeys at mailman.qth.net
> > > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/greenkeys
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>--
>Chris Elmquist
>mailto:chrise at pobox.com
>_______________________________________________
>GreenKeys mailing list
>GreenKeys at mailman.qth.net
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/greenkeys



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