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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc. |
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2nd May 2018, 2:06 pm | #1 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK
Posts: 1,993
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Mitsubishi M-T04 flat drive belt
I have been given a midi size Mitsubishi system part of which is a M-T04 cassette deck. I think it dates from around 1984.
It has all cleaned up nicely and as far as I can see the electronics seem to work but the capstan and take up spool don't rotate. It's quite easy to see the large flat drive belt from the large motor to the flywheel/capstan has dissolved into a sort of rubbery goo. I am hoping that this is the reason nothing works on playback, it rewinds fine from the separate rewind motor but the take up spindle doesnt rotate on playback and so i wonder if that is driven from the main capstan motor. Aside from the head scratching exercise of how to get at the flywheel and motor spindle to clean them and refit a belt, does anyone have any idea of what size of belt is needed and where is best to buy one? It would be very nice to get it working and keep the system together as it is rather nicely styled and feels solid. No doubt I will have need of advice once I get into its internals as it looks quite complicated. Thanks. Andy. |
2nd May 2018, 2:56 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Mitsubishi M-T04 flat drive belt
Hi Andy,
You'll need to remove the mechanism to clean it up. They usually come out without too much of a struggle after removing 4 or so screws. If you're really lucky, the electronics might unplug, so that you can have the luxury of repairing it it directly on your workbench, as opposed to balanced somewhere inside the cassette deck. Once it's clean, the best way of calulating what belt might work is to thread a length of white cotton around the motor pulley and flywheel (etc.), pull it taut with the ends overlapping, so that it sits like the original belt did. Then use a pen to put a mark somewhere on the overlapping bits, remove it, and use a ruler to measure the length of cotton betweem the marks. This represents the circumference of the new belt that you need to buy. They're sold by diameter (in mm) though, so divide your figure by 3.14. Then look at eBay, Cricklewood and CPC etc. for the nearest you can find. Good luck, Nick. |
2nd May 2018, 3:03 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK
Posts: 1,993
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Re: Mitsubishi M-T04 flat drive belt
Thanks Nick.
It's an unusual deck, I havent seen any so I think it's worth refurbishing especially if it is less common than most. I would hope that once fettled up and assuming the heads are still in good condition it should perform quite well as a serious home recorder. There's a decent family archive of tapes and it would be nice to tap into it. A. |
2nd May 2018, 4:32 pm | #4 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,786
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Re: Mitsubishi M-T04 flat drive belt
As Nick says, just buy a generic belt. The width won't be critical as it will ride on the raised centre of the motor pulley. You might get away with a square belt from one of the Chinese assortments if the mech is lightweight.
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