[rescue] VS80 DLT tape drive question

[wa2egp at att.net]

> Hmm. I was afraid of that. Well, you need to find
> something that puts out a stronger magnetic field than
> the eraser you have. A TV degaussing coil might be a
> good thing to try next. You can also make a tape
> eraser out of a really big transformer. Simply find a
> nice big heavy transformer, and knock all the
> laminations out of it. Separate all the laminations
> and line them up the same way. (they alternate, you
> want to have them all pointing the same way). Stick it
> all back together and hook up a mains cord. Wrap the
> whole mess in duct tape. Instant bulk eraser. Don't
> leave it on too long though.
> > Any used media should be fine, you just need something
> to erase it. Experiment with stuff that generates an
> electromagnetic field, try making your own, etc.
> Basically, just look for things with nice big coils of
> wire.
 <snip>
> Actually, perhaps you could use the magnet out of a
> hard drive, mount it to a bracket on an old DLT4000
> drive with a head problem (but will still load tape)
> such that it will almost, but not quite, touch the
> tape as it goes by. Load the tape, then unload it.
> That _might_ do it. All you really need to do to get
> the drive to recognize it and rewrite it is to screw
> up the initial header at the BOT. That should work,
> but no guarantees - I've never tried it.
> 
> Hmm, or maybe if you duct tape the cartridge to the
> side of your car's alternator... <grin>

Try AC through a television focusing coil.  With DC
it makes a hell of a magnetic field!

Bob