TSR-8 erase heads

[jpmorris]

I have a nasty feeling that the erase head is causing some of the shed with SM911. By the looks of it the soft plastic has worn away exposing the harder metal of the actual head and shields. Is it possible to relap these? (Because I'm not convinced it could be done.)

I have a couple of others and one brand-new one, but I think it is the last one since it was listed as 'Discontinued' immediately after it arrived.

Does anyone else make them? If not I might ask Phi magnetronics about it but I suspect I'll have to order ten of them and it won't be cheap.

 

[Beck]

You would defiantly see wear from the tape edges on the erase head. I’m curious, how does it compare to the new one you have? My TSR-8 has very little wear, and the bands on the erase head are black, but otherwise exposed. I have seen others that are silver. Can you post a photo?

One potential problem area on the TSR-8 is the first guide pin (far left) on the head block. Look closely with a light while the tape is running in PLAY mode. If the bottom tape edge is curling on the base of the guide pin it can cause shedding. That shedding can end up on the erase head, which seems to catch loose oxide around the bands over time.

A tape with higher shedding would just leave more oxide behind at a greater rate than usual.

 

[jpmorris]

The shield plates fade to pale towards the centre. I'll see if I can get a photograph but I haven't gone digital with that yet.

Besides, it's more a question of "can you feel any edges if you run your fingernail over it?" and the answer here is, unfortunately, 'yes'.

 

[cjacek]

jp, I have 1 erase and 2 rec / play heads from a very low use machine, if you're interested. (I have high res photos I can post if you like).

 

[Beck]

The shield plates fade to pale towards the centre. I'll see if I can get a photograph but I haven't gone digital with that yet.

Besides, it's more a question of "can you feel any edges if you run your fingernail over it?" and the answer here is, unfortunately, 'yes'.

Did you say you have a brand new erase head, or did I dream that? I'm curious how the new one looks compared to your old one.

On mine it is smooth too the finger, but I can just feel the edges of the bands with a fingernail.

~Tim

 

[jpmorris]

Did you say you have a brand new erase head, or did I dream that? I'm curious how the new one looks compared to your old one.

It looks very much like yours. I can't get a legible photo unfortunately.

On mine it is smooth too the finger, but I can just feel the edges of the bands with a fingernail.

I dug out the new one, and I can feel the edges on that one too. However, when I gave the RMGI reel a quick test run (30 seconds of recording in about five passes) there was a faint mark left on the tape which corresponds to one of the shield plates and a small matching deposit of oxide on the neighbouring guide. This is as they say, kind of not good. I'm still not quite sure where the edge which is causing that is because I can't see or feel anything towards the centre of the head and the far edges seem liable to scrape anyway even in a brand-new one.

Again I must reiterate that this doesn't happen with 456, so while the erase head would seem to be abrading the tape slightly, I'm still left wondering whether RMGI have undercooked the tapes slightly.