# Need a Source for the Plastic Boxes Video Tapes Come In **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618 "2007-11-08T02:11:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/1 "2007-11-08T02:11:10Z")
My fiance’s been sorting through what was salvaged after the fire which destroyed his apartment several weeks ago, and once again I need your help. Among the things which were salvaged were a great many video tapes. Some of the tapes themselves look alright, but the plastic boxes they were in were cracked or partially melted. If we can get the tapes into new boxes, they should be playable. We’d like to find out if they are, at any rate. Does anyone know a source for the plastic cases video tapes come in? Thanks for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/2 "2007-11-08T02:34:17Z")
I’m helping! [I’m helping!](http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_5150.asp?pricode=wg32) ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/3 "2007-11-08T02:53:29Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] I’m helping! [I’m helping!](http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_5150.asp?pricode=wg32) [/QUOTE] Bizarro… I think you must misunderstand the OP, or maybe I do. I don’t see why a box to stick a VHS cassette in would affect its playability; I think what the OP is saying is that the tape reel within his cassette seems ok, but the cassette itself is damaged, and thus he needs a new cassette to place the tape in, so to speak. If that’s at all clear… ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/4 "2007-11-08T05:26:44Z")
If **Indistinguishable** is right, and what you need are the cassettes themselves, into which you intend to transplant the tape and reels of the damaged cassettes, and not display cases like those **Pullet** has linked to, I doubt you’ll find them for sale as such. I think your only option will be to cannibalize other cassettes. I’ve just tried it, and it’s not as hard as I feared it might be. Remove five phillips head screws, slice through the spine label (if any), flip it over, and gently remove the top. You can then transfer the reels from the damaged cassette, being careful to thread the tape through the guides correctly. Top on, flip it over, screws in, and you’re done. Easy as cake. You could go out and buy new tapes or use old ones that you or your friends have lying around and don’t need anymore. But if you need more than a few, I can help you, because I just happen to have a couple hundred tapes I’m just about to toss out. I’d be happy to send you as many as you need. Just send me a PM with your contact info. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/5 "2007-11-08T07:40:37Z")
> [@](#): > > I think your only option will be to cannibalize other cassettes. I’ve just tried it, and it’s not as hard as I feared it might be. Remove five phillips head screws, slice through the spine label (if any), flip it over, and gently remove the top. You can then transfer the reels from the damaged cassette, being careful to thread the tape through the guides correctly. Top on, flip it over, screws in, and you’re done. Easy as cake. Either you were very lucky or I was very unlucky. The one time I had cause to open up a videotape to repair the tape itself, I found that there are springs inside the case that apparently keep the tape in place inside the case. And when you open the case these springs pop out. It was possible to put all these springs back in place and very slowly and carefully put the case back together and then hold it while putting the screws back in. But it took me and another person over an hour and I wouldn’t have described it as “easy as cake”. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/6 "2007-11-08T13:31:19Z")
Maybe you could work something out with **commasense** > **[Should I pay $100 to recycle a bunch of videotapes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=443016)** > > I’ve just completed the first phase of digitizing my analog media, and now have about 200 VHS tapes to get rid of. Being a knee-jerk, pinko liberal, naturally I looked into ways of recycling them instead of just taking them to the landfill. It looks... ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/7 "2007-11-08T15:07:47Z")
I have taking the tape reel out of a damaged shell, bought a blank tape and used that shell to house the old reel many times with success, and I’m not mechanically inclined at all. All you need is a tiny screwdriver and patience. Just pay attention to how the reel fits in among the little parts inside. The first one took a few minutes, but once you do one the rest are easier. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/8 "2007-11-08T15:09:24Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Just pay attention to how the reel fits in among the little parts inside. [/QUOTE] Take the top off another cassette and leave it to one side as a reference for the ones you’re working on. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/9 "2007-11-08T17:18:35Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Either you were very lucky or I was very unlucky. The one time I had cause to open up a videotape to repair the tape itself, I found that there are springs inside the case that apparently keep the tape in place inside the case. And when you open the case these springs pop out. It was possible to put all these springs back in place and very slowly and carefully put the case back together and then hold it while putting the screws back in. But it took me and another person over an hour and I wouldn’t have described it as “easy as cake”. [/QUOTE] I was worried about something like that, which is why I tried it last night. The two tapes I used were from different manufacturers, but were virtually identical inside. In the middle of the cassette, at the back side (opposite the side you insert into the player) are two little ratchets that engage teeth on the reels, keeping the tape from loosening and unreeling when it’s not in a machine. When you put the cassette in a player, a small pin disengages them through a hole in the bottom of the case. The ratchets are spring loaded. If you don’t push them back when removing the reels, you could probably break them or make the mechanism come apart. You might also damage them if you tried to take the bottom half of the case off after removing the screws, instead of flipping it over and taking the top off. But with a little care, and by paying attention to how the ratchets work and the tape is threaded, you should be able to do the job in a couple of minutes. It’s really not that hard. Pssst, **Joey P** : did you miss my post above yours, or have I been whooshed? ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/10 "2007-11-08T17:37:28Z")
**Pullet** , thank you very much for your help, but I’m afraid **indistinguishable** was right about what I was talking about. I was actually thinking about contacting **commasense** about his tapes since I saw and posted in his other thread. I’ve now sent off a private message. (With the wrong location, I’ve just realized!) Thanks again, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/11 "2007-11-08T17:55:54Z")
[QUOTE=commasense] Pssst, **Joey P** : did you miss my post above yours, or have I been whooshed? [/QUOTE] I missed the last part. But I tend not to look at usernames as I read through a thread. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/12 "2007-11-08T18:20:03Z")
☹ I not helping. Good luck, anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/13 "2007-11-08T19:16:10Z")
I have to know, **Pullet** ; the curiosity is eating me up inside. [QUOTE=Pullet] I’m helping! [I’m helping!](http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_5150.asp?pricode=wg32) [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Indistinguishable] Bizarro… [/QUOTE] Was this response at all on target, or was it just a puzzling non sequitur to you? ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/14 "2007-11-08T20:50:11Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] Was this response at all on target, or was it just a puzzling non sequitur to you? [/QUOTE] 😕 No, I got your joke. I am aware of [all things chicken](http://youtube.com/watch?v=hTTQ3f9rUjc). There was a test before Cecil let me have the user name. Some reason why it’s so important for you that I acknowledge your joke? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/15 "2007-11-08T21:01:10Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] 😕 No, I got your joke. I am aware of [all things chicken](http://youtube.com/watch?v=hTTQ3f9rUjc). There was a test before Cecil let me have the user name. Some reason why it’s so important for you that I acknowledge your joke? [/QUOTE] No, I was just worried that perhaps you hadn’t been making that reference at all, and I came across as a confusing idiot. (Now I’m worried that my worry made me come across as an idiot. C’est la vie.) ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/16 "2007-11-08T21:04:44Z")
No harm, no fowl. 😃 I actually had forgotten about that particular episode of Sealab. Guess I can’t help but be reflexively clever. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-source-for-the-plastic-boxes-video-tapes-come-in/425618/17 "2007-11-09T21:52:52Z")
**Siege** and her fiancé will have 200 used tapes to play with in a few days. I put them in the mail a couple of hours ago.