Accessing a TK50 or TK70 from RT

[Rod Smallwood]

On 13/06/2016 15:33, Jerome H. Fine wrote:
> >Rod Smallwood wrote:
>
>> >On 13/06/2016 02:33, r.stricklin wrote:
>>
>>> The metal tape path rollers are used as tachometers to make sure the 
>>> tape is feeding at the correct speed. If the tape drags over them, 
>>> the firmware will consider the transport jammed and abort. A drop or 
>>> two of light machine oil over the axle has been enough to get the 
>>> rollers moving again on my TK50s where this failure mode has occurred.
>>>
>>> There are multiple failure domains involved. Lubricating the feed 
>>> roller spindles doesn't solve the sticky tape problem.
>>>
>>> ok
>>> bear. 
>>
>> We have a winner !!! yes that's what I did.
>> I had a small bottle of oil that came with my electric razor (Braun 
>> pronounced Brown not Brawn)
>> It even had a fine nozzle.  This is what you do.
>> Press each roller down (They are sprung) if they do not spring back 
>> up quickly.
>>  then press down again to reveal the top of the shaft.
>> One tiny drop only where the roller meets the shaft
>> Do not spin or press the rollers.
>> Of course it doesn't fix the sticky tape problem.
>> But it will stop good tapes going in the trash.
>
> Thank you BOTH for that information.  My experience
> with TK70 media did not have that happen often enough
> that I realized there was a problem.  But I will try to
> remember to check the rollers next time.
>
>> I have also been trying bulk erasing tapes and  had partial success.
>> I used a six inch magnet that holds my  mobile antenna onto the car.
>> On INIT it no longer says write protect but it still falls over after 
>> about a minute
>
> I am holding in my hand a cylinder that is about 2 1/2" long
> and about 2 3/4" in diameter.  It probably weighs about
> 5 lb.. and if I remember correctly it was the voice coil
> from an old speaker that was so badly damaged it no
> longer worked.  So a permanent magnet needs to be
> fairly strong.  I suggest that you might try to move your
> magnet in a circular motion of about 4" in diameter while
> toughing both large sides of the TK70 plastic container.
> If you achieve partial success with a minute or two, then
> maybe 5 minutes or even 20 minutes might be fully
> successful although I would agree that 20 minutes for
> every tape is too long.  But it would at least prove that
> the method works in principle.
>
> Jerome Fine
Thank you for your input I'll give it a bit longer.

R