Refurbishing the Brake Pads on a Sony TC-580 Open Reel Tape Recorder
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ต.ค. 2024
- These are the steps I took to restore brake function on a vintage open reel tape recorder.
Edit: I just watched another video of this same model recorder where the tape doesn't spill out when hitting the stop button during FFWD/RWD. This tells me that my brake pad material isn't aggressive enough when it "bites" onto the tables. I may fiddle with brake pressure...once I figure out how to adjust it, if it's adjustable at all.
During playback the brakes are only used for stopping reels. The supply reel has reverse torque electronically applied to it to keep the tape tension up for proper head contact. This is an adjustment covered in the service manual.
I have the exact same TC-580... maybe a little newer. Screw those brake pads, I just grab the reel with my hand. The machines of those days were PACKED SOLID with complicated machinery. I had to replace the belt and it cost me all of my patience. You clearly have more. I'll be sending you my tape deck with a check enclosed...
Ernie,
Excellent walk-thru on the breaking system. Thank You.
I have owned a TC-580 since 1982. I bought it used and the
only thing worn on entire unit were the playback heads. They weren't worn too bad (maybe 1/3 worn ?).
I still can't see any wear on the record heads.
Anyhow, I just wanted to mention that EVERYTHING worked perfectly ! This tape deck never dropped tape
during any function. The "auto-reverse" capstan wheel worked perfectly for another 5 or 6 years and then
it started to poop-out intermittently. Now, capstan wheel switch-action doesn't work at all. And, I have
the same breaking problem on the right reel motor when it comes to a halt (just as you did after installing new break pads.
It will dump a little tape and the "tape switch" will open and shut-down control panel. I will fix this annoying stuff
in a few weeks.
The service manual for this deck has been available for many years online. Sony produced THE BEST service manuals
for their reel-to-reel decks. Sony was far, far, ahead of every consumer company that manufactured these amazing
instruments. Teac is the WORST ! Revox is just ok. Akai is just stupid bad, but still better than Teac.
So, if you didn't get a manual (yet), I can email to you or you can "sign up" for membership on "hifiengine" and
download for free (www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sony/tc-580.shtml).
Also, as we move into the glorious fall season, I'm going to outfit my tc-580 with wireless remote control for
less than $25. I plan to use Raspberry Pi uController board and a small InfraRed receiver device and a few low voltage,
low current, relays to "pulse" the Sony reed switches (push buttons) to active desired tape drive function.
Bye for now. Regards, Gary S.
Ernie - Thanks for posting this video. (You did so in May 2013. It's now Jan 2018.) I have a Sony TC-730, which is exactly the same as your TC-580 only with a built in amplifier. It has developed the same braking problem. I now plan to replace the brake pads in the manner you have suggested. Several points:
Your textual "Edit" above is definitely correct. When working correctly, the machine while in FFWD or RWD should come to an immediate halt when the STOP button is hit. This quick stop feature also should result in the tape retaining tension against the rollers and heads, without spooling out any tape slack at all when it stops. (Note: If there is any slack when you restart the reels, it can be disastrous as one of the reels will sometimes "eat" the tape.)
I managed to download a pdf of the Service Manual for this tape deck (at hifiengine). It does not tell or show how to replace brake pads. However, in Section 3-1-12 it shows how to do a "Brake Torque Adjustment" by moving the tiny spring on the bottom of each brake adjusting arm to a different notch setting. I tried doing this for each brake, but each of the notches I chose resulted in the tape actually being torn apart for some reason when I hit STOP....and it did not solve the tape spooling problem. So I have set the two tiny springs back to their original notch settings. I am now going to replace the brake pads in the manner you did. I may try using a slightly thicker pad.
SongBill40 If you can find suitable cork material, I would use that instead of wool pads.
@ Ernie: Update - I just finished my "brake job" and the problem is solved. The Sony deck now works great. I did have to remove the reel tables and brake shoes to do the job. However, I did not put on new felt. Here's what I did:
(1) I simply scraped the overly smoothed surface of the felt pads with an Exacto blade, removing the slickness and bringing the underlying felt back to the surface, much like it probably was years ago.
