Anyone in the Bay Area still fix VCRs?

[olePigeon]

Looking for someone who still fixes VCRs. I have a vintage RCA VKP-950. I've replaced all the belts and put in a new idler, but the spindles still don't work correctly. Someone had worked on it before I purchased it, and said "just needs new belts." But there's something else wrong, and I don't know what it is. I did discover that the left spindle was missing a washer, so it was too low and scraping on the frame. I don't know what else is missing or not functioning correctly.

It will thread tape, but will spill out the right side. Despite my best efforts to lubricate the spindles, they barely turn when the idler is engaged.

I don't know what else to do, and I don't want to buy another one. I'd rather pay someone to fix this one.

I tried calling 5 or 6 different TV repair places, and none of them will fix VCRs anymore.

 

[Trixter]

Do you have an attachment to this specific unit, or does it excel in some way? I'm asking because you'll pay more to repair it than to simply obtain a working player from Goodwill/etc.

There are currently two VKP-950s on ebay, one untested for $24, and another for $30 that is exhibiting the same issue you describe.

 

[olePigeon]

Well, I can take a gamble on eBay once again with no assurances that the replacement VCR will even work (probably $75 to $100 when you include shipping, taxes, and fees) or I can have some knowledgable actually fix the VCR I have, and I know it's working.

I'm not particularly attached to it, but I would like a working Selectavision VCR to match my Dimensia TV.

 

[olePigeon]

I've continued to work on it until I can find a replacement. But I've made some progress. The supply spindle is now working correctly, but I don't know what I did to make it work. The takeup spindle is still not working. Just a tiny bit of pressure on the idler gets it going again. It's a brand new idler, though. So I don't know why it's not reaching and/or not gripping. I think what I'll try next is putting a rubber band around the idler wheel and make it a tiny bit bigger. Or maybe around the spindle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-kpkLLzMGs

 

[olePigeon]

VCR decided not to power up normally. Had intermittent power. The idler couldn't even get past the little white peg anymore even when it seemed to be fully powered on.

I spent an hour taking it apart. Voltages fine to and from the transformer and to the control/distribution (?) board.

However, on the main power board the capacitors appear to have vomited all over the board. Crap everywhere. So I'm going to attempt to replace the capacitors and give it a good clean. I'm really hoping that it was just a power issue all this time.