1 - NDW76
- Platen Punisher
Offline - From: Bangkok
- Registered: 18-8-2014
- Posts: 86
1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
This is my oldest typewriter. New to me,just got it about a week ago, but still old. I have had a go at cleaning it up a few times and each time I get more accumulated gunk out of it. After ninety something years it still has more gunk to give up.
One issue I was hoping would go away after a cleaning is this shift issue it's having. When I press the shift key the platen assembly lifts up. But when I release the ship key the platen doesn't go back down. It takes a gentle push to get it to go back down. It will also go down if I press the space bar a number of times.
I have managed to remove the platen assembly and put it back successfully in order to get to the inside for cleaning. This doesn't seem to have helped nor hindered the problem.
Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
<a href=" target="_blank"><img src=" border="0" alt=" photo 20160616_192227.jpg"/></a>
Pleased to meet you. Call me Nathan.
- Uwe
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Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
I've had many standards that exhibited the exact same problem, and in the end all of them required more cleaning. The pivot points for the carriage, if you don't disassemble everything, is resistant to cleaning. You didn't mention what you're using to clean the mechanical components, but my suggestion would be copious amounts of mineral spirits and patience. The fact that it will eventually drop on its own through vibration (pressing the spacebar repeatedly) is a sign that you're getting there. I can see some rusting in your photo, so that may be an additional issue, but I'd stick to the cleaning first and resist the temptation to use any penetrating oils as a solution.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- NDW76
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Bangkok
- Registered: 18-8-2014
- Posts: 86
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
I'm using mineral spirits and a tooth brush.
What's the best tooth brush to use to clean a typewriter. ...
Some one else's.
Pleased to meet you. Call me Nathan.
- •
Thread Starter- TypewriterKing
- Inactive Account
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
- Posts: 1,011
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
Har har har har har!!
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- Bassoonbloke
- Platen Punisher
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- From: South East London. UK
- Registered: 15-4-2014
- Posts: 57
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
Hi,
Just a thought, but is the tension spring on the right hand side of your typer correct and 'Springing' properly. The spring on my Underwood 5 was missing and I initially wondered what it did until I fitted a fairly strong spring.
Try taking the spring off temporarily and see what the Shift key release does (it should drop almost with a thud !!).
The spring position is also adjustable to temper this action.
Alan.
- NDW76
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Bangkok
- Registered: 18-8-2014
- Posts: 86
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
You mean this one?
Pleased to meet you. Call me Nathan.
- •
Thread Starter- Bassoonbloke
- Platen Punisher
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- From: South East London. UK
- Registered: 15-4-2014
- Posts: 57
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
Indeed, that's the one.
Just takes off the pressure needed to make the Shift work and cushions the Shift release.
I can't really see how this could cause the problem in question except if the spring were far too tight, but worth a look I guess.
Alan.
- NDW76
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Bangkok
- Registered: 18-8-2014
- Posts: 86
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
It does make it shift adequately, but I think this just shows that it is binding up somewhere. More cleaning is definitely what's needed.
Pleased to meet you. Call me Nathan.
- •
Thread Starter- Bassoonbloke
- Platen Punisher
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- From: South East London. UK
- Registered: 15-4-2014
- Posts: 57
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
I'm sure you're right. A bit more cleaning and a light oiling in places should do the trick.
The Underwood 5 is a really nice machine. My one was made in 1913, so quite an oldie.
Good Luck.
Alan.
- NDW76
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Bangkok
- Registered: 18-8-2014
- Posts: 86
Re: 1924 Underwood 5 shift issues
This morning I gave it a good cleaning using white spirits, a tooth brush and a paint brush. After it all dried the shifting problem is even more pronounced. Obviously the pivot points are gunned up and more cleaning is required.
Pleased to meet you. Call me Nathan.
- •
Thread Starter
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