(2) I used Isopropyl alcohol and Q tips to thoroughly clean the circumference of the black plastic on the reel table, where the brake shoe presses against it. That black plastic initially looked clean and smooth to the naked eye. However, it definitely was not. Scrubbing it forcefully with the alcohol and Q tip resulted in the Q tip becoming very,very dirty. Also, once done you could see and feel the cleanliness of the black plastic, as if it were brand new. By placing the pad against the black plastic and applying a bit of pressure, I could feel the improved grab.
Thank you sir..I am working on Sony 651 about the same . Brake pad problem I'll go to Home Depot to find some pad stock to cut . Thanks from Amarillo,Texas
I have a friend who inherited one of these from his step dad. He brought it to me for cleaning and adjustment. I ran into the same issue with the brakes, and used cork. It worked so there was no spilling, but I had to fiddle with the brake springs and adjustment it a lot to get it to work. Your felt idea should have worked since SONY made used felt, UNLESS their felt was a different more grippy weave (like a woven felt instead of a pressed felt). Your felt may be meant for gliding on furniture, which means it will slip. Possible other materials to try are sheet cork or rubber (like an old flat drive belt, but NOT a rubber band). It's a pity SONY didn't do the smart thing and use band brakes like TEAC did. MUCH simpler in the long run, and cheaper for them too!
Thanks for this video. I just bought one off Ebay and it needs a brake job, too. This is very helpful!
Could you please post the info on the products you used for this restoration?
Specifically the thing you used to replace the brake lining... wolf tape? (sp)
Hey Ernie, I don't know if you read this, but I hope you will. You seems to be the right one to ask. I have a Sony Tc-645, it's in a generally good condition. But it's running a bit too slow in play mode. I'm not and expert on reel2reel tape deck but I have a good sense of it. I've spend a lot of time figuring out what it is. I now realize that the pressure metal pin (that spins on top of the pressure roller to get the tape going) is not giving a hard enough pressure. If I take a screwdriver and force the pressure pin down on the pressure roller, it plays with correct speed. My question is. How can I make the pressure pin give the correct pressure? Hope it makes sense :) thanks! And thanks for the video.
...when I say "pressure pin" I mean the capstan, that goes onto the pressure roller
Now that I think about it, I made my pads from a thin sheet of cork and some contact cement. The moleskin was for blisters.
I'll check out Ace tomorrow. Thanks.
Which is better for the brakes felt or cork? Anyone tested both?
I got the felt at my local hardware store. It was in the section for furniture padding that goes on the bottom of chair legs, desk top trophies, and such to protect wooden surfaces. As for catching moles...cheese and a welding mallet.
Hi...I have a TC 377.....each spool has a small brake "shoe" which stops the reels....the left spool also has a component like the one you are working with....seems to bind and makes awful noise!...is this a brake also...looks awkward to remove! thanks.
Hello, do you repairs of these machine if needed?
Hi There what Thickness was the Wool Felt Padding you used Thankyou Darryl
Wow, that's clean. My TC-377 is a greasy mess. I've got both the problems you had.
Where did you get the felt? I used moleskin to refurb my brake pads about 30 years ago. Catching those moles isn't easy. :-)
Hopefully the playback head is the same as the TC 630 as 630's destroy their heads because the pressure pad has no centering action.I may be able to get a replacement.yours does not appear to need a pressure pad.
Hi,
. I need your help. I have been watching your videos and see that you are one of the only people that know these things.
So I have an Akai 4000D reel to reel tape recorder that I bought a couple of months ago. It was used and i was shown a demonstration before i bought and everything worked just fine.Although it was old i could tell it had little use and had been well taken care of. However when i brought it home and wanted to record some songs trouble. I engaged the pause,hit record and at the same time engaged the lever to record. Went ahead and set the levels so that it was good. But when I tried to disengage the pause to get the machine to actually start recording the pause lever wouldn't budge.It wouldn't move at all.Stubbornly stuck. I could tell that it everything is set and it wants to go ahead and move because i hear the motor (s) running but the pause is stuck. Do you think it needs oil or something?
