Brenell Mk5 S2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

kdegru1 · 30th Aug 2017, 6:04 am

I just acquired a Brenell Mk5 S2 deck and it is super clean, and after running it at 1/4 mains voltage and then 1/2 mains voltage to hopefully recondition the filter capacitors the amplifier came up beautifully. How is that for 53 years old? The machine, which my daughter picked up for me in Leicester and brought home from the UK to NJ USA yesterday, is missing it's large capstan sleeve. (I do not know if they were provided with the machines or were an accessory item) I would love to find the large capstan sleeve for this machine so I could play my 15 IPS radio station commercial tapes. Since this machine is in such pristine original condition I am planning to give it a full reconditioning as necessary. I love restoring vintage electronics and tape recorders.

brenellic2000 · 1st Sep 2017, 1:17 pm

These were nominally 1/2" and 1" dia (0.4875" and 0.975" by vernier) but don't forget the speed difference between 50Hz UK and 60Hz USA. They were built to last but the Bogen heads easily go open circuit circuit. See if you can find some US-made Nortronic heads while they are still around. If a Papst motor goes... you'll need to canibalise.

30th Aug 2017, 6:04 am	#1
kdegru1 Diode Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA. Posts: 3	Brenell Mk5 S2 I just acquired a Brenell Mk5 S2 deck and it is super clean, and after running it at 1/4 mains voltage and then 1/2 mains voltage to hopefully recondition the filter capacitors the amplifier came up beautifully. How is that for 53 years old? The machine, which my daughter picked up for me in Leicester and brought home from the UK to NJ USA yesterday, is missing it's large capstan sleeve. (I do not know if they were provided with the machines or were an accessory item) I would love to find the large capstan sleeve for this machine so I could play my 15 IPS radio station commercial tapes. Since this machine is in such pristine original condition I am planning to give it a full reconditioning as necessary. I love restoring vintage electronics and tape recorders.

1st Sep 2017, 1:17 pm	#2
brenellic2000 Octode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 1,647	Re: Brenell Mk5 S2 These were nominally 1/2" and 1" dia (0.4875" and 0.975" by vernier) but don't forget the speed difference between 50Hz UK and 60Hz USA. They were built to last but the Bogen heads easily go open circuit circuit. See if you can find some US-made Nortronic heads while they are still around. If a Papst motor goes... you'll need to canibalise.