Tascam 38 and 32 TENSION ARM cleaning and maintenance?

[AnalogDimitri]

Short and to the point: does anybody know the steps to clean the tension arm mechanisms on Tascam 32 and 38 machines?? I cannot find detailed descriptions anywhere.

Full Story:
My university has an electroacoustic music composition class that I am taking. I went to one of the storage basement with my professor and we dug up two Tascam machines, the 32 and 38.

On both machines the tension arms don't seem to be functioning properly. I have never seen such a mechanism for tension arms. I suspect something is gummed up with age. So here are my questions:

- What parts am I supposed to clean?
- What is the process or steps to make this a functioning tension arm?
- Do I need to lubricate it and with what kind of lubricant?

 

[sweetbeats]

Can you clarify what is “gummed up” and what it is that doesn’t seem to be functioning properly? Maybe a link to a pic so we can ensure there isn’t some odd modification (since you said you've never seen anything like it before)? Until we understand what isn’t working it’s hard to give advice on what to do.

 

[jpmorris]

Can you clarify what is “gummed up” and what it is that doesn’t seem to be functioning properly? Maybe a link to a pic so we can ensure there isn’t some odd modification (since you said you've never seen anything like it before)? Until we understand what isn’t working it’s hard to give advice on what to do.

The '32 has this Heath Robinson/Rube Goldberg arrangement using pieces of string and a roller-like thing which the string winds around. I've never really seen it working properly so I was hoping to leave this to someone who actually knows how to repair them.

I've heard that the roller/hub thing is supposed to rotate. On mine they were completely seized, but I've heard rumours that by disassembling it, cleaning away the gunk and re-greasing it the hub will rotate and the contraption will be at least closer to working. Be very careful not to snap the strings. On my '32 the right-hand string was snapped, and I think I broke the left-hand string at some point.

The machine will function with the string broken but it's probably going to stuff up the wow and flutter figures. It certainly makes the tape pack worse when winding.

 

[AnalogDimitri]

The '32 has this Heath Robinson/Rube Goldberg arrangement using pieces of string and a roller-like thing which the string winds around. I've never really seen it working properly so I was hoping to leave this to someone who actually knows how to repair them.

I've heard that the roller/hub thing is supposed to rotate. On mine they were completely seized, but I've heard rumours that by disassembling it, cleaning away the gunk and re-greasing it the hub will rotate and the contraption will be at least closer to working.

YES! the roller does not rotate and has seemed to seized

 

[sweetbeats]

Wowie zowie I didn’t realize the 30 series machines were setup like that.

Okay. Anybody know if the roller is on a roller bearing or a bronze bushing?

 

[AnalogDimitri]

I will let you know my findings tonight, thank you!

 

[jpmorris]

Apparently this is how the machine behaves with the tensioners correctly set up:
YouTube

...but I've not so far been able to find information on setting them up, or confirmation that the hub thing is supposed to rotate. Because mine really didn't look like it was going to move.

 

[miroslav]

The '32 has this Heath Robinson/Rube Goldberg arrangement using pieces of string and a roller-like thing which the string winds around.

When I first started reading that sentence...I almost thought you were going to make some kind of joke when I read the "string" part...like you were going to go on and say there's a string attached to a roller with a mouse in it ...

Seriously though...I've never seen one with a string mechanism.

So is it some kind of two-way, pull/pull wound arrangement...?

 

[jpmorris]

When I first started reading that sentence...I almost thought you were going to make some kind of joke when I read the "string" part...like you were going to go on and say there's a string attached to a roller with a mouse in it ...

Seriously though...I've never seen one with a string mechanism.

So is it some kind of two-way, pull/pull wound arrangement...?

http://img0108.popscreencdn.com/155855000_teac-tascam-32-34-tension-arm-damper-assembly.jpg

It's been a while since I looked inside the '32, but as I recall, the piece of string links the two springs together, but goes around the drum one or two turns.


EDIT:

JCS - Tascam 38

...this might be useful. From what they're saying, the drum/roller is indeed supposed to rotate, the stock grease hardens up with age.