On Sun, Oct 25, 2015 at 3:05 PM, Eric Christopherson < echristopher...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Oct 25, 2015, Joseph Lang wrote: > > This list seems to me to be populated with "build your own" types, so > make your own degausser. > > Decades ago I repaired the tape eraser at the TV station I worked at. > Once I saw how it was built I built my own. Take a transformer (something > about 100 watt or more) pull the laminations out (the hard part) line up > all the 'E's put them back. Discard the 'I's. > > It will buzz like mad and get hot in a minute but produce a very strong > AC magnetic field. > > Keep it away from your shadow mask color TV! > > > > Joe > > > > > On Oct 25, 2015, at 1:01 AM, Chuck Guzis <ccl...@sydex.com> wrote: > > > > > > On 10/24/2015 09:06 PM, Eric Christopherson wrote: > > > > > > > > >> Fascinating -- I didn't know there were AC and DC magnetic fields. > > >> How strong is "very strong", and would the library device I mentioned > > >> count toward "an AC erase"? Should I assume that just doing an AC > > >> erase would be insufficient? > > I guess my last question (would doing just an AC erase, by whatever > means, always be insufficient) got lost. > > > > > > > The AC unit I use is a VHS tape bulk eraser. It's pretty strong and > has a limited working time--maybe 2-3 minutes before the thermal cutout > interrupts. Let it cool for a few minutes and get back to work. > > > > > > How strong a DC erase? I suppose that one of these magnets could well > lift a 100 lbs. Scary strong. > > > > > > --Chuck > > > > > -- > Eric Christopherson > Also, do I always need to cover one hole on a 3.5" HD disk when using it in an HD-capable drive? Or does the disk or the OS notice it's been formatted as DD and then treat it accordingly? -- Eric Christopherson