hi how do reel to reel machines cope with plastic spools- i have uher 4200- surely they must spoil the alighnment?
Most RTR tape is supplied on plastic reels, so unless you have lots of money to burn on metal replacement reels, I'd say stick with the plastic reels unless you have one that is visibly warped. And even then, I'd be tempted to replace it with another plastic reel. I use a metal reel for the take-up reel, but of course that gets used over and over.
The "alignment" of the tape threading through the heads, or its neatness on spooling on a reel, should be a function of the tape guides on the machine, not the reel itself.
I have an Akai GX-230D, still running since 1978!
The "alignment" of the tape threading through the heads, or its neatness on spooling on a reel, should be a function of the tape guides on the machine, not the reel itself.
I have an Akai GX-230D, still running since 1978!
The dimensions of the hub of the spool should be specified, I believe, precisely so correct alignment is provided. Mechanical engineers know what they are doing in my experience.
Most manufactures made shims that could be placed on the table to raise the reel if needed. The tape alignment is done by the guides, not by the height of the reel, if you look at the reels they are wider than tape anyways, so they are not going to be much help there.
Yes, TEAC used variously an adjusting screw or rubber shims. Our Crown was so big with such a long tape path that reel plane error didn't really fight the guides at the heads.
I seem to remember that plastic reels are often warped anyway and can rub the tape cyclical - its been a number of decades since I played with a reel2reel (I'm all rail2rail these days!).