Then i have 2 other decks which i know you don't like. I have a Sony TC 250A and Sony TC 350. Both play fine but when i record i have to set the recording volume all the way to maximum to get the VU meters to move at all and record music that sounds good and even then the recording is still low. There is some hiss but not a whole lot but I am not satisfied with the recording level quality. The sound of the recording itself is actually pretty good,Ok i guess. It's just so low. I have to turn the volume on the receiver all the way up to hear it satisfactorilly.
Any suggestions on all 3? Thanks in advance.
To release pause on the Akai, push the lever towards the faceplate. On the Sony, you may have very weak/old tape that can't hold signal well. Or, your heads need cleaning and demag. The hiss you hear is tape bias and old leaky capacitors.
On the Akai when you say push towards the faceplate do you nean push up or down? Because before posting I tried both and still nothing. As for the Sonys I am still not sure because they both play fine and they record too,its just that the record level is too low. I could tell even before I finished recording because there was very little movement of both left and right VU meters. If it was head cleaning or demagnetizing that they need wouldn't the playback sound also be bad? Thanks for the comment!
No. Not UP or DOWN. Push on the lever as if you were trying to go through the face plate. Think X, Y, and Z axis. X is UP and DOWN. Y is LEFT and RIGHT. Z is FORWARD and BACKWARD. Push forward.
ok, i didn't know about that,thanks for the tip, I'll try it next and update the post when done
Thanks a lot for the good tips because I finally got the Akai working again! Yeey! As it turns out all I had to do was pull the lever up towards me or away from me towards the machine itself (pressing down). I wouldn't have thought of this because of the lever construction,makes you naturally think that it's only allowed up or down movement . (I don't have a manual either) Now about the sonys what good will it do if i clean and demagnetize the heads? When they are on PLAY the sound is good on both. Don't these decks use the same heads for record and play?
What size felt do I use for brake pads of my Sony reel to reel? Who sells that type of felt? I could not read the package you had your felt in.
I had to experiment with trimming the material before I got the result I wanted. It’s furniture padding for the feet of chairs and sofas to prevent scratching wooden floors. If I were to re-do the brakes, I’d used cork gasket material.
justo lo que necesitaba! gracias!!!!! saludos From Chile
Hallo zusammen , ich wollte fragen ich habe selber Problem mit meinem sony tc 580.
Die bremsen richtig schwach, ich habe die flitz wie auf dem Video erneut, aber nach zwei Tagen war Problem das selber.
Hat jemand schon dieses Problem gelöscht und was für Material für bremsen hat verwendet?
Ich würde mich freuen für ein Antwort. Vielen Dank.
Und schöne Grüße aus Deutschland
How easy or difficult to apply the brakes?
Installing the brakes is easy. Adjusting how much pressure is needed is by trial and error. Need patience to do it.
I got it open but how do I get to brake pads? I’m stuck
@@TonyJenkynx You have to remove the reel tables to reveal the brakes.
Sorry to be a bother,this is my first time but how?
@@TonyJenkynxRemove the screws on the tips of the spindles to lift off the tables.
Great vid. Thanks for sharing.
Leather works Better...
you do know that the left real has two brakes on it
Great video
Hello everyone, I wanted to ask I have a problem myself with my sony tc 580.
They brake really weak, I have them again as quickly as on the video, but after two days the problem was that itself.
Has anyone already deleted this problem and what kind of material has been used for brakes?
I would be happy for an answer. Many Thanks.
And greetings from Germany
Gde mogu nabaviti tako dobar uređaj za upotrebu
Pozdrav joška Srbija
I bought one from the original owner 10 years ago. Everything seems to work fine even though the pinch roller doesn’t automatically shift over from forward to reverse position. It doesn’t seem to matter but I can move it with my finger. Anyhow I want to sell it because we plan to move overseas.
all you needed to do was adjust them.....sigh
How
@@fcwennekers7588 there is a little white plastic cam near each brake that can be lifted and then replaced into one of 5 holes, to increase or decrease spring pressure and clearance on the brakes.