I haven't even seen a TE16 capstan roller, but since TU58s have
a similar mechanism to the HP-85 cartridge drives, the following
advice may be of use:
1. erd posted the following in the vintage-computer mailing list:
> [...] I have used 1/2" tygon tubing from the local hardware store
> (think "large aquarium hose") to refurb DEC TU58 drives (same tapes,
> same capstan, same melting problem).
>
> I got a foot of it a few years ago and have yet to run out (even though
> between HP line analyers, VAXen, and a VT103, I have nearly a dozen
> drives to overhaul).
2. katie posted the following in the MoHPC forum:
> In the plumbing department at Home Depot I found some stuff called
> Magic Wrap, it's a roll of very thin rubber 1" x 16'. I cut a 2" x
> 1/4" piece of this stuff stretched it out to about the width of the
> roller then wrapped it around (several turns) the cleaned off roller
> as tight as I could. Then I smoothed it out by spinning the drive
> wheel at high speed and grinding down the rubber with an emery
> board. This sort of melts the rubber and fusses it to itself getting
> rid of the overlap and making the whole thing perfectly symmetric.
> To spin the drive wheel I disconnected one of the motor leads and
> put it on a variable power supply. You can use up to 12 volts but
> I found 5 or 6 volts ran the wheel plenty fast with tons of torque.
> Basically, you want to use it like a lathe and I found that the
> tape head makes a good tool rest!
3. rhahm wrote:
> I use 3/8" latex tubing from Lowes Hardware and LockTite glue. I
> also leave the capstan on the motor during the repair.
4.
http://www.voidware.com/calcs/hp85rep.htm
I do not recommend heat shrink tubing as it tends to come off. Test the
repair by retentioning a sacrificial tape (use the CTAPE command on the
HP-85) two or three times in a row. If the tubing does not come off, then
it'll probably stay put for a couple of years.
If you are wondering what is the thickness of the rubber on the roller,
the following picture is of an original HP roller with decayed coating
still in place.
http://www.series80.org/Pictures/HP85-TapeDriveCapstan.jpg
**vp
Received on Wed Jan 21 2004 - 22:23:54 GMT
