need help with MX5050-8 reel height adjustment

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Hi_Flyer

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The takeup reel on my MX5050 seems low. As the tape winds on to the takeup reel, its rubbing against the bottom inside of the reel. It looks like the reel table simply needs to be lowered. Or possibly the guide needs adjusted or raised? It seems like an easy fix, but I can't seem to figure out how to make the adjustment... any ideas? Should I look for another takeup reel instead?
 
If it can be adjusted (which it probably can), you will need to expose the reel table mounts, which are on the inside of the machine. Otari probably makes this fairly simple. I've never used an MX5050, or even seen one outside a computer monitor, but I'd assume you have to remove the outer casing if there is any, and then try and get the back of the machine open.

Anyways, you'll know when you've found them. They are wide screws with caps on the end. Turn the cap appropriately (I think it's clockwise) and the table with lower.
 
Hi_Flyer said:
The takeup reel on my MX5050 seems low. As the tape winds on to the takeup reel, its rubbing against the bottom inside of the reel. It looks like the reel table simply needs to be lowered. Or possibly the guide needs adjusted or raised? It seems like an easy fix, but I can't seem to figure out how to make the adjustment... any ideas? Should I look for another takeup reel instead?
Click to expand...

1st make certain the problem isn't the reel itself. Most machines of this caliber will have a reel table height adjustments but I suggest you not mess with anything until you find out where thy are and what the proper procedure is.
 
OK, go to the very bottom of this page: http://www.audioschematics.com/otari.html
and there you'll find the MX5050 8 track manual. It has a whole service section there, including the "by the book" adjustment of reel table height.

The password to extract the rar file is AnalogRules.com

This manual is provided by the great site AnalogRules.com so make sure you send the guy a thank you note. When you do make sure to put Ampex or MCI or Studer or Otari into the subject line, as they have a heavy spam block in their system.

--
 
I'll check it out, I actually do have a manual, prolly shoulda just checked there first.

I don't think its the takeup reel, I'm using an old 5 screw 3M 996 reel. Is that what you would call a "high precision" reel? It seems much sturdier than the Quantegy and RMGI reels that actually have tape on them.
 
Just go through the mechanical alignment of the tape path, incl the reel tables.;)
 
+1 to the above.

Looks like you can access the socket-head cap screws to adjust the position of the hub (height) from the front be emving the table (take out the 3 screws you see on the face of the reel table with the reel adapter removed). You can likely remove skin and access the socket-head cap screws without removing the table, but I like doing things according to the manual, and Otari put it in section 8-1-1.
 

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You may want to make sure it's not the sides of the machine being hiked up too high. This happens to mine sometimes if it's moved and carried by the sides of the machine. Simply loosening the 6 allan screws on the sides and pushing the sides down and re-tightening fixes the reel rubbing problem for me. Something you may want to try.
 
so I figured out how to access the hex screws to adjust the reel table height, but the hex screws won't budge. it must have been years since they were loosened. I guess I'm gonna try squirting some wd-40 in there, I hope I didn't already damage or strip the head... any suggestions on getting these things to loosen up? they are hard to get to...
 
No-no...I was just making sure that's what you were using. If you can get ahold of a small piece of pipe to extend the length of the allen-wrench that might give you the leverage you need to break it free...or even putting a crescent wrence on the end to extend the length or locking a pair of vise-grips on the end of the allen-wrench.

Don't mean to insult, but I've done it wrong myself: you are turning it the correct way, yes?

You could also try some solvent on the threads...there is likely loctite in there, and even iso alcohol will soften the loctite. WD-40 won't touch the loctite...far too weak a solvent. Acetone works really great but you have to be careful not to get it on anything alse.

If the extender doesn't do the trick, and you have allowed some time for the WD-40 or penetrating oil to work its way in (overnight even), a last resort is, depending on how accessible the cap screws are and the hub, is to take one of those little hand-held butane torches and heat up the hub. Avoid heating the cap-screw. This will expand the aluminum hub enough usually to allow the fastener to break free. You can see why this is a last resort, and you'd have to use your best judgement as far as whether or not you've got enough working room to avoid damaging surrounding components, etc.
 
finally got this all fixed up today. Went to Sears and got an extender with a metric bit and I was finally able to get it loose.

thanks for the help. transport is now quiet as a mouse...
 
Way to go!

Good work, Hi_Flyer!

Hey, when did you get the 5050? I don't recall you having that...have you had it all along and I'm just being forgetful? :o

I do think its been a long time since seeing a picture of a 5050-8. Can you put up a pic? :)
 
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