Bad heads on RL02: Worth replacing

Chris Zach cz at alembic.crystel.com
Tue Dec 17 22:05:48 CST 2019


Took a look at the top of the RL02 pack. There is a fine layer of white 
stuff on the disk in a ring at about where I would assume track 0 is on 
the thing. Wipes off with my finger, but definitely was not there when I 
put the pack in the drive.

Also, looking at the head under a loupe I can see the head is not 
perfectly flat when viewed from the side. The front (ahead of the air 
gap/groove) with the magnetic head is narrower than the back of it. I'm 
wondering if the head is *worn* to the point where it can't fly, 
contacts the pack, and what I am seeing on the pack is the ceramic from 
the head (which would be nice, meaning it's not ripping the pack apart). 
Then again the black stuff on the head is probably the top layer of 
oxide from the pack.

Do heads wear out?

C


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