Fostex B16 in edit mode?

  • Thread starter Thread starter skaboosh
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skaboosh

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Hi. I need B16 help.

I posted this in the newbie section but it's more appropriate here, I'll try and delete my other thread.

I've been using a MAC with Logic Platinum for years and a friend was off-loading a B16 Fostex 1/2 inch 16 track machine which he hasn't used but recently aquired.

I did a swap on some gear and thought it would be great to use analog tape to record my band.

Can anyone help me please?

I recorded three tracks on one song today, a stereo pair of drum machine and one guitar part. All seemed fine. Well, many LEDs are not working on the in[ut level monitoring of certain tracks. ( A sign of heavy useage?)

I was about to record a guitar overdub (4th track now) when I hit record and the machine is running really really slow on record and play. (Like several times slower, 20 octaves down type stuff, not slight..total melt down slow) It seems OK on FF and RWND.

I have been hitting all the buttons as much as I can and can't get it to go any other speed but incredibly slow.

Is the machine boogered?

Or has it gone into edit mode and how do you get it out of edit mode?

I hit the stop button in any way I can think of, once, twice etc....it still plays slow. I switched the machine off, disconned the mains totally etc....

any help for a novice B16 user will be huuugely appreciated.

Are there any clues on the red display window?

Many thanks

skaboosh
 
Well, on further inspection, the metal bit near the pinch wheel ( is that the capstan?) was stiff....

I gave it a twiddle to the left, a twiddle to the right and some more each way.......and it seemed to loosen up quite a bit.......

I then put the tape back on the machine and hey presto!........

no speed whatsoever...no movement at all in PLAY mode......

so I'm assuming that in this situation the capstan motor is gone ???? and if I open it up I won't be able to fix it anyway...so the machine is a complete duffer? Would that be correct?

Is this now a non servicable machine? Parts are scarce right?

all help gratefully received....

skaboosh
 
I opened her up......

The DRIVE BELT has come off the motor........

Put it back on.....screwed the case back together...capstan now moving.....

aha...pinch wheel now not engaging!!!!

This was engaging before so I wonder what's going on.....

I'm opening her up again........

This is a "live" thread.....LOL....
 
hey man,

are you using new tape?

did you completely clean the tape path with alcohol? (except for the rubber parts with windex) ?
 
Thanks for the reply....

it's new quantegy 456, but I only cleaned the head, not the whole path.....

Could this have such a dramatic effect.....?

Pinch wheel is now working, I think I dislodged a wire off the back of it...resoldered it and it's back in action......

So..... isopropyl on all surfaces except the rubber?
 
I've cleaned the machine, I see 8 surfaces including the two heads......then the other guides are wheels so presumably you don't need to clean those so heavily if they spin OK?

I'm wondering if it's the tape... I have another reel so I think I'll do some more scrupulous cleaning and then try again, but it looks like it is the same stock of tape.........

thanks for your input, as you can tell, I do not know what the freak I'm doing, but I'm getting there....

loading the tape looks obvious, under the moveable guide and over the huge spinning guide, then through the little plastic slit towards the heads, then pull back up through the pinch wheel area to the big wheel - go OVER the big wheel then under the right hand moveable guide and up to the right hand reel....
 
Nope, cleaned it all, tried a a different new 10 inch reel of 456 and still about 1/4 speed or less.....

I think I give up ....

I'll check back see if there are any more ideas...

thanks...
 
well, as far as cleanliness of the machine, as long as your cotton swabs aren't swiping orange or black you're good. also, your pinch roller isn't sticky is it? that's a bad sign. you seem to have quite a bit of knowledge for someone claiming to be a noob! your tape loading sounds fine. I can't think of anything else other than that maybe the the capstan motor is fried. Do FF and RW work fine?
You might try posting over in the analog forum. There are some guys that read that forum that know a heck lot more than I do, I have seen them help people in the past...its worth a shot. don't give up just yet.
 
Thanks

the cotton buds aren't getting that dirty...

Pinch wheel does look grotty actually, bit's of brown and white stuff.... I'm gonna take that off and give it a good clean as well...

I've just been looking inside and spraying a bit of IPA in there........(might seem strange but depseration)...then I'll let it evaporate overnight.....

I'm now seeing the belt fall off again...I'm thinking...maybe the belt is actually loose.......ie perhaps it's really old and needs replacing.....

gotta be worth a shot......

thanks again

where do I get a belt in the UK I wonder, I'll try and google it..........maybe I'll try a new pinch wheel while I'm at it...if I can get one....

I'd like to use this machine...I was looking forward to it heavily....
 
Finally - well, I had 1/2 an hour playing and recording just now......at normal speed.....

I basically took off all the outside panels and sprayed every board I could see with industrial electronics cleaner, I think it's the same as isopropyl, ... they call it IPA, ( used to stand for India Pale Ale)

I took the pinch wheel off, I took the large wheels off, cleaned them and put them back, ...I recleaned all the guides,

this machine is disgusting inside, there's actually rust on the bottom of the chassis, and there's elements of stain all over the place, as if it's been somewhere damp like a shed or garage.....spiders webs as well.....jeeeez...

I put the whole thing back, once I felt the liquid was evaporated after an hour or two...and we're back to normal speed.....

maybe your cleaning idea was actually the answer, we'll have to see....

this system sounds much nicer than my digital system.....I think the spirit desk has a nicer sound than the mackie as well....or at least different......

cheers peeps....fingers crossed...
 
dang dude.

seriously, post over in the analog forum.

they might be able to tell you if the caps need replacing or something.
 
Thanks Falken......

I'll try there now.......

I narrowed things down again , I'm pretty certain , it's the drive belt that's the trouble.......]so I'll replace ASAP and then start again....

thanks for your time and input...appreciated.... :)

cheers
 
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