The Mellotron Group

Hi all,

I just installed the new Streetly frame into my M400 and am now in process of realligning te pressure pads / pinchrollers.
The old original tape set just needed too much 'push' to make   them play ok 

I already gently oiled some of the pinchrollers which stuck,that seems to work fine.Can I clean the rollers with alcohol or would that ruin them?

Cheers,H
#920

: )

But the the next day tho,hung over and set to sort out the Tron ( as if one could )

In the studio it used to be practice not to clean the Studer rollers with isopropdyl /alcohol  as it made them swell / uneven.Not sure if Trons use the same material for their rollers

Regards,H

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht -----
Van: "Rick Blechta" <rick@rickblechta.com>
Aan: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Verzonden: 24-11-07 20:13
Onderwerp: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Alcohol / Pinchrollers


On Nov 24, 2007, at 2:05 PM, Hessel Herder wrote:

> Can I clean the rollers with alcohol or would that ruin them?
>
> Cheers,H

Most of us drink the alcohol and wind up forgetting about the  
mellotron for another day.

Rick

In a message dated 11/24/2007 2:06:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
hessel@soundscape.nl writes:

Hi all,

I just installed the new Streetly frame into my M400 and am now in process of 
realligning te pressure pads / pinchrollers.
The old original tape set just needed too much 'push' to make them play ok 

I already gently oiled some of the pinchrollers which stuck,that seems to 
work fine.Can I clean the rollers with alcohol or would that ruin them?

Cheers,H
#920

Caveat: make sure all the excess oil is wiped away.  Tapes don't like oil.  
The alcohol roller dip is quite acceptable (and preferable).
 
You may want to consider slightly catilevering the edges of the rollers.  
They tend to wear concave with age.  Cantilevering provides a better surface to 
grip the tapes and reduce the possibility of tapes being skewed (and skewered).
 
Frank 1



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If you must use alcohol, denatured alcohol works fine. Oiling pinch rollers  
is a temporary fix, at best. Oil attracts dirt and the rollers eventually 
stick  again. I usually pop the roller out of the key spring (carefully) and clean 
the  axle with a Dremel tool and a wire wheel. Then I clean and deburr the 
inside of  the hub until it spins freely on the axle. I then reinsert the axle 
and roller  into the spring. and re-peen the axle ends. This is a permanent 
fix. The roller  will never again require oil.
 
Frank II



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Hi Frank,

I have used WD40 on making pinchrollers spin again.
Once treated as such,will your way of cleaning them avoid any possible attraction of dirt?

Ta

H
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht -----
Van: lsf5275@aol.com
Aan: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com; hessel@soundscape.nl
Verzonden: 24-11-07 22:42
Onderwerp: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Alcohol / Pinchrollers

If you must use alcohol, denatured alcohol works fine. Oiling pinch rollers  
is a temporary fix, at best. Oil attracts dirt and the rollers eventually 
stick  again. I usually pop the roller out of the key spring (carefully) and clean 
the  axle with a Dremel tool and a wire wheel. Then I clean and deburr the 
inside of  the hub until it spins freely on the axle. I then reinsert the axle 
and roller  into the spring. and re-peen the axle ends. This is a permanent 
fix. The roller  will never again require oil.
 
Frank II



**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
products.
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Thanks! At long last I have a use for my Dremel!!!

reagards,
partune

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, lsf5275@... wrote:
>
> If you must use alcohol, denatured alcohol works fine. Oiling pinch 
rollers  
> is a temporary fix, at best. Oil attracts dirt and the rollers 
eventually 
> stick  again. I usually pop the roller out of the key spring 
(carefully) and clean 
> the  axle with a Dremel tool and a wire wheel. Then I clean and 
deburr the 
> inside of  the hub until it spins freely on the axle. I then 
reinsert the axle 
> and roller  into the spring. and re-peen the axle ends. This is a 
permanent 
> fix. The roller  will never again require oil.
>  
> Frank II
> 
> 
> 
> **************************************Check out AOL's list of 
2007's hottest 
> products.
> (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?
NCID=aoltop00030000000001)
>

WD40 will dry out in a days, if not hours. It's a short-term solution 
at  best.

If you want a slightly better alternative then try Servisol which 
appears to last much better.

Hessel Herder wrote:
>
> Hi Frank,
>
> I have used WD40 on making pinchrollers spin again.
> Once treated as such,will your way of cleaning them avoid any possible 
> attraction of dirt?
>
> Ta
>
> H
>
>
>  

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Can you use Graves 190? Whatever's left over could then be mixed 
with beer and punch for a little Hop, Skip and Go Naked.

