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 25th Nov 2018, 1:55 pm   #1
dominicbeesley
Octode
 
dominicbeesley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
Default Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

I recently bought my daughter a set of "Story Teller" cassettes from the 1980s. These are pre-recorded in white moulded cases and look to be of identical manufacture to some BBC tapes I have of the same era.

In my other machines (car stereo in the Land Rover, a Yamaha KX-390 and a dirt cheap contemporary Chinese Walkman) they play perfectly. But annoyingly in my daughter's new old stock Sony Boombox they squeal or jam. I can get them to play for a bit longer by shimming the cassette away from the read head area but it still plays up after a while.

I've tried dismantling one of the cassettes and all seems well inside (they look to be little used) the slide pads (what is the correct name for the plastic inserts between the case and the wheels?) look ok with graphite type lubrication.

I've also tried removing the foam pad opposite the playback head in case that was causing bother (they are unsprung black foam pads on a metal back plate) but no change.

There internal guide path in the cassettes is of the "cheap" type i.e. no rollers just straight on to plastic guides but they are clean.

The tapes in the series look to be on a variety of different tape stocks - some black some brown. I at first thought this might be sticky-shed type problems but after playing in the other machines there seem to be no ill effects and the sound quality is pretty good.

The Sony machine was bought recently NOS/checked from ebay and in all other respects and with all my other tapes I've tried behaves flawlessly.

A bit stumped on this - I'm loathe to throw the tapes away as my 4yo daughter was so excite when we got them last week and has spent the past few evenings taking them in and out of their boxes and putting them back in order (there are 28 numbered cassettes)....but unfortunately not listening to them....If the worse comes to the worst I'll have to buy 28 new blank cassettes and copy them!
dominicbeesley is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2018, 3:35 pm   #2
PaulR
Dekatron
 
PaulR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

I have recently resurrected some cassettes and a children's player that belonged to my children in the 1980s for my granddaughter. Some of the cassettes squealed and jammed in that but would play on other machines. Eventually I tried the tiniest smear of silicone grease at intervals along the tape then winding and rewinding it several times. This has helped and the tapes I have treated run freely now. It might be worth trying,maybe having copied them first if possible.
__________________
Paul
PaulR is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2018, 1:28 am   #3
jamesperrett
Octode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,870
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

If I find a mechanical problem like this I'll usually try the tape in a new shell. This usually solves the problem although it won't work if the tape itself is the issue.
jamesperrett is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2018, 1:56 pm   #4
dominicbeesley
Octode
 
dominicbeesley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

Thanks both,

I'll try a new shell first, it's easiest as I have some new good quality shells - that will eliminate the tape as the culprit if it effects a cure.

I'm a bit loathe to try grease or lubricants for fear of contaminating other tapes and machines. If I something like that how / where do you apply the lubrication? On the front or back of the tape?

I'm starting to think it might be the spools touching the shoulders of the case whilst turning, so I might try some lubrication in that area first

D
dominicbeesley is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2018, 2:53 pm   #5
PaulR
Dekatron
 
PaulR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

I just put the tiniest dot on the front of the tape at several spots along its length. In the old days of 1/4 inch reel to reel tape I used a similar application of silicone polish - Pledge I seem to remember!

The cassettes would not play so I really had nothing to lose but I can understand trepidation in trying it, particularly as some people regard silicone grease as a work of the devil!
__________________
Paul
PaulR is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2018, 2:59 pm   #6
JulietMike
Tetrode
 
JulietMike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Andover, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 85
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

Just wondering if other tapes play ok in the Boombox ?

John
JulietMike is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2018, 3:04 pm   #7
JulietMike
Tetrode
 
JulietMike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Andover, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 85
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

Sorry I have just read the first post again and I see they do !!
JulietMike is offline  
Old 1st Dec 2018, 12:32 pm   #8
ben
Dekatron
 
ben's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,484
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

I suspect that the new deck, as with almost all of recent manufacture, will use the cheapo Tanashin mech. As such it may have one of those 'feeler' fixed guides which senses tape end tension and stops the deck. The tape passes over these at a very acute angle and I suppose some shells don't like it. Check if this is the case.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	cassette mech.jpg
Views:	109
Size:	47.5 KB
ID:	173740  
__________________
Regards,
Ben.
ben is offline  
Old 2nd Dec 2018, 12:29 pm   #9
dominicbeesley
Octode
 
dominicbeesley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

It does have such a deck...well even cheaper. The erase head seems to be a permanent magnet.

I'm not sure its the feeler though. I tried carefully bending that back from the tape path but the problem persisted. I also tried a dab of silicone around the wheel to case contact points and a new capstan belt. Still no joy!

I'm working away this week but will try the silicone on the tape thing when i get bank but i suspect that will just make the pinch filler slip
dominicbeesley is offline  
Old 2nd Dec 2018, 12:42 pm   #10
ben
Dekatron
 
ben's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,484
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

Personally, given the combination that is causing the problem, I would not mess about adding more silicone. It would probably be easier to either dub the tapes onto a new blank (you could probably get a couple of stories on one side of a C60) and keep the originals as a safety copy (good practice in general, anyway) or simply get hold of another cassette player for your little one.

I gave my son one of those Fisher price type ones with the colourful keys. You may also find the 'My first sony' on ebay which kids are sure to love!
__________________
Regards,
Ben.
ben is offline  
Old 2nd Dec 2018, 3:28 pm   #11
paulsherwin
Moderator
 
paulsherwin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,787
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

It's simply that the crude mech in the boombox and the crude cassette shells aren't working well together. The best solution would be to replace the shells (1970s TDK Ds are very good) but I appreciate that this is a significant job where so many tapes are involved.
paulsherwin is offline  
Old 2nd Dec 2018, 6:38 pm   #12
dominicbeesley
Octode
 
dominicbeesley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
Default Re: Squeaky cassettes...but only in one machine

Thanks all,

I suspect that I will have to either abandon the tapes or player. It's a shame as the player and tapes were a birthday present and she's very attached to both. I'm surprised that such a cack deck has been used. It's not a top of the range machine but it is a Sony.

It's been a good introduction to electronics for her, she enjoyed pulling the player to pieces yesterday and helping me take out and put back all the screws!

Dubbing the tapes onto CD / mp3 or other cassettes is will be a bit of a chore....though some of the stores are worth a listen and there's a good selection of narrators!

D
dominicbeesley is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:18 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.