Tascam 244 Repair and Restoration

S

soupdejour

New member
Hey all i just got a Tascam 244 from ebay. I used dr. zee's website to dismantle the thing. Thanks Dr. Zee! I would have removed so many unnecessary screws getting the face plate off without Zee's site.

Anyway, the first big problem, and one I'm afraid is un-fixable is the white plastic transport panel, you know the panel that has the transport buttons, is broken. A few of the buttons have snapped off.

The transport panel is all one piece and made of plastic. I looks like it is glued to the faceplate. Anybody have any ideas?

After I figure this out I will decide if I should do a full restoration.

Thanks!
 
Call up TEAC parts department on Monday and ask them if they have the part in stock. Odds are they do and that it won't be expensive.

Cheers! :)
 
Thanks I sent them an email yesterday. I've sent them emails before and got no reply. I should probably call. I'm betting you would have to buy an entirely new face plate, minus the cassette door.

Alternatively, maybe I could mod the switches. They are little black buttons (underneath the white ones) connected to a PCB. I wonder if I could change out the switches??
 
I used an epoxy for plastic to plastic to glue the button back on. I bought the epoxy at home depot. I didn't take any pictures before I glued the buttons. But here are some shots I took afterwards. I don't know if they will hold or not. I'm guessing they will not, but it is worth a try.

IMG_0517.JPG

IMG_0518.JPG

IMG_0519.jpg
 
Here are some other pics. You can see the heads and the pinch roller (sort of). They look to be in pretty good condition. I'm definitely going to buy a capstan belt and a control belt though. The capstan belt is slipping.

IMG_0522.JPG

This pic shows the button mechanism.

IMG_0523.JPG

Here is a pic of the top with the face plate off.

IMG_0520.jpg
 
Ouch! Sorry to hear that.

Looking at the pics you posted, its likely the top panel and the transport buttons are one piece. Brace for a higher parts costs! But, it will also be like getting a new 244 with a clean, chip scratch and dirt free cowling! :)...if they have it in stock!?

Cheers! :)
 
talked with tascam parts department this morning. unfortunately they have discontinued the part i need, e.g., face plate and buttons.

as i see it i have two options: (1) buy a parts deck or (2) talk to someone about modifying the transport button mechanism.

re the second option, i have seen momentary switches (which i think i would need) that would work if i could figure out how to wire them in. if you look at the picture above of the little black buttons the the big white buttons actually press and engage, does anybody have any idea if this could be modified?

thanks
 
I would probably suggest hunting around for a parts deck as doing the button mod would probably be a fairly onerous task and would look like hell even if done successfully.

In the interim, I'd suggest just removing the old buttons completely and nibble out a square hole in the plastic cover and just press the transport buttons directly via fingertip.

Cheers! :)
 
Thanks Ghost. No need to nibble a hole. The transport buttons snap right off and a hole (plenty big) is there for poking. Ya, I'll probably have to buy a parts deck.
 
Just bought, received, and put on a new set of idler tires. Seemed a little bigger than the previous ones (originals I assume).

I also ordered a new set of belts. After I get the belts changed and get this thing back together I'm going to have to think a little more about the transport button issue. I'm miffed about those buttons.
 
this may end up being a thread on what not to try in your 244 restoration project. I tried to weld the plastic buttons back onto the face plate with a soldering iron. It did not work. There wasn't enough plastic to work with. I think it could probably be done by someone with experience welding plastic. But that's not me.

I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but also don't clean the face plate with 100 percent alcohol. It strips the paint. I did this to a small area. Not a big deal, just lightened the paint job a bit. Either way, don't do it and make sure you test an inconspicuous area before using any strong chemical cleaner.
 
Yeah, plastic can be a very unforgiving material. I've seen many 244's paint finish destroyed by alcohol and other solvents.

About the failed welding attempt, I'm not surprised by that. Maybe look into riveting or nuts and bolts instead, (if there's enough material there to work with?)

Cheers! :)
 
Belts replaced today. Very easy job. I bought them for $20.50 on ebay including shipping. The people selling these things must make a killing. Two tiny little pieces of rubber for twenty bucks.

So, I'm going to put it all back together and I notice the 1/4 inch input jack on channel one does not have the nut on it and the jack is sliding inside the chassis. In fact the input jack is stripped (the part where the nut goes). Its like the threads have disintigrated/melted.

Any ideas? Can I just buy any old 1/4 input jack and replace it?

Thanks
 
Same thing has happened to mine. All the belts and rollers have rotted and the transport buttons snapping off. A well made piece of kit thats let down by some bad design faults. As I only intend to use my 244 as a mixer and couldnt be bothered fixing the transport side of it I'll just glue the buttons in place for aesthetic purposes. If I was ever to consider using it to record or play tapes I would take out the transport PCB extend the wiring from a plug out the front or back and use it in a remote box. Technically possible but a fair amount of work. Would just be easier to push the buttons with a pen
 
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With a little creative engineering and some JB Weld>you might be able to pull this out!
Cut a couple of strips from a credit card and splice them in.

soupdejour said:
Hey all i just got a Tascam 244 from ebay. I used dr. zee's website to dismantle the thing. Thanks Dr. Zee! I would have removed so many unnecessary screws getting the face plate off without Zee's site.

Anyway, the first big problem, and one I'm afraid is un-fixable is the white plastic transport panel, you know the panel that has the transport buttons, is broken. A few of the buttons have snapped off.

The transport panel is all one piece and made of plastic. I looks like it is glued to the faceplate. Anybody have any ideas?

After I figure this out I will decide if I should do a full restoration.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
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