Drive belt source for 1980's hi-fi casette player wanted

[Phil Addison]

I've been given an old audio cassette with some interesting family recollections on it. I can play it ok in my crappy radio/cassette but when I resurected my old hi-fi to try to get a better reproduction I found - not unexpectedly - that the main drive 'rubber band' has turned to jelly. Its abour 30cm total length bt 5 or 6 mm wide and very thin. Any ideas where I might source a replacemment? Some of the other bands are looking a bit fragile too, but look as if they may just last for this task, but IO can live without a counter etc if they fail.

Phil (stirring from d-i-y slumber)

[Brian Gaff]

Cpc used to stock a kind of selection of this sort of thing, but its very hard to actually tell as often its the stretchability etc that is important. I need a new set of belts for some classic Technics dbx tape decks but can't seem to find the tiny thicround ones anywhere these days. its rather important as these raise and lower the head slide!

Brian

[Bob Eager]

If you want microscopic belts, take a look at the various seals for watch cases. There are even different cross-sections, although stretvhability probably isn't great.

[Chris Bartram]

Tried Ebay? I got a belt for a 1970s projector from there.

[Davey]

Yes.

bought a set of belts for an AIWA tape deck from Bob. Postage cost is minimal.

[The Other Mike]

Ahh, that might explain, 15 years later, why mine, a RS-M275X, often refused to play unless I cycled it via stop and play a few times.

I thought at the time it was a friction problem due to grease drying up, bought a service manual and then never got round to fixing it.

It has to be a sign of old age when you can remember the exact model number (with a slight help from google) but can't remember something from 5 minutes ago.

"MSRP $600" 'kin hell, that is a lot of money. I don't think I paid much more than a couple of hundred quid but I could be wrong.

[Davey]

I recently looked on ebay at the prices of what were common 'Hi'Fi' units back in my day, things like Armstrong 2 x 8 watt amplifiers, Goodmans Module 80/90/100 receivers, Sansui stuff, etc and was amazed to see what people were asking for them. So I fixed my old Goodmans Module

80, and the cassette deck, mentioned earlier, is in the process of being dissected right now. But if you have a Hacker or Roberts radio that needs work, I can point you to The Man for them.

- Davey.

[Phil Addison]

Wow, that's more than I hoped for even fron uk.d-i-y, someone selling spares for the actual make and model number, and I didn't even think it was worth googling for that...

"Pioneer CT-F650 Belt Kit $19.00 5 belts Belt kit w/ Factory Service Manual (in PDF) Combo $23.00"

Just ordered them, many thanks Davey.

Phil

[Davey]

Glad it worked out!

[Geoff Pearson]

I have used a firm called Grandata for this kind of thing.

[NT]

For future reference, even the humble stationery rubber band lasts many years, adequate for a percentage of repairs.

NT

[geoff]

"30cm total length bt 5 or 6 mm wide and very thin"

note the last measurement dopey

[RCW2]

[Phil Addison]

Send what over, geoff? I don't think this pile of jelly is convertible ;)

But anyway I have ordered the USA kit now, and recieved the full pdf manual already from him, and excellent scan quality it is too, with full servicing circuit and mechanical details. The rubber bands will take a little longer to arrive tho ;)

Phil

[Phil Addison]

May be useful for other applications but o-rings tend not to be 5 or 6 mm wide and very thin.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I forgot this source...

[Phil Addison]

Hi Brian

It might be worth email bob at this site

He lists some technics turntable belts but not your dbx tape machine. However he seems to get his bands from a firm that makes them for him so it may be possible.

Phil

[Phil Addison]

Do you mean this firm?

can't see anything like it on their website.

[Phil Addison]

Definitely a fall back option, but are you sure about longevity, I find rubber bands going gooey very quickly these days.

Phil

[Phil Addison]

No luck on ebay

Phil