Microdrive disk refelting tips

[serene02]

I have just found a load of my old microdrive disks. Most of the sponge on the disks has perished and easily pushes off. I replaced with some fairly thin 2mm felt that my mother had kicking about but the disk still won’t read or format. I know the unit works as one disk does work just fine.

Is there a specific place to source a felt that will be ideal for the refelting process, would love to see what’s lurking on these after so many years! I imagine game ‘backups’

J

[TMD2003]

Can't really help you on this one myself, but you could always ask on the QL Forum as well. They know a thing or two about microdrives.

[luny]

Found this...

https://www.mutant-caterpillar.co.uk/sh ... ts_id=4095

[PeterJ]

@serene02,

There is a tutorial here, which includes a link to supposedly suitable material.

https://spectrumforeveryone.com/technic ... oll%20down.

Peter

[TomD]

I've had some success with 8 track tape felt which luckily comes in self-adhesive pads.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313944871782 ... Swz7Ve3AOK

They need cutting down to size and I've found they are a little too thick so I also trim the thickness a tiny bit. Also be careful when cleaning off the old felt.

TomD

[cj7hawk]

I couldn't find a suitable felt that didn't have some polymers in the mix, and eventually shaved and cut down a felt disk from a dremel tool pack and have been using that. It's difficult to cut but not impossible. I'll possibly make up a jig to cut it clean in the future since I get very few useable pads, but the ones I do get work pretty well.

David

[kokkiklhs]

Microdrive disks? They are tape cartridges, for god's sake!!!

[flatduckrecords]

I couldn't find a suitable felt that didn't have some polymers in the mix

I just trimmed down some of those adhesive felt pads meant for furnature. It seemed to do the job but I didn't check what the fibres were made of—is there a risk they're too abrasive on the tape?

[cj7hawk]

Microdrive disks? They are tape cartridges, for god's sake!!!

Have you looked inside one? They tape rolls up into a...... Disk!

Really.

So maybe a disk isn't a bad description after all, though I like "Stringy Floppy" the best.

[cj7hawk]

I couldn't find a suitable felt that didn't have some polymers in the mix

I just trimmed down some of those adhesive felt pads meant for furnature. It seemed to do the job but I didn't check what the fibres were made of—is there a risk they're too abrasive on the tape?

I don't know. Probably not too abrasive, but if the friction heats it up, might melt and then the hard parts could cause issues.

[serene02]

Thanks for the tips and links.

Maybe disk tape best describes them!!

J