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13-3-2013 20:47:31  #1


Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

I'm having an issue with the lever that controls the ribbon direction on my '58 Smith-Corona Skyriter. It's loose, as if it's missing a spring or some other tensioning device that would hold it in place. Consequently, whenever I type it will drop from the upper position into a neutral position and the ribbon will stop spooling from one reel to the next. 

When I first received the typewriter and took it apart for a general cleaning, I found a small metal piece floating around inside of it. I thought it might be the cause of the machine's ribbon transport problem, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out where it would belong.

I've tried to follow all the linkages and parts associated with the lever, but couldn't see anything that was obviously amiss. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on a solution to this problem, and equally important, where that part belongs?


A nice typer despite the missing bodywork and "loose" ribbon direction selector.



Yeah, I know, it's an ugly fix. Hopefully it's also a temporary one!



Two views of the part I found inside the machine. It's about 35 mm (1.5 in.) long.

Last edited by Uwe (14-3-2013 10:53:35)


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

14-3-2013 00:50:17  #2


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

Hi UWE

Indeed what you have is a broken detent spring. Lift the mechanism out of the housing and look at the left side. Just below and behind the left ribbon holder, you'll see a screw holding a small circle of metal onto the side of the frame.

This is the other end of the broken spring you found in your unit. The 'V' shaped part of the spring detents into the 'W' shaped notch in the reverser linkage just below the spool holder. Hope this helps and all the best,

Sky


We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
 

14-3-2013 00:58:35  #3


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

Thanks Sky!

Who knew that Alberta was a hotbed for Skyriter repair? ;-)

I'll try to make some time tomorrow to take a look at what you described, but if I understood you correctly this is a part that needs to now be replaced as opposed to reinstalled or repaired, right? If so I'll have to add it to my other post requesting parts for this machine.  


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
     Thread Starter
 

14-3-2013 19:14:35  #4


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

Well I had a look under the hood, and have to admit it's still not 100 percent clear to me.

I assume this was the screw you were talking about? I'm sure it was because the round metal plate it was holding in place had nothing attached to the other side of it.



This was wear I got a little confused. I removed the screw and small bit of metal and looked on the inside of the frame and examined the ribbon control mechanism parts that are  in the same, and for the life of me couldn't figure out how the part would work. Even with the broken off piece in place there doesn't seem to be anything else that it would come in contact with. Here's a view from the inside which might help explain what I mean:



And something else. The break is quite clean, so I'm not sure what type of shape the part originally was in. Initially I assumed it was something like this:



However, when I looked inside the machine it seemed that would do absolutely nothing, so then I concluded it was shaped like I have it in the photo below. If it is, then I assume this is the part I'll need, even if I can't at the moment figure out how it works. Maybe it'll make more sense with the ribbon cup removed?

Apparently my sausage fingers missed the letter 'a' in carriage. But that's part of the charm of using a typewriter, isn't it?

Last edited by Uwe (14-3-2013 19:17:25)


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
     Thread Starter
 

14-3-2013 22:48:25  #5


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

Hi Uwe: Agree with your assessment of the Skyriter -- great to type with; seems really solid for such a small machine. But also have issues with the tiny carrige (ahem) carriage return lever. My only other issue is that it's turning out to be a little difficult to find one of these machines in good cosmetic condition. Seems they were well loved and thus well used in their day....


"Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the typewriter."
 

29-6-2015 20:30:44  #6


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

I absolutley HATE typing on the skywriter. Too flimsy. Yes, the carriage return lever is wayyyy too small.


Back from a long break.

Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
 

30-6-2015 02:29:08  #7


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

Uwe, I'll take a look at the Skyriter I have sitting around and see if I can get some pictures of the same areas you show.

About that tiny carriage return lever... the later Skryiters actually have a much larger, improved lever. So, that may be the way to go if you don't like the tiny lever on the earlier versions. Yes, the Skyriter is a bit flimsy, but most of the ultra-compact typewriters are a bit flimsy to some extent.


When you aren't looking for it... you ALWAYS find it!!!
 

30-6-2015 13:02:18  #8


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

Retro-Z wrote:

Uwe, I'll take a look at the Skyriter I have sitting around and see if I can get some pictures of the same areas you show.

Many thanks, but there's no need. This thread is over two years old now and I have added several Skyriters to the collection since I posted this issue. TypewriterGuy bumped the thread to the top of the list with his comment, and as is often the case, most don't realize how old a thread is when that happens.
 


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
     Thread Starter
 

30-6-2015 13:33:01  #9


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

@Uwe I felt like looking around at the old threads yesterday, and decided to add my opinion.


Back from a long break.

Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
 

30-6-2015 14:41:20  #10


Re: Ribbon Control - '58 Skyriter

TypewriterGuy wrote:

@Uwe I felt like looking around at the old threads yesterday, and decided to add my opinion.

I get that; my point was that those who reply to a thread reviving post often don't realize that it's a zombie thread. This was a prime example of that. I'm assuming that Retro-Z didn't realize that I had originally posted my question over two years ago. 
 


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
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