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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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29th Apr 2018, 5:09 pm | #1 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Cassette Mechanism
Hi Guys,
I Had some trouble with a cassette mechanism, it's actually out of a Spectrum +2 Computer, I decided to strip it down, clean it and re assemble it, I can see some obvious places where grease is needed, but do I need to apply any lubricant to those visible gears in the photo, also should I oil the two shafts where the tape black drive cogs go onto that drive the tape? Regards, Chris. |
29th Apr 2018, 9:29 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK.
Posts: 2,552
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Very few parts require lubrication as most are plastic or nylon. Depending what sort of environment the cassette was used in, it's more likely that dust, fluff or similar has entered the mechanism and will need to be removed.
It could be that the drive belts have stretched and may require replacing.
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When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it! Last edited by camtechman; 29th Apr 2018 at 9:49 pm. |
29th Apr 2018, 9:42 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Not much to add to camtechman's advice!
These Tanashin mechs are probably the cheapest and nastiest you'll find, and in my experience are best left alone unless they stop working (usually the clutch tends to fail leading to tape creasing). If the pinch roller has seen lots of use it's probably best to change it, or you will get the same fault. I would change the drive belts while you have it out to improve rewind etc. I would perhaps add a little grease to the sliding surfaces where the key actuator levers go into and out of the front of the main mech (if that makes sense!)
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Regards, Ben. |
29th Apr 2018, 9:51 pm | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK.
Posts: 2,552
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
To follow up on Ben's advice, the rubber Pinch Roller may have hardened and will need replacing.
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When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it! |
30th Apr 2018, 12:15 am | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
It's not that that cheap and nasty -- it at least has a proper energised erase head!
As a general rule, if there wasn't any lubricant somewhere before, then don't add any there. Some plastics go brittle in the presence of oil or grease, and those yellowish-clear gears look like that sort. Packs of assorted drive belts are available cheaply enough in the usual place, and will almost certainly contain something that fits your deck. The "nuclear option", if you can't get the tape deck working, is a plug-in card that accepts an SD card, and emulates a Spectrum +3 disk drive. Search online for "spectrum sd card adapter". Or if you really want the authentic tape experience, you could inject an audio signal at a suitable right point in the circuit.
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If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments. |
1st May 2018, 11:27 am | #6 | |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Quote:
Regards, Chris. Last edited by CHRIS_F; 1st May 2018 at 11:33 am. |
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1st May 2018, 11:32 am | #7 | |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Quote:
would whal clipper oil be ok to use on the sliding metal parts of the mechanism or is that too heavy? Regards, Chris. |
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1st May 2018, 11:39 am | #8 | |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Quote:
Regards, Chris. |
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1st May 2018, 11:55 am | #9 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Thanks Guys,
Changing the belts has made a big difference, I'm just wondering though I have a couple of these mechanisms and one is very noisy one of the noises is because the pause mechanism has come loose and is touching the drive wheel, but there is a second noise that is quite loud a clicking which seems to be with each revolution, could it be this eccentric cam wheel? Regards, Chris. |
1st May 2018, 1:47 pm | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Looking closely at the photo, this is a variant without the endstop tension/feeler arm and the clutch is slightly different too, it does seem to be the two lower halves of the take up spindle which should slip in playback. I would observe what happens without a tape - try also grasping it and see how easy it is to stop it turning - and then carefully dismantle and check. Usually they go stiff and crease the tape at the pinch roller. If the tapes aren't being taken up it is too slack, or there is grit in the teeth of the white drive pulley (that would explain the regular clicking sound).
I have also had that problem with the pause mech, there is a stud which comes loose and scrapes the underside of the capstan flywheel. Dab of superglue should solve that.
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Regards, Ben. |
11th May 2018, 2:26 pm | #11 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
Thanks Guys,
Just wanted to thank you guys for your help, my mechanism is working properly now, although it seems to struggle rewinding one specific tape, I'm guessing it's just a bad tape, I've tested it with over 20 other tapes and they all work fine Regards, Chris. |
11th May 2018, 9:02 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Cassette Mechanism
A useful test for winding problems is to put in a c90, fast wind about 5 mins then hit rewind and see if it will rewind all the way back. If not, then the spooling belt is slack. Also test by seeing if it will fast forward right to the end of the tape - if not, same applies.
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Regards, Ben. |