Tape Rubbing on Reel

T

The Analog Kid

New member
I have a Fostex R8 1/4" 8-track. Everything works great except for one problem. The flange of the take-up reel rubs against the tape and is quite noisy during play or record (15ips). I've tried several different reels, metal and plastic, new and used, but I still get at least a slight rubbing sound no matter what. This makes recording with a condenser mic in the same room as the machine impossible.
Is this a problem with the machine or the reels, and how do I remedy it? I believe I'm threading it properly, and I don't get the noise during rewind or cue. I've tried bending, straightening the reels to no avail. I do not have the luxury of a seperate control room, so I must be able to record in the same room that the recorder is located in.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
The hubs need adjusting. Please not that I take absolutely NO responsability for what happens if you follow this procedure. In fact, I take no responsability for anything.

I had the same problem on my A-8. I solved that by opening it and giving the reel hub a swift kick in da nuts by placing a screwdriver close to the center of it from behind and giving it a well small and adjusted whack with a hammer. With this I succeeded in moving the hub out a millimeter and stopping the rubbing. If it rubs against the rear flange you may not need to open it.

There may be OFFICIAL procedured to doing this. ;)

Oh, and forget about your condenser picking it up; that rubbing is bad for the tapes, you need to get it fixed pronto!

My RECOMMENDATION is to take it to a responsable repairman and ignoring everything else I said.

But of course, fixing it yourself is half the fun of tape recorders. ;)
 
Thanks for the advice. I have a source to get this repaired professionally, so I'll probably opt for that instead of going John Henry on my machine.

I didn't realize it was hurting my tape as well, but it makes sense, especially on 1/4" 8-track. I will cease and desist on this machine until I get this remedied.

Thanks again, Regebro.
 
"Ignoring Regebro" is probably the best advice regebro's ever given!!

Yeah, it's a tough one,... in light of Fostex's cheap "mold-on" hubs, in which the plastic hub is basically molded onto the metal motor shaft, with no real means of adjustment.

Good luck!! :eek: :rolleyes: :cool: :confused: ;)
 
Last edited:
A Reel Person said:
Yeah, it's a tough one,... in light of Fostex's cheap "mold-on" hubs, in which the plastic hub is basically molded onto the metal motor shaft, with no real means of adjustment.
Click to expand...

Ah. Tha A-8 doesn't look like that.
 
To the best of my recollection, the hubs looked like press on or mold on assemblies,.

with no means of adjustment,... which is why regebro's forward tapping operation was successful, in itself.

What I meant, regebro, was no set screws, or obvious means of adjustment. They could have been press-on, or mold-on, and it would not change the original intent of point I was trying to make.

Thank you.

Dude,... regebro's tapping operation to change the reel hub set height it probably the best advice, going. An eccentric wobble of the hub might indicate a damaged hub or bent motor shaft.

Good luck.

/DA
 
OK. The A-8 does indeed have no obvious means of adjustment. They don't sit on the motor shaft, however. But they do sit on a shaft. I assume the maladjustment on my machine is because it was whacked from the front earlier...

A well. In, say 2-3 year I plan to get a 16-track anyway. :)
 
After checking out my machine, it appears that the hub is ever so slightly off kilter and causing the rub exactly as you guys indicated, but it's not severe. As a matter of fact had Regebro not suggested it, I probably wouldn't have noticed the angle. It IS literally off a few millimeters.

I'm now thinking I will take the cover off and see what can be done as delicately as I can and go from there. I also have a line on another R8 that I can get real cheap for parts in case I screw something up, but if i can't fix it by applying a slight tap I'll probably opt to take it to a pro repair shop.

Thanks again for the input. I'll let you know if my machine survives the procedure.
 
So sorry, regebro. You're right, & my memory is faulty.

It's a belt drive hub, de-coupled from the actual motor.

It's been a while since I scoped the guts of my Fostex. Belt drive reel tables. A significant detail not to gloss over.

Thank you for jogging my memory.
 
The Analog Kid said:
After checking out my machine, it appears that the hub is ever so slightly off kilter and causing the rub exactly as you guys indicated, but it's not severe. As a matter of fact had Regebro not suggested it, I probably wouldn't have noticed the angle. It IS literally off a few millimeters.
Click to expand...

Ah. Then that whack probably will not help. You need to figure out what is bent and straighten it.
 
Same problem!

Hi there, I have just bought a used Fostex R8 and I have the same problem in that the tape rubs on the inside of the reel on the right (that's empty). I'm a total newbie and reading through this forum I'm realising I may be in a world of pain. Analog Kid how did you solve your problem? I think my reel is just sitting too far out from the machine rather than the drive shaft being broken.

Also the play back speed and pitch goes and un down quite dramitcally. I fear this may be an unrelated problem! Ahhhhhh!!

Thanks for your help.

Hamish
 
Shouldn't be too big of an issue. For my Fostex R8, this problem of the tape rubbing against the reel pops up from time to time, I just simply push or pull out the tension arm slightly until it stops rubbing... My one seems to stay in position so I don't have to 'hold' it with anything but if your one goes back to the original position, you can simply take it off and put some spacers (such as washers) underneath it until it sits right.

The play back speed and pitch fluctuations are most likely caused by the belt slipping, open up the machine and see if the belts are all in tension and have enough 'teeth' as the belt slipping would be the most likely cause of this. I haven't had this problem with my machine yet but had the belt (and the pulley it attaches to) completely come off a couple of times and had to glue them back into place (otherwise I couldn't rewind the tape).
 
My TEAC has a screw on the reel table that you turn to move the table in and out. There's a spring behind the reel table that holds it at the desired depth against the shaft. Give that a try.
 
Pulling the tension arm out solves the tape rubbing issue. Duh!

Turns out I have a cracked Capstan belt pulley. Going to try and glue it and see how I go.
Ham
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top