I used an important video tape in a dodgy machine and it's broken the tape. It appears to be a clean break, does anyone know if there's a way to mend it?

Chrysha, September 2005

How can I get wrinkles out of a video tape?

Paul, August 2007

If the break is near the end of the tape.you can push
out A bit of plastic located inside the tape reel centre
which is used to connect the end of the tape ) and
re-connect the broken tape .
of course you first have to take out the screws holding the
casset together being carefull not to loose the springs and
pieces inside to get to the tape itself ,.but if you are very
carefull you can part the two halfs .

Roger Wild, October 2005

I have done it with a thin strip of Sellotape - probably not the wisest thing to do!!
Nevertheless, it worked.........This Is What I Did.
Make sure that it is good tape and not 'corner/cheap shop' sticky tape or old tape. I say this because the glue used can sometimes leach out of the edges of the join and leave the rest of the video tape all gummed up.

I take it that both ends of the tape are out of the cassette?
If not then you will have to very carefully unscrew the caseing screws.
Watch that the tape is not twisted and that it goes over the guides etc in the right places.
You may need to refer to an undamaged tape to check this.

Cut a small thin-ish strip of Sellotape and lay it on the table vertically sticky side up (!).
Place the two broken tape edges onto the Sellotape horizontally together and then fold the top of the Sellotape down over the tape.
Press firmly.
I then trimmed the excess Sellotape with scissors to form a nice clean mend.

Not a professional job but it worked and is still working to this day.
I do the same to broken Audio Tapes too.

S.J.D., September 2005

I've seen people fix a broken tape with scotch tape, but it needs to be as perfect as you can get it...try to line up edges perfectly, and straighten wrinkles out as much as you can. Then it still messes up for a second or two when it plays over that part of the tape, and if you got it uneven or put the tape on too thick it will eat the tape again.

Liz, September 2005