On 25/03/2010 13:32, bz wrote:
wrote in
:

VCR chews tapes because suspension arc for the jockey-wheel/idler/ slip
clutch assembly is an arc of plastic moulded over the steel of the
chassis. Then has cracked and catches the carrier as it swings across .
A web of plastic filaments joining odd bits of plastic pillars etc,
located by flowing through holes in the metal at formation, but one of
the interconnects forming this arc. If anyone remembers all those
Philips car radios that used plastic rim to the metal capstans, that
failed, because of excess heat inside the dashboard of a car in summer
and differential expansion of incompatible materials. Or I thought so
,this in a domestic TV/VCR combo with ps and heat over the VCR , not
under. This is a Daewoo GB14F8T2 using coincidentally? lots of Philips
chippery. So could it be just an age effect, 1999 vcr, this hard plastic
contracting with age


One possible fix uses 'shapelock' plastic

http://shapelock.com/

It is neat stuff. Looks and acts like nylon (can be machined and painted)
EXCEPT
if you heat it to 60 deg C, it turns clear, can be shaped like clay, by
hand!,
sticks to other plastics!, and takes a fine impression.

I have used it to fix my wifes sewing machine, to fix a broken nylon
printer gear, to fix the paper tray in a printer, and to secure connectors
in a multi media lab where users have been insisting on disconnecting the
video connectors and rewiring things the way they think it needs to be. I
globbed the plastic around the gnurled knobs on the vga connectors on the
switch box, so that they CAN't disconnect things (without a hot air gun or
a knife and a LOT of hard work).

You should be able to 'fix' the broken brackets with this stuff.

I have experimented, leaving some in my car in the summer, and it did NOT
get hot enough in the car to soften the plastic.

Of course, if your VCR gets above 60 C inside, it will NOT hold.


Known as Polymorph in the UK, available from Rapid electronics.