Obsolete Technology

[billroper]

Well, that's annoying.

I went down into the studio tonight and unshipped the Tascam DA-30 MkII DAT deck. I had gotten a replacement belt for the tape loader a while ago and figured that I would follow the relatively simple instructions for replacing the belt so that I could transfer a number of old DAT tapes that we've still got sitting around to the hard disk of the computer.

I removed the cover with little problem. Then I went to unscrew the four screws that hold the transport loading mechanism in place. One of them was easily removed. The other three are frozen in place.

After messing around with it for a while, I called samwinolj. He suggested tapping the screws with a hammer (no luck), heating them with a soldering iron (nope), and finally using some penetrating oil (which I was loath to do around recording gear, but it was my last option -- and it doesn't seem to have helped so far).

Sheesh!

I have, however, located a company in Bartlett that says that they'll transfer old DAT tapes for $15 a tape. Right now, that's looking really good.

Comments

[daddy-guido.livejournal.com]

actually, HEATING the screws is the wrong answer. Try hitting them with a blast from an upside-down can of compressed air, which will shrink the screw just a tad. heating them, as you may recall from physics class, will EXPAND the metal, making the screws tighter.

Now, heating the metal the screw goes INTO might work, but since the screws usually suck the heat from the surrounding metal pretty quickly, that seldom works. for some reason the cold thing seems to do the trick.

don't get them too cold, or the head will snap off the screw.

[billroper]

Well, yes, I agree that heating the screw will make it larger, but the hope was that the expansion would loosen the cruft that's got the screw entrapped so that it would turn when it cooled back down again. Of course, that didn't work.

I'm not sure I have a can of compressed air anywhere, but I won't be able to use it until I've made sure there no penetrating oil around. But it's worth a try.

[hms42]

Good luck on the repair.

[rinioth.livejournal.com]

Penetrating oil takes time to work... Hours, try again in the morning after the stuff has had time to creep down the threads. Also try the bolt in both directions to see if you can rock it loose.

[kizoku42.livejournal.com]

If all the non-destructive methods fail and you decide the wretched thing is junk try drilling the screws out. Then either tap the holes for a larger screw or glue the thing back in. Yes, then you can't ever fix it again, but you intend to use it for all the DAT tapes you have left so you won't need it again, and it's trash anyway.... Oh, I suggest having someone running a vacuum cleaner as you drill to suck up the metal filings. NOT good things to have loose in electrical gear.