There’s really a disconnect on between reading and punching paper tape. For making blank tape that can be used in a punch, you can cut a roll of something down to a proper width, but the paper has to be thicker than cashiers paper. The real trick is that the paper has to be perforated in the middle before use. That’s how it’s “dragged” thru the punch/reader. I haven’t seen anyone mention how to do that.
If you can manage to do that, then you could also oil the paper and use it on a punch. Sent from my iPhone > On Jun 24, 2025, at 11:29, Frank Leonhardt via cctalk <[email protected]> > wrote: > On 24/06/2025 02:01, Doc Shipley via cctalk wrote: >> On 6/21/25 15:13, ben via cctalk wrote: >>> Lack of paper tape is was why I was asking about a replacement. >>> The same goes for TTY replacement. >> >> Late to the conversation, but the CNC machines I operated in the early '80s >> used mylar tape, I always assumed in defense against very harsh shop >> conditions. >> >> I have no idea whether that's still a product but it seems it would be >> easier to get made than a suitable paper tape. My guess is that any thin, >> opaque laminate would do if it can be punched > > I used "plastic" tape on an Elliott 803 in the 1970s - it was common for > things like compilers as it lasted a long time. The readers didn't mind it at > all but the punches weren't so keen. IIRC they were run slowly for copying to > plastic and cleaned afterwards. > > Whether this was common practice I wouldn't know. People hereabouts might.
