Tascam 134 Project

  • Thread starter Thread starter bachelorb
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I’m sure we’ll be able to find something that works.

I looked at the scrap transport from a 644 carcass I have here...nope...that one is even SMALLER than the 134...I wondered about it maybe being the same as the 238? No way to tell from the service manual since, again, the idler tire is part of an assembly, but there’s a Seller on eBay selling replacement tires for the 238, so I have a message out to him to ask if it is the same size as the 134 and if not if he has one that fits the 134. He wants $10 shipped for the part. That’s kind of the going rate even though it’s a lot compared to what he paid...these guys buy a bag of 100 or 500 from someplace like McMaster for fractions of a penny on the dollar compared to what they resell them for on eBay and the like...but I don’t want that many tiny tires sitting around, so the few times I’ve needed these parts I just pay the price and move on.

I’ll let you know what I find out.
 
I think I solved my problem. I won't know until Monday or Tuesday though. I went back and watched the video, and the guy got the part from a site called Dynamtec Group. Dynamic Technology Group

I went to the site and he had a Tascam 122 MKIII tire with a totally different part no than the 244's or 234's. It was $5.50 with shipping. I'll give er a try.....

I LOVE Mcmaster Carr SB.... I'm sure they would have it, but like you said they sell in bulk. It comes in handy though.... I bought thick sisal rope from em once and put a rail around my entire deck!!! Back when I was an engineer, we used to say "If MC doesn't have it, we didn't need it anyway"
 
 
If it can't be fixed with duct tape, it can't be fixed! :thumbs up:
 
Why don't you ask the guy who sold you the gear? I have a drawer of them here and I change them all the time. They are the right size as I have no time to fool around. I could have sent you one with the gear if you would have mentioned it.
If you want I can send you one in the mail.
 
skywaveTDR said:
Why don't you ask the guy who sold you the gear? I have a drawer of them here and I change them all the time. They are the right size as I have no time to fool around. I could have sent you one with the gear if you would have mentioned it.
If you want I can send you one in the mail.
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Thanks Skywave, I ended up finding one. The ones I had were from my Tascam 234 adventures.... they were a bit big. Next time though.... I’ll look you up first.....

....ummmm..... how’s your Uher parts selection...... ;)
 
I may have a reel table here as I bought two from Denmark but otherwise I don't work on them all that often and actually had three of them referred to Alex a new Trainee in MI.
 
Thank you for the wealth of information! I picked up a 134 today for a very reasonable price because it had the same issue as OP.

After opening it up, I found 2 problems: 1) the belt has turned into tarry goop. I cleaned that and will order a new one. 2) my gear C is stripped and cracked. I managed to 3D print one. I fired up the old 3D printer for the first time in 5 years and it looks like it still works!

I'm hoping these two fixes will make it functional again!

Also, does anyone have the manuals (user and/or service) in PDF format? I could really use them!!!

One last thing. This machine is a delight to work on. I'm an amateur tinkerer, and I've rarely seen something so easy to work on!!!
 
johnputer said:
Thank you for the wealth of information! I picked up a 134 today for a very reasonable price because it had the same issue as OP.

After opening it up, I found 2 problems: 1) the belt has turned into tarry goop. I cleaned that and will order a new one. 2) my gear C is stripped and cracked. I managed to 3D print one. I fired up the old 3D printer for the first time in 5 years and it looks like it still works!

I'm hoping these two fixes will make it functional again!

Also, does anyone have the manuals (user and/or service) in PDF format? I could really use them!!!

One last thing. This machine is a delight to work on. I'm an amateur tinkerer, and I've rarely seen something so easy to work on!!!
Click to expand...
If your 3D printed Gear C doesn’t take, consider ordering one from Skywave Tape Deck Repair. He has upgraded replacement parts available.

And on the manuals have you called Tascam Parts? Last I knew they had both manuals available as official reprints for a reasonable price. Don’t email. Call. Web search Tascam Parts.
 
sweetbeats said:
If your 3D printed Gear C doesn’t take, consider ordering one from Skywave Tape Deck Repair. He has upgraded replacement parts available.

And on the manuals have you called Tascam Parts? Last I knew they had both manuals available as official reprints for a reasonable price. Don’t email. Call. Web search Tascam Parts.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reference, I'll definitely look them up if my 3D printed one fails, but so far so good - fingers crossed!

For the manuals, I'm hoping I can find one for free before I need to resort in ordering one.

Thanks!

