Saved another one :-)

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Transistorized

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I realize this box might not be everyone's cup of tea so I will provide a little history behind this box (for me) and the purpose for the saving of this box.

At some point during the 80's and/or 90's my sister spent all day doing two things. Getting her hair just right with a gallon of hairspray and spending evenings with boyfriends in her room with her boombox playing. Throughout the years she used the heck out of that thing. Eventually the cassette decks started quivering quite badly on playback for which she promptly blamed me for. She always blamed me when something of hers broke or stopped working correctly. Anyway, that box was eventually replaced with a home stereo (not portable).

I was cruising around eBay one day and noticed this box right away. Never knew the model but I recognized it as soon as I saw it. A JVC RC-W40.

Got this baby for $19.99 and it arrived today. Tore into it as the cassettes were non functional. Found multiple issues. Mainly with stress cracked plastic retainers which had perished along with the belts. Looking at the design of the cassette decks I know now why my sisters didn't make it long. Had nothing to do with anything I did. Those plastic parts just couldn't stand up to her fast forward, play, FF, Play (all day long) to find the beginning of a song etc.

Anyway, I figured since she seemed to think I was the cause for it's demise long ago I would get her this one for Christmas, repair it and close that chapter :-) They like going to the beach so if for nothing else she can use it for that.

Pictures of the cleaning and tear down below along with final testing short video clip. Nice little box for 20 bucks :-)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elkl_H4BQc8
 

Northerner

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Apr 16, 2012
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Great gesture, I bet she'll love it. I did similar for my brother and got him the one he had as a teenager and he was so pleased. Well done :-)
 

Radio-Active

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Nice! With a story like that you should have a mix-tape loaded up. And a can of aqua-net. Lol!

My big bro found his old model at a flea market,I cleaned it out for him,but still need a namebadge(sanyo m-x320k). He is stoked.
 

Transistorized

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MyOhMy said:
Nice work and interesting story, I'm sure she'll forgive you! Can you identify with a pic the dodgy parts that are the weakness with this (type of) box, pretty please?
Sure thing. I didn't take too many pictures so forgive my lack of being thorough in that department. I think I can insert a few pictures with explanations of what this model suffers from.

The capstan flywheel center (made of plastic) starts to crack as the capstan post is simply pressed into the middle flywheel plastic hub. I circled the area on the flywheel where the cracking starts. It doesn't slip however the flywheel gets wobbly and this causes the quivering my sister was noticing way back when. I trued it up removing the wobble as it was spinning and used epoxy to help keep things where they need to be. The capstan flywheel also has a belt on the underside that spins a main drive gear hub. Both problem areas circled and is Pictured here:

Problem Areas.jpg

The lower hub pulley has a felt disc sandwiched between it and the main drive gear spindle for the front of the deck. They used a plastic press-on retainer with a spring that is supposed to act like a slip disc so when rewinding a tape it doesn't bring the mechanism to a stop when rewinding. Each deck has one. The clips crack and the spring shoots out inside the radio. Here is the picture of the springs and 1 retainer (other one MIA)

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This gear on the front powers the take-up and supply reels for Play, FF and Rew. Circled in Red

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The only reason they want that main drive gear to slip is for when Rewinding or FF. When the tape comes to a stop on either deck it allows for slippage so the belts and pulleys from the single motor system keep spinning and it doesn't cause the belt to stop or slip or affect the other decks playback when this occurs (if it is in use while the other deck is Rew or FF'ing).

This was just a cheap box and not worth trying to get perfect so I just glued the dang hubs together for a direct drive. This just means the motor bogs when the tape comes to a stop on Rew or FF. However, common sense should kick in and not leave the unit in this state :-P This is the only bad effect doing this does. I used slightly over sized hub belts so the motor could continue to keep the capstans running if left running in a tape-end Rewind or FF state. Might flat spot the belt at worst.

They also used a press on plastic retainer which secures the pause clicker. It fails and rubs against the capstan flywheel on the Rec/Playback deck. Just cheap plastic under spring tension that they knew would fail eventually....and they do. Super glue is your friend :-)

Don't get me wrong, I am capable of good work but this box isn't on anyone's wish list..lol And it plays fairly well as it sits :-)

EDIT: Just tried FF and Rew while playing a tape in the other deck. Didn't affect it at all. Winning :-)
Radio-Active said:
Nice! With a story like that you should have a mix-tape loaded up. And a can of aqua-net. Lol!

