Solution to tape path wear ?

[cjacek]

I’ve been looking into getting something like what Otari used to make for the lifters on my TSR-8.

Keep me in mind when you find these. I'll be more than interested!

 

[Slowrider]

Do you guys think there would be a market out there, if I start custom manufacturing these rollers? I've been experimenting with different materials over the years, but have not found a co. that makes all those custom parts. In the 70's I made a capstan for an old Akai M9, and it still works fine! Just curious..if there would be enough of a market to purchase a new lathe? Already have some of the tooling, just not enough. Thanks for any ideas, Dave...I mean Bob

 

[jpmorris]

On the tape lifters of my TSR-8, I actually use plastic drinking straws. You have to get the right diameter, but if you stick something down the rear side, the front will be held flat against the lifter. If you can arrange it so the stripe is on front you do indeed get that toothbrush-like wear indicator.

 

[Dr ZEE]

Do you guys think there would be a market out there, if I start custom manufacturing these rollers?

ranting/>>>>>>>>
If you mean it as a "mass market" - I'd say no. If you offer something like custom parts for wide variety of equipment, then it sounds to me like a considerable base for starting a business. Custom parts also may be something like a part (or say section) of what you do among other things could include repair services and sales (various parts/components shop/store or something like that).
BTW, I was (and still am from time to time) thinking about getting a lathe (and maybe couple other metal-works machines) and start doing something. That have never materialized... not yet
I've a got myself for christmas a brand new Router and some supporting tools though. Now it's time to get some nice wood
<<<<<<</done

 

[cjacek]

On the tape lifters of my TSR-8, I actually use plastic drinking straws. You have to get the right diameter, but if you stick something down the rear side, the front will be held flat against the lifter. If you can arrange it so the stripe is on front you do indeed get that toothbrush-like wear indicator.

Interesting solution. Have you found any extra oxide stripping off while using the straws ? Any other problems / issues to be aware of ?

 

[cjacek]

Do you guys think there would be a market out there

A small but strong niche market, yes.

 

[Dr ZEE]

it would be interesting to know how many reel-to-reel machines still left on the planet and at what rate that number is going down? is there a way to find out?

 

[Beck]

it would be interesting to know how many reel-to-reel machines still left on the planet and at what rate that number is going down? is there a way to find out?

That's easy... ask ARP.

I would imagine the number is going down everywhere else at they same rate it is increasing at Dave's house...

 

[cjacek]

Hehe

Plus, the reel to reels get passed down from person to person so I don't think availability is necessarily going down, well, except in Dave's case

 

[Dr ZEE]

That's easy... ask ARP.

I would imagine the number is going down everywhere else at they same rate it is increasing at Dave's house...

wait a minute. I did not know that Dave's house was on some other planet. But what do I know...
Dave! Are you here (or there)? What's the current rate?

 

[Beck]

Hehe

Plus, the reel to reels get passed down from person to person so I don't think availability is necessarily going down, well, except in Dave's case

Wait... don't you mean "Passed down from person to A Reel Person?"

 

[cjacek]

Wait... don't you mean "Passed down from person to A Reel Person?"

Yes, that would be a more accurate statement.

 

[Dr ZEE]

Dave needs one of those for his collection. Solid stuff and fits the fashion. I actually am thinking about getting myself one. Not sure what for, but I like the look of it.
********
Side/follow-up-the-thought note/question:
Guys, (those of you who record your own music and have established some sort of distribution of your music (say, something like CDBaby or one-on-demand type using an on-line service or do-it-all yorself and such)),
have you thought of an idea of (in addition to CD-distribution) offering your album(s) on analog format (Cassetes and/or Reel), while highlighting the fact of baypassing any digital stage, where the copy(ies) are being "manufactured" by recording directly from your special delicious 1/2-track reel master, or as a second level option - by using an analog duplicating machine.
I understand, that from business point such idea shall fly no better than a pig , but, one can say the same thing about the whole idea of recording your own music as well, so, heh heh, not a huge difference there as it seems.
thoughts?

 

[cjacek]

Dave needs one of those for his collection.

