Ampex AG-440B-8 Story...

[sweetbeats]

As per the idler tensioner, yes it's spring loaded and it is as far clockwise in it's slot as it will go.

So I wonder if it just needs re-clocked…the whole assembly. I can’t recall if the assembly mounts to the transport plate with 3 or 4 screws. I think 3. So maybe it needs rotated 120 degrees clockwise…

Modifying the daughter board eq modules is easy it appears. Acccording to here: http://www.uneeda-audio.com/ampex/ag440_equalizer_pwa.pdf

The difference between -01 and -03 is two caps. Actually turns out I have a pair of -03's and the rest are -01's.

Yeah okay…I was recalling it was pretty straight-forward.

Record card daughterboards don't need to be modified?

Nope. Nothing changes with the logic, nothing changes with signal that needs amplified, what changes is the EQ curve necessary for best response. And that’s on the daughter board.

That extra power plug is not the AC to the control box. It's a bit smaller than that.

Okay. It’s like the same size then as the power input on the transport supply on my MM-1000. Well where does the cable originate?

I should be honest about my intentions with this machine. The plan is to simply get it rolling tape like it's capable of, and recording on every channel, and then sell it. I hate to give up on it, but I found a MM1100 for a good deal, so planning to spend my time more on that machine. Just want to get it as least running for the next person who uses it.

Well I’d do the same thing all day long, just make sure the MM-1100 has had the field service updates to address the known problems with that model. They are as reliable as an MM-1200 with the updates. But an MM-1000, 1100 or 1200 is a better machine than the AG-440-8. Your AG-440-8 looks to be in pretty good shape and mostly complete, totally complete functionally. I just see some cosmetics missing.

 

[Jonk]

Back at this again. How in the heck do I get the cap off the reel idler assembly? It appears from the drawings that the screws mounting it are accessed from the top. But how?

 

[sweetbeats]

Cap? What cap? Can you post a picture of you pointing to the cap you are talking about? I’m not aware of a cap. You remove the flywheel from below and the roller “lollipop” slides out from the top.

 

[Jonk]

Cap, I shouldn't have used that word. I meant the whole idler roller, 'lollipop' as it were. Okay, so I have to remove the flywheel. Thanks so much.

 

[sweetbeats]

Cap, I shouldn't have used that word. I meant the whole idler roller, 'lollipop' as it were. Okay, so I have to remove the flywheel. Thanks so much.

Oh okay. Yeah, IIRC the flywheel fastens to the roller “lollipop” shaft via two hex socket set screws (use an allen wrench) that are 90 degrees coincident to each other. Then the flywheel slides off and you can then just lift the roller out from the top.

 

[Jonk]

So, these are the only screws I am able to find. 4 on the inside of the flywheel. But these don't sound like what you're talking about. Is this a job that necessarily requires removal of the control box?

 

[sweetbeats]

Omg you took the cover off the viscous-damped flywheel. So there was no fluid inside I take it?

No you don’t disassemble the flywheel.

The two set screws are at the top of the flywheel.

Use an Allen wrench like I said in my last post. I think the set screws are hex socket type.

 

[Jonk]

Okay, thanks. I got the flywheel off and indeed there were holes to reposition the idler roller and tensionor about 90 degrees clockwise for the middle roller modification. All assembled and back together and it's pulling tape nicely now, with the idler tensioner in the right position. Just need to invistigate the tape lifter weakness in ff/rw, and I can call the transport okay (for now)

 

[Jonk]

There was a bit of fluid on the lid and a few drops came out, but not much. Still plenty of lube in it. What a beautiful piece of engineering.

 

[sweetbeats]

There was a bit of fluid on the lid and a few drops came out, but not much. Still plenty of lube in it. What a beautiful piece of engineering.

It’s not lubricant. It’s Dow Corning 200 silicon fluid. It’s supposed to be full. The fluid provides a coupling between the shell and the inner flywheel.