VCR repair tips and cleaning maintenance supplies from Ken's Electronics, (Wholesale & Retail Electronic Parts) Kalamazoo, Michigan

Ken's Electronics, (Wholesale & Retail Electronic Parts) Kalamazoo, Michigan

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VCR Repair Maintenance and Cleaning Supplies

CR80-510 Video & Audio Head Cleaning Solution 1/2 oz	$6.20
PH-CB402 =60-402 audio video tape recorder 2 ounce cleaning fluid =Carter Craft 60-402	$6,69
Blow Off Contact Cleaner 11 oz aerosol
Blow Off Freeze Spray 10 oz anti-static aerosol
80-403 Laser Disc Lens Cleaner Kit for DVD & CD & Computer	$10.50
80-404 Computer Disk & Compact Disc Cleaning Kit	$5.00

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Free VCR Technical Repair Tips:
About 75% of all VCR problems can be repaired for less than $20 by someone with "common sense" mechanical skills even with no electronics training. Many problems can be solved by cleaning the heads & replacing rubber drive components: belts, idler tires, & pinch rollers. Average life of rubber parts in most areas is 3-5 years; in hot humid areas such as Florida the belts & tires may need replacement annually.
Cleaning the heads can cure a myriad of symptoms such as: snow, streaks, half a picture, zigzag lines thru the picture, skipping, tracking problems.
Looking inside a typical VCR: the VIDEO HEAD is a chrome plated drum about 2-1/2 inches diameter. There is an erase head to the left and an audio head to the right. The erase & audio heads can be cleaned with a swab doused with fluid with an up/down motion; the video head can be turned several turns with a finger while gently holding the swab to the outside "drum" surface to clean it (do not comtaminate the working surface with oil from your fingers).
The slide slots for the tape guides should be lubricated with a thin coating of Lubriplate.
The following symptoms & cures may be helpful:
Play a few seconds then stop: (Toshiba M-5120 vintage 1987) Removed the metal bottom cover and found the flat capstan drive belt measured 10-5/8" and seemed quite limber; replacement EVG=1407-198 or PRB=FRM10.2 gripped the pulleys much better so it wouldn't slip! The loading belt EVG=1425-08 or PRB=SCQ3.6 looked good so cleaned it with ReGrip instead of replacing it. Idler tire EVG=1428-95 or PRB=ST1.211 powers the takeup reels for play and rewind; didn't look cracked or badly worn so cleaned the tire with ReGrip.
Eats the tape: (Wards JSJ-10616 made by Sharp 1993) Tape was jammed around the pinch roller; easy way to remove it was to cut the tape with sissors, then plug unit in & press EJECT. Cleaned capstan & pinch roller. Replaced (2) belts and cleaned the third (4") belt with ReGrip. The old capstan belt SCA8.6 measured 9.5 inches & the old SCQ3.2 loading belt measured 3.5 inches. This made it work okay most of the time but occasionally a loop of tape would appear between the capstan/pinch roller and the takeup reel in the cassette (after pressing STOP then PLAY). This indicated that the takeup spindle needed to be removed so the shaft could be lubricated; making sure that the clutch was clean & dry so it wouldn't slip unnecessarily.

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