Tandberg 64X repair desperately needed!

[MonaWonderlick]

hi everyone! First time posting here but have read through everyone else's Tandberg 64x restorations and stories with no solution to my problem.

I've read the whole manual, and i'm now familiar with each part and what each mechanism does, tried adjusting things as best as i can, read every forum post i can find and every youtube video i can find and still can't solve these problems. IM DESPERATE! lol

I recently purchased this tandberg but there are a few issues with it and i really want to bring it back to life! I did clean it today and may have used too much oil but not sure.

Firstly, the motor is running super smoothly, whisper quiet, very pleased with that! When there are no tapes loaded up both turntables turn in opposite directions pretty smoothly. (although the fast forward is very slow - really only the pace of the regular play and i can't figure out why)

However, when tape is loaded up, the motor is spinning away beautifully, its turning the big bronze capstan mechanism really well, BUT - the turntables wont move! It seems that the turntables moving in opposite directions are actually causing equal and opposite forces so there's no movement of the turntables. The motor spins round nicely, but the

Also, the roller wheel turns pretty easily in place when just spun with the finger, but as soon as it engages with the capstan mechanism, it just won't move. Hence when tape is playing, its sort of just sliding past the roller wheel, not rolling freely through it so it plays very slowly.

So there's 2 main issues;
2. How on earth is the counter-spinning mechanism of the two turntables meant to work in a way that don't just cancel each other out?

Also, the manual is great and shows the "exploded view" of each mechanism part, but doesn't explain how the heck you're meant to actually disassemble anything to lubricate or clean it!

Can someone please help?

[Analogue man]

The spool turntables contain a simple friction clutch and if oil or grease has got in there they won't do much at all when a spool of tape is added. Because the power of the capstan and pinch wheel is high enough it will overcome the friction of the left hand spool turntable, the intent of it turning clockwise is to keep a light back tension on the tape. The right hand spool turntable should have enough friction to turn with a full spool on it and take up the tape without pulling the tape through capstan and pinch wheel faster than they intend but should on fast wind engage the idler wheel to a different part of the spool turntable which should provide a faster drive which doesn't include the clutch.

[Michael Maurice]

The pinch wheel on these can become hardened, what I would do is remove the spools and tape, inset a piece of card in the right hand exit guide to stop the EOT switch coming on, select play and see what happens.

What should happen is both spools rotate in opposite directions, and the pinch roller should grip the capstan shaft.

My money is on a duff pinch roller.

[saxmaniac]

Have you got a service manual? It's pretty readily available online. There's a setting up procedure for the clutches, but if you haven't already, you need to strip the turntable mechanisms and check absolutely everything, particularly the condition of the clutch felts. They can become detached because the glue dries out. Then reassemble and set up as per the manual. They can be tricky to get right as you are working with old components that in an ideal world you would replace. Re the pinch roller, I actually re rubbered one using some scrap suspension rubber from a washing machine and some lathe work. That took many hours!

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by MonaWonderlick

Also, the manual is great and shows the "exploded view" of each mechanism part, but doesn't explain how the heck you're meant to actually disassemble anything to lubricate or clean it!

Can someone please help?

Many tape recorder Service manuals including Tandberg unfortunately are not that helpful with respect to actual disassembly information.

David

[MonaWonderlick]

Originally Posted by Michael Maurice

The pinch wheel on these can become hardened, what I would do is remove the spools and tape, inset a piece of card in the right hand exit guide to stop the EOT switch coming on, select play and see what happens.

What should happen is both spools rotate in opposite directions, and the pinch roller should grip the capstan shaft.

My money is on a duff pinch roller.

thank you so much for your reply! When i take the spools off and have nothing on the turntables, and let the engine go by pulling that EOT switch, and select play, BOTH spools rotate in the opposite directions! (which is what is supposed to happen).The capstan turns well. The pinch roller engages with the capstan shaft, it does turn but its pretty choppy.

Its only when i actually put the tape on a spool it up that the turntables won't turn anymore

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by MonaWonderlick

Also, the roller wheel turns pretty easily in place when just spun with the finger, but as soon as it engages with the capstan mechanism, it just won't move. Hence when tape is playing, its sort of just sliding past the roller wheel, not rolling freely through it so it plays very slowly.

Possibly sound like the pinch roller is not making contact/sufficient contact with the capstan shaft, there is normally an adjustment (pressure) for this. Try pushing the pinch roller more onto the tape/capstan to see if play speed improves.

Occasionally pinch roller rubber can get very soft and make poor contact.

David

[saxmaniac]

Hi, I tried to reply to your pm but couldn't for some reason. Here's what I wrote:

It sounds like you're going about it the wrong way! I've done work on the later solid state models but similar mechanisms. I assume you have the whole chassis removed from the wooden cabinet? The painted top plate is held by 4 screws plus you need to remove the head cover and there's a couple of small brackets under there and all the control knobs. Having done that you can access all the mechanism without further dismantling. To remove the turntable assemblies, one is held in by a single nylon nut underneath, this is a little hard to access but not impossible, the other is held by the pulley that drives the tape counter. You can remove these and check the clutches, bearings etc. Be sure to keep parts in order and take photos so you can get it back together. The manual has exploded diagrams and procedure for adjusting clutch activation arms. See how far you can get anyway and post again if you get stuck, perhaps even send photos

[Michael Maurice]

Originally Posted by MonaWonderlick

thank you so much for your reply! When i take the spools off and have nothing on the turntables, and let the engine go by pulling that EOT switch, and select play, BOTH spools rotate in the opposite directions! (which is what is supposed to happen).The capstan turns well. The pinch roller engages with the capstan shaft, it does turn but its pretty choppy.

Its only when i actually put the tape on a spool it up that the turntables won't turn anymore

Replace the pinch roller, either get it rebuilt at terrys rubber rollers or buy a new one from suppliers in Germany and Italy.