1 of 1- hessian86
- New Member
Offline - Registered: 01-7-2017
- Posts: 2
Lettera 22 maintenance
Hi all,
I have a lettera 22, but have a few maintenance issues I was hoping someone could give me advice on?
1. When I try to type on index cards, the card doesn't stay level and so the type ends up uneven. Could the card be too thick? (They are standard indeed cards)
2. I get a lot of smudging As i type, Is the ribbon too lose and touching the paper (the ribbon is new)
3. I can't clear my tabs when using the clear tab key. It doesn't really lift up, and even when upward pressure is applied and tab'ed through, they don't clear?
Thanks all for your help, it's my first typewriter 
- MichaelW
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- Registered: 19-6-2017
- Posts: 5
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
Hi. I think I have had a similar problem to your number 2. I have improved it a lot by bending the vibrator arm forwards so that the ribbon doesn't touch the paper. It still rubs a little but it's hardly noticeable now.
- schyllerwade
- Speed Champion
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- Registered: 11-6-2017
- Posts: 251
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
The type slugs might also be totally gunked up with old and dried out Ink. It takes a while but you can go through each one and pick out the ink with toothpicks or something, and then clean the face with some denatured alcohol n q tips, cotton swabs, etc. I'm pretty gentle when I do it because I don't want to bend the arms misalign anything, but it makes a huge difference in clarity.
- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
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Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
Regarding #3, I'm not really sure I follow. Just to make sure of one thing -- you can only clear one tab setting at a time. There is no "clear all" function on this typewriter.
- M. Höhne
- Key Master
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- From: Maine
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 623
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
Regarding #3, I don't understand the question, but if my guess is correct, then you can clear all the tabs at once by holding the lever up (toward the back) while moving the carriage through its full travel. One manual says to move the carriage using the Tab key while holding the Tab Clear up, but that seems pretty violent and it usually works also when you move it with the Carriage Release lever.
If, OTOH, you mean the Tab Clear lever has no effect at all when you use it as instructed. then there is a real problem, probably having to do with a bent or disconnected link somewhere.
HTH
- M. Höhne
- Key Master
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- From: Maine
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 623
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
Regarding #2, if you could show us a picture of the effect you're getting, we can probably figure it out. A ribbon being "too loose" isn't really a thing; it has to be somewhat slack. There have been times, though, when incorrect threading causes smudges, which stop when the ribbon is held taut. so maybe....
- hessian86
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- Registered: 01-7-2017
- Posts: 2
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
Thanks for all your comments. Please find an image at the link below:
Regarding point 1, is this likely caused by the thickness of the index card?
Last edited by Uwe (11-7-2017 19:33:22)
- •
Thread Starter- Roelm
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- Registered: 22-11-2017
- Posts: 2
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
I'm also having a very similar issue as #2. I just purchased a 57' Lettera 22 and I'm getting a line faint red ink below each typed line. My thought is that the ribbon vibrator is too close because it's threaded correctly and there doesn't seem to be too little or too much slack on the ribbon. Thoughts anyone? Btw - I'm bra d new here and this is my first machine. Thanks for all of your collective wisdom.
- Roelm
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- Registered: 22-11-2017
- Posts: 2
Re: Lettera 22 maintenance
Roelm wrote:
I'm also having a very similar issue as #2. I just purchased a 57' Lettera 22 and I'm getting a line faint red ink below each typed line. My thought is that the ribbon vibrator is too close because it's threaded correctly and there doesn't seem to be too little or too much slack on the ribbon. Thoughts anyone? Btw - I'm bra d new here and this is my first machine. Thanks for all of your collective wisdom.
This is the text
Totally new to this board. Not sure how to embed an image. My apologies.
