TRS-80 PC-2 Printer/Cassette Interface

[JoeG]

Well, I watched the video created by Mr. Jeff Birt several times before attempting to repair my TRS-80 PC-2 Printer/Cassette interface. I ordered two sets of brass gears (in case I dropped one and it went who knows where) from Jeff, and watched the video again when the gears arrived. I thought that only one of the smaller gears was broken, but further inspection revealed a small break in the other gear as well. To create the tool needed per the video, I had a 2 inch c-clamp in my garage, so I cut off the head of it and dug out my bench grinder to flatten the head as level as possible. It came out very nice. Then I had to dig out my vise for the next step.

I used a pair of hemostats to temporarily hold the gear as I aligned the clamp and the gear with the motor shaft. I slowly proceeded to press the new brass gear onto the motor shaft, stopping quite often to check alignment and how things looked. I finished the alleged "easy one", and started on the other. I took even more time to make sure the teeth of the new gear and the existing gear aligned as I pressed the gear onto the shaft. That came out very nice as well.

I put things back together, and tested the unit. The motor shafts just wiggled under power. After checking several things, and bugging Jeff as to what the problem could be, I took things apart and noticed that when I had connected the multiple pin connector to the row of corresponding pins, I missed a pin by connecting things too far to one side. So I fixed that, and all is well.

For someone who has never attempted anything like this before, I was amazed that I could do it. But if it wasn't for Jeff's excellent video, and inspiration, I would have had gotten rid of a unit that could have been repaired. Thanks again Jeff for your email and patience with a newbie.