Ampex MM-1100 problems

[PantherAmpex]

just wondering if there is some other Ampex mm1100 users that could help me out.

my deck is a 8 track 1 inch

First question is about parts.

I really need a brake roller- the one on the machine is sticky and is sticking to the tape. anyone now where to get one of these?

Second question
- I plugged it in after getting it home and it had the fast forward and rewind lights on and the arm lights where turning red when i armed the tracks. The reels where just spining like crazy. so i turned it off. Back on and it did the same thing.
turned it on again and it was fine. loaded up a tape and it seemed to play. however the arm lights no longer turn red.
haven't done much more as i have run out of time.

Anyone heard of this problem before- sound like anything you have encountered before?

There is something messed up going on and it must have happened in transport as it was working before.

any thoughts?

 

[radardoug]

That rubber roller is called a pinch roller. Try Terry's rubber rollers, do a web search.
The 1100 did not have a load switch to make tape loading easy. There is a shutoff switch which is the lever on the right hand side, its a combined switch and tape guide. When you load tape, do not activate this switch until you have the tape fully threaded. The MM1200 had an extra switch on this arm, and you pulled it to the right and a magnet held it there, you loaded tape, and then released it.
Once that switch is activated there is power on the motors so if you have not tape on they will spin.
If the motors run when you turn the power on its one of two things, blown up motor drivers (common)
or misadjustment of the shutoff switch.