When I saw this for sale 2 weeks ago, I didn't know of the existence of this model. So I immediately looked it up and instantly decided that I really want it. In addition to the styling which I love very much, this has got a rather unique mechanism for a boombox. It's a top loader! The seller says the the unit works well as speaker (line in) but neither the radio nor the tape is working. Though the sound of the motor can be heard. So I'm expecting it to be a simple belt change. It arrived as described and quite dirty. I couldn't find any manual online, and thankfully it was very easy to open up. The entire front panel with the speakers swings away cleanly and can be removed by releasing 2 wire connectors. I was quite surprised at the mechanism, due to the fact that the entire assembly of the capstan, gear and spindles is actually "floating" and swings into place when a cassette is in place. I don't know if this is common with this kind of mechanism where you slide the cassette in, I have only done a few of those, and they all lower the cassette into the spindles instead. The mechanism was equally easy to take out. Just need to unscrew 3 screws and release 3 connectors and the entire thing can be lifted out. I turned it around and what I saw really dismayed me. The flywheel was is bad shape. There are plenty of cracks and they almost goes all the way around. Not really something you usually see. A quick check, though, shows that it is still turning smoothly. So I surmised that it's probably still acceptable to use. There was no chips as well. So I decided to fill in the cracks. Some sort preventive measures from a catastrophic failure in case the cracks were to grow. That was easy enough to do, but apparently the problem was more severe. I refitted the capstan and found a suitable belt and I noticed that it was not turning smoothly. It turned out that the flywheel is warped. Should've checked that from the beginning... At this point, I'm almost ready to put this project on the shelf. I've no idea what other unit shares this mechanism, and it almost definitely impossible to find a donor unit. Ordering a machined part would be possible, but that would cost a lot and definitely not a quick process. My only other choice is to scavenge parts from other non-compatible unit. So I went through my pile of dead units and found a cheap Panatel recorder. The diameter was almost right. It was a little larger but I'm guessing it's still within the speed adjustment range. The more pressing problem was the fact that the other that the diameter, the current arrangement would make it unusable. For the GF-8, I need belt to ride nearer to the base of the capstan, instead of the top of the flywheel. And there needs to be surface of a thicker diameter for a rubber idler to ride on. This will in turn rotate the forward spindle. To fit the current capstan flywheel into the GF-8, I basically pulled the capstan so that it now protrudes from the other side. Then I took a capstan bushing from a Sanyo walkman to increase the diameter of the base. I simply cut it to length, then slid it down and glued it. I also need more clearance in the bottom the accomodate the tip of the idler's axle. I managed to get that by cutting a shallow ring in the plastic. After that it's basically just some cleaning and fresh rubber all around. I couldn't get an idler of the right size, so I made one from a sheet of neoprene. Everything fitted back nicely and it now works like a charm. This new flywheel is definitely not as precisely made as the original and is much lighter as well due to it not being a full-metal construction, but I definitely think it's giving a very satisfying performance.
Looks like a good job you've done there. This was my first box I purchased way back in around '82 I think and was very surprised at how solid the unit was. Loved the cassette mechanism and the PLL tuner which was popular at the time due to having presets. The APSS worked really well also. I remember paying £89.99 for it at the time which was expensive for such a small box at the time. I've had 3 more of these since and all have had cassette issues, but I bought them regardless even though I am not really in any position to service them.
It is definitely a very solid machine indeed. Excellent build quality. The way the handle was attached to the body was very overly-done, in my opinion. It's a rare unit, even more so here, so I definitely think it's worth the effort. In this case, since this a a grooved spindle idler, I just cut it into a long strip and glued it in place. I can use tools to make rings, but that hassle doesn't seem to be necessary in this case.
I was kinda annoyed myself actually. Upon buying this I was thinking this was an easy fix... Now I'm struggling with hot to customize rollers for my Uher CR210
What a clever restoration. It looks as if the original flywheel was suffering from the dreaded "zinc pest". I have seen a model railway locomotive in which the chassis had bent like banana because of it. Two things you might not realise about the GF8 are How high-tech the digital tuning was when the unit came out. It probably doubled the price of the boombox compared to things like Sharp QTs. The radios on some Sharps from that era with Digital tuning won't work unless the memory back up batteries are fitted.
Yeah. I seem to have the same problems in some of my die-cast trucks from the 80's. Oh, Thank you! That's some excellent information, something's that I've been wanting to know too actually. There isn't much info around about this thing. When I got it I definitely didn't expect it to be from as early as 1982. Quite modern stuff with equally modern styling. The original retail price was apparently JPY 58,000. The radio was dead in the beginning, and the seller said that it was because it needs those extra AA batteries (the springs for those abtteries are totally corroded) and I though he was just making some random observation. But now it does work with the springs replaced. So it's good to know that that's the expected behaviour On thing I found odd is that I don't need to press the power button to play a tape. I just need to put a cassette in, and it immediately plays (with sound as well). I know that this is an auto-play mechanism like a car stereo, but I expected the mechanism to just engage and not turn on with the power button off.
Great to hear the radio is working. I think the AAs power the microprocessor that controls the radio. While other manufacturers had made radios with a normal tuning knob but a digital display, the digitally controlled presets on the GF8 and a few other Sharp models were new to Boomboxes.
This is one heroic restoration! I am with @autoreverser, I would have given up on something like this! You learn something new every day when watching you Dudes! So, it is called “zinc pest”?!! I have some horror photos of Philips laser mechanisms, as used in my fav Philips Discmans. Had to buy a few, then sent to Kaosun (kaosuncd.com) to get one working Philips Discman for my collection
That is what Wikipedia calls it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_pest I guess we both disagree with the statement "articles made after 1960 are usually considered free of the risk of zinc pest" though Reproduction Paya trains made in the 1980s were particularly prone to it.
I found my photos of Philips RCD2 laser mechanism! With lens moved out of the way: further disassembled to reveal the prism smothered by crystallized metal oxides: I bought five or six Philips Discmans with the same mechanism, they All had been killed by Zink Pest!!! I mailed the whole bunch to kaosuncd.com, and with his magic touch he fixed two RCD2 lasers for me
I was under the impression that these only appears in lower quality brands, but apparently I was wrong.
I do not blame Philips for this, as with Philips boomboxes with crumbling gears made of soft plastics, this must be the case of German “over-engineering” ... as my son complaining about his Porsche... or may-be they just had too much royalties off their patents??? To make it short: I do Not go for any Philips Discmans no more...
These GF-8's are indeed a nightmare to work on! The deck, clever as it appears to be is inherently unstable due to the way it operates - Much like a cheap car cassette player (From which the deck is almost certainly derived) & even with a correct belt set & undamaged flywheel, playback isn't great! General pop music is passable but anything demanding sounds terrible imo! Too many belts & a real load for the poor little motor to cope with probably diminishes in performance over the years............ I've done two of these now & had electronic problems too! Fascinating design & all that & visually desirable no question - I wouldn't want to see another one that's for sure!! My own GF-8 which now has a new owner & new issues sadly! Damn thing lol https://onedrive.live.com/?id=BEA218B70F2B18D1!32184&cid=BEA218B70F2B18D1
That's interesting to hear. Seeing it, I do have questions about the durability of such a mechanism. Though, not being familiar with car cassette players, the mechanism does intrigues me a lot. It's like complicated and simple at the same time. The layout makes it complicated, but the actual gear movements are is actually only quite a small part of the mech. Thankfully mine don't seem to have any electronic problems, as that would be out of my league. I definitely want to see the red version, though
