Capstan SLip

[Sergi]

Hi All, new to this site and hoping to tap in to other members experiences & solutions in regards cassette tape capstan slip.

I have some cassette tapes that just won't play in my boom box.

Have eliminated, every other possible cause for slow, erratic & stopped play by cleaning the capstan & pinch roller & checking pinch roller pressure. Have even transplanted tape to alternative spools & cassette cases that do play AOK. Have read somewhere I need to roughen up the capstan needle with sandpaper etc, but I am loath to do this for fear of the capstan dicing up tape.

Has anyone come across this issue and have a good solution. I am thinking maybe a rough cut paste like T-Cut etc - the type you remove scratches out of car body work etc will result in a microscopic roughened surface that would restore the capstan surface friction needed to pull the tape through the heads without damage to the tape.

 

[toshik]

I won't touch the capstain needle just install the NEW idler and/or pinch roller.

 

[Sergi]

Thanks Toshik, have considered replacing the pinch roller but increasing pressure to the capstan through the existing pinch roller doesn't make any difference, the tape still slips. Excuse my ignorance but what difference would a new roller make following this exercise.

 

[toshik]

Many times I had cases when the old rubber parts (pinch roller or idler tire) looked good, was cleaned up but simply did not work as supposed.
I'd suggest rubber aging and changing its physical characteristics as a result.

 

[Superduper]

I have some tapes I bought from goodwill that simply will not play anywhere. The frictional properties of the tape surface itself has changed to where it will not easily slide across the tape head causing binding and either slow operation, or the deck stops like it reached the end of tape. If your tape is like this, switching it into another shell will solve nothing -- the issue is the tape itself. There is no telling what type of environment those tapes came from, but that was my experience. The solution was to just toss them and stick with good tapes, although understandably that is hard to do, especially if it was a commercial store bought tape as opposed to a self recorded one, and it has irreplaceable content.

 

[toshik]

Yes this is another possibility can be eliminated by trying to play brand new tape. However old rubber must go!!!

 

[Superduper]

On the problem tapes, I pressed down on the tape surface imitating the pressure the head would place on the tape while playing. With the tape depressed against the tape-back-spring, there was either no way to rotate the spindles or it was exceeding difficult to do so. Once I discovered that and compared to fresh tapes, I realized that all hope was lost in trying to play or recover programming from those tapes.

 

[Sergi]

Thanks Guys.......by the sounds of it - its in with new rubber & out with pre-recorded tapes that still resist being played.......in this case "Level 42's Labour of Love"......a shame as there are some good deep beats on this album...lol !

 

[Mike]

How can you tell when rubber is old and needs replacement? How can you determine the size tire(s) you need (diameter seems easy....but what about thickness of rubber)? Where can you buy these from? My telefunken studio manual is of no help. Can you see anything is wrong with the rubber tires in the attached photo. Deck plays, FF, RR very slowly.

I know this is an old post....but seeing if anyone can help.

Thanks!