Troubled Tandberg 3300X - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

boomboxcat · 10th Nov 2010, 4:27 pm

Hello guys,

Just picked up for free an old Tandberg Crossfield series 3300X reel to reel recorder.

It's in a bit of a state at the minute and if I'm honest I thought it would be dead. Got it home and found the following problem; it will play a tape for a few seconds, then it just starts to back up at the point of the pinch rollers on the right hand side. Also there is no forward or reverse working.

Please bear in mind I am not technical, so any repair advice please needs to be in a language I can understand!

Many thanks in advance,
Andy.

paulsherwin · 10th Nov 2010, 4:28 pm

It will need stripping down and relubricating. The belts may be shot too, but check the lubrication first.

boomboxcat · 10th Nov 2010, 4:40 pm

Cheers Paul for the advice. I'll have a good look at it.

DOFFERY · 10th Nov 2010, 6:37 pm

Boombox.

Forgive me Paul, however I think you will find the clutch pads on the take up spool are shot at . The main fig 8 drive belt will need replacing without doubt, the counter belt is not of any great importance & will not affect performance. Worn pinch wheels are also another source of trouble with these machines when left idle for long periods.

Might I suggest you leave "lubrication" to the last, as I very much doubt this would aid your present problem.

Colin.

boomboxcat · 10th Nov 2010, 7:13 pm

Hi colin,thanks for the further info,I've cracked it open now,checked the belts,and all seems well-still on and in place,nice and taught,even the belt for the counter you mentioned.so could be the clutch pads by the sound of it-is there an easy way to overhaul these?because I'd love to get this thing working properly again-except some previous owner has painted the wood panelled sides white-how rediculous is that?

boomboxcat · 10th Nov 2010, 7:19 pm

Hi colin-had the case open and checked the belts for starters-the figure 8 belt is fine-nice and strong,looks fairly new actually-the counter belt is fine too,so must be the clutch pads-are they easy to overhaul?I'm a total novice at this-someone must have had a go at repairing this in the past at some point,because it has screws missing-theyve gone to all that trouble of fitting new belts,only to paint the sides white-idiots.

paulsherwin · 10th Nov 2010, 7:25 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOFFERY

Might I suggest you leave "lubrication" to the last, as I very much doubt this would aid your present problem.

I defer to your experience Colin

I do think the grease is likely to have hardened though, in addition to the problems you mention.

ricard · 10th Nov 2010, 9:26 pm

Grease and oil may have hardened, but I've seen many a 40+ old Tandberg which has not had that problem, so I'd check other things first. What exactly do you mean by "...then it just starts to back up at the point of the pinch rollers on the right hand side." Does the take-up reel turn when it starts to play, or does it remain stopped? Can you turn the reels by hand? If not, then it might indeed be hardened grease or oil. If I remember correctly, the clutch pads mentioned above are only for fast wind, with a felt ring providing torque during ordinary forward drive, which is virtually indestructable and won't wear out.

On the other hand, if someone has been trying to fix it, it could be that the nuts holding the reel tables in place have been tightened too much causing the reels to seize up. If you need to renew the friction pads on the reel tables you'll need to take the them off anyway. Open the back of the machine, for the left hand reel there is a plastic nut holding the reel in place, for the right hand reel it is the pulley for the counter belt which serves the same purpose. I find it easiest to hold the nut / pulley still with a pair of pliers / fingers, and turn the reel table. There is a small fiber washer between the nut and the bearing, don't loose it. The pads are located underneath the reel tables, and usually look like porous gunk by this time. That said, usually they work, sort of, before replacement, likely with reduced torque and increased (scraping) noise, but there should be some movement.

Replacement pads can be got from Lasse Hovde in Norway, or you can fabricate your own by cutting pieces of cork to approximately then same thickness and then gluing them on.

When remounting and tightening the nut / pulley, let there be about half a mm of play, check it by pressing on the reel table and see that it moves slightly in the axial direction.

There is a service manual available here: http://www.sportsbil.com/tandberg/3300-3400-s.pdf . Tandberg's service manuals are fairly well written even for the novice. There is a detailed description and pictures of the reel clutch mechanisms.

/Ricard

DOFFERY · 11th Nov 2010, 2:37 pm

Boombox.
You should tell us more. Which screws are missing, not I hope the large black plastic adjusted screws(3 either side of the spool carriers) ? It appears that belts being OK, the previous owner has just either left it or maladjusted the settings.

Reference the clutch pads, as Ricard states they can be obtained from a source or as I have done for years cork from wine bottles or something simlar.

Check the turntables as suggested & when you have removed the RH take up clutch , do so on the horizontal (the machine that is), if the intermediate disc is fitted there are two small springs to be aware of. However this intermediate disc is fitted only to the earlier models , later models were relieved of this item, take up being by friction with the clutch discs, adjustable.

Let us know.

Colin.

boomboxcat · 12th Nov 2010, 11:43 am

thanks for all the help guys will get to work and let you know the outcome as soon as i can.

andy

john116 · 24th May 2014, 12:28 pm

Did you ever fix this?

DOFFERY · 24th May 2014, 2:15 pm

Give him time John,it's only 3 or more years

Colin.

