Couple of series 2 Ferrograph questions - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

saxmaniac · 5th Mar 2015, 10:06 pm

I am getting a series 2 Ferrograph into gwo. Caps, lube deck motors etc, dirty switches, idlers and pinch wheels got good with a bit of wet & dry and solvent type rejuvenator. I presume I should demagnetise the heads? I am too mean to buy a demagnetiser, but should some sort of a solenoid powered up with AC brought near the heads then withdrawn slowly should do the trick? Also there is an annoying problem with the tape path. All fine through to the take up side then it is impossible to set the height of the take up spool so that the tape doesn't foul either the black plastic horizontal guide on the base or the underside of the take up spool. There is not a lot of things that can be adjusted to solve this. Advice please! Also anything else to watch out for on these as it is a new area for me. Thanks

SteveCG · 6th Mar 2015, 12:41 pm

These early Ferrographs assumed that you used the thinner metallic Ferrograph spools, ie those with a 'hublok' mechanism to grip the spool carriers.

As for demagnetizers - well I use a Ferrograph one - I got it years ago having tried/struggled use an 'Eagle' brand one. The problem was getting the demagnetizer's tip right up to the upper track on the head due to the shield on the head.

saxmaniac · 6th Mar 2015, 9:15 pm

I never thought of that, the only way I can get the tape to stop fouling either the spool or the guide is to remove the black plastic guide. I might leave it off and make a thinner look alike one

arjoll · 6th Mar 2015, 10:28 pm

My dad's trick when he still used his series 2 was to slip a Bic pen under the tape, right beside the guide on the tape block side. It would lift the tape enough to clear the guide, but the wind on the takeup spool was still ok. Probably not ideal, but he only ever destroyed one double play tape on the Ferrograph, and that was when some clown pulled out a link on the back that he'd rigged up to disable the take up spool for running home-made loops.

5th Mar 2015, 10:06 pm	#1
saxmaniac Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 618	Couple of series 2 Ferrograph questions I am getting a series 2 Ferrograph into gwo. Caps, lube deck motors etc, dirty switches, idlers and pinch wheels got good with a bit of wet & dry and solvent type rejuvenator. I presume I should demagnetise the heads? I am too mean to buy a demagnetiser, but should some sort of a solenoid powered up with AC brought near the heads then withdrawn slowly should do the trick? Also there is an annoying problem with the tape path. All fine through to the take up side then it is impossible to set the height of the take up spool so that the tape doesn't foul either the black plastic horizontal guide on the base or the underside of the take up spool. There is not a lot of things that can be adjusted to solve this. Advice please! Also anything else to watch out for on these as it is a new area for me. Thanks

6th Mar 2015, 12:41 pm	#2
SteveCG Nonode Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 2,495	Re: Couple of series 2 Ferrograph questions These early Ferrographs assumed that you used the thinner metallic Ferrograph spools, ie those with a 'hublok' mechanism to grip the spool carriers. As for demagnetizers - well I use a Ferrograph one - I got it years ago having tried/struggled use an 'Eagle' brand one. The problem was getting the demagnetizer's tip right up to the upper track on the head due to the shield on the head.

6th Mar 2015, 9:15 pm	#3
saxmaniac Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 618	Re: Couple of series 2 Ferrograph questions I never thought of that, the only way I can get the tape to stop fouling either the spool or the guide is to remove the black plastic guide. I might leave it off and make a thinner look alike one

6th Mar 2015, 10:28 pm	#4
arjoll Dekatron Join Date: May 2006 Location: Invercargill, New Zealand Posts: 3,457	Re: Couple of series 2 Ferrograph questions My dad's trick when he still used his series 2 was to slip a Bic pen under the tape, right beside the guide on the tape block side. It would lift the tape enough to clear the guide, but the wind on the takeup spool was still ok. Probably not ideal, but he only ever destroyed one double play tape on the Ferrograph, and that was when some clown pulled out a link on the back that he'd rigged up to disable the take up spool for running home-made loops.