Commodore CASSIOPEI, User Manual

Page: 58 / 76

9.4.2 Pinch roller problems
The pinch roller pushes the tape against the capstan (the
metal pin actually moving the tape) the capstan is directly
connected to the flywheel which is driven by belts.
The pinch roller could be dirty, in very severe cases it could
be even as dirty in as shown the picture on the right. You
can clean it using cue-tip or cotton swaps and rubbing
alcohol.
Put the datasette without a tape in the play mode and gently
clean the now rotating pinch roller. If you notice that the
capstan is dirty too, clean that as well. Keep cleaning until
all the dirt has been removed.
After cleaning wait 15 minutes for it to properly dry before
you start playing tapes. Otherwise the tape might stick to
the capstan and be damaged.
If the pinch roller is very smooth and shiny like a mirror like surface, then it may be helpful to
roughen the pinch roller a littlebit, some fine sandpaper can do the trick. While doing this, make
sure you'll sand the surface evenly, because you don't want any flat spots. Therefore this should
only be tried when there are no other options left.
When the pinch roller has hardened (which is not unlikely to happen over a period of 30 years) then
it won't push against the tape with the correct force. Causing the tape to slip, causing the tape speed
to be irregular. When the pinch roller can be pushed in with your fingernail and bounces back
you're OK, if it doesn't, you'll need to replace it.
Another problem might be that there is a dent in the pinch roller. If for some reason the datasette
has been stored for a long time with the play button pressed, then the pinch roller has been pressed
onto the capstan for a long time, causing an impression in the rubber pinch roller that won't go
away. The only option is to replace the pinch roller as it is permanently damaged by the constant
pressure of the capstan.
2019-10-27 Page 58 of 76 CASSIOPEI v2.0