QIC Tape Cartridge Tension Band Replacement - Plastibands!

[Chuck(G)]

I don't see why simply emulating the original wouldn't work. That is punching annuli from a thin sheet of PU. Has anyone tried this?

[Shadow Lord]

I don't see why simply emulating the original wouldn't work. That is punching annuli from a thin sheet of PU. Has anyone tried this?

Wouldn't this be very expensive? You would end up wasting a ton of PU for each band (unless of course you are punching out multiple sizes).

[Chuck(G)]

Well, it's not as if sheet PU is very expensive. According to the guy at Imation, that's how it was done to get a seamless band. I suppose one could purchase an extruded PU tube and lop segments off of that. But "seamless" is what you want for optimum operation.

[Shadow Lord]

Well, it's not as if sheet PU is very expensive. According to the guy at Imation, that's how it was done to get a seamless band. I suppose one could purchase an extruded PU tube and lop segments off of that. But "seamless" is what you want for optimum operation.

I should check with my uncle on this. I know he was involved in the research on the lubrication used in the tape cartridges at 3M and later Imation. He also holds several patents from his time there but I think most of those had to do with read/write head positioning.

Do they make pipes of PU? I.E. an extruded six inch diameter cylinder that is hollow in the center? Then you could just cut bands based on thickness needed. Of course getting a smooth linear cut will be hard to do but at least it will be seamless and won't need to be attached at the ends.

[1944GPW]

I've had test CAD models (plain loop, convoluted path) for a replacement QIC band, and the means to produce them easily, ready to go for some time.
My holdup is I have not found any sort of PU or other synthetic rubber sheet readily available to me for experimentation yet. I've looked on eBay for something on a roll but haven't seen anything suitable.

[Chuck(G)]

Have you checked McMaster-Carr? ISTR that they had a bunch of sheet PU available.

[1944GPW]

All that lovely McMaster stuff, forever out of reach... they don't sell to furriners, sadly. So much for the 'Free Trade Agreement' we have with you guys...

However I just might have found something on eBay, just now, in precisely the size that fits my machine:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Silicone...m/392347382536
Also, 'industrial' rubber. Is this just silicone or is it nitrile, PU, whatever? I don't know:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/30cm-x-30cm-x-1mm-Black-Industrial-Rubber-Sheet-High-Temp-Plate-Mat-Quality/383613527326