Help!!! Teddy's Eating tapes!!!

[retrobear]

I got the battery cover for my Teddy Ruxpin today along with the Airship tape. When we popped the tape in Teddy, he decided to eat it. It didn't get stuck in there, but it came unwound. What can I do about this? Is this something I can fix or will I have to send him to a restorer?

[Deleted]

It *may* be possible to fix this by using a tape-head cleaning tape on him. Emphasis on "may", as I'm not sure that it's a cure-all solution, and it may indeed be something that you're better off letting a restorer deal with.

You also have to be careful that he doesn't eat the cleaning tape, too - some will do that even if they aren't in the habit of eating proper tapes!

[lachlant1984]

When you put the tape into Teddy Ruxpin ask someone to look carefully at the tape as it runs through the tape path, when viewing the tape deck with a tape in place you should see both tape sprockets turning smoothly, if you notice that the right sprocket is turning but the left one doesn't appear to be moving, turn Teddy Ruxpin off immediately and remove the tape, use a pen or your finger to wind the tape back into the cassette casing. If you need to wind the tape back in hold the cassette so the open end of the casing is pointing towards the ceiling, insert your pen or finger into the right sprocket on the tape and turn the sprocket clockwise so that the tape is wound back into the cassette housing. It could be the pinch roller needs to be cleaned, but in a worse case scenario it could be that one of the rubber belts inside the tape deck has become stretched or may have snapped in half, repairing this means opening Teddy Ruxpin up and removing the cassette player from the panel on the back of Teddy Ruxpin. Belt failure is a common problem with cassette players and recorders, it's not just specifically a problem with Teddy Ruxpin.

[retrobear]

I'll try to clean the head manually because I don't think I have a cleaning tape anymore. Then I'll put a tape I don't like in Teddy to see if he will play it. If he won't I'll just send him to a restorer. I have to do that anyway because poor Teddy looks like he got into a fight with a bunch of MAVO members. He's missing his lower jaw and his right eyeball is pushed in pretty badly. He came to me like that. I would never do that to any bear and especially not Teddy Ruxpin.

[bls]

Whatever you do, DO NOT SEND HIM TO [e-mail]; [e-mail]
or the teddy repair site of Calvin Nicholson, I sent 3 Teddy's and a grubby and the cord that have been there for almost a year, was told they were ready in November, sent the money and told in march told they were on there way and nothing, no replies from the gentleman either.
Just an FYI to all who read this, beware, that was a lot of money for each item repaired and is considered mail fraud when they take the check and cash it and do not send the product. Gave him numerous chances to send them back or return e-mails but nothing and now his phone is disconnected. I wonder how many more people he has done this to? Anyone else had him do this to them? If so e-mail me and maybe we can all get something moving! Thanks for your time, and for listening!

[thelunarfox]

I've seen other complaints about Dr. C.E. as well. He also has official complaints filed against him at the Better business bureau website. You're definitely not the first person he's done this to.

[tedfan]

I just picked up a couple of TR’s. One first edition from 85 and the other from the 90’s with the catridge. I’m also new on this board and hope to find help with both eventually. In reply to the negligent restorers, and I’m not trying to oversimplify here, but has anyone contacted the police department in their area and file a complaint with them? I know in someways it would be considered overkill but putting these bad business people on the police dept. radar is not a bad thing.

[late2theparty]

As noted above, this is not a problem that is uncommon with any cassette player.  The best could be the issue.  But as the belt should run both the take up wheel/gear and spindle at the same time and at the same speed, that might not be you problem at all unless it is slipping somehow.. You don't need a cleaning tape to clean the tape head, but can use a cotton swab and alcohol, cleaning in both directions.  when you do this, also clean the metal spindle that sets against the rubber wheel that sets against it when playing a tape, as well as cleaning the rubber wheel itself the same way.  If this is a Type 1 (metal player) you might find that time has caused an indentation into the rubber wheel.  This is a design issue as the wheel engages against the spindle whenever the tape door is closed. So when a Teddy has been unused for years, the tension between the spindle and wheel will cause this condition almost every time.  If you carefully pry off the nameplate with the patent information, you can access the wheel, remove is by popping off the small plastic washer holding it in place, and then file it down all around to remove the indentation.  You have to keep in round when you do this. But that condition normally causes hiccups when a tape is played although it can cause the player to eat tapes when really deep.  In such cases it might be best to get a new rubber wheel.  Check sites that sell cassette parts and you can obtain one for around 4 or 5 bucks.  Whether this is the case or not though, a little lubricant on the axle in the center of the rubber wheel might be needed.  It that rubber wheel is sticking, the tape is not going to move through freely and will get grabbed by the wheel and even in some races the spindle itself and wind around one or the other.  One last possibility is that the spring that creates the tension on the rubber wheel when it is engaged is not right.  If you've removed the plate, you will that spring and can get it out and bend to adjust the tension.  Trial and error, so in testing use an old tape that you can part with...and it does not have to be a Teddy tape as even an old blank tape is fine.  You are only trying to be sure that the tape moves along freely and winds properly.