Bernie

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, lsf5275@... wrote:
>
> If you must use alcohol, denatured alcohol works fine. Oiling 
pinch rollers  
> is a temporary fix, at best. Oil attracts dirt and the rollers 
eventually 
> stick  again. I usually pop the roller out of the key spring 
(carefully) and clean 
> the  axle with a Dremel tool and a wire wheel. Then I clean and 
deburr the 
> inside of  the hub until it spins freely on the axle. I then 
reinsert the axle 
> and roller  into the spring. and re-peen the axle ends. This is a 
permanent 
> fix. The roller  will never again require oil.
>  
> Frank II
> 
> 
> 
> **************************************Check out AOL's list of 
2007's hottest 
> products.
> (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?
NCID=aoltop00030000000001)
>

Sperm?  Anybody?
 
Streetly Electronics - All Things Mellotronic

_www.mellotronics.com_ (http://www.mellotronics.com/) 
US Sales  East: Jimmy Moore_  JMoore6397@aol.com_ 
(http://JMoore6397@aol.com/) 
US Sales West: Paul Cox_  pjc56@earthlink.net_ (http://pjc56@earthlink.net/)

An odd request, but why not?  I'll trade you some for a couple of new 
tape frames.  Let's see....Mk II 3 violins, flute, and Tenor Sax on one 
and M300b, Oboe, and that new vibrato-y Cello on the other.
jb

PS - Ask Gallo - it's a bargain


tronbros@aol.com wrote:

> Sperm?  Anybody?
>  
> *Streetly Electronics - All Things Mellotronic
>
> *www.mellotronics.com <http://www.mellotronics.com/>
> US Sales East: Jimmy Moore JMoore6397@aol.com <http://JMoore6397@aol.com/>
> US Sales West: Paul Cox pjc56@earthlink.net <http://pjc56@earthlink.net/>

In a message dated 11/24/2007 5:54:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
hessel@soundscape.nl writes:

Once  treated as such,will your way of cleaning them avoid any possible 
attraction  of dirt?



Any fluid you use to lubricate pinch rollers will eventually make them  
worse. The only proper way is to remove the roller, polish the axle, hone out  the 
hub and reassemble. There is nothing on a properly cleaned and restored  
Mellotron that needs oil except the motor shaft where it passes through the  
bushings.
 
Regards,
 
Frank



**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
products.
(http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)

Hello-
  I agree that oils should be avoided in lubricating
the 'tron.  But, penetrating oils (like WD-40 or
3-In-1) and silicone based oils, should be avoided
completely.  Even though they can evaporate, the
solvents in them tend to make things dissolve
unexpectedly, or soften.  If the oil gets into a pinch
roller, god knows what could happen to the tape.   
Silicones tend to bond to metal and electronics,
changing their characteristics.  It is very hard to
completely clean off.  Get silicone oil on a circuit
board, and solder repair can be damn near impossible.
  If you feel oiling needs to be done, use a pure fine
machine oil, with NO additives.

   -Bruce D.


--- Hessel Herder <hessel@soundscape.nl> wrote:

> Hi Frank,
> 
> I have used WD40 on making pinchrollers spin again.
> Once treated as such,will your way of cleaning them
> avoid any possible attraction of dirt?
> 
> Ta
> 
> H
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht -----
> Van: lsf5275@aol.com
> Aan: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com;
> hessel@soundscape.nl
> Verzonden: 24-11-07 22:42
> Onderwerp: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Alcohol /
> Pinchrollers
> 
> If you must use alcohol, denatured alcohol works
> fine. Oiling pinch rollers  
> is a temporary fix, at best. Oil attracts dirt and
> the rollers eventually 
> stick  again. I usually pop the roller out of the
> key spring (carefully) and clean 
> the  axle with a Dremel tool and a wire wheel. Then
> I clean and deburr the 
> inside of  the hub until it spins freely on the
> axle. I then reinsert the axle 
> and roller  into the spring. and re-peen the axle
> ends. This is a permanent 
> fix. The roller  will never again require oil.
>  
> Frank II
> 
> 
> 
> **************************************Check out
> AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
> products.
>
(http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)
> 
> 



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

Good old fashion Man Oil........
                                                    Jimmy Moore



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products.
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In a message dated 11/26/2007 7:13:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
JMoore6397@aol.com writes:

Good old  fashion Man Oil........
 

That shit is a mess. Every time I use it, it ends up leaking back out all  
over the place. My oiler has a long spout, but still, a few minutes after using  
it, towels are required.
 
 
However, oiling is fun.



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--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, lsf5275@... wrote:

My oiler has a long spout, 

Sometimes the shorter oilers have higher capacity and a better pump.

In a message dated 11/27/2007 12:26:01 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
ecclesreinson@rogers.com writes:

Sometimes the shorter oilers have higher capacity and a better  pump.
 




Unlikely in this case, but be proud of your oiler. To lose it would be  
devastating.



**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
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