On Fri, Jun 27, 2025 at 11:29 AM Frank Leonhardt via cctalk <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 24/06/2025 20:16, Wayne S wrote: > > On Jun 24, 2025, at 12:10, Tony Duell <[email protected]> wrote: > >> On Tue, Jun 24, 2025 at 8:04 PM Wayne S via cctalk > >> <[email protected]> wrote: > >>> 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. > >> Every paper tape punch (Teletype, Friden, DEC, Facit, Data > >> Dynamics...) I have punches the sprocket holes along with the data > >> holes. Some need a bit of help (pull the tape by hand) to get started > >> on a new roll of tape, but once it starts punching properly it will > >> continue to do so until the roll runs out. > >> > >> -tony > > Interesting. > > All the ones i used, including some teletypes, needed pre-punched tape, > > ostensibly to ensure proper alignment. We used to buy pallets of prepunched > > tape. > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > My experience is the same as Waynes - I've never seen a punch that > didn't punch the sprocket hole and I've never seen one that required > one.
Are you mis-reading the attrbutions? I thought Wayne (in the States) said the punches he used required tape with pre-punched sprocket holes/ I (tony), in the UK, have never seen one that does. In fact, thinking about it, many Facit punches couldn't use tape with pre-punched sprocket holes. They punch the sprocket hole in the same die block as the data holes. But they feed the tape using a capstan/pinch roller. So pre-punched tape would be almost imposible to line up with the punches and keep lined up. Due to manufacturing tolerances, the tape is not going to feed by exactly 1 hole spacing (on the pre-punched tape) after each character in a unit like this. The Fact 4070 has 3 manual feed switches. One feeds totally unpunched tape. Another feeds tape with the feed holes punched. And a third feeds tape feed holes and a user-defined (by links/diodes on the control PCB) character on the data holes (the factory setting is to punch the lot). Some punches, the Teletype BRPE being an example, punch the tape, including the sprocket holes and then feed it with a sprocket a little further along the tape path. These will work on totally unpunched tape. When you load a new reel of tape you have to get it feeding, then help the tape along by hand. The first bi of the tape will be completely mis-spaced but after a couple of inches the holes will start ot align with the sprocket teeth and it'll be fne from then on. -tony
