| Portable Typewriters » New Member Check-In... » 18-7-2020 15:11:02 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 25
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Nice display you got there.
| Maintenance & Repairs » Carriage shakes the floor » 29-6-2020 19:25:23 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 1
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Are the two carriage lift springs attached? My 1940 Underwood Noiseless standard sets down firmly, but not with a crash. If you tip it up you should see the springs hooked on two "L" shaped brackets that hang down, one on each side, at the rear corners.
| Type Talk » Editing an existing post? » 24-6-2020 13:10:09 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 7
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I should point out that there are two buttons, or methods of posting a reply to a thread. The "Quick Post" screen at the bottom of each thread does not allow any edits. Once you click on the button at the bottom then your reply is posted for eternity. But the "Post Reply" button on the right side allows you to compose your reply in a separate window and then to hit a "Preview" button to see what it will look like when posted. I highly recommend that method of posting replies. You can really see a difference when you "preview" your reply and have a chance to read it again and decide if it is what you really want to say. And you can edit your reply at that time before embarrassing yourself with spelling errors, etc.
| Portable Typewriters » New Baby » 17-2-2020 22:23:30 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 5
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It is interesting that the typing chart shows the left thumb being used (as well as the right) for the space bar. I don't recall exactly how I came to use the right thumb exclusively on the space bar (I taught myself by reading a short article) but I have heard it said as a piece of trivia that the only one of the ten digits that is not used in touch typing is the left thumb. To each his own I guess.
| Maintenance & Repairs » Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking » 05-1-2020 18:48:14 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 7
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While M.Hohne is probably correct on the issue of paint, I should point out that I am on the opposite side when it comes to lubrication. In my opinion, all mechanical devices need lubrication where metal is rubbing against metal. And this is especially true with old devices, such as old typewriters. And the correct lubricant for typewriters (and other fine mechanical devices) is silicone based oil, such as sewing machine oil or gun oil. Silicone based oils evaporate cleanly, leaving clean working parts. Don't use petroleum based oils such as 3-N-One oil or WD-40 as these leave gum when they evaporate and you don't want that in your fine mechanisms. Just thought you ought to hear that there is another side to this argument.
| Maintenance & Repairs » Carriage stops halfway along while typing. Ideas? » 31-10-2019 15:24:52 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 3
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You might take a careful look at your platen to see if there is a bulge in the middle. I have an old Royal KHM that binds towards the right and it is because there are several bulges in the platen rubber. My understanding is that old platen cores were either wood, which might become warped or swell, or they were covered with a sheet of lead as a sublayer. The lead would corrode slowly over time and the corrosion would lift up sections of the rubber outer covering. Not sure if this is your problem, but it's worth checking. Best of luck.
| Maintenance & Repairs » Need help with ribbon not advancing on Royal Quiet DeLuxe » 10-10-2019 15:46:29 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 2
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The first thing to check is to see that the ribbon is running off the spools in the correct direction. That is usually what has happened when I see that the ribbon only runs an inch or two before the spools stop turning. There might be arrows printed on the spool base or you might find a user's manual to help you. Good luck with your find.
| Electric Typewriters » Top 5 Electrics to buy... » 02-5-2019 18:47:05 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 7
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Hey Uwe, don't be giving the IBM models A and B short shrift! I have two model B's and they are tanks when it comes to design and excellent writers to boot. Models C and D are great, but IBM did a good job on the earlier typebar models as well.
| Maintenance & Repairs » 1939 Remington Rand KMC escapement busted » 26-3-2019 22:21:13 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 2
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Sounds like one of the dogs is stuck out of the way so it doesn't stop the star wheel. (I can't remember if it's the fixed dog or the moveable dog) Anyway, before you start to turn screws I would try and lube the escapement area with drops of gun oil and see if I could work the dog loose. Then give it some exercise to work the oil into all the little crevices.
| Maintenance & Repairs » Skipping Underwood » 06-12-2018 21:18:13 |
- treefaller
- Replies: 3
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I have had some success fixing minor skipping problems by simply oiling the escapement area (with gun oil). Get a wooden toothpick or fondue skewer and dip the end in oil so it retains a drop. Then reach in to the area of the star wheel where the dogs are and put a drop on everything that looks like it is supposed to move. Then give the typewriter a week's worth of exercise typing out pages. The problem with skipping is usually that the dogs are moving slowly because of being dried up, or because someone oiled them with petroleum oil a while ago and that got gummy. The exercises cause vibration that helps the gun oil move into all of the bearing surfaces. It's worth a first try since it doesn't involve adjusting things that might well be already correctly adjusted. And it usually doesn't require any, or very little, disassembly.
