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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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11th Dec 2016, 8:35 pm | #21 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 3,051
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
It used to be almost standard practice to give a cassette a couple if sharp raps on a hard surface before each use, which usually alleviated the common sticking problem. I can't say that I've ever heard of sticky shed in relation to cassette tape before, but clearly it can happen.
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11th Dec 2016, 8:51 pm | #22 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
The problem here is the tape itself. I have had this with several EMI and Warners from circa 1978-1980. The tape itself was dark/black and had suffered some lubricant breakdown which meant that it caused too much friction in playback.
Fortunately these were major label recordings and easily replaceable on ebay or amazon for a couple of pounds at the most, on CD. Not worth losing sleep over. Incidentally, before binning any cassettes, save the felt pressure pad assemblies and possibly the spools and leader tape. And shell if screwed type. Handy for donors!
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Regards, Ben. |
11th Dec 2016, 8:55 pm | #23 | ||
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
Quote:
Much safer to take the cassette between thumb and forefinger and gently press around the spool area to flatten the tape pack. Quote:
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Regards, Ben. |
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12th Dec 2016, 2:34 pm | #24 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,876
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
For future reference, I had a tape display similar symptoms but I found that it was actually the tape passing on the wrong side of the capstan so that the take-up reel was doing the driving. Must have been a shell tolerance problem.
I haven't encountered a sticky cassette for years but, if I did, I would try removing the tape from the shell and then baking it in the same way as I bake reels. |
12th Dec 2016, 7:51 pm | #25 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,971
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
The Richard Hess site is a good one for tape degradation information. He also discusses techniques of "cold play" (with the tape and machine in a fridge) and Isopropyl alcohol used as a temporary lubricant.
The cassettes I've so far come across that responded to baking were Ampex 20 + 20, Ampex ELM 60 and a Denon LX90 brand but there are probably others. A tape with only a mild problem may not stick or squeal. The first sign can be just a gradual loss of treble/ tape hiss in the playback. http://richardhess.com/notes/formats...grading-tapes/ Tim |
25th Dec 2016, 3:06 am | #26 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Olympia, Washington, USA.
Posts: 664
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
Realizing you have already disposed of the tape, I have in the past found that some recorders have a maximum length of tape they will play.
Many will not play a 160 minute tape, but 30, 45, and 60 min ones work fine. Has to do with clutch tension & design. One of my old machines stated in the IB,"Do not use any tapes longer than 60 minutes" Just my 2 pence worth. |
25th Dec 2016, 4:04 am | #27 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,971
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
It's not the actual length but the thinness of the tape that's the problem. Thin tapes can be more easily damaged. They need a cassette mechanism that doesn't place too much stress on the more fragile tape. Some machines can be adjusted to lighter settings for these sorts of tapes.
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25th Dec 2016, 10:17 am | #28 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 618
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Re: Strange fault with cassette mechanism
There was someone on here a while back said they had good and lasting results with wiping a r to r tape with WD40 to stop squealing. I got a small amount of a silicone lubricant fluid and did the same with a squealer and it seemed to improve things a bit but it lost drive completely a time or two due to lubricating the capstan as well!
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