Yeah, that's a cool machine for sure! A pretty rare one to see on eBay. May go cheap too!

have you thought of an idea of (in addition to CD-distribution) offering your album(s) on analog format (Cassetes and/or Reel),

This could def set your material appart from the rest. The coolness factor would be there. Additionally, underlining the benefits of analog to analog duplication, from the "master tape" may indeed pull more interest. Hey, if someone likes your stuff already, he / she may be curious enough to get interested in a tape machine or two or at the very least get your tape / reel just for show. It's always good publicity, I think, to talk about this stuff, expose it, especially to a crowd never having known about analog too much or at least not having known it in a positive light. I think that's a cool idea.

 

[jpmorris]

Interesting solution. Have you found any extra oxide stripping off while using the straws ? Any other problems / issues to be aware of ?

Not really, no. I've been doing this more-or-less since I first got the machine about three years ago and I couldn't find the base lifter assembly in my parts dealer's catalogue (and it's different from the '32 design), so I don't really have much frame of reference for the shedding.
In any case the original lifters were kind of ragged and they don't seem to be rotatable so I figured it was better to scrape the tape against plastic than ragged metal. I do keep a close eye on the wear though.

My original idea was to have them loose so they rotate, but it caused the tape to make strange and terrible sounds when it entered fast wind so I gave up on that approach. ATR services used to sell glass lifter sleeves and I was tempted to buy some as an experiment, but wasn't sure if they'd fit.
They do sell stainless steel sleeves now though if anyone is game for some experimenting.

 

[A Reel Person]

...

Dave needs one of those for his collection. Solid stuff and fits the fashion. I actually am thinking about getting myself one.

Yeah, true. No doubt, I've looked at the Tascam T-2640's before, and cool machines they are, indeed. There's a (M/S) "master" and "slave" version which can be daisy-chained to (Idunnohowmany) units, that record/duplicate 4-tracks simultaneously. Pretty cool. However, if you srutinize my picture, (other thread), you'd see that I have perhaps a dozen high quality standard cassette decks, (Technics, Teac, Sony), so I have the capacity of dubbing many tapes simultaneously, if I choose to do so. Likewise, I have numerous 4x4 Tascam Portastudios, so I may also dub numerous tapes in 4-track-simul, if I choose to do so.

I truly have no need for an T-2640-M/S, but that's never prevented me from buying something if I really wanted it.

I do like the novelty of it, the format, the VU meters and...
the color!

 

[Dr ZEE]

I truly have no need for ...

HEH HE HEH
Dave is speaking of needs as a reasoning for a purchase
********

also, Dave , sure you can make cassette copies of great quality on many various decks. That's not the point, I suppose . The look and, I suspect, the feel of T-2640 - that's what it's all about. COLOR- YES! , good point

 

[cjacek]

I say just buy it for the cool look! I second that notion!

 

[cjacek]

Not really, no. I've been doing this more-or-less since I first got the machine about three years ago and I couldn't find the base lifter assembly in my parts dealer's catalogue (and it's different from the '32 design), so I don't really have much frame of reference for the shedding.
In any case the original lifters were kind of ragged and they don't seem to be rotatable so I figured it was better to scrape the tape against plastic than ragged metal. I do keep a close eye on the wear though.

My original idea was to have them loose so they rotate, but it caused the tape to make strange and terrible sounds when it entered fast wind so I gave up on that approach. ATR services used to sell glass lifter sleeves and I was tempted to buy some as an experiment, but wasn't sure if they'd fit.
They do sell stainless steel sleeves now though if anyone is game for some experimenting.

Man, thanks for the info! I will def give the 'ol straws a try and also contact ATR if they would be able to provide the glass lifters.

Thanks!

 

[Beck]

Using straws is a creative idea.

I’ve seen aluminum and brass tubes at hardware stores; very thin walled stuff. I’ve thought about trying something like that. I believe the lifters on the TSR-8 are aluminum... either that or some sort of austenitic stainless steel. Anyway, there is nothing except the heads and the capstan that will hold a magnetic charge on that particular machine. It makes for a low-stress degaussing session.

I’ve seen glass tubes of various sizes in hobby/science stores… used in laboratories at schools and such. I’ve never paid much attention to them, so I guess I’ll have to take some measurements. My only concern with glass on some machines is that it might increase the diameter of the lifters so much that they lift the tape off the heads even in the retracted position. Some lifters travel very little when engaged, so be mindful of that.