I can't really believe this my self.
I have two rt-707 tape decks.  Both of them have the same 
problem.  At the beginning of a reel, the tape is pulled off the pinch roller.
I talked to a repair guy, he agreed that the pinch rollers needed to 
be replaced.  One problem, they haven't been available for 
years.  Even the unused ones have aged beyond their usefulnes.
What to do?!!   I still have lots of material to transfer to the hard drive.
Well I got to thinking and assembling facts.
1.  I want to save my machines.
2.  I don't want to spend any money.
3.  What is the problem?  The ruber is old.

Answer, get new ruber on the old pinch rollers.  The capstain decides 
the speed of the tape.

Well I took a laytex glove, and cut off a finger tip maybe an inch 
from the end using a pair of dikes, because that is what was 
handy.  Then I used this fingertip like a condom and the pinch roller 
as ah what condoms go over.
Then I threaded the tape and hit play.
It worked!  Will it continue to do so?  I am not sure, but for now I 
am going to record.

And people say hams are cheap!!!