Also, does anyone know the belt dimensions (or compatibility with other Tascam models?) Even the places who sell Tascam parts don't list the 134... It is a rare deck after all...
 
Everybody is lookin’ for free, man…

The 134 manual set is particularly rare. Good luck finding it for free. I never did. And I know some high and low places to look for stuff.

I don’t know the belt dims. So you’re still looking for a belt? I wasn’t sure from your post if you’d fixed the belt issue already. Broken record but if you need the belt have you called Tascam? (323) 727-4840. They might have them, might also have the reel table idler tire which if your belt turned to goo you probably need the tire, and they are likely the cheapest place to buy.

If you end up caving and buying the manual set there’s a dude on eBay positively gouging for a photocopy…he’ll tell you he can charge what he charges because you can’t get it from Tascam. Dummy. Anybody can pick up a phone. Anyway, don’t buy from him.
 
No worries, I won't buy it from those crooks on eBay! Information should be free, especially stuff like that that allows us to preserve machines from the past that'd otherwise end up in landfills. Hoping someone end up reading this and sending a pdf my way. Worth a shot!
I installed 4 thin (like those in Walkmans) belts running in parallel. It works well, but I'm not sure it's a viable long-term solution. I do intend to get an idler wheel. Was thinking getting one from the supplier cited in this thread, but I may end up ordering everything from Tascam if they still have it. That'll cost me more than the deck did ;)
 
johnputer said:
No worries, I won't buy it from those crooks on eBay! Information should be free, especially stuff like that that allows us to preserve machines from the past that'd otherwise end up in landfills. Hoping someone end up reading this and sending a pdf my way. Worth a shot!
I installed 4 thin (like those in Walkmans) belts running in parallel. It works well, but I'm not sure it's a viable long-term solution. I do intend to get an idler wheel. Was thinking getting one from the supplier cited in this thread, but I may end up ordering everything from Tascam if they still have it. That'll cost me more than the deck did ;)
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I don’t agree with your assertion that information should be free. That’s like saying the author of a book should give it away for free. If I’m correct, Teac is still selling the manuals, so in my mind they should have a say in who and how their intellectual property is distributed. They created it. I happen to know Teac isn’t really uptight about it, but I feel they have a right to be if they want. I think companies should be obligated to make available service and operations instructions, but that doesn’t mean they should be obligated to give it away for free, but rather at a reasonable cost. And Tascam is very reasonable with their prices IMO.

Tascam’s prices are consistently as good or better than anywhere else. For the belt and idler it’d be likely around $20-25 shipped. You got a good deal on the deck if you paid less than that!!

I would get a proper belt and get the temp solution you have there off asap.
 
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sweetbeats said:
If your 3D printed Gear C doesn’t take, consider ordering one from Skywave Tape Deck Repair. He has upgraded replacement parts available.

And on the manuals have you called Tascam Parts? Last I knew they had both manuals available as official reprints for a reasonable price. Don’t email. Call. Web search Tascam Parts.
Click to expand...

johnputer said:
Thanks for the reference, I'll definitely look them up if my 3D printed one fails, but so far so good - fingers crossed!

For the manuals, I'm hoping I can find one for free before I need to resort in ordering one.

Thanks!

Also, does anyone know the belt dimensions (or compatibility with other Tascam models?) Even the places who sell Tascam parts don't list the 134... It is a rare deck after all...
Click to expand...
I am looking for such a Gear C Part. Would you sell one ? Or any idea where i can get one ?
 
skywaveTDR said:
I have been using the 9278377600 but regardless of numbers which don't make any difference anymore if they can not supply it, I just call it Gear C and in the picture you show it is very much like the picture I send to clients that contact me to make sure it is the right part. They used this gear in 8 different transports now.
The flashing LED indicate the mechanical processor is confused and can not make the mechanism get to the place it is suppose to go and the cause is the defective gear. I have been selling them all over the World not at the $80 each price I found on E nay but for $30 dictated by the cost to have them made in 2 and 3 at a time by a machinist in TN. He has made me 5 batches so far. I have had to lay out up to $900 for some orders. They may not be $2.00 but they are made with precision and of a much better resin than what was used 30 years ago. I have had NO failures of those sold so far and I have used a bunch myself on my bench. Clean out all old grease and put in Lubriplate 105 and the mechanism will fly to the mode demanded.
Click to expand...
Hello I've been looking for this part in some forums and could only find it here. Are you still selling those ?
 
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