On 27/08/2016 17:32, N_Cook wrote:


Selfie handle was too thick, stretched-on some silicone sleeving using
farmer's castration pliers. Made little difference. I think the problem
is the way the tape is taken off the inside of the reel of tape, at an
angle and so if the tape is sticky with age , there is a lot of
resistance there. Its a sort of continuous up-setting action.
Coupled with supply side is small diameter and take up is on the outside
so large diameter. So perhaps the tape winds on too tight if things have
gone out of balance. Next time of powering I'll add some rubber sleeve
over the spindle and try running the whole hank of tape through a few
times.
Is there a dry lubricant for such situations of sticky tape, graphite
powder? talcum may be too abrasive on the heads?

Disabled the braking.
Some rubber sleeving over the drive spindle and some graphite powder
laid over the top of the tape reel. Run it like that for 20 minutes,
removed the sleeving off the spindle and its been running fine since,
even at the slowest motor speed. Except for a coupled of sections of
ruckled tape running over the heads. Left the sleeving stretched over
the original pinch wheel.
The 2 dogs that keep the cart in place , spring action no longer strong
enough to keep the cart in regular contact with the heads , so a couple
of blocks of rubber each side and cable ties around offset that.