Tape Project Forum

Tape Machines => Reel to Reel Tape Machines => Topic started by: Teeg on May 20, 2010, 10:40:29 AM

Title: Decks with that 'old equipment' smell
Post by: Teeg on May 20, 2010, 10:40:29 AM

  My wife kept asking me what the odd or musty smell in the basement was, oddly enough I spend so much time down there that is goes unnoticed by me. She pointed out, and is correct, that my older Ampex decks, 350's and 440's, have an unusual smell to them, which I attribute to the motors and/or transport parts.
  I had wanted to put my Ampex's in a rack and move them to our upstairs audio room which is adjacent to the bedroom, but now I dont think that will work, given the wife's comments.
 The decks work fine and nothing is overheating or burning; they just have that funky old electronics smell. I really cant pinpoint it let alone try to remove it. Any suggestions?

Tj

Title: Re: Decks with that 'old equipment' smell
Post by: docb on May 20, 2010, 10:51:45 AM

That's funny, as we were working on a G36 yesterday and I was commenting about how much I love that smell because it reminds me of when I started out restoring antique radios and vintage hi fi gear.

Title: Re: Decks with that 'old equipment' smell
Post by: steveidosound on May 20, 2010, 10:54:55 AM

Warm grease, motor and transformer windings and paper capacitors if you ask me... plus a little tube dust...

Title: Re: Decks with that 'old equipment' smell
Post by: mep on May 21, 2010, 06:44:02 PM

I would move the gear upstairs and move the wife to the basement.

Mark

Title: Re: Decks with that 'old equipment' smell
Post by: c1ferrari on May 21, 2010, 09:17:46 PM

Quote from: mep on May 21, 2010, 06:44:02 PM

I would move the gear upstairs and move the wife to the basement.

Mark

Living dangerously, I see...lol.

-Sam