On 06/29/2016 12:33 AM, B00ze wrote:

> The Vorpal tool reads the alignment disk (it moves the head back and
> forth over about 2 tracks, constantly) and reports an alignment number.
> You can then unscrew the 2 screws holding the step motor and rotate it
> slightly in one direction or the other. Screw it back and repeat the
> test. It's coarse but it works, I did it several times (you can tell
> you're ok when other people can read your disks again). The problem is
> you'd need to use glue on those screws once you've played with them,
> otherwise alignment drifts over time (unless you are able to screw those
> screws really really tight).
>
> Regards,
>

Hello, and while I'm unfamiliar with Vorpal tool, the Cardinal Software
package I previously referenced displays a simple picket fence on the
monitor.  The procedure is to get the asterisks displayed for several
tracks inside the fence using the supplied alignment disk while
carefully manipulating the drive head stepper motor mount back and forth
in very tiny increments.  Then, if required, you adjust the spindle
motor potentiometer for 300 rpm (You don't need an alignment utility to
adjust spindle motor speed - just a fluorescent lamp to shine on the
strobe disk on the bottom of the spindle motor.)

I wouldn't recommend gluing down any screws as you mentioned.  It'll
just create more work to do if you have to align the drive in the
future.  I never had a problem with any screws coming loose on a 1541
stepper motor bracket.  Granted, even with tight screws I can't say for
sure that the stepper motor bracket won't change position slightly over
a period of time.  Knock out the head alignment a mere .001 inch and
you've got a problem.  On the earlier 1541s a seek to track 1 (needed
for example when formatting a new disk) caused a pulley that was pressed
fitted on its shaft to slip over a period of time as the track 1 hard
metal stop was encountered.  This was that banging noise that 1541 users
dreaded.  Sincerely,


--
J. B. Wood             e-mail: arl_123234@hotmail.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05