Mini video tutorial: how to repair microdrive cartridges

[Saltor66]

Here it is:

http://apuliaretrocomputing.wordpress.c ... icrodrive/

[vanpeebles]

Interesting, does the glue repair the felt pad?

[Saltor66]

Interesting, does the glue repair the felt pad?

The glue consolidates the felt pad. The liquid glue doesn't harden it.

[vanpeebles]

Ah, and it doesn't leave a mark or damage the tape? Looks a good idea for salvaging iffy cartridges

[Saltor66]

Ah, and it doesn't leave a mark or damage the tape? Looks a good idea for salvaging iffy cartridges

No marks nor damage.

[vanpeebles]

Very clever I wonder what the equivalent glue would be in the UK.

[Saltor66]

Very clever

Many thanks.
Just published some clarifications.

[Simon_Carr]

I'm just awaiting the arrival of assorted felt and foam pads of 1-2mm thickness, and will be seeing this seeking if I can rebuild the pressure pads on some test microdrive cartridges, to see if they can be brought back to life. My impression from looking at assorted QL/Spectrum microdrive forum posts on this topic, as well as a few audio-tape sites that replacing the pad MAY just work...

This video is very useful, IF you still have a delicate, though largely intact tape pad in your cartridge, but my experience is that is that usually the pad has largely disintegrated and there is just a remnant sticky patch on the small copper spring.

I'll let you know what happens!

[Dave]

It's not too much of a problem that the pad is missing, as the tape keeps good contact with the head without the pad in place. The problem is usually that the pad comes off and gets drawn inside the microdrive case, where it gets mashed up in the tape loop, contaminating it with debris.