How (not) to bulkerase a reel to reel tape

In this video I will show you how to use a bulkeraser to erase a reel to reel tape. I will show you how to do it and what can go wrong.
I will be using an AGFA PE39 tape and my Verity Systems bulkeraser.

[@AudioFileZ]

From my experience years ago. First, note the maximum time eraser can be on as it can overheat. Then, turn it on far from any other tape and also tape decks. I would casually recommend five feet, the further the better. Once you approach tape with eraser keep it close and go slow and use the center of the eraser as the point you want to slowly cover the entire tape with you wish to erase. Flipping if you like keeping eraser close may insure maximum exposure. When finished within the time the eraser says is OK to operate slowly remove from the tape while eraser is still on. If the erasing unit is a decent one and you've been careful to cover the tape with it the tape should be silent. Residual noise should be that inherent in the tape formulation itself which is to say it should be as quiet as it is manufactured to be. I have seen different tape erasers vary quite a bit in their strength and effectiveness. Basically go slow and methodically cover all the tape using most of the maximum time the eraser can safely operate to with perhaps a small margin to insure no overheating. In practice when a tape deck records over already recorded tape it usually works well enough without having to use a bulk tape eraser though I know some folks always prefer to bulk erase. I enjoyed your video as it brought up a very typical result requiring multiple passes to insure full erasure.

[@torocruz1192]

Thank you, really informative 👍🏽

[@waterbuddy92]

great video.....I happen to have the same Teac! Question: do you record in dbx mode?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

Thank you! No, not a lot.

[@waterbuddy92]

@@PhilipvanderMatten curious, don't like it?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

@@waterbuddy92 I like it a lot, but I have >10 decks and this is the only one with dbx built-in.

[@waterbuddy92]

@@PhilipvanderMatten thx.

[@GVernon]

Great video! I have several 10.5" metal reels full of tape that I want to erase. Should I take one side of the metal reel off before I erase, or will it effectively erase it through the metal? Thank you!!!

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

You should be able to erase through the aluminium, although it will be a little harder. Two thoughts: 1) I would not take one side of, if there might be a chance that the reel will become unbalanced after refitting. 2) Be careful of making scratches with the handheld bulkereaser on the reels. I sometimes use a piece of paper or something in between to not damage the reel.

[@GVernon]

@@PhilipvanderMatten Very good! Thank you!!!

[@mcgjohn22]

nice demonstration. You may want to power up the eraser a bit further away from the tape and make your revolutions around the reel a bit slower. One side of erasing should do the whole tape, no reason to flip tape over to do the other side unless you have 1 inch or 2 inch tape.

[@SorinOltean77]

omg, is that a Fiio DAC on the right side next to the headphones (which seems Beyerdynamic) ?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

yes and yes

[@SorinOltean77]

Then i think is a Fiio K5 Pro

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

👌@@SorinOltean77

[@temamax735]

Can it eraser cassette?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

Definately

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Very effective

[@Deluxeta]

9:17 is dat een kom vol kruidnoten op het tafel ?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

Yep

[@marcobardales3251]

Hi, where can I get this item?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

You could try ebay

[@DennisSchulmeister]

Why would you want to erase a tape with Dire Straits music on it? 🤔

[@owenkitto27]

Why not just connect something to the machine switch that unit off set levels to 0 and record a dead signal into the tape. On play back you will hear nothing

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

I do not think that you got the grasp of the video. Maybe I did not explain it enough. A possible scenario is when you recorded a 2tr tape with butterfly heads, then record new audio over it using narrow track head (and accompanying narrow track erase head). Then there will be audio leftover. See the recent video from Foxbat.

[@owenkitto27]

@@PhilipvanderMattenyou mean if you use tape on different machines. I am quite new to it all. I just have the A77 mk4 rob brinkworth has restored this. I use 7 inch and 10.5 reels of tape lpr35 and sm911 if I record over that. All I do is rewind it and then record a blank signal over the top of it.. sometimes if you really listen you can hear a faint signal yes. I didn’t really understand your reply fully I googled FOXBAT and I got planes 😊

[@owenkitto27]

Sorry I commented before watching all this… it sounds logical if only you could buy them new. I have 10.5 reels

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

www.recordingthemasters.com/ has new

[@owenkitto27]

It dose not load the product. If they make them that’s awesome

[@harcharansingh9905]

Ok

[@MrStarbor]

well and in addition to that (even if some %% of content is still on tape) it will be erased during next recording