I think I will get a few supplies in order to rejuvenate 8 track tapes. I have some items already for repairing 1/4" open-reel tape. If you have more words of wisdom, Gary, I will look forward to your expertise in a help article in the future.
Got this oldie loaded into the Sanyo karaoke portable:
Nando.
Nando, here are some pics of the hardware and materials I've accumulated for opening and fixing 8 track tapes. Making new foam pads was a matter of trial and error but figuring out how to open some cartridges was challenging. There are some real strange ones. Most of those I've come across have 5, 3 or 2 clips and those were fairly easy.
Another cartridge that's pretty common has a rivet and that's what the soldering iron is for. Heat the rivet with the point of the iron and at the same time, "squeeze open" the clothes pin, inserted in the open end of the cartridge.
It's important that whenever the cartridge halves are separated, that it be label (picture) side up.
A detailed "how to post" with photos would take some time to compile but I'll see what I can do and put it up sometime,
If you want to try doing a few and get stuck, let me know as I've probably encountered whatever it is you've run into. I'm well over the 1000 mark in reconditioning 8 tracks.
The last pic is some stacking trays I made. Each tray hold 168, there are 5 and all nearly full. I've also got a few cardboard boxes of them plus a couple of full 8 track carry cases. I did about 75 for a museum plus a couple of hundred that I relinquished, mostly by gifting to friends with a working player. There are also some NFG's - either recorded over or too far gone to play. The bitch is I reconditioned them anyway.
