Nightmare on the Akai (8) track

[winopener]

Hello all,
two days ago happened for the first time the most dreaded thing for a 8 track guy: a tape unspliced and wound up to the capstan.
The probelm is, it happened on the Akai cd-80ss. On all the other players and recorders i had where that thing happened, it was fairly easy to reach the capstan and do my thing.
The Akai instead, being build like a tank, it is really a tank... and the tape is stuck along all the capstan (also below and above where the tape usually pass).
So... need some advice on how to take apart the Akai. I need to physically remove the capstan and have no idea how to proceed in order to not make damage.

Thanks for any help. From the structure, as i can see it, I'm quite sure it will take many hours to do it, but if someone else has sectioned the Akai he can give me some hint.

 

[Simon A]

Hello all,
two days ago happened for the first time the most dreaded thing for a 8 track guy: a tape unspliced and wound up to the capstan.
The probelm is, it happened on the Akai cd-80ss. On all the other players and recorders i had where that thing happened, it was fairly easy to reach the capstan and do my thing.
The Akai instead, being build like a tank, it is really a tank... and the tape is stuck along all the capstan (also below and above where the tape usually pass).
So... need some advice on how to take apart the Akai. I need to physically remove the capstan and have no idea how to proceed in order to not make damage.

Thanks for any help. From the structure, as i can see it, I'm quite sure it will take many hours to do it, but if someone else has sectioned the Akai he can give me some hint.

Sorry to hear about your difficulties.

Maybe the person responsible for this video could be of some help. You may try to contact him in case he'd have some tips for you.

 

[quadsearcher]

I haven't watched the above video, but I've been there. Can't remove the capstan unless the tape is removed from it first. I used an extra long straight hemostat, and be ready to turn the flywheel to help get at the end of the tape.

 

[winopener]

I've seen the video and the cleaning he's doing is something that doesn't touch the mechanic...
The flywheel can turn one side or the other, the problem is that the tape wound up all over the capstan structure*. I need to unmount the entire capstan structure, and that's a royal mess.

*before someone chime in to say "you didn't hear that it wasn't playing right...." i was recording a tape.

 

[quadsearcher]

So it is stuffed full enough it won't turn around and around? I'd try to get a long handled hobby knife (X-Acto knife) and slice through some layers oftape, before attempting that kind of disassembly. I've done it on that model. (the knife, not the disassembly).

 

[winopener]

That knife idea seems the best way to try now... i've opened top bottom and sides and basically the only possiblity to remove the capstan block is to take apart the lower part of the cart slot... but it is a royal mess.