Care and Maintenance of Cassette and Reel to Reel.

These old tape demag's.... does anyone use them?

Hope you can read the pics...

The erase head used in most decks for re-recording generally do a pretty good job. Unless you've got a bulk operation where you do a lot of double speed recording, I don't see a use for it myself.

Back in the 70's my dad used one of those for duplicating church sermons on a machine that did something like 8 tapes at a time, double speed, but the tapes had to be pre-erased.


I have a Nortronics Demagnetizer I bought in 1979 for 18 bucks. It is a good one.

Now if we could just get some info on what to oil and grease in the deck to keep it on top! :yes:

Thanks!

I've only used a Nortronics want myself so it's the only brand I know. It does a noticeably good job and it's recommended by some people I know who know what they're doing, so I stick with it.

robitaille03 - I don't know anything about that one that was on e-bay. I couldn't even find a brand name listed; just the model. But I'd still trust it over any cassette type.

Here's an exception to the usual advice of avoiding cleaning cassettes: I just picked up a "new" old truck with a nice cassette deck in it (well, for a car deck anyhow). Sounds like crap compared to the CD source. It won't ever sound as good as the CD player (for reasons other than the digital vs. analog arguement, which I wont get into here) but this is quite a huge difference with a well recorded tape. So I need to demag and clean it, then see if things improve. As far as cleaning, it doesn't look like I'm going to do much good without a cleaning cassette. Short of pulling it out and opening it up, that's really the only way I know of to clean those.
 
pucho

i'm experiencing a similar problem (at both speeds!) with both my akai gx630dss and gx230d r2rs, both occurances on tues night-what are the odds of that happening.
i found that by jiggleing the speed selector switch the speed corrects itself on both recorders. but it's only a temporary fix.

a couple of the experts here and elsewhere suggest opening the machine and cleaning and spraying switches with deoxit.
so i'll get some deoxit tomorrow and try to do that. i'm no techie either but this doesnt seem like it should be too difficult.

dont know if this will help but i hope it does.
a little late posting this-
it worked. both speeds on both recorders are now stable!:banana:
:music:
 
Do Tascam rtr machines require any motor lubrication? How about any other lube? Does anyone have experience doing this? I'd like to do any maintenance on my new Tascam 34B myself if possible.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=134331&d=1234055515

All three motors has sealed bearings, no oil needed but the two tension arms rollers need one small drop of light machine oil every 6 months ( Tascam's suggestion )
Just unscrew the cap off the roller, pull cap, washer, roller and clean the shaft before apply one small drop, then re-install again.
Same scenario with the pinch-roller shaft, be sure your deck have the small washers installed, many times these are missing, suppose to be one on each side of the tension roller and pinch-roller. :thmbsp:

Gun-oil or Sewing machine oil is what I use :)
 
All three motors has sealed bearings, no oil needed but the two tension arms rollers need one small drop of light machine oil every 6 months ( Tascam's suggestion )
Just unscrew the cap off the roller, pull cap, washer, roller and clean the shaft before apply one small drop, then re-install again.
Same scenario with the pinch-roller shaft, be sure your deck have the small washers installed, many times these are missing, suppose to be one on each side of the tension roller and pinch-roller. :thmbsp:

Gun-oil or Sewing machine oil is what I use :)

Great, thanks! This machine doesn't seem to need a lot of maintenance then, and it looks like parts are still available for it. That's a relief.
 
What is Detoxit?

a little late posting this-
it worked. both speeds on both recorders are now stable!:banana:
:music:[/QUOTE

I haven't been logge in for awhile. What is Detoxit and where can I get some? would like to try to get my X1000R slow speed to work properly.
Thanks. David (Pucho)
 
a little late posting this-
it worked. both speeds on both recorders are now stable!:banana:
:music:[/QUOTE

I haven't been logge in for awhile. What is Detoxit and where can I get some? would like to try to get my X1000R slow speed to work properly.
Thanks. David (Pucho)

i found it at a local hardware store here in vt.
try googling it and see if any chain h'ware stores near you have it or can get it
also, i think you can order it online from radio shack.com.
BTW, it's spelled deoxit, not 'detoxit'.
 
You can also get DeOxit at Radio Shack, but only really small amounts and not a great value. However, if you don't foresee using it very often in the long run, the Shack may still be your best bet.
 
If you have a Guitar Center near buy, they have it. Last time I was in there I got the impression they were discontinuing carying it, the sales guy offered me a discount if I bought a couple of cans. Which I did. You might want to inquire about said discount.
 
The Teac head cleaner worked fine for me but I think it is no longer available. Regarding cassette type demagnetizers, i believe they must come in contact contact with the heads to be effective so they may not be adequate with 3-head Nakamichi decks that employ the pressure pad lifter.
 
Otari Capstan Lube ?

My MX5050B manual says to put 2-3 drops of Otari oil PZ9E003 on the capstan bearing every 1000 hours, OR every 4 months.

Does anyone know what this special oil is, or if there is an acceptable substitute available?

I doubt I have put 1000 hours on this deck since it was last serviced, but it's been a lot of years since it was in regular service.

FWIW, the Otari manual also specifically states to use ONLY Isopropyl Alcohol to clean the heads and "all the tape guiding components, including the capstan and pinch roller". Also, "The heads and tape guiding components in the tape path should be demagnetized after every eight hours of operation".

Notice, no mention of NOT demagnetizing the erase head.

If you skip it, you could let magnetism build up between the tracks, which on a 1/4 track machine or cassette will work it's damage to the tracks you are NOT listening to.

I have a big bottle (almost gone) of 99% isopropynol that I bought back in the 80's when I was a tech at a major audio/video manufacturer... Exactly the same stuff we used to clean 30K$ VTR's (and the expensive ones too!) and 100K$ digital multi-tracks. Oh and back then I was told that Denatured Alcohol usually has Acetone in it as the poison additive, something that will never get near my decks!

It's always best to follow the manufacturers instructions for YOUR product. :music: If you have a deck so antiquated as to have a permanent magnet erase head, you might consider upgrading! AC bias WAS invented in the 40's after all... (BG)
 
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The Teac head cleaner worked fine for me but I think it is no longer available. Regarding cassette type demagnetizers, i believe they must come in contact contact with the heads to be effective so they may not be adequate with 3-head Nakamichi decks that employ the pressure pad lifter.
i've always brought the tape wrapped probe end of a small wand type degausser to a hairs width just above cassette (or r2r) heads including my 2 nak. mr-1s with the p pad lifters. without ever actually touching the heads.

never a problem.

years ago i learned that no metal objects (ie unwrapped end of a wand type deguasser) were to ever touch a recorders heads.
even if it is wrapped, i dont touch the heads, just a hair above them.
 
is somebodys mind in the gutter? heh, heh.
(as we used to say back in our child hood dayz.)
 
I'm shopping for a R2R head demagnetizer. There are dozens of ads of products that look similar and sell for 10-20 USD, Are these generic demagnetizers OK? How about this one http://usrecordingmedia-store.stores.yahoo.net/handmagdebyr.html , which is more expensive?


Many thanks for any suggestions!

Interesting claim about tape hiss reduction on that site. Does anyone know if that's generally true?

I guess you could go ahead and buy it, then report back and let us know if it's true or just 'snake oil'!
 
OK all,we have used 99% isopropyl alcohol,we demag the heads
We for got one thing:scratch2:Sometime ago there was a Polish that Teac stated you should use on the heads.It had the properties of filling in the microscopic degradation of the heads outer layer, and extending the life of the head.The name of this thing was the legendary(Teac Stainless Polish SP-3)Were can you fine this.I have looked all over
Joe
 
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