You completely avoided the jammed mechanism problem... the grease in these machines typically thickens up to a hard jam. Also seeing a mirror cassette being put to test in a eat-tapes machine has given me shivers. I believe I paid around 150 bucks my one and only mirror cassette... so, I use what I've always used: a trusty TDK D shell with spare tape and one of the sides opened.
Regarding curvature on that roller Paul, it looks harmless, but it isn't of course. I've never seen any definitive reference online for pinch rollers, but as far as I have learnt, the supply pinch roller (at least) has to be dead flat. (Edited) BTW, and of interest, I have an old TC-730ES where I replaced the heads in 2005. It's hardly had any hours of use since then, but not long ago I decided to get the old head lapped professionally, only to realise that the old head was part araldited on! I think Sony did this, not sure why? I wonder if the same is true of your TCK-71?
With this model you can BIASing ONLY Type I cassettes. All four types cassettes you can calibrate with TC-K81 and TC-K75 from same decks generation/series.
Nice work, thanks for sharing. I've got a TC-K81 that probably needs new pinch rollers, too. Where did you source your replacement rollers? Thanks again!
mid 70's? This is CLEARLY an early-to-mid 80's design... the audio equipment has very specific look from many eras, and this is VERY MUCH NOT 70's... Same way 90's equipment had a particular design language that can't be confused with earlier decades (and the trend away from silver front plates toward all black)...
I vr got 2 decks but I d changed the pinch rollet , theres no wow and flutter, only probl is the hum of the BSL motor.When switch betwen record or tape in the tape position coluld heard a little noise
