Incis Hobby 100

Description

An unusual machine made in Italy in the late 50’s with a very odd way of running the tape functions. Inside there is only a motor, two plates with friction clutches, a flywheel-capstan-pinch roller assembly, and a rubber idler hinged free so it can move from side to side.  During rewind the motor starts running backwards and since the rubber idler is easier to move than the flywheel the idler moves to the left until it hits the left clutch plate. Then the wheels start to rotate and rewind begins.
For fast forward and play things are much the same. Only the direction is different and whether you do fast forward or play depends on if the pinch roller is activated or not.
Since the same clutch is used for both play and fast forward, the tape tension during fast forward is quite loose. The motor is spring tensioned and the speed selector is placed on the back of the machine. The brake is a piece of string that is tightened around the clutches (cheap but it works). When you look at the machine the controls are (from left) power/volume, rewind-stop-f.fwrd-stop-play selector, the little button above the selector is for record.  On the back of the machine the lever to the left is the speed selector, the other one below the inputs is a radio/mic input selector.