1 - komputerized
- New Member
Offline - Registered: 03-3-2018
- Posts: 4
Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
A few years ago I was walking home and noticed that a company had dumped a few typewriters next to some bins, so I decided to pick one up and take it with me. Now I want to get it in full working order again (if I can), but there seems to be a few issues, namely that the carriage won't move when typing (both regular keys as well as spacebar). Year of manufacture seems to be between 1949 and 1951. Pretty sure the drawband is missing, but I'm not sure where to thread it after it's attached to the spring drum. I have tried no repairs myself, but I can't speak for previous users. Any help would be much appreciated, and I'd be happy to provide more photos if they are required!
(I am aware that there's no ribbon - I'm in the process of replacing it)
As you can see there is no drawband 
- Lucas Dul
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Chicago
- Registered: 01-1-2018
- Posts: 250
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
Hopefully you didn’t lose the bearings. And yes, it is sans-drawband, so make a new one. Make sure the spring drum spins and pulls back with tension. Facing the machine as a user, it should wind clockwise and want to spring counter.
Typewriter Service Tech (and avid nerd)
- Lucas Dul
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Chicago
- Registered: 01-1-2018
- Posts: 250
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
And...the band threads right along the bottom of the carriage, straight as an arrow. It hooks onto the bottom of the right side of the carriage. Post a photo if you can’t find the right spot 
Typewriter Service Tech (and avid nerd)
- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline
- From: Hartford, CT USA
- Registered: 30-6-2015
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
I'm impressed you were able to remove the carriage -- not for the faint of heart. There should be two "trucks" holding the carriage bearings, which are long tubes that mesh with the toothed racks on the front and rear rails.
I always get a pang when I hear about typewriters being pitched out -- wish I had been there!
- komputerized
- New Member
Offline
- Registered: 03-3-2018
- Posts: 4
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
Lucas Dul wrote:
It hooks onto the bottom of the right side of the carriage.
I think I've finally figured out where this is! See below - I'm guessing that some sort of bracket is missing on the screws in the middle towards the bottom of the picture. Hopefully this end of the drawband will be able to stay attached just by hooking onto the screw, but if not I shall gladly invest in some sort of nut or washer to keep it secured.
I have another question - I've heard people talk about the tension and rotations on the mainspring, but I'm not too sure how that relates to my own machine. When I push the drum left/right, it springs back into its previous position. I'm guessing I need to get the drawband under the casing, out of the hole (pictured below, to the right of the drum) and then tie a knot to secure it? I've tried removing the drum but it's proving near-impossible. I've heard that I need to push the drum until the mainspring is loosened and I can slip the drawband inside, but again, this is near impossible. Despite turning it left and right, no space appears. 
Once again, any advice would be greatly appreciated! I feel both much closer as well as further away from fixing this issue 
- •
Thread Starter- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline
- From: Hartford, CT USA
- Registered: 30-6-2015
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
I will have to go take a close look at how the drawband on my Underwood attaches, but I'm pretty sure it hooks into the hole on the right of the drum (next to the checkered pattern, which is an imprint of the drawband). As for attaching to the carriage, yes, it's that higher stud at the bottom of the picture.
Your comments make me wonder what your drawband looks like -- it should have metal pieces on each end that hook into/over the attachment points. It sounds like you don't have those pieces? If not, then don't use the drawband at all -- use fishing line instead, which you can easily tie into loops on the ends and attach to the machine. Works well.
- Lucas Dul
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Chicago
- Registered: 01-1-2018
- Posts: 250
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
Underwood drawbands are the fabric kind, like on most standard machines. They have a metal loop that goes over the hook in the drum, and another loop that fits onto the carriage. It does not need to go into the drum, but just on the outside. If you want a photo, let me know.
When you attach the drawband, you need to wind up the spring. No removal is required. Hook it and build up about four rotations of tension to get started. The carriage should go on first.
Typewriter Service Tech (and avid nerd)
- Lucas Dul
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Chicago
- Registered: 01-1-2018
- Posts: 250
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
As long as it allows the spring to pull the carriage, and doesn’t slip, it doesn’t matter how you attach it.
Typewriter Service Tech (and avid nerd)
- komputerized
- New Member
Offline
- Registered: 03-3-2018
- Posts: 4
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
It sounds like you don't have those pieces
That's something I forgot to mention - there was no drawband, not even a broken one, when I picked the machine up. I plan to make one out of string tied into a loop at the carriage end and either a knot or a loop at the drum end (depending on the answer to my next question).
into the hole on the right of the drum
It does not need to go into the drum, but just on the outside. If you want a photo, let me know.
I am confused ! Which is it? I tried to rotate the drum both clockwise and anticlockwise however the spring inside would not give leeway for the knot no matter how many times I turned it - I'm slightly worried that I may have turned it too far in one direction and something inside it may have been altered. In any case, I would be very appreciative of a photo, Lucas.
you need to wind up the spring
Sorry for the simple question, but in which direction should I wind it (assuming that I'm facing the back of the typewriter)? I'm scared of accidentally breaking it.
Not sure if it helps, but I just identified the year of manufacture as being 1949.
- •
Thread Starter- Lucas Dul
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Chicago
- Registered: 01-1-2018
- Posts: 250
Re: Underwood Leader carriage not moving - HELP!
Facing the back, the spring should wind clockwise. If your new drawband has a loop, I’d assume it would fit over the hook on the mainspring drum, (If there’s no whole to shove a knot through)
Typewriter Service Tech (and avid nerd)
