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11-2-2014 08:04:04  #11


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

Hi its a good companion 4.  I have tried what you said but there is alot of spring to wynd in and it pops out before i can get to the end.  Sore fingers!

 

11-2-2014 08:17:17  #12


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

Here are some photos.  Sorry they are not so clear.  

 

11-2-2014 14:47:25  #13


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

Maybe someone else has a more effective trick, but it looks to be a straightforward mainspring mechanism, which should just need one thumb to keep it in the drum while the other hands feeds it in. Patience and perseverance are two things you often need in abundance when repairing most mechanical machines. Good luck.


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

14-7-2022 04:04:23  #14


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

thetypewriterman wrote:

I am 95% convinced that the problem is congealed grease.  This problem is unique to Imperials.

My apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but the information it contains still proved to be relevant in my case. As a fan of the show Endeavour, I had developed an interest in Imperial typewriters (they can frequently be seen during those scenes involving the police station). After doing a bit of reading on Imperial's and looking over the various Good Companion models, I set my sights on the Good Companion 5. I finally managed to acquire one last year for a good price, but knowing that it had some issues. While the drawcord could be seen dangling loose in the photos, there were some positives as the typewriter otherwise appeared to be in nice condition and I really liked the case that it came with. It would probably not come as a surprise to thetypweriterman that upon arrival I discovered the mainspring drum could barely be rotated with my fingers and only then with a good deal of effort. Busy with other things, I put the Imperial away to deal with later.

I participated in a Zoom call a few weeks ago with a number of other typewriter enthusiasts when the subject of Imperial typewriters was raised. Typewriter Talk's own skywatcher (who himself owns a Good Companion) was on that call and we discussed my GC5, yet it continued to sit in non-working condition. It was only after this Good Companion 6 video popped up in my YouTube feed yesterday that I finally decided to haul the Imperial out to the workbench in my garage. The timing of the video appearing in my feed wasn't all that surprising given how social media is so intertwined with our every action involving Google, but getting that one last mental nudge to take action proved to be a good thing in this case.

My GC5 is still in need of a bit of adjustment and cleaning, but my first impression of this typewriter is very positive. The typing action itself is wonderful. The machine that I am most reminded of is my Torpedo 18b (that's very much intended as a compliment).

 

15-7-2022 17:34:07  #15


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

Got this 1957 Imperial Good Companion 5 by bringing it in from the UK back in Dec. 2021.

It needed a deep cleaning and I still have a lingering "very old house" smell to the machine and its case.  My next move will be to replace any/all felt pads that still remain.

It is a very pleasant machine on which to type.  It does hold me back a bit but when I want to type fast, I just grab something else in my collection.

The closure strap on the case had broken off...but I fixed it with my "no stitching required" fix/hack shown in the last photo.  2" long butterfly hinge did the trick.
.

 

15-7-2022 18:31:15  #16


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

Looking through theTypewriter Database, it appears that Imperial offered a variety of cases for their typewriters. There is the soft case such as the one in your photos. Then there is what appears to be a molded case (possibly fiberglass or something similar?). The third option was a laminated wooden case such as the one my GC5 came with. I'm guessing that with some typewriters, it worked similar to the way it did with some guitars — a gig bag was often provided for free, while hard shell cases could be purchased separately for an additional fee.

 

16-7-2022 20:29:49  #17


Re: 1964 Imperial Good Companion - perfect except for stuck carriage!

I would say that a number of manufacturers offered alternate travel case options; the basic version was likely standard, but if you wanted to be seen carrying something more chic or durable, you had to pay extra for the privilege. 


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

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