[GreenKeys] paper tapes and rubber bands = bummer

[Chris Elmquist]

I am doing archeology on hundreds of paper tapes I received in an estate
for a vintage Altair 680b computer and companion tty 33.  Many of the
tapes were stored with a rubber band around them to keep them rolled up.
30 yrs later and these rubber bands have dissolved into a gooy yuck that
has leached into the tape and made a hell of a mess.  I suspect the oil
on the tapes accelerated this process.

Any ideas on how to remove this stuff without damaging the tapes?  Do we
know anything about what kind of oil is on paper tapes?  I think I can
find a solvent that will cut the rubber but will then probably want to
restore the oil after this solvent has done its thing.

Really a bummer because there is an original set of MITS editor and
assembler tapes, dated 1976, unopened in a bag...   but the rubber
bands inside have totally dissolved into a pool that has flowed across
the entire bottom of both rolls of tape.  Have to open the bag to fix
that one...

Chris N0JCF

-- 
Chris Elmquist
mailto:chrise at pobox.com