+Philsan Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 I received an Atari 810 disk drive. I think it's a MPI version because it has a "garage" door. Is it normal that there's no spring-loaded close/eject mechanism? I have to manually insert and remove the floppy disk. It is easily fixable? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 I think that's normal. Just checked mine. I opened the door and strangely had resistance as you'd expect from a self-ejecting mech. But close and eject and it just sits in there. Then on subsequent reinserts I get no resistance. I can't remember really - I've not used a working 810 in probably over 30 years - had this one for about 15 but it's not worked in that time probably due to some electrical or logic board issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 27, 2019 Author Share Posted September 27, 2019 810 Field Service Manual: In November 1982, the drive mechanism of the 810 Analog disk drive was changed from MPI to Tandon. The Tandon version is known as the "810T Analog" disk drive. TANDON (810T Analog) MPI (Pre-Analog & 810M Analog) FRONT Operated by a front latch. Operated by a door release BEZEL No diskette eject mechanism. Raise button. the front latch to access diskette. Contains a diskette eject Plastic guides and front latch mechanism. inhibitor position the diskette. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Slight lack of 810 videos it would seem. But, advance to around 7 minutes on this one, it looks like his eject mech is working fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 27, 2019 Author Share Posted September 27, 2019 Exactly the video I saw yesterday and made me thinking.So is it a common fault?Is it easy to fix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 The weird thing for me is that my drive had that resistance at the last inch and a bit of the first insertion but didn't repeat that trait again. So maybe it's a common thing like a spring losing tension or coming off - though I didn't hear any strange sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) normally compressed air and wiggling about gets them moving again... although sometime the metal is slight bent and need a litter fiddling to make it release again... make sure the disk slots are clean and the disk edges themselves are not dragging do to flattening and other long term storage issues. very rarely the piece that prods the eject is in need of repair... Edited September 27, 2019 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACML Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) The garage door units are MPI mechs. When you pop the door open it should eject. The Tandon mech did not have an eject feature. I can't say I remember the eject type. The Doctor's recommendation to use compressed air sounds like a good start. Make sure power is off before you use compressed air. Edited September 27, 2019 by ACML 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 I opened the drive and found the problem. To release the disk, the hook should lift the horizontal plate. I don't understand how to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) The metal descender with the hook on the end needs a tweak to apply pressure towards the red loctite covered screw at the back of the catch band.. too much and it will not go in the hole, too little and it will not grab. the metal catch needs a slight bend upward so it just catches the plastic to latch. when both are correct the disk goes in and the metal band catches the plastic letting hold it until the releasing metal descender slides by and it's bump catches the band pulling it up and off the plastic thereby releasing the disk. the tweaks will be almost indiscernible to the eye. But in your case I can see the descender is bent in your video, once you straighten it and align so it just clears the hole with it's insertion angle slide you should have no more issue... make sure no wires are in the wrong place when done Edited September 28, 2019 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 I think that if I completely bend the circled part of the metal descender to the right, it would be able to lift the metal plate. But I don't know why now it is bended in that way. Perhaps a piece is missing? I would like to have a photo of a working 810 to see how it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) nothing is missing, you don't want to bend the end, you can see the the length of the descender and that it is bent towards the front of the drive, it's not straight... the longer flat length of that descender is the part that needs the tweak not the bottom you need only ever so slightly bend the longer flat metal above the bump and guide angle... you want the bottom just as it is.. when done the guide angle of the bottom tip will slide into the band hole and the bump will catch and then pull it up releasing the catch normally if this happens the unwanted bend has occurred where the descender transitions from thick to thin.. as I look at your video further, this looks to be the case for you as well Edited September 28, 2019 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 Sorry, perhaps I don't understand very well. Do you mean to bend descender like that? I don't think it would be possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) This is cake, you can take the screw off the the descender (if you move the upper pcb out of the way) or the screw off the bottom catch band... straighten the descender or bend it slightly towards the rear of the drive, make sure the guide angle is in the catch band hole, replace the screw and tighten. This is a one minute or less fix... what could possibly keep you from bending it back to where it belongs? once you have it right the tension will pull the catch band up and the then the band will pop back down ready for another insertion... Edited September 28, 2019 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 This is the actual situation. I really don't understand what to do. Should I reverse the descender like in the draw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) no, everything is correct, just the descender has become tweaked, you don't need to reverse anything.... bend it back to where it belongs... thats all, you can unscrew the catch band so you can more easily bend it to where it belongs and then screw the catch band back on...... Edited September 28, 2019 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 Like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 the mid point just a little higher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 Done, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 Love to see a video of it working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 I've talked too soon. I tested a disk and the mechanism doesn't block the spring because horizontal plate is too high and the plastic doesn't fit in the hole... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 Now it works, it's a matter of how much descender is bended... very complicated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) After cleaning the plastic slide of debris with compressed air followed by adjusting the descender and catch band with ever so slight tweak bends you will have a working eject again. the adjustment with too little pressure won't pull the catch band up... and with too much pressure won't leave the catch band go... The scribble below on the left is too little and the scribble on the right is about where it should be if you push it too far to the right it will have too much pressure to drop the catch band as it should. Edited September 28, 2019 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 Exactly, tomorrow with sunlight I'll make a video. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nezgar Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 I had a caseless MPI 810 sitting next to me (another eBay smash job ), so it was easy to make a quick video: I had to fiddle with this a little when I first got it as well. A little bending and maybe a tiny dab of 3-in-1 oil on the 'finger' to help it slide smoothly got it to it's current state. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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