Fix Broken VHS Tapes
Don't throw out your old VHS tape that happen to get chewed up in an aging VCR. Consider it a strong possibility that at least one of your old videotapes may break if the tape is more than 25 years old or happened to be played more than 100 times. Take heart, though, that you can repair that broken, irreplaceable tape you love so much if you follow a number of exacting steps and have a steady hand.
Instructions
Repairing Broken Tape
1. Look under the bottom flap of the tape to see if each end of the broken video tape is off the spool so you can more easily put the tape back together.
2. Remove the set of screws that hold the tape together if the tape is stuck inside the spool. Be careful taking the tape casing apart since various pieces can easily fall out and get lost. Work over a table that has plenty of space or use a newspaper over any workspace.
3. Examine each end of the broken tape and carefully snip off each end with a pair of scissors if the tape is mangled or doesn't have a smooth surface. Understand that you'll lose a few seconds of footage on your tape doing this, but you'll at least get back most of whatever contents you have on the tape.
4. Carefully apply the sticky side to the bottom of one side of the cut videotape with splicing tape. Make sure you place the tape at a right angle.
5. Leave enough of the splicing tape sticking out so you can overlay the other side of the broken tape over the splicing tape to complete the repair.
6. Trim excess splicing tape that may be sticking out beyond the borders of the repaired video tape. Be exacting here or you could end up snipping away too much video tape or not cutting enough of the splicing tape that could affect playback and the tape player's heads.
Replacing The Repaired Tape
7. Put your videotape casing back together if you chose earlier to take it apart. Roll your mended tape back up into the roll by holding the bottom flap open and rolling the capstan wheels underneath the casing.
8. Consider using a videotape winding tool. It's available in any electronics store if you aren't adept at winding tape into a videotape casing by hand.
9. Play the repaired section of your tape in a VCR so you'll know the repair was successful.
Tags: splicing tape, tape that, video tape, your tape, back together, bottom flap