# What Is It #1984v2.1Beta



## museav (Feb 12, 2013)

To some it will be obvious but others may have never seen one...

[DL note: Remember-Students only--preferably those 18 and under, for at least a week.]


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## Aman121 (Feb 12, 2013)

My guess is some kind of joint cover or clamp, not really sure.


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## josh88 (Feb 12, 2013)

It looks to me like something to do with a miter box. but I'm going to guess that's probably not accurate


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## Van (Feb 12, 2013)

I'm the fastest in the West with one of those!


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## JonCarter (Feb 12, 2013)

Good grief, people, haven't you ever edited audio tape with a razor blade?


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## JonCarter (Feb 12, 2013)

JonCarter said:


> Good grief, people, haven't you ever edited audio tape with a razor blade?


(And I used to be pretty quick with one myself, about 50 yrs. ago.)


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## lwinters630 (Feb 12, 2013)

I am going with a VHS/Beta tape splicer


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## zmb (Feb 13, 2013)

I've seen this before on a reel-to-reel tape recorder, it is to let you make a straight cut by guiding a really sharp knife through for splicing multiple tapes together.


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## STEVETERRY (Feb 13, 2013)

Van said:


> I'm the fastest in the West with one of those!



We should set up an old-fart speed contest!

We can include operation of the device in question (using both the cheaper accessories and the preferred but more expensive ones), and rotary phone speed dialing for bonus points.

During the contest, we'll keep in touch with an intercom system that uses Western Electric Type 52 headsets.

The time machine effect should be complete.



Cheers

ST


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## STEVETERRY (Feb 13, 2013)

For bonus points, who was the manufacturer and what was the trade name of the device?

ST


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## JChenault (Feb 13, 2013)

STEVETERRY said:


> We should set up an old-fart speed contest!
> 
> We can include operation of the device in question (using both the cheaper accessories and the preferred but more expensive ones), and rotary phone speed dialing for bonus points.
> 
> ...



Can we lash some flats together too?

Or make a flat with clout nails?


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## JonCarter (Feb 13, 2013)

Now that the cat's out of the bag, I'll chime in here. It was designed by a guy name of Joel Tall, and it was called the EdiTall splicing block.
(And, does anybody know where I can get a few rolls of 15/32" 3M 41 tape? Mine's all dried out.)


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## JonCarter (Feb 13, 2013)

And when you get your old-fart contest going, let me know. I've still got a LARGE box of WE 52A headsets and about 10# of clout nails. And my desk phone is a WE302. Works like a charm and has for the last 40 years.


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## Aman121 (Feb 13, 2013)

Wow I fell kinda dumb now. I guess my puny little 15 year old mind can't comprehend any video or media editing technology that doesent have a computer screen. 


Let me know if you need some vintage tube amps and horns for the arena PA for your old fart contest....


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## Les (Feb 14, 2013)

STEVETERRY said:


> rotary phone speed dialing for bonus points.



You know what's no fun? Dialing a long distance number using one of those 10-10-2-20 codes on a rotary.


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## derekleffew (Feb 14, 2013)

STEVETERRY said:


> For bonus points, who was the manufacturer and what was the trade name of the device?


Mine came from Radio Shack, and had little arms to hold down the "media" on each side of the "splice". One side had 1/4" groove, the other 1/8" (for cassette tape). Trade name "EZ-Splice", "Qwik-Splice", or something similar?

In college I used a more advanced model that would chop the 45° angle, then when one pulled the top head closer it would make two parallel cuts, removing the excess adhesion media. Significantly safer than a single-edged razor blade. Similar to this one:

but I believe it was made by Ampex, 3M, or BASF. Or maybe Maxell or Memorex.

We were poor then--I remember spending hours on end "recycling" leader tape. The things one can make an unpaid college student do. I also straightened bent nails, and chased threads on carriage bolts with a die. Barefoot, in the snow. Uphill, both ways. 
.


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## techieman33 (Feb 14, 2013)

What's audio tape? I thought it came on cd's and in mp3s.


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## tjrobb (Feb 14, 2013)

Up in our now-abandoned projection booth we have a table with slots for reels of film, and a marble block inlaid to provide a cutting surface for splice cuts. I'll see your "40 years ago" and raise you 1928.


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## museav (Feb 14, 2013)

Apparently Edi-Tall became part of Xedit and the Xedit EdiTall was one of the better known products, but many reel-to-reel decks (e.g. the Otari MX-5050 and Revox B77) had integrated blocks. Bit of trivia, Xedit Corporation is still around in the form of Servoreeler Systems.

