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Old 14th Jan 2019, 1:30 pm   #5
Studio263
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,574
Default Re: Ferguson 3V29 Alignment/Interference issues

Quick and dirty alignment method:

Make sure that the upper and lower drums are clean and that none of the guides or poles are bent. Then adjust the entrance guide (left hand side) downwards until you just see the edge of the tape begin to curl on the beginning of the rabbet (the inclined ramp machined into the bottom of the lower drum). Shining a small light across the tape will help you see the onset of the curl. Then adjust the guide upwards until the 'curl' disappears. Do the same for the exit guide at the point where the tape leaves the rabbet. I've used this method many times for 'record only' decks (e.g. Sony CCD-M8) with 100% success.

If a known good tape then plays almost correctly but with poor frame sync, adjust the entrance guide upwards slightly until the sync locks. If you still can't get good results the upper drum may be faulty of the lower drum worn, but check things like the back tension (not a traditional 3V29 weakness) and the impedance roller (next to the full erase head) first. The impedance roller falling apart was a common problem with the Hitachi VTRs before the VT-11.

You can also play a known good tape and adjust the azimuth of the audio / control head for the sharpest sound, that should ensure that the control track is being read properly. If this is miles out, check that the pinch roller hasn't gone barrel-shaped or that its bracket isn't bent.
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