Post by trombone on Dec 18, 2020 19:56:33 GMT 12
One of the things we don't see so much nowadays as we drive about the country in search of holiday fun are those glittering bits of audio tape fluttering from the cocksfoot barbs outside of small rural towns.Frustration made explicit as someone flings the damned jammed cassette out the window and searches through the glovebox to find something acceptable to both the kids and the driver.
Down a similar road myself the last couple of days. Found in the shed a "Fulton High Power De luxe 8 " 8 track cartridge player. The name says it all really. Not much brand recognition here , though on opening it up the steamboat heritage is apparent.But this was the first time I've had much to do with these devices so the learning curve was steep. I owned only one 8 track cartridge ,pleasingly a Big Bands compilation.And the 'Fulton High Power Deluxe " had the wiring directions helpfully printed on the underside.In a matter of moments all was ready.Plunge the cartridge into the little springloaded door. Nothing. Push in harder. Music but not as we know it. But the principle was proved. It wanted to go. A close examination of the business end of the cartridge showed a bit of foam plastic intended to press the tape against the head sadly deceased. There IS a point to having broad band."You tube" is full of snippets about cartridge repair.And only a day later I had gone to Mitre 10 and bought 5 metres of foam door sealer and used 12 cm. of it. But it worked !Tommy Dorsey's trombone filled the shed.Time for a beer.
Examination of the actual tape showed some damage so I cut the damaged bits out,sadly including "Sugar Blues ".
Apparently not a lot can go wrong with these players outside of the cartridges themselves. The switch which turns the motor on when you insert the tape is a bit sticky on mine. The rubber band can perish or grow lumps and the head may need cleaning and I guess the caps in the surprisingly grunty (maybe that's the deluxe part ) transistor amp might need a service.But overall a nice Christmas present to have it going.
And speaking of Christmas presents ... Well done to Steve for his full and frank appraisal of soldering irons.And what size and brand works best where.( I still use my Solon 25 watt iron for most work. And I find that radios repaired with the correct vintage iron always have better tone. Has anyone else found that? ) For heavy work I use my Australian " Scope" iron. A friendly chap at the Br05 sale on the weekend kindly gave me half a dozen new bits for it. Anyone have any hints on how to unscrew the old one?
But sometime ago I began work upgrading the plastic escutcheon or is it the fascia of a 1947 Chev B47 car radio. I've grafted in bits of new plastic and also used automotive bog. Now I have to grind bits of bog out. Here's where the Xmas present might come in. I've eyed up "Dremels" for this purpose but I notice there is a similar "Ozito" product.The "Dremel" has a reputation for long life. Does anyone have experience of the "Ozito"? Time to go. Merry Christmas everyone . If you need some draught excluder seller allows pickups!
Down a similar road myself the last couple of days. Found in the shed a "Fulton High Power De luxe 8 " 8 track cartridge player. The name says it all really. Not much brand recognition here , though on opening it up the steamboat heritage is apparent.But this was the first time I've had much to do with these devices so the learning curve was steep. I owned only one 8 track cartridge ,pleasingly a Big Bands compilation.And the 'Fulton High Power Deluxe " had the wiring directions helpfully printed on the underside.In a matter of moments all was ready.Plunge the cartridge into the little springloaded door. Nothing. Push in harder. Music but not as we know it. But the principle was proved. It wanted to go. A close examination of the business end of the cartridge showed a bit of foam plastic intended to press the tape against the head sadly deceased. There IS a point to having broad band."You tube" is full of snippets about cartridge repair.And only a day later I had gone to Mitre 10 and bought 5 metres of foam door sealer and used 12 cm. of it. But it worked !Tommy Dorsey's trombone filled the shed.Time for a beer.
Examination of the actual tape showed some damage so I cut the damaged bits out,sadly including "Sugar Blues ".
Apparently not a lot can go wrong with these players outside of the cartridges themselves. The switch which turns the motor on when you insert the tape is a bit sticky on mine. The rubber band can perish or grow lumps and the head may need cleaning and I guess the caps in the surprisingly grunty (maybe that's the deluxe part ) transistor amp might need a service.But overall a nice Christmas present to have it going.
And speaking of Christmas presents ... Well done to Steve for his full and frank appraisal of soldering irons.And what size and brand works best where.( I still use my Solon 25 watt iron for most work. And I find that radios repaired with the correct vintage iron always have better tone. Has anyone else found that? ) For heavy work I use my Australian " Scope" iron. A friendly chap at the Br05 sale on the weekend kindly gave me half a dozen new bits for it. Anyone have any hints on how to unscrew the old one?
But sometime ago I began work upgrading the plastic escutcheon or is it the fascia of a 1947 Chev B47 car radio. I've grafted in bits of new plastic and also used automotive bog. Now I have to grind bits of bog out. Here's where the Xmas present might come in. I've eyed up "Dremels" for this purpose but I notice there is a similar "Ozito" product.The "Dremel" has a reputation for long life. Does anyone have experience of the "Ozito"? Time to go. Merry Christmas everyone . If you need some draught excluder seller allows pickups!