10th Nov 2010, 4:27 pm	#1
boomboxcat Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pontefract, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 44	Troubled Tandberg 3300X Hello guys, Just picked up for free an old Tandberg Crossfield series 3300X reel to reel recorder. It's in a bit of a state at the minute and if I'm honest I thought it would be dead. Got it home and found the following problem; it will play a tape for a few seconds, then it just starts to back up at the point of the pinch rollers on the right hand side. Also there is no forward or reverse working. Please bear in mind I am not technical, so any repair advice please needs to be in a language I can understand! Many thanks in advance, Andy. Last edited by Darren-UK; 10th Nov 2010 at 4:57 pm. Reason: GI

10th Nov 2010, 4:28 pm	#2
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,975	Re: troubled tandberg It will need stripping down and relubricating. The belts may be shot too, but check the lubrication first.

10th Nov 2010, 4:40 pm	#3
boomboxcat Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pontefract, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 44	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Cheers Paul for the advice. I'll have a good look at it. Last edited by Darren-UK; 10th Nov 2010 at 4:55 pm. Reason: GI

10th Nov 2010, 6:37 pm	#4
DOFFERY Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 1,488	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Boombox. Forgive me Paul, however I think you will find the clutch pads on the take up spool are shot at . The main fig 8 drive belt will need replacing without doubt, the counter belt is not of any great importance & will not affect performance. Worn pinch wheels are also another source of trouble with these machines when left idle for long periods. Might I suggest you leave "lubrication" to the last, as I very much doubt this would aid your present problem. Colin.

10th Nov 2010, 7:13 pm	#5
boomboxcat Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pontefract, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 44	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Hi colin,thanks for the further info,I've cracked it open now,checked the belts,and all seems well-still on and in place,nice and taught,even the belt for the counter you mentioned.so could be the clutch pads by the sound of it-is there an easy way to overhaul these?because I'd love to get this thing working properly again-except some previous owner has painted the wood panelled sides white-how rediculous is that?

10th Nov 2010, 7:19 pm	#6
boomboxcat Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pontefract, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 44	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Hi colin-had the case open and checked the belts for starters-the figure 8 belt is fine-nice and strong,looks fairly new actually-the counter belt is fine too,so must be the clutch pads-are they easy to overhaul?I'm a total novice at this-someone must have had a go at repairing this in the past at some point,because it has screws missing-theyve gone to all that trouble of fitting new belts,only to paint the sides white-idiots.

10th Nov 2010, 9:26 pm	#8
ricard Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lund, Sweden Posts: 1,632	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Grease and oil may have hardened, but I've seen many a 40+ old Tandberg which has not had that problem, so I'd check other things first. What exactly do you mean by "...then it just starts to back up at the point of the pinch rollers on the right hand side." Does the take-up reel turn when it starts to play, or does it remain stopped? Can you turn the reels by hand? If not, then it might indeed be hardened grease or oil. If I remember correctly, the clutch pads mentioned above are only for fast wind, with a felt ring providing torque during ordinary forward drive, which is virtually indestructable and won't wear out. On the other hand, if someone has been trying to fix it, it could be that the nuts holding the reel tables in place have been tightened too much causing the reels to seize up. If you need to renew the friction pads on the reel tables you'll need to take the them off anyway. Open the back of the machine, for the left hand reel there is a plastic nut holding the reel in place, for the right hand reel it is the pulley for the counter belt which serves the same purpose. I find it easiest to hold the nut / pulley still with a pair of pliers / fingers, and turn the reel table. There is a small fiber washer between the nut and the bearing, don't loose it. The pads are located underneath the reel tables, and usually look like porous gunk by this time. That said, usually they work, sort of, before replacement, likely with reduced torque and increased (scraping) noise, but there should be some movement. Replacement pads can be got from Lasse Hovde in Norway, or you can fabricate your own by cutting pieces of cork to approximately then same thickness and then gluing them on. When remounting and tightening the nut / pulley, let there be about half a mm of play, check it by pressing on the reel table and see that it moves slightly in the axial direction. There is a service manual available here: http://www.sportsbil.com/tandberg/3300-3400-s.pdf . Tandberg's service manuals are fairly well written even for the novice. There is a detailed description and pictures of the reel clutch mechanisms. /Ricard

11th Nov 2010, 2:37 pm	#9
DOFFERY Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 1,488	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Boombox. You should tell us more. Which screws are missing, not I hope the large black plastic adjusted screws(3 either side of the spool carriers) ? It appears that belts being OK, the previous owner has just either left it or maladjusted the settings. Reference the clutch pads, as Ricard states they can be obtained from a source or as I have done for years cork from wine bottles or something simlar. Check the turntables as suggested & when you have removed the RH take up clutch , do so on the horizontal (the machine that is), if the intermediate disc is fitted there are two small springs to be aware of. However this intermediate disc is fitted only to the earlier models , later models were relieved of this item, take up being by friction with the clutch discs, adjustable. Let us know. Colin.

12th Nov 2010, 11:43 am	#10
boomboxcat Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pontefract, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 44	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X thanks for all the help guys will get to work and let you know the outcome as soon as i can. andy

24th May 2014, 12:28 pm	#11
john116 Pentode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 156	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Did you ever fix this?

24th May 2014, 2:15 pm	#12
DOFFERY Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 1,488	Re: Troubled Tandberg 3300X Give him time John,it's only 3 or more years Colin.