TK50 Tape drive - new leader tape

[Alegend]

For owners of TK50 tape drives with ripped-up leader tapes.

I have designed and manufactured a replacement for the TK50 leader.

CAD files are on github: TK50 Leader Tape

Testing on a broken TK50 drive, it works, and all the loading and stuck tape issues are no longer the fault of the leader tape.

Feel free to laser-cut as many as you like. I have made few spares so if you need just one, contact me.

-Alon.

 

[Nigel Johnson]

For owners of TK50 tape drives with ripped-up leader tapes.

I have designed and manufactured a replacement for the TK50 leader.

CAD files are on github: TK50 Leader Tape

Testing on a broken TK50 drive, it works, and all the loading and stuck tape issues are no longer the fault of the leader tape.

Feel free to laser-cut as many as you like. I have made few spares so if you need just one, contact me.

-Alon.

Alon,
I have a TK50 and TK70 drive with broken leaders, and many tapes I want to scan for anything useful before throwing away! There is no way I can do any laser cutting though, could I possibly buy 3 from you?

Cheers,
Nigel

 

[Alegend]

Alon,
I have a TK50 and TK70 drive with broken leaders, and many tapes I want to scan for anything useful before throwing away! There is no way I can do any laser cutting though, could I possibly buy 3 from you?

Cheers,
Nigel

HI Nigel
Yes of course.
I don't know what's in a TK70, so make sure the leader tape is identical to a TK50 leader first.
PM me to organize this.
-Alon.

 

[jmdhuse]

Hello Alon,

I also have a TK50 with a broken leader... I've been looking for the PET tape required and have only been able to find it in huge quantities... Can you let me know if you obtained a reasonably small amount and how you sourced it?

Thanks, Jon.

 

[Alegend]

Hello Alon,

I also have a TK50 with a broken leader... I've been looking for the PET tape required and have only been able to find it in huge quantities... Can you let me know if you obtained a reasonably small amount and how you sourced it?

Thanks, Jon.

Hi Jon, I did not source it, one of my manufacturers overseas got it somehow, don't know if it was taken from a large stock or they may have used a piece that fell off a truck.

The github repository has some information on the martial they used: https://github.com/microvax2/TK50-Tape-Drive-Leader

-Alon.

 

[jmdhuse]

Hi Jon, I did not source it, one of my manufacturers overseas got it somehow, don't know if it was taken from a large stock or they may have used a piece that fell off a truck.

The github repository has some information on the martial they used: https://github.com/microvax2/TK50-Tape-Drive-Leader

-Alon.

Once I realized that Mylar is a brand of PET film, I was able to find it as a craft product on Amazon... 10 sheets at 12"x12", 0.1905mm thick, opaque black for about $12... not too bad! Next up is to find somebody local with a laser cutter...