Revox B77. Bent frame/chassis.

[SDunscombe]

Hi all,

I posted this just before on Gearslutz, but in my experience they don't tend to reply or be as helpful there, so I'm asking you all as well...!

I just received my B77 in the mail, which I had posted to myself from Switzerland.

Despite shipping it in double boxes, with 7 layers of bubble wrap, extra thick cardboard supports, and packing peanuts, it has not survived the journey well.

It appears that everything is in working order electrically and mechanically, but the bottom part of the chasis is bent quite out of shape. I’m too worried to run it, though, just in case something got bent and will break once there’s power.

Around the area the the controls, the whole lot twists a bit to the right, almost breaking out of the case.

This machine belonged to someone very important, and for this reason this specific one is quite valuable.

Does anyone have much or any experience with this type of thing? I'm wondering if firstly, I can plug it in and test the electronics without risking breaking anything... And secondly, if it might actually be possible just to pull it apart and bend that part of the frame back into position myself (or get someone else to do it)?

I'm attaching a pic, but it's not the clearest as to what's wrong. Really, if you look inside, the frame is actually totally bent in the area around the tape controls (the empty-ish part of the frame, where there are a couple of cards and the control panel, and otherwise a bunch of empty space). The bit around the motors and all those electronics is a solid, thick sheet of die-cast aluminium, so that is all rigid in place as it should be...

[Station X]

I'm guessing there's damage not visible in the picture?

If it were mine I'd dismantle it enough to remove the bent bits. Then I'd straighten them with the aid of a vice (soft jaws of course) and a hide mallet.

[ben]

Worst case scenario you can get a junk deck (even one missing parts) and use its frame to mount your working bits onto. Might be more successful than trying to fix the bent one.

[Michael Maurice]

You can remove the audio section complete, then dismantle and inspect all the boards for cracks including the mother board.

I'd then buy the lower audio chassis, and any other bent parts and rebuild it. The parts are available on Ebay.

[Linnovice]

The actual chassis is made up of various cast alloy frames. These just basically screw together with self-tapping screws and captive clips. It would be very easy to change the two main vertical frames (they are the ones that appear bent). Your problem may be with the force of impact cracking some of the internal pcb’s, mainly the audio motherboard that carries the switches and pots.
What shape (excuse the pun) is the main case in? If the package has taken a shock on the side it may have just caught the side cheek and pushed everything over without damaging the boards. The other thing to look for is a dislocation of the power supply and attached boards. The actual mounting frame can bend with the force of the shock. It’s quite a thin gauge metal carrying the transformer coils. They can be straighten out with care if not too far deformed.
All can be done for little cost. I bought an A77 last year that had been thrown over a side gate onto concrete. I picked it up in three boxes of parts and a smashed case. It’s now playing beautifully and looks great and I’m not a qualified Technician. If you decide to go that route I may well have a couple if side frames in my glory box. PM me. Mike