My big bro found his old model at a flea market,I cleaned it out for him,but still need a namebadge(sanyo m-x320k). He is stoked.
That's a great idea :-) I know she used to blow up her Madonna Cassette in that thing. I still have her exact tape. Maybe get that back to her along with a few other mixed tapes. Oh and yes...the hairspray is a must..hahaha.
 

blu_fuz

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If it is the right blaster for you time, do whatever you want! I like seeing the odd ball blasters rebuilt. Tinkering is very relaxing and great for the mind.
 

Transistorized

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Help me out guys 🙁 This silly little JVC is growing on me. I've never had a side by side before..NO....I MUST GIVE IT TO MY SISTER FOR CHRISTMAS DANG IT! 😳

It actually looks cool when dressed up with some reels 😕
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I need to stop "buying stuff for others". I will/have to give it away..despite the fact my niece and nephew will probably draw on it, pop the buttons off of it and destroy it in 2 days. Hope my sis puts it up high out of their reach and uses it every now and then.
 

MyOhMy

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Jul 26, 2015
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Transistorized said:
Help me out guys This silly little JVC is growing on me. I've never had a side by side before..NO....I MUST GIVE IT TO MY SISTER FOR CHRISTMAS DANG IT!

It actually looks cool when dressed up with some reels
I agree, it's a good looker. As an extra surprise, have you considered turning an image of the box with reels in into some form of wall art for your sister? That would be a mega present! :yes:
 

Transistorized

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My sister (being older) left home before I did. She left behind some of her cassettes in her old room at the time while in college. She thinks they've been tossed in the trash over the years or lost but I ended up with them :-P They play just fine :-) I thought it would be cool to present her with her actual cassettes she purchased and played on her old boom box in her room as a teen. Quite a collection. Motley Crue, Van Halen, Journey, etc. Then I'll make a mixed cassette. Other than having her actual boom box (only one just like it) it will spark a few good memories in her memory banks I hope.

That's what this whole collecting thing is about. If you take away the memories items become useless. Bringing back a little bit of your childhood should always be a good thing (if it is a positive experience). You just can't get that out of a gift card or money. This gift required thought and effort.

Hoping that will make a difference. Sometimes you just can't get that type of gift in a box store :-) In this case it didn't require much money. Just a little time and effort
 

jimmyjimmy19702010

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Transistorized said:
My sister (being older) left home before I did. She left behind some of her cassettes in her old room at the time while in college. She thinks they've been tossed in the trash over the years or lost but I ended up with them :-P They play just fine :-) I thought it would be cool to present her with her actual cassettes she purchased and played on her old boom box in her room as a teen. Quite a collection. Motley Crue, Van Halen, Journey, etc. Then I'll make a mixed cassette. Other than having her actual boom box (only one just like it) it will spark a few good memories in her memory banks I hope.

That's what this whole collecting thing is about. If you take away the memories items become useless. Bringing back a little bit of your childhood should always be a good thing (if it is a positive experience). You just can't get that out of a gift card or money. This gift required thought and effort.

Hoping that will make a difference. Sometimes you just can't get that type of gift in a box store :-) In this case it didn't require much money. Just a little time and effort
Very true. It’s all about the memories, the music and the blasters. :-)
 

Transistorized

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As we bring in a New Year in the US tonight I wanted to show a few Christmas pics with this box. It was a great evening. My sister is bottom right. We played board games and used the JVC in the background while my sister hummed and sang to the songs playing on the cassette I made for her.

My DJ-Tech supplies Christmas music via iHeart radio since this was just yesterday.

Enjoyed this :-)

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T-STER

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Jul 14, 2014
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This is a beautiful sight to see, I have just finished playing a board game at the table with my son and wife and we had a blast. We had a mini Sanyo in the background blasting away.

Priceless, and nice to see familys still enjoying Christmas as its meant to be. Apart from the DJ Tech being a bity nu skool it could be 1989 in there!

Great stuff :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 

JVC Floyd

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You gotta love those mini boomboxes , sometimes there more soothing than a giant ghetto blaster especially if they look cool and sound decent .
that's a very comfy looking holiday at your house . rock on!.
 

Lasonic TRC-920

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Fantastic story!

I think repairing these entry level boxes is more challenging due to the lower build quality and money saving they did.

Your documentation from start to finish is why I keep returning to this site!
 
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