Advice for tape drive repair / maintenance

[Tony Duell]

> For those of us with machine tools, I wonder if a roller can be "fine 
> tuned" to the proper diameter by fitting an oversize piece of 
> neoprene tubing to the roller, cooling the whole affair in dry ice, 
> then machining it (on a lathe) to the proper size.  I can't recall 

I believe it can, although cooling to liquid nitrogen temperatures is 
recomend (if only beacuase it takes longer to warm up again, so you have 
longer to take a cut).

I've also heard you _can_ machine 'rubbers' at room temperature, but that 
the tools are totally different from those used for metal turning. May be 
worth investigarting.

I've not tried either though.

-tony