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Does anyone have a Nagra III Service manual?


Wyatt Tuzo

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So, I recently acquired a Nagra III, and was wondering if anyone had access to a service manual (not operators manual).

I suspect a re-cap is in order, but I could have larger problems as well. Everything runs fine in rewind, but in PB and Rec, the motor winds itself down after exactly 10 seconds. Beyond that... Biasing, modulometer calibration, yada yada yada

Thanks in advance!

Wyatt

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The instruction manual is downloadable at a few places on the net, and also schematics.  If memory serves me, the instruction manual has a few technical details, though nothing like the service manuals for the 4 series.  Surely there must have been a service manual for the III but I've never found one, except maybe an ebay listing at one time.  Too bad the documentation wasn't as long-lived as the devices themselves!  Possibly some of the caps are failing (or may have failed) in it, but given the quality of components that Nagra put into their recorders, odds are that most of them are still doing the job, so not sure you'd want to entertain a full re-cap, may want to actually test some of them out to see how they are.  I have a III (1967) that still works very well, and it has all its original electronic components.  Mind you the quality of the recording is not quite as good as the 4 series I have, because of the more modern components and design of the later series.  But those III's were one heck of a solid recorder, in my view it is THE iconic Nagra analog recorder.  Kudelski sure did the job well when he and his team designed it: it lasted for 10 years until it was supplanted by the 4 series...

If you DO get your hands on a III service manual, please let me know.  Thanks.

  --Robert

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  • 4 months later...
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Hello all. I found how to replace the pinch wheel of my Nagra III. There are two screws (one on top, the other six pan/ on side) on the rotating (circular) part that holds the wheel. Removing that part gives access to the possibility to remove the axis of the wheel.

 

I'm trying to have four Nagra III fully working for an exhibition. I did some amazing experiments. Look at that video:  

Yours.

 

Robert: PM sent! ;-)

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I'm trying to remove the pinch roller on a Nagra III. I saw Philippe's posting above, but I'm still not sure how it's done. In addition to the top screw (easily removed), it looks like there is a set screw or roll pin on the side that needs to be loosened (see image). If so, what sort of tool do you need to do that?

Nagra III Pinch Roller.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Aloha, looks like the pinch roller needs replacing. The replacement roller would be the standard Nagra 4 series roller, and with the bearing and shaft, and all spacers. The main holder of the pinch roller can be lifted up by removing the large center screw, and loosening the side Allen screw. The main shaft is held in place with the "C" snap ring which has been known to take off if not carefully removed. Just replace all the existing bearing parts, clean the existing support and install the new pinch roller, lightly lubricating the parts. Re-assemble the main support adjusting it to the proper tension for your tape. Should work for you. A note of importance, the new pinch roller should be yellow in color, as these rollers wear, they turn towards red in color, finally the black rollers are inclined to be worn. The color change is influenced by tape and oil contamination. Cleaning the new roller after every use will help to retain its new appearance. Regarding a Nagra 111 manual, I have a lot of Nagra literature and manuals and I will research thru all that I have. Nagra never really had a service manual. I would expect Nagra began to direct their attention toward the Nagra 1V  which surfaced in 1969/1970. Enjoy your Nagra 111, still today they are great machines     

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Aloha, I have gone thru about half of my Nagra111 info. I have found a number of original schematics for the modules in the Nagra. These detail resistor and capacitor specs by size and part number. I have also found the original Nagra principal schematic. For example the preamp-micro shows the schematics and details by "R" and "C" numbers and size and value. I also have a number of Nagra111 operation manuals, the most significant was1963. Perhaps an effort by Nagra to really show the importance of their products. They used very impressive pictures of Nagra in use. The brochure is loaded with their specs. Hope this may help somebody in effort to better understand the Nagra111. Enjoy your day

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