How to fix a Video Tape Cassette

Today, with tapes rapidly falling out of favor, it's becoming important to be able to salvage tapes which get tangled or mangled - replacements might be too expensive or unavailable. This article allows you to restore either VHS or Beta videotapes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• small screwdrivers
• tweezers or forceps
• clear tape (not Magic)
• scissors or blade
• magnifier if needed
• good lighting

1. 
    

   If your tape is tangled up or jammed in the VCR, don't panic -- you can probably restore both your VCR and your tape (but you should maintain your recorder more regularly with head cleaning and degaussing). First unplug all the wires from the VCR and unplug the power cord. There should be two or three screws along the edge, either in back or on the bottom (but don't remove the smaller screws holding internal components in place). If some of the tape is stuck in the mechanism, cut off just he amount of tape that is creased or twisted; that should free your cassette. You'll probably need to plug the VCR back in to eject the cassette.

2. 
    

   Turn your tape cassette bottom-up. There are usually five screws to remove -- four in the corners and one in the middle. Carefully lift off the bottom half of the cassette, and don't be surprised if a little white roller or a tiny spring falls out. Just hold steady until you flip the bottom lid over onto your work surface -- keep track of the little parts and you'll be able to re-install them later.

3. 
    

   Hold each spool in place while feeding out enough tape to work with. Cut off all the creased or twisted tape from each spool - you really won't lose much of your recording, and doing this minimizes future jamming.

4. 
    

   Carefully line up the two tape ends so that you can secure them with a 2" piece of clear tape -- not reinforced or Magic -- on the outer (shiny) side of the tape. The joint must be quite straight and the tape seal must be flat. Carefully trim off the excess.

5. 
    

   Turn the spools to take up the slack in the tape, being careful to get the tape between the appropriate guides and rollers in the 'top' half of the cassette that you have face-down with the spools. Now re-install any small parts that fell out of the bottom half when you lifted it off. There are two tiny springs, holding the spool-keepers, that like to fly out if you breathe too hard.

6. 
    

   You may need an extra pair of hands to hold the bottom half in place while guiding the guides and rollers into place without damaging the tape or dropping the small parts out. This takes a lot of coordination and patience, but I've done it successfully numerous times.

7. 
    

   If the protector has come off (it usually does, and that makes it easier to work), insert the round peg into the hole where it goes, and then carefully guide the spring-loaded end into place until it snaps. Make sure everything is aligned correctly and screw the two halves back together.

8. Test your work by reinstalling your VCR and running your now-mended tape. If you have worked carefully, you may not even notice the gap where you spliced the tape.

Tips & Warnings

• This little project is pains-taking, but if you prepare properly and work carefully, it'll take less than 10 minutes.
• Before trying to splice the tape, I recommend practicing on scraps first - it took me six tries to get it straight and flat enough.
• This repair is fussy enough that you should attempt it only with tapes you feel you have to repair rather than replace. Most of my tapes I'll never even watch again, but I have a few that can't be cheaply replaced, if at all.
• If possible, have someone with you who has nimble fingers - it takes coordination to keep all the parts in place and the tape between the guides.