Cassette Mechanism - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

CHRIS_F · 29th Apr 2018, 5:09 pm

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.

camtechman · 29th Apr 2018, 9:29 pm

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.

ben · 29th Apr 2018, 9:42 pm

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!)

camtechman · 29th Apr 2018, 9:51 pm

To follow up on Ben's advice, the rubber Pinch Roller may have hardened and will need replacing.

julie_m · 30th Apr 2018, 12:15 am

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.

CHRIS_F · 1st May 2018, 11:27 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by camtechman

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.

Yes, changing the belts has made a big difference to the auto stop and rewinding/ fast forwarding, most probably the speed too, thanks

Regards,
Chris.

CHRIS_F · 1st May 2018, 11:32 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben

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!)

Thanks, Changing the belts has helped a lot, when you say the clutch, is that the felt pad part under the right hand black tape winding spindle thingie, if so can they be replaced? I have a couple of these decks and one of them is chewing tapes and the pinch roller seems ok.

would whal clipper oil be ok to use on the sliding metal parts of the mechanism or is that too heavy?

Regards,
Chris.

CHRIS_F · 1st May 2018, 11:39 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by julie_m

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.

Thanks, I do have a few SD Card solutions and I've modded the sound input so I can load turbo mp3/wav games in around 40 seconds which is always fun, but I do like to have the original cassette working as well, also I bought one of those cheapo Bush cassette decks from Argos, with the USB option, they are great mono decks for computers, but that has developed a fault with erratic speed when using the tape and wouldn't you know it I can't find my receipt, at least the USB part still works fine though

Regards,
Chris.

CHRIS_F · 1st May 2018, 11:55 am

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.

ben · 1st May 2018, 1:47 pm

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.

CHRIS_F · 11th May 2018, 2:26 pm

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.

ben · 11th May 2018, 9:02 pm

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.

29th Apr 2018, 5:09 pm	#1
CHRIS_F Tetrode Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Merseyside, UK. Posts: 57	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. Attached Thumbnails

29th Apr 2018, 9:29 pm	#2
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	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. __________________ 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
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	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!) __________________ Regards, Ben.

29th Apr 2018, 9:51 pm	#4
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Cassette Mechanism To follow up on Ben's advice, the rubber Pinch Roller may have hardened and will need replacing. __________________ 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
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	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. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

1st May 2018, 11:55 am	#9
CHRIS_F Tetrode Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Merseyside, UK. Posts: 57	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. Attached Thumbnails

1st May 2018, 1:47 pm	#10
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	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. __________________ Regards, Ben.

11th May 2018, 2:26 pm	#11
CHRIS_F Tetrode Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Merseyside, UK. Posts: 57	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
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	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. __________________ Regards, Ben.