Q. I have just discovered your site due to a "little problem" with my much beloved Ferrograph 5A, and hope you can help me to solve the problem.

It has worked perfectly for years, and then I decided to spray the main control selectors with switch cleaner, since then both spooling motors won't work, although the run lever still locks in position and the capstan motor seems fine.

I love my Ferrograph and would be grateful for any assistance in this matter.

Kinds regards, Upset Ferrograph lover,  Chris

A. With regard to the problem of you Ferrograph 5A, it seems unlikely that spraying the main control would have this effect.
 
Sometimes lifting the deck can cause the internal connecting leads to catch and get pulled, with the machine disconnected fully from the mains supply, rest the machine on its right hand side, then open up the deck, this will give access to the main control area without risk of the deck falling on you.

On the outer edge of the underside of the deck, to the outside of the rewind motor there is usually a tag switch with a number of leads soldered to it, some of these connect to the wind motors via the main switch. check that these are still intact.
 
If you can't find anything obvious, it may require some attention from a tape recorder engineer, you don't say where you are located,but if you look on my site at the Service Offered page there are some recommended engineers listed.
 
Difficult to offer more by email, but let me know what you find.

Comment

Thanks for your advice, I checked the things you mentioned and low and behold! not one, not two, but THREE wires were free from

the tag connectors under the deck lid.  I resoldered them and all is 100% again.

Many thanks  Chris