UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players

Notices

Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 30th Jan 2020, 11:45 pm   #21
dave walsh
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
Posts: 5,814
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Mine has the [natural] wooden lid Peter [post 20*]. It looked out of place so I thought it might have been added later. I'm surprised to hear that it's original!

Dave W
dave walsh is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 12:04 am   #22
Reelman
Octode
 
Reelman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,701
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

I'd love to see a picture of it Dave. It certainly sounds like the ones I've heard about. It almost seems that Ferrograph overlooked putting a lid on the "7".

Peter
Reelman is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 1:45 am   #23
dave walsh
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
Posts: 5,814
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

I still use a Clamshell phone Peter [rarely] but I will get someone to do a photo when I "Hit The North" [as Marc E Smith would have said

Dave
dave walsh is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 2:21 am   #24
Reelman
Octode
 
Reelman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,701
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification


Peter
Reelman is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 6:59 am   #25
mole42uk
Nonode
 
mole42uk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Resolfen, Wales; and Bristol, England
Posts: 2,588
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMcMahon View Post
Not 100% sure,but I think neither unit has a mains power cable. Do you know if the female (assuming the chassis mains connector is male) Cannon connector is easily available ?
Yes, they are easy to get, I’ve made a couple of cables for testing ex-BBC equipment that comes my way.
__________________
Richard

Index:
recursive loop: see recursive loop
mole42uk is online now  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 9:33 am   #26
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Thank you Richard.
Pictures of the two I am getting.
David
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Complete.jpg
Views:	171
Size:	59.3 KB
ID:	198069   Click image for larger version

Name:	Incomplete.jpg
Views:	152
Size:	71.1 KB
ID:	198070  
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 9:41 am   #27
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistral13 View Post
David,
If you need to replace the 3 idler wheels, they were for sale very recently on eBay for £30 a set. They are from earlier models (series 6 or 5) and don't suffer from the Series 7 'turn to jelly' problem.

They are used but servicable and seeing as a single refurbished exchange idler wheel costs over £35 exc p&p from the USA they work well enough to get you going.

My Series 7 pinch wheel was missing entirely, but I found a new replacement - again on eBay - for £40. The seller had had a batch made up and was selling the excess.
Many thanks David,

David
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 5:41 pm   #28
Ferrograph723
Triode
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: London, UK
Posts: 28
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMcMahon View Post
Pictures of the two I am getting.
Interesting that the 'complete' one has a silver head flap/cover. Most Series Seven's that I've seen have a black flap.

Also mine has an extra tape guide on the left hand side, just to the right of the small black circle (which is the reel height adjuster). This is part of the auto-stop foil detector (which detects a short between this guide and the tensioner just to the left of the heads - I assumed all S7 had these fitted?

I wonder if that is another BBC specific mod - i.e. no auto-stop fitted?
Ferrograph723 is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 6:52 pm   #29
Ted Kendall
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrograph723 View Post
Interesting that the 'complete' one has a silver head flap/cover. Most Series Seven's that I've seen have a black flap.
Black flaps and inserts in the spool turntables indicate Mk2, if memory serves, along with squared-off head cans, which wore better than the Mk1s.
Ted Kendall is offline  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 7:59 pm   #30
Mistral13
Triode
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 28
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Yes Ted you are correct, my 722/Mk2 has the black flap & spool inserts; although my machine has the round cans on the heads. I don't know if this is an early MK2 or maybe somebody did a head swop sometime in the past.

As for the foil autostop, at least the swinging arm is there so it wouldn't be impossible to re-instate the stationary pillar if required. When I was involved with student radio we used Ferro 7s as juingle machines in the early days - they could be remote started from the mixer and the foil stop was very useful! Eventually we got hold of a couple of cart machines so the 7s were used for better things thereafter.
Mistral13 is offline  
Old 1st Feb 2020, 10:53 am   #31
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

I was going to ask about the holes in the reel tables, I noticed that the incomplete unit does not have the holes.

So what are the "inserts" ? are they missing or fitted in the photo of the complete unit ?

If it is a Mk. 2 (silver flap indicates Mk. 1 ?) is that generally a good thing for the Series 7 ?
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 1st Feb 2020, 3:49 pm   #32
Ferrograph723
Triode
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: London, UK
Posts: 28
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Are the holes in the reel tables not there just to hold the 3 rubber inserts in place? The photos look like the inserts are missing in the complete one, but are present in the incomplete one?

