TASCAM 32 problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Seeker of Rock
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Seeker of Rock

Seeker of Rock

Let us be unburdened by that which has been ?
I haven't turned the machine on for about 2 years and it was working fine last time it was on. Turned it on today to take photos for Ghost's wallpaper renderings, and it did not play forward or fast forward. I manually turned the reels and they seemed a little tight. Then I noticed the pinch roller was gummy to the point of being like tar. Took it off, and the play forward and fast forward work, but play forward stops when the take-up reel gets about half full. I need a new pinch roller, that's a given, but could that be cause of all of this or do I need to lubricate it from the inside? I'm not electronically inclined at all and hate to mess with it, but if I gotta...

Anyone have any ideas? Need more info?
 
Your tape has developed sticky shed...that's why it stops halfway through. Bake the tape in a dehydrator and/or use a fresh tape.

The pinch roller will need to be replaced or rejuvenated if its gone all gooey.

Cheers! :)
 
So it's not the machine? Wheeeeeeew!! It's an old used tape that came with the machine when I bought it and has been on the reel since I last turned it on, so no loss of anything important to me. It did seems sticky to the touch when I unloaded and reloaded it onto the takeup reel. I guess I should unload tape reels when not in use for awhile too?

Thanks man!!:):):)
 
I've got an e-mail out to teacparts to see if they still carry pinch rollers. I know about four years ago I ordered one new from them for my MSR16.
 
Email is not TEAC's strong suit so call them if you actually want to resolve the issue before you're old and gray! :D

Good luck!

Cheers! :)
 
I'll give them a call tomorrow then. A couple of more things I noticed...the pinch roller is off now, but I loaded at new, sealed roll of Ampex tape that came with the machine. Same date I'm sure, so maybe same tape sticky problem, but it feels fine in my fingers. Again the pinch roller is off, but when I hit play, it seems to almost fast forward...REAL fast. It's on 15 ips but seems to be moving a LOT quicker. Then, like I said at about 2000 on the counter it can't seem to garner enough power to pull the tape in play mode. I wonder if the belts may be slipping too, or the motors need to be lubed.:confused::confused::confused: Not that I'm going to be ready to use it for awhile, but still it is aggravating knowing it's not running up to par.:(:(:(
 
Without the pinch roller on it, there's no more 15 ips as its there to work in partnership with the capstan to pull the tape through at normal play speed. Without it, the speed will go at whatever speed the take up motor is set to run at in play mode which is probably the same as fast forward mode; 240 IPS!

No doubt the second roll you opened, being the same age is also a victim of sticky shed. :o

Time to bake some tapes, dude!

Cheers! :)
 
Oh shit. Is this a machine or something I have to buy?
 
Only two sealed reels of Ampex 456(one just unsealed, actually to test the 32), one used, a couple of used 7" reels and another 10" used reel of something.

When I was first looking for an MSR16, I thought I had come across threads where people did use an oven for tape?:confused: I'm not going to, but I thought that used to be a somewhat acceptable method?
 
Check teh sticky shed thread here. Ampex tape is going to be bad, unless dated after 1993 or so, if it has Ampex painted on the reel rather than a sticker o if the box has the ampex logo on the bottom rather than in the middle of the box it is probably OK. If it's made in California no good, but I'd get a fresh roll of something just to make sure. It doesn't matter if it is sealed or not.
 
Seeker of Rock said:
I've got an e-mail out to teacparts to see if they still carry pinch rollers. I know about four years ago I ordered one new from them for my MSR16.
Click to expand...

About 4 months ago Teac still had pinch rollers for my 38, but a madel 32 is 1/4" tape isn't it? May be the same part though...

It was half the price of internet sources of rollers. But call or even go there if you live nearby. Email is a dead end with Teac as others have indicated.
 
Thank you guys. I'm going to start with a new pinch roller first, see if I can date any of the reels and check and see if one of the used ones is newer, clean the heads and rollers well, turn it on once I have a new pinch roller in place and see what it does.

I removed the outer metal case from the MSR and am not afraid to do something like that or even replace some belts if there is no soldering involved, but one step at a time I guess.
 
Belt.......

I recommend to order the capstan belt with your pinch roller. It'll save time and money (same shipping cost) and you need to change both as the belt's gone or not far behind the roller. If it (belt) has not been changed since the 32 left the factory, it needs to be and while it may still pull the capstan flywheel, it is not up to spec and is probably causing mechanical problems.

Yes, take it one step at a time and be ESPECIALLY careful with the removal of the front part / face and be EXTRA careful not to damage that little protruding "tit" from a top the counter. You will need to take off the back first tho and disconnect the plastic molex connector which attaches the front controls to the inside of the machine (otherwise you can't take off the front). There's also a nut underneath the pitch control knob. It needs to unscrew. Then the head-stack swings out (take out the screws) and you replace the belt, cleaning up from previous belt (so that no black goo is present).

This is from the top of my head so anyone please make any changes, if needed.
 
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