1 - Spazmelda
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Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
I'm trying to get the feed rollers off of this guy some I can send them off to be replicated. I can't figure out how to get the platen off. Anyone know? TIA!
Last edited by Spazmelda (01-7-2015 07:13:45)
- Spazmelda
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
Also, I just found an instructable for making feed rollers out of polymer clay. Has anyone tried this? We have lots of polymer clay and a pasta roller dedicated to the stuff. I wonder if it would be worth a try?
Last edited by Spazmelda (29-6-2015 10:14:10)
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Thread Starter- malole
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
I think the fimo feed roller idea is a good one, but I am not sure how rubbery the fimo will be long term. I thought of doing the same thing with Sugru, though you have just half an hour before it starts to set. However you can shape it afterwards too. You might also be able to add sugru to existing feedrollers to get them back to shape if they are just squared. It would be interesting to try out both methods and see how they work together, how well they fare over time. Though on a machine which is difficult to take apart, you'd proabably want the real thing!
- Spazmelda
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
It seems like I saw a type of polymer clay that is more rubbery. Like, for making erasers maybe? That might be too rubbery and not hold up. or maybe some for doll making? I will have to do some looking.
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Thread Starter- Spazmelda
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
Like, this might work...
Actually, that got bad reviews. Many people say it crumbles easily. Maybe not a good choice.
Wait, maybe not useless, some people mix bake and bend with premo for a flexible stronger product. I maybe give this a try. I have to get some calipers first to meAsure the diameter.
Last edited by Spazmelda (29-6-2015 11:12:46)
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
I was quite interested by the article, but it raised two big concerns for me:
1. How do you make sure that you end up with a perfectly circular/round clay roller before you bake it? If the roller is at all oblong it will not work very well and making anything perfectly circular is harder than it sounds. This is why heat shrink is commonly used. It takes the shape of the roller's core, plus it has a rubber-like texture.
2. How durable is the clay and what texture does it have? To grip paper it needs to be somewhat soft, but not so soft that it will deform or fall apart from the pressure of being constantly pressed against the platen. Was this clay designed for such use?
The author of the article claimed to have done this repair many times without any complaints, but how long has he been doing this for? How much use have his clay feed rollers received? To me there's a world of difference between making such a repair and using it in a typewriter that is only used a few times a year to type the odd page than it is for one that is used all day long.
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- Spazmelda
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
Right, I think I'm going to spring for the professional repair. Still, I can't get the platen off. I've figured out how to remove the carriage (very nifty) but the platen doesn't have any obvious screws that I can see.
There are two screws on the right side of the platen. Are these what I need? I'm having a hard time getting a screwdriver angled in there because of the platen knob. 
Last edited by Spazmelda (29-6-2015 12:07:42)
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Thread Starter- malole
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
I am absolutely no expert, and the typewriter is different, but taking the platen out of my Remington portable, the screw to release the platen rod is on the right end on the actual rod part, near the knob, once it is out (there are often more than one on other typewriters) you can remove the knob & pull the rod out from the left hand side. The platen is then loose, and you can wiggle it out. Good idea to take pictures of what you do at every stage as well. Some are easy to take out, others are a blighter, and I know nothing of anything! 
Plus my remington I did this on is knackered and the knob came apart in three bits...
Last edited by malole (29-6-2015 15:58:58)
- Spazmelda
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
Right, all of the platens I've looked at on other typewriters have at least one set screw (I'm not sure if that is the name) holding the platen onto the rod or axel. This absoloutely does not, unless it is very well hidden. I also tried just twisting the platen knobs in opposite directions to see if they screw on somehow. Either that is not it, or they are too stuck to unscrew.
I've decided to just take it to Richard Polt to see what he can do with it. He says he might be able to replace the feed rollers with some from a different typewriter, won't know until he gives it a look. That would be a lot cheaper than ordering new ones, but I'm prepared to have JJ short make new ones if necessary. I'm going to try to take it down to him this afternoon if I can get the kids into the car. Maybe he knows the trick for getting the platen off.
Last edited by Spazmelda (30-6-2015 12:01:18)
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Thread Starter- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Rheinmetall portable, new question, conflicted, please advise!
Spaz, if thaat does not work, if you have topay extra for the new rubber go for it. If you try and sell it, its going to be worth more because of new rollers.
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