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Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:40 pm
by Symoon
Hi,

I have the feeling my tape deck is dying. I join 2 samples from the same tape, one made 3 weeks ago, the 2nd made today. Hear the difference - with high consequences on Oric tapes signal.
Any tape deck specialist around, that could tell me the typical cause of such a flickering and how it could be fixed?
Same tape, same tape deck, 3 weeks time (and does this on any tape I put now).
Thanks!

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:17 pm
by Silicebit.
I think you should clean all the pulleys and rollers of dragging.

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:11 pm
by Symoon
Done - from the external side. There was a strange black melted plastic on one of the (don't know the name) rolling thing engaging the cassette and pulling the tape (like this, the one on the right: http://pmcdn.priceminister.com/photo/853611860.jpg).
Very strange, don't know where it came from, but once cleaned everything looked in perfect condition. Anyway there is still the same sound problem.

I've just bought the service manual, and will try to open and see if there's something to fix - really wonder where this melted plastic or grease came from.
What puzzles me is that I left the tape deck 3 weeks ago, it was running perfectly fine, hasn't been used since, and using it with 4 or 5 tapes today ruined it suddenly.

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:05 pm
by kenneth
I listened to the noise, and it appears that the speed of the band is not regular
There are three possibilities

The capstan is dirty (tape coiled around) or its axis is rusted

The belt decays or it is too soft

The pinch roller compressed poorly (the spring is low)

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:25 am
by Symoon
Thanks to you for your replies !

Ok, opened the deck, and there it is: the counter belt borke, wrapped around the gears and totally melted. There is melted plastic everywhere, trying to do my best to clean all this.
This is why the sound was totally distorded, the gears were glued here and there.
The service manual didn't help much to open the whole thing btw :(

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 8:29 pm
by Steve M
Lighter fluid (naptha) can clean such things off.

These rubber bands degrade after a while. I've just replaced a few in various machines. Ebay can be a place for getting replacements but the ones I got didn't have the tiny one used for the tape counter.

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:16 pm
by Antiriad2097
Steve M wrote:Ebay can be a place for getting replacements but the ones I got didn't have the tiny one used for the tape counter.
You checked B&Q? They do rubber O-rings for plumbing seals in a range of small sizes for use in valves etc, the smaller ones may be around the right size, thickness and elasticity. I bought some for a DIY job the other week, a mixed pack of half a dozen varying sizes cost me just over a quid.

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:40 pm
by Symoon
I just replaced the thing by a little elastic. Does the job. In the worst case, I'll live without it!

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:36 am
by Steve M
Normally elastic is a bit too stretchy and rubber bands degrade too quickly, but I guess for the tape counter it doesn't need much.

Re: Tape deck dying - solution?

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2015 2:10 am
by Steve M
I've got a new (second hand ) tape recorder and it is working well. It's so nice to get the real Oric working again.