Cleaning the Capstan Rubber Rollers

[Satcom123]

Cleaning and restoring pinch rollers

I took a chance one day by removing an almost hardened glazed over pinch roller from my Teac 4010. I submersed it in a jar filled with "googone" It is found at hardware stores all over. I let it set overnight once in a while agitating the jar. Afterwords, I took it out and kept rubbing and cleaning it till all the residue from "googone" was gone. Just a faint smell of it. What this product did was to soften the roller rubber enough to where it was spongy and not hard. I installed the pinch roller and wala, there was no more slipping and wow was gone. I also use that capstan etching stuff which works wonders, but that is another story.

 

[browningham]

under the sink

i'm a year late in this discussion, but will throw in my humble opinion. haven't tried any professional rubber renewers or cleaners besides 100% alcohol, but ran across a retired techs' blog several years ago. he mentioned that it was common for engineers to use $2 original formula 409 to clean and refresh pinch rollers. i've been using it religiously ever since with excellent results. a varying amount of elbow grease and some 409 on a cloth, followed by a good dry wipe, will get all the buildup off and leave the rubber supple, fresh and very "grippy". supposedly this causes no drying/cracking, hardening, or other long term negative effects. i have found this to be true, and then some.....plus, it's just 2 bucks at the corner store!

alright, now i'm bracing myself for an audiophile ass-whoopin'.

 

[R-2-R]

Polished Heads?

(Very late here to the discussion) I know the importance of doing routine maintenance on cleaning the heads but is there anything out there "safe" to use that when applied too the heads and then removed (polished) would bring back that shine-like-almost-new on the heads? Any recommendations?
Thanks everyone for all the good info!

 

[parcs]

As I said in a previous post Everclear works great for head cleaning and does not leave any deposits behind.

 

[record_guy]

I worked in a data centers for years at nasa, greenbelt and Navy installation in St. Croix. We used denatured alcohol on heads and pinch rollers, not isopropl or rubbing which they say contains an oil-based component that attacks rubber.

 

[kcvet]

long as it leaves no residue behind your fine. I forgot what we used at Sony. may not even be made anymore. also we had head cleaner. normal tape left a lot of residue on rollers and capstans. sometimes so bad i had to replace the rollers and have capstans sand blasted.
I used high bias or Type II High Bias Chrome tape which left no or little residue. I advised customers to use anything but normal !!!!

we ordered most our supplies thru MCM

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/

 

[gcarlberg]

Tried 409 on rubber rollers from a Pioneer 1020 and an Akai 625, without much success. Grabbed a can of the Staples product and had exceptional results. Removed all the buildup and restored the original texture.

BTW - The Martin Yale Rubber roller cleaner ordered on line from Staples is about $13 plus additional $10 for shipping. However if you order and pay instore they ship it to your home for free.

 

[Sticklebrick]

For those of us in the UK that can't find the Martin Yale Rubber Roller Cleaner....here's the reply i got after a few hours searching. Well done me!

Please note you can purchase this direct from us – the part number is 200-UK – MY Roller Cleaner and it is £12.75 for a 300ml can. Deliver is £9.50. All prices quoted are exclusive of VAT.

Please place all orders on: orders@intimus.co.uk


Many thanks

With best regards


MARTIN YALE INTERNATIONAL LTD


Hope this helps.
Sticklebrick

 

[Zygmo]

Sooo....we still don't know!!
I do know that I always just used the alcohol on all the recorders rollers I ever had untill I read posts like these recently, and never saw a problem.
My Technics 1506 manual just says....wipe the rollers with a soft cloth!! LOL Maybe that is the best suggestion.

 

[SkywaveTDR]

Hi Ron and others,
Now that this post has been answered to death, I will add my 1 cent, I would add 2 cents but I am unemployed.
Anyway, Over at the Teac factory we used Methyl alcohol (Denatured Alcohol) for cleaning of heads and the RC-2 solution later to be found out to be colored Naphtha that you can get at the hardware store in the paint department. I know people say not to use alcohol on rubber but in 37 years I have not seen one roller have damage that was not already long on it's way. The Naphtha is a more powerful cleaner and will remove a layer of rubber as you rub and thus no need for the 1000 grit paper. This needs to be used with good ventilation and
of course keep away from meter faces and any plastic.
That is about it- I have posted this before elsewhere but people usually ignore it. That is their choice.

*EDITED BY MODERATOR*

 

[cliffmac]

I use 91% alcohol on the pulleys when a belt turns to GOO thats the only thing i can get them clean with. So why in the world would you put this on pinch rollers, wouldn't that break down the rubber?

Cliff

 

[oiseaux]

Back in the day ('70s) we used a product named MotherPucker to clean/refurb pinch rollers on our Ampexes and Scullys. I have no idea if it is still available or if someone else has a better product. I gave up on all things 1/4" and wider when the binder for two decades of recording began to fail. Expletive.
Your results may vary.

 

[Ragnar_AT]

I recently read the Philips N4504 service manual (R2R machine) and it explicitly recommends alcohol (non-specific) for heads, capstan, pinch rollers and the whole tape part.

@Cliffmac: I suppose it only cleans up the rubber that already turned to goo but shouldn't harm rubber that's still in good condition.

 

[sanlanman]

I have had good results on my Teac R2Rs rollers with a scrub with undiluted Simple Green concentrated all purpose cleaner, followed by a wipe with a damp cloth or paper towel. This process cleaned up some neglected rollers on an X1000R that I bought.

 

[leevyou]

The problem is not only to clean pinch rollers and idlers (isopropil alcohol is OK) but also trying to regain that original grip, for the vintage gears, these days . Has anybody heard about or used "AF Platenclene" to rejuvenate rubber? Is it any good? Thanks.

 

[theoman]

What about using everclear grain alcohol for cleaning the heads and rollers. I used it internal moving parts before I lubed them.

Anyway if it doesn't work you can just add orange juice

 

[general T]

When I had a MCI JH-100 24 track in the 90's ,I was told by one of the true experts ( he taught me how to restore the whole 500 pound machine over the phone) . Anyway these decks had a ceramic capstan and He said that Formula 409 was the right thing to use , The trick is that it is an alkaline mixture which worked on the capstan and also cleaned the roller really well .I never felt like it was degrading anything . Thats what I suggest,and this comes from a guy who would call me at 3.am and say "got your manual handy ? turn to the Analog Torque Board schematic and take a look at R-23 " Another thing , Not using a deck is probably the worst thing, this is only my theory, but I never had a belt or roller turn too slime while I was using it regularly ,only after it had sat unused. Best ,J

 

[kopferkingel]

I am using isopropyl alcohol mixed with a tiny amout of high grade silicon oil. 1:10, 2:10 or so. It cleans the rubber, rejuvenates it a little bit and does the "conservation" job.

 

[dougarz]

re:cleaning rollers

thumbs up to the guy in this thread that posted about using simple mild dish soap. I love simple low cost solutions and this one works great, especially on removeable rollers. Recently got yet another rtr deck that needed a lot of cleaning..pinch roller was coated bad. Removed it, smeared dish soap all over it, cleaned mostly with hands and old soft toothbrush (you do keep your old toothbrushes, don't you) and once rinsed and dried...looks like new. Relubed, reinstalled..works great. I'm not spending any more money on special pinch roller cleaners anymore.

.doug

 

[Zygmo]

Some recorder manufacturers actually recommend Alcohol. Most, though just say a water dampened cloth. Dish soap would be the strongest thing I would use on one now.