Reel to reel tape machine AKAI M-9

[DMcMahon]

I meant similar in the fact that they both have 4 cams, the 4 cams can be clearly seen in the M-9 Service Manual. The cams may be slightly different but similar poor quality metal.

David

[Whaam68]

I did a 1710 and despite the horror stories the cams were all ok on that unit, it just needed cleaning/re-greasing as the grease had dried like rock. I had no experience and it was fairly easy to figure out compared to cassette decks. Replacement cam sets are available for some Akai machines in delrin from a company in the states. It would be a shame to skip this, a relatively cheap project for someone local? Wilkinsons hifi in the UK does laser cut sets for the 4000 series (may be different).

[DMcMahon]

The Wilkinsons website reads as if they only do the Play cam for the 4000D series and other compatible models such as the M-9.

Some time ago I brought a set (Qty 5 ?) of 3D printed cams for the 4000 series from a UK seller on eBay, but have not tried them yet.

David

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by joebog1

I might have forgotten, after all it was many many moons ago.
BUT I do know that Akai cams were horrendous.

These are the cams for 4000 series.
AND the monkey metal was far better in quality.

Joe

Joe can you please clarify why you say the monkey metal was far better in quality ? do you mean compared to the zinc diecast which you reference in the earlier Posts.

I have always thought that the monkey/pot metal ones were potentially dreadful and have experienced a few that were terrible which I assume were monkey/pot metal.

David

[AdrianH]

I do not believe that Joebog1 is on this forum any longer.

Adrian

[trickie_dickie]

Originally Posted by AdrianH

I do not believe that Joebog1 is on this forum any longer.

Adrian

Why is that?

[AdrianH]

See this thread
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...hlight=joebog1

I know not why.

Adrian

[dave walsh]

In one of the many threads about 4000 cams someone gave a more specific engineering term for the metal used but I can't remember what it was. It did seem to be some sort of conglomerate which weakened over time. The switch mechanism is heavy and reassuringly positive until the cam fails
The overall conclusion was that this new metal had probably seemed like a good idea production wise. I've not had any metal failure with my 4000 but I'm careful after hearing other stories. I've got a spare cam just in case but one of the problems seemed to be that there could be small variations with the same cam shape. The M-Nine cam seems a lot different.

My recorder does have a problem with the track selector switch but rather than get in a twist trying to fix it, I apply switch cleaner and an even gentler touch. As said earlier, I'm not recording with it these days just replaying recordings. In the seventies it was a clever design that gave you he chance to have something like an affordable semi-professional machine for £100, rather than at least ten times more! It was a quality stripped down to basics approach, one motor not three and a mechanical speed change using a simple [proper metal] sleeve on the spindle to go from 3.75 to 7.5

Dave W

[AdrianH]

I have heard it called pot metal and also Mazak before now, I think it depends on the alloys used.

Yes this one does have a metal sleeve,. which is missing to get higher speeds, I think it will do 1 7/8 and 3 3/4 without it although the manual only says 1 7/8 IPS before using the sleeve. It has a slow and fast switch for the two speed motor.

I think I will ask the mods to close this thread now as it was really only for the time I was trying to pass it on and it is better if posts are in the newer thread.

Cheers

Adrian