Bought a National RX-1940 portable as I really like the look of it. Now that I have it i find almost zero info online about it ... no repair videos, no manuals, no nothing ! Anyone have a service manual? I do have the original user manual. I have taken all the external screws out but it's still not loose for any cover to come off. Any hints to pull it open? Any similar model ? Help please, kind people.
As a tip, you should post more pictures from all sides, with door open etc. for such a request. Attached some found online to better illustrate what I describe below. It has a clear line (and different color plastic) separating the bottom cover from the rest of the case this being a clear indication that bottom cover is designed to come off. Given there are just 2 screws (and maybe the one in the front also holds a tab of that back cover), there are probably plastic clips holding the cover, which you will need to unclip with a plastic tool. I have seen Pansonics (like the RX-S35) on which the mechanism comes off the top, but those don't have a separate bottom cover, so yours clearly doesn't open like this. On the RX-1940 it's clear everything comes off from the bottom, as if you look in the cassette compartment the entire case is one molded part.
Thanks mate. I guess i should have posted more pics. The bottom only has 2 screws and doesn't seem loose after taking them out. I wouldnt think it's also clipped together? Maybe stuck with Age...does that happen?
Exactly given the fact it only has 2 screws, it has to have clips as 2 screws is not enough to secure that back cover firmly. As stated, it is possible that the cover has some lateral tabs with holes that also get fastened to some side screws, so it's better to remove all screws in order to avoid breaking the tabs in case it has them. But this is something you already did, so no worries there. Stuck with age ? I think it only needs a bit more persuasion and it will eventually come off. Apply as little force as possible in order to avoid breaking the plastic tabs. Please update the thread once you get it open, for future reference. Btw, you do not need to quote the previous post. You can just type in the text box below and press "Post Reply" instead.
Heres more pics. 2 screws on one side is for the lid. I do see 2 more screws inside the cassette area. I don't think I need to get them though. I will try a plastic spudger and see if the base will come off. Did they use clips back in '83, I thought newer 90s models started that.
The 2 screws inside the cassette compartment hold the mechanism itself to the upper part of the case. The ones on the sides however is not clear: some of them might have a double function to both hold the mechanism and the bottom cover as well. That we'll only find out after you remove the cover to see exactly how it's put together. In regard to clips and time period when manufacturers started to use them, indeed in the 90s they started to use less metal hence less screws. While it is indeed true that older models tend not to use clips, I can't totally exclude it as a possibility until we see how the cover is designed. If using a spudger still does not manage to move the back cover at all, what I recommend doing is removing the door and taking out those 2 screws in the cassette compartment. Who knows, maybe the entire PCB/mechanism assembly comes off together with the back cover and the PCB is screwed to the back cover (from the other side), can't exclude this possibility. It's actually quite probable this is the way to disassemble it.
Thought I'd update this post, might help someone. I took out all external screws, unclipped the spring on the side hinge of the door, levered the other hinge of the door. Removed the door and there were four screws inside the cassette well. After all that I could get it apart and ended with this.. I've removed the capstan and its retaining clip as well. Still have an issue to get gears off, something not quite right with the yellow coloured gears ..maybe another post one day.
I have few National RX-1940, This model is called " Picture frame walkman" . You can remove the front acrylic plate and place your favorite picture there and place the acrylic plate back. Let me know your progress on restoring it. My units were new and still working when i was making a video for my Instagram page. But most probably by now I need to change the belt.
Boodo, there must have been two similar models, this one can’t fit a photo. I have see the photo one and it has a slot or something to slide the pic in, mine doesn’t. Is the photo one a 1940? I’ve tried searching but can’t find anything, actually can’t really find anything about th 1940 at all. I have a problem with the Play gear , when in play the gears slip. If I touch the gear it works fine, just a tiny bit of pressure. It’s the small yellow coloured gears. Would love some more info please. A manual would be nice. should I start a new post about the Play issue?
Interesting, I didn't know some of RX-1940 cannot accommodate a picture. I have 2 (or maybe 3) and I remember that I tried this option and placed picture under acrylic plate. regarding the mechanical movement, I have no knowledge about a possible issue on this model. maybe @Valentin can help.
I remember finding a review of the photo type one. I thought it was a different model number than this. Of course I can’t find the info anymore.
These 2 gears marked in red are slipping ? Seems there's a clutch embedded in there. I would disassemble it and clean the felt pad first. Note the part on which the spring is rotatating will need some grease. If just cleaning alone doesn't help, you can always increase the friction of the clutch by moving the retainer (marked green) down. I suppose the problem with this walkman is low takeup torque ?
It seems to be fine if I put my finger on the white pulley that’s above the red circle you’ve drawn. It’s the small yellow gear with the issue. clutch gears, I have no clue what a clutch does in this case … I only know a clutch in a car gear box . What function does it do in cassette players? Looks like it presses the gear down but why is that needed? anyway, an issue is I have no idea how these unclip. I will give the gears a good clean to start with …. Man I hope that works. Belts were pretty loose, replaced both with slightly smaller.
A clutch in a cassette player has the purpose of accomodating the varying speed of the takeup reel. At the beginning of the tape (when the spool is empty) the speed of the spool is fast, while at the end (when spool is full) the speed is much slower. Unlike the clutch in a car which only slips briefly when starting from a dead stop or switching gears, this clutch used is cassette players is slipping all the time. In this walkman, the main clutch I was talking about is integrated into the middle pulley to which the secondary belt connects to. You can see a spring inside the pulley, that's the tell-tale sign it's a clutch. However, the takeup reel itself seems to have another clutch integrated into it. Seen this before in some walkmans, reason it's there is likely because the unit doesn't have an auto-off function, so when FF/REW reaches the end that takeup reel clutch starts to slip instead of stopping the motor. Ok, so from my understanding if you press on that white retainer (marked in green) the problem goes away. Is this correct ? If so, question is what happens when you put pressure on that retainer ? Does the entire takeup reel assy move down (so the upper gear engages with the smaller gear) or it's just the pressure itself that solves it ? Do note the takeup reel assy has 2 gears on top of each other. Which one engages with the small yellow gear (in picture it looks like the bottom one) ? The upper or the lower one ?
10pm for me so I will check tomorrow as I need to put the top half back on so it gets power.. to test. the big yellow clutch gear is the take up reel, the big white reel on the left is the other (not auto reverse). The small yellow gear connects (or should) to the lower teeth of the big yellow gear. All moves as it should when Play is pressed but seems small gear engages when I touch that upper white gear, maybe it moves slightly more when touched. I have given it a really good clean with electrical contact cleaner as it had a bit of oil/grease around this clutch assembly … hoping that’s a simple fix. Will report back tomorrow.
Well I got back to this finally. I cleaned it as much as I could where the clutch gears are, there was some grease plus a touch from me so got rid of it. And luckily it now works well. Headphone jack and volume pot needed a good clean, it's not crackly now. Speed check is pretty close to perfect, didn't need to adjust which is a bonus as I would have had to damage the back label to get to the speed pot. Thanks for the help @Valentin and everyone else. Here's a few photos of it all together. It's a bit of a creaky plastic case but I like the look of it. I love the pearl white colour finish it has. @Boodokhan can you post some pics of your ones with photo frame door please?
