Tried to fix a 1980s cassette deck and ended up with a paperweight

I found a dusty Toshiba RT-SX85 at a garage sale in Cleveland last weekend for 5 bucks. Thought I'd replace the rubber belts inside, but one slipped and wrapped around the motor spindle, then the whole thing started smelling like burnt plastic. Learned that some repairs are just NOT worth the headache - has anyone else turned a fix into a total disaster?

2 comments

2 Comments

colemiller4d ago

That "burnt plastic" smell is the classic sign the motor seized up from the belt slipping too tight, common on those old Toshibas. Next time, try pulling the belt off by hand before it gets wound up, and use a drop of sewing machine oil on the motor bearings if they feel stiff. You probably just turned a $5 gamble into a lesson, but hey, at least the power cord is still good for something else.

mitchell.wade4d ago

And a spare power cord is always nice to have around (you never know when you'll need one). Dead right about the sewing machine oil too, that stuff works magic.