Date:         Fri, 18 Nov 2005 08:26:19 -0500
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         Charles Lawson <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: CD-ROM marking pens
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Michael Shoshani <[log in to unmask]> on Thursday, 2005-11-17 at 19:55
-0500 wrote:
>I use a plain old everyday Sharpie marker. However, I only write on
>that transparent hub area, NEVER on the actual recorded space. I just
>don't trust the chemicals not to react sooner or later with the silver
>layer.

This is about the only "safe" way to use a Sharpie on discs.  I worked a
book-on-tape project a while back where all the raw discs were sent to me
marked with Sharpies.  The solvent ate through the outer layers of the discs
in various locations and rendered large parts of the project unusable.  I had
to request DAT backups and do a large amount of patching throughout the
material to make a usable product.  DO NOT USE SHARPIES for this purpose.

My favorite solution is to use hub-only labels from NEAT-O.  With those,
nothing comes into contact with the data area at all.

Chas.

--
Charles Lawson <[log in to unmask]>
Recording/Production/Broadcast Engineer
WETA Radio <http://www.weta.org/fm/>
Washington, DC