Yes bridging the "cassette in" switch is another cleaning work around. The
advantage of the cassette tool is that it can be used on almost any cassette
machine with no machine mods needed.

Machine mods could be a whole other discussion. I feel the single most
useful mod for cassette decks for a
transfer engineer is a front panel user azimuth adjuster. Here is an example
on a Tascam 122 MkII. I have also made these for Tascam 122 MkIII's and
Nakamichis.

http://imgur.com/rERTQaw

Tim Gillett

Perth,
Western Australia

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ellis Burman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2017 3:51 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s


Ours kept shutting off. I traced it to an intermittent leaf switch that
detects whether a cassette in inserted. I jumpered the switch with a blob
of solder, and now it works great and can be run with no cassette inserted
for easy cleaning.

Ellis

On Thu, Jul 20, 2017 at 11:53 PM, Tim Gillett <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> True, and a nice bright light - and glasses if you need them for close
> viewing.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Campbell" <
> [log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2017 11:39 AM
>
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s
>
>
> ...flipping-off the cassette door facia panel and aslo mouting the player
>> in a rear-ward-sloping rack mounting....does help a little visual and
>> physical access to capstan and pinchroller and head access wrt access.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:
>> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Gillett
>> Sent: Friday, 21 July 2017 8:28 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s
>>
>> Hi Corey,
>>
>> Interestingly, the 122 the owner's manual states the pinch roller and
>> capstan should be cleaned "at least once a day the deck is used"... but
>> without resorting to extra expedients as we've both described, even as a
>> techie I'd struggle to perform this basic first line daily maintenance.
>> Even with the non standard expedients the pinch roller and capstan are
>> still tricky to clean, and I'd suggest without such expedients, or a
>> custom machine mod, almost impossible.
>>
>> Human nature being what it is, unless a basic daily task like this is
>> easy to perform, it will tend to be skipped. A basic error by Tascam IMO
>> especially as the machine was marketed and regarded as a pro machine, and
>> now seems almost a defacto standard for archives and transfer engineers.
>> A
>> shame as in so many other ways an excellent machine.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Tim Gillett
>>
>> Perth,
>> Western Australia
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Corey Bailey" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2017 2:44 AM
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s
>>
>>
>> Hi Tim,
>>> As you learned the hard way, this list does not accept attachments and
>>> will strip them from your post.
>>>
>>> Regarding the picture of the cassette that you posted:
>>> I have made a few variations of these for those pesky decks where the
>>> cassette sensor is hard to get to. Generally, I will put a small piece
>>> of
>>> tape across the tape sensor lever (located at the top of the cassette
>>> bay)
>>> to hold it up which allows the transport to function and gives the tech
>>> full access to the transport mechanism. The modified cassette shell
>>> certainly makes sense for routine cleaning by non-techies.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Corey
>>> Corey Bailey Audio Engineering
>>> www.baileyzone.net
>>>
>>> On 7/19/2017 9:35 PM, Tim Gillett wrote:
>>>
>>>> Attached photo. Nothing fancy in looks but a tool that works.
>>>>
>>>> In the Tascam I think both reels also need to be turning to avoid
>>>> activating "Stop" so I retained the hubs and tape, but with a smaller
>>>> diameter pack to avoid fouling when cleaning the parts. It makes things
>>>> easier on various other cassette machines too, especially later models
>>>> which only go into play mode when a cassette is inserted.
>>>>
>>>> I first made a few of these in the 90's when a Talking Book production
>>>> organisation I worked for bought new Tascam 122 MkIII's and the staff
>>>> struggled to perform daily tape path cleaning. Of course I regularly
>>>> use
>>>> the tool myself.
>>>>
>>>> Hope it helps.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers
>>>> Tim
>>>>
>>>> Perth,
>>>> Western Australia
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shai Drori" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2017 11:59 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Please upload the picture. Sounds interesting.
>>>>
>>>> בברכה,
>>>> שי דרורי.
>>>> מומחה לשימור ודיגיטציה של אודיו וידאו ופילם 8-35ממ
>>>> Cheers
>>>> Shai Drori
>>>> Expert digitization services for Audio Video
>>>> Hi Res scanning for film 8mm-35mm
>>>> Timeless Recordings Music Label
>>>> www.audiovideofilm.com
>>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>> Tripadvisor level 5 contributor, level 10 restaurant expert
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jul 20, 2017 at 4:12 AM, Tim Gillett
>>>> <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi Ben,
>>>>>
>>>>> There are no belts in that machine, one reel drive idler rubber tyre
>>>>> and
>>>>> of course a rubber pinch roller. They're usually reliable machines but
>>>>> are
>>>>> getting old and may have had a lot of work.
>>>>>
>>>>> The tape path needs regular cleaning or tapes may be damaged or jam
>>>>> inside. Cleaning the capstan and pinch roller is a lot easier with a
>>>>> custom
>>>>> dummy cassette to trick the capstan motor to run and engage the pinch
>>>>> roller in play mode for cleaning. I can upload a photo of a dummy
>>>>> cassette
>>>>> if that would help.
>>>>>
>>>>> I service these but unfortunately am in Australia... It may also need
>>>>> a
>>>>> skilled local serviceman to check it out.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best of luck
>>>>>
>>>>> Tim Gillett,
>>>>> Perth,
>>>>> Western Australia
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Martin Fisher"
>>>>> <[log in to unmask]
>>>>> >
>>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2017 5:27 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Check for tight belts and good rubber tires.
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Martin
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:
>>>>>> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of 6295LARGE .
>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 3:23 PM
>>>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>> Subject: [ARSCLIST] Much Trouble with my two TASCAM 122 Mk 2s
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello everybody
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I was cut off from ARSC for about 2 months, because their email was
>>>>>> being
>>>>>> rejected by my computer for some reason.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have 2 TASCAM 122 Mk 2 recorders.
>>>>>> They seem to have week mechanisms.
>>>>>> I was told I can use only high quality cassettes.
>>>>>> Is that how it should be?
>>>>>> I don't use junk, but the mechanism struggles and moans, then it
>>>>>> stops
>>>>>> or
>>>>>> eats the tape.
>>>>>> The cassettes have gotten stuck in one of them and I had to take off
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> cover to make the mechanism give them up.
>>>>>> Is that how it should be? Maybe the rubber parts need to be cleaned.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> *Are there any service centers for TASCAM in south Florida?*
>>>>>>
>>>>>> HELP!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>> Ben Roth
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> ---
>>>>> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
>>>>> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>


--
Ellis
[log in to unmask]
818-846-5525