I remember one college theatre sound class assignment being to take a speech that was on vinyl, transfer that to 1/4" tape and then edit out one specific "not". Tape, be it reel-to-reel or cart, was the primary production media at that time.


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## Nelson (Feb 14, 2013)

I'll be careful how much I say since I'm not a student, but my audio tape splicing blocks only have two blade grooves; one at 90 and one at 45(?) degrees. Since this has three, I don't necessarily think it is for _audio_ tape, at least not for 1/4" tape. Though I'm only 24, I work with old media and old equipment fairly often. If you get that time machine going, I'll call in with my working 1A2 key system! (Though all my phones are touch-tone, no rotaries).


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## derekleffew (Feb 14, 2013)

Nelson said:


> I'll be careful how much I say since I'm not a student, ...


The original question's been answered, thus the thread is open to all. It's impossible to tell from the scale whether or not Brad's block is for 1/4" tape or other. I agree that most blocks only permitted 90° and 45° miters. The addition of an 80°(?) seems odd to me as well.


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## museav (Feb 14, 2013)

Nelson said:


> I'll be careful how much I say since I'm not a student, but my audio tape splicing blocks only have two blade grooves; one at 90 and one at 45(?) degrees. Since this has three, I don't necessarily think it is for _audio_ tape, at least not for 1/4" tape.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xedit-Edita...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
I think the 30 degree or whatever it is slot was not on all versions, some apparently had 45 and 90, some 45 and 30 and some all three.

The venerable Otari MX-5050 with integrated splicing block, http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.audiokarma.org/gallery/data/524/18149Otari_MX5050.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t%3D456278&h=1185&w=1160&sz=302&tbnid=MaHpTtSGKJAl-M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=88&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dotari%2Bmx5050%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=otari+mx5050&usg=__ji08kqHkyD8mvZfAL6a9Q1mymcY=&docid=hRnmRi3lA_BMSM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TkwdUcygDYvs8gTNqYGYDA&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAA&dur=636.

Could you see if you started a class today by asking if everyone brought their razor blade?


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## JonCarter (Feb 14, 2013)

OK, folks, here's a related question for you: Why were the angles slots placed in the block, and which slot would you prefer to use, 90 deg. or angled?


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## Nelson (Feb 14, 2013)

My thought behind the 80(?) degree miter is this: In quadruplex recording on 2" tape, video tracks are nearly perpendicular to the tape, (not quite 90 degrees). Therefore, if making a splice in 2" tape, it seems like you would need to cut at the same angle as the video tracks. Otherwise you might get video anomalies if the splice cut through multiple tracks. This is unlike audio recording where you want an angled cut so that the splice is silent (hence the 45 degree miter in the block).

That is just my thinking on this. I am no expert and don't pretend to be! I've never worked with any video tape larger than 1/2" VHS, so I have no real experience. This is just based on what I've read about early video tape technologies.


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## Van (Feb 14, 2013)

Nelson, I was just thinking the same thing. Possibly video tape.

For 7 years at Portland Repertory I used 3 console mounted Otari reel to reels. What did I Love? Having a tape break right as the house to half cue was called. 
3 R to R's, a cassette deck and occasionally a CD player < OOhhh Aaaaah> and running the show on the lovley Panache'. 
Techs were a hoot too; LD yelling about updaying a cue while the SD was screaming for you to, ".. add 3 more seconds between those two cues !!!! "

God I feel old right now.


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## sloop (Feb 15, 2013)

simple, its a splice block for magnetic tape.


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## STEVETERRY (Feb 16, 2013)

JonCarter said:


> OK, folks, here's a related question for you: Why were the angles slots placed in the block, and which slot would you prefer to use, 90 deg. or angled?



A 45 degree splice was reputed to have no effect on the stereo image--so it's the one I always used.

ST


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## STEVETERRY (Feb 16, 2013)

Van said:


> God I feel old right now.



Err..that's because you are, just like the rest of us old farts!


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## museav (Feb 19, 2013)

STEVETERRY said:


> A 45 degree splice was reputed to have no effect on the stereo image--so it's the one I always used.


Also a longer length of the actual splice and tension applied at an angle to the splice, so I assumed more durable and my default. However, if I was trying to fine cut a specific word or sound then I might want the cut accuracy of the 90 degree.


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## Nelson (Feb 19, 2013)

I always assumed that the 45 degree splice in audio tape was to reduce the chance for an audible "pop" at the splice. I was talking to a friend of mine from the broadcast industry and he said that he was taught to cut at 45 degrees so the splice was stronger (going along with what Brad said).


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