Studer A80 Tape play tention with Tentelometer

geovar

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2017
4
0
106
Hi out there
I need your help to check/adjust the tape path of my A80 and especially the play tension with an SM900 tape.
Tools I have for the specific job:
1. Spring scale 0-500grs
2. Tentelometer T2-H2-UM (0-600grs/0-21ounces)
According the Service Manual of the A80 RC:
1. Using the spring scale and pulling a ~3m tape on a NAB left reel, you must reed 100gr on the scale. I don't like this procedure,big margin of error I think.
2. Having the above Tentelometer,properly calibrated, where exactly I must position the tentelometer to reed/check the 50p according again the Manual?(by the way 50p is 50grs?? Yes??)
It is Ok position it between erase and record head? If not where?
3.The proper tension depends from the amount of tape in the left/right reels? Equal amount left/right of a 1100m SM900 is ok??
Thanks in advance
George
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
Hi out there
I need your help to check/adjust the tape path of my A80 and especially the play tension with an SM900 tape.
Tools I have for the specific job:
1. Spring scale 0-500grs
2. Tentelometer T2-H2-UM (0-600grs/0-21ounces)
According the Service Manual of the A80 RC:
1. Using the spring scale and pulling a ~3m tape on a NAB left reel, you must reed 100gr on the scale. I don't like this procedure,big margin of error I think.
2. Having the above Tentelometer,properly calibrated, where exactly I must position the tentelometer to reed/check the 50p according again the Manual?(by the way 50p is 50grs?? Yes??)
It is Ok position it between erase and record head? If not where?
3.The proper tension depends from the amount of tape in the left/right reels? Equal amount left/right of a 1100m SM900 is ok??
Thanks in advance
George

A 0-500grs spring scale will not be accurate enough for this purpose. You should get a 0-100g for this purpose, setting the 100 gr with 0-500g and then fine tuning for 100g with the 0-100g with enough precision - typically 2%. With a A80 you do not need the tentelometer - you can easily calibrate the angle of the tension rollers versus tension. Although I also have a Tentelometer when I set the tape tension I use some paper painter masking tape to draw a scale on the moving disk.
 

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