[MIPS]

Scratching my head here... how do you thread the machine? It obviously requires a full alpha wrap, since it only has one head, but must one painstaking thread the tape under those headcover support posts, or do they somehow get moved out of the way for threading?

That's exactly what you do. The tape must be manually threaded through the gap between the posts and drum.

I'd refrain from trying to un-mount the drum unless you can keep the entire drum, the head rotor, and it's motor as one assembly and in one piece through the removal, polishing and reassembly process....The alignment between these parts is critical to operation and tape compatibility with other decks that use the same tape format...If you disturb that alignment there may be no way to return it to factory correct calibration (often special factory jigs, alignment tapes etc are needed).

I had the same concern hence my hopes this could be done with minimal disturbing of any adjustments however we are in luck because the drum, head rotor and motors are all one modular piece.

I had to remove the rest of the plastic frame to get at all the bolts which meant the capstan rollers had to be pulled. They had some brownish material on them that got all over my hands but cleaned off easily. Did someone put a tape through and all the oxide shedded off before he could stop it? the rubber is still in excellent condition so after a clean they're probably good as new.




Anyways yes, the entire assembly is a module. It's held in by four hex bolts. Two of them were present and since I have two identical size bolts which I found rattling around inside the machine earlier I can now account for all the loose components. With the four bolts out you unplug the head and desolder lines for a lamp, lamp sensor, motors and a coil and the whole thing pulls out so you can work on it from a bench. In the process though I found a random clipped lead. Heck do I know where that went.







Now to give the drum a much closer inspection.