Mine has the inserts, and has the extra tape pillar/guide and has a black head flap (so it's a Mark 2?) - but it has round head cans! But then my model number is 723 which I can't find any record of ever having existed, so who knows what is should or shouldn't have!

Ferrograph723 is offline  
Old 1st Feb 2020, 5:38 pm   #33
Mistral13
Triode
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 28
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Hi DMc,

As far as I am aware the differences between the Mk1 and Mk2 series 7 are minor:

1. The earth return for the foil stop and tape-out stop are wired to deck on the Mk1, but wired to the removable panel carrying the flip up head cover on the Mk2.
2. There may be circuit differences, but I have been fortunate enough not to have to delve into those . . . so far!
3. The Mk 1 has a silver head flap vs the black anodised flap on the Mk2.
4. The Mk1 doesn't have the pair of fixed pillars on the RH tape-out arm assembly.

I'm sure there are more differences, but hardly deal-breakers. The only function I can think of (other than being purely cosmetic) for the rubber inserts is to reduce the amount of heat coming up through the holes when the deck is horizontal, but given that the RH hub gets fairly warm anyway, I'm not even convinced by that - so maybe it was just to make it look pretty.

The other issue is that if the machines come from a company environment, the technicians would probably mix and match to keep them running, so you could have a Mk2 with Mk1 heads (as I suspect I do), or a Mk1 with a Mk2 head cover etc, etc.
Mistral13 is offline  
Old 1st Feb 2020, 10:56 pm   #34
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Thank you Ferrograph723, Mistral13 & Ted for the Mk.1 / 2 info.

David
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 2nd Feb 2020, 9:41 am   #35
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistral13 View Post
David,
If you need to replace the 3 idler wheels, they were for sale very recently on eBay for £30 a set. They are from earlier models (series 6 or 5) and don't suffer from the Series 7 'turn to jelly' problem.

They are used but servicable and seeing as a single refurbished exchange idler wheel costs over £35 exc p&p from the USA they work well enough to get you going.

My Series 7 pinch wheel was missing entirely, but I found a new replacement - again on eBay - for £40. The seller had had a batch made up and was selling the excess.

David
Ordered the 3 idler wheels, hopefully may not need them.
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 2nd Feb 2020, 9:06 pm   #36
Reelman
Octode
 
Reelman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,701
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

One thing I’ve noticed David after looking at the Ferro pictures again is that the spool retainers are not fitted. They resemble the knobs of the amplifier but are cut with a thread and they screw onto the reel table shafts. If you don’t receive them might be worthwhile asking the seller. They will be necessary for vertical operation, I’m not sure if the old locking Ferrograph spools would be a satisfactory alternative.

Peter
Reelman is offline  
Old 2nd Feb 2020, 9:30 pm   #37
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Thank you Peter, I did notice they were missing on the complete unit before I brought it, that is one of the reasons why I was also attracted to the incomplete unit, as it looks like they are fitted on that unit (I hope I am correct).

David
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 3rd Feb 2020, 11:20 am   #38
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Both units have just been delivered (that was quick), still to be unpacked. They are certainly heavy, even the incomplete one.
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 3rd Feb 2020, 3:45 pm   #39
Ferrograph723
Triode
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: London, UK
Posts: 28
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Congrats on the new arrivals! Yep, they're heavy - my workbench is up in the loft, and I can tell you, it was a struggle getting mine up there to work on!

Don't forget my offer to buy one of the lids if it's surplus to requirements

: - )

Last edited by Ferrograph723; 3rd Feb 2020 at 3:46 pm. Reason: Wrong smiley!
Ferrograph723 is offline  
Old 3rd Feb 2020, 5:29 pm   #40
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Ferrograph Series 7 Model Number Identification

Just a few minutes ago, got them unpacked and had a very quick look, basically as expected from the photos, not great condition but not terrible. They do have metal cases and lids, grey/blue colour maybe Battleship Grey.

As expected no mains cables, various loose fittings in the incomplete unit including one of the spool screw on clamps, I think maybe the stud that it screws onto has broken out of the reel table (will check more precisely later), the other spool clamp is screwed on in-situ. As expected no spool clamps in the complete unit.

As almost predicted by Mistral13 the Pinch wheel is missing from the complete unit and the incomplete unit.

As seller had said there is no serial # label on the complete unit (a shame).

Have not forgotten Ferrograph723 about the lid request. I will check everything in more detail a little later and post a few photos. Both lids are intact and all 4 fasteners look OK both lids could do with a coat of paint through to smarten them up but they are not that bad.
DMcMahon is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 5:54 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.