1 - mikeytap
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- From: Georgia, USA
- Registered: 25-12-2021
- Posts: 300
Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
I drove 2 hours today to pick it up as a deal. I had a conversation with a friend on the phone while on my journey, he said "You're driving 2 hours to pick up a typewriter?" I tried to explain it was a Torpedo but . . . .sigh, whatcha gonna do. . . .
Very nice condition with everything working as it should. I've always wanted one of these and love the color. I did my usual cleaning of action parts but it was it pretty good shape already. Debating whether to add some light NuTrol lubing to the hammer works or leave them dry. There seems to be some debate about that.
It has a nice precise key action, a smooth carriage glide and a tabulator that is easy to set or dismiss stops. The reddish color platen is actually not stone hard. The type looks to be elite or equivalent. The rubber feet are hard. Anyway, just sharing some pictures and happy to have it in the house.
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- Pete E.
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- From: Idaho - USA
- Registered: 23-6-2020
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
Mike,
Congratulations ! That is such a lovely machine. I am jealous.
Have a 18s in my collection. Hope to add a Blue Bird version of the 18b eventually.
- robmck
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- From: Seattle, WA
- Registered: 31-1-2022
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
Totally worth the drive.
Congratulations!
- mikeytap
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- From: Georgia, USA
- Registered: 25-12-2021
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
Pete E. wrote:
Mike,
Congratulations ! That is such a lovely machine. I am jealous.
Have a 18s in my collection. Hope to add a Blue Bird version of the 18b eventually.
It's definitely a sweet action, and different from anything else I have. But, you know, for working, not sure there's anything I like any better than this machine I have on my desk today. And I image that big standard Olympia you have is a step above for anchored, rock solid typing. 
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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- From: Idaho - USA
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
On my Torpedo 18S (and it looks like on your 18b), that metal triangular-shaped paper guide at the ribbon vibrator has too much metal to the point of distracting my ability to see my print as I type.
On the Olympia SM3, it has less metal and a bit larger in size and I can more easily see the print as I type away.
Every time I have my Torpedo 18S out for use, I am so tempted to snip that metal triangle away with metal cutters....once and for all.
But I have resisted that urge, so far.
.
- mikeytap
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- From: Georgia, USA
- Registered: 25-12-2021
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
On my Torpedo 18S (and it looks like on your 18b), that metal triangular-shaped paper guide at the ribbon vibrator has too much metal to the point of distracting my ability to see my print as I type.
On the Olympia SM3, it has less metal and a bit larger in size and I can more easily see the print as I type away.
Every time I have my Torpedo 18S out for use, I am so tempted to snip that metal triangle away with metal cutters....once and for all.
But I have resisted that urge, so far.
.
Yes that triangle is a little tall. But glad you have resisted using the tin snips. It would be hard to explain on a resell: " original condition . . . . except for . . . . . ."
Meant to say the triangle is too much metal instead of being a wire. Not too tall.
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Thread Starter- Pete E.
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- From: Idaho - USA
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
Hi Mike,
The metal, wire triangle on my SG1 presses on/off pretty easily in its place. When I was taking the body panels off, I found a 2nd. spare one wired to the inside of one panel.
When I have the time. I will try to see if I can adapt that spare part to my Torpedo 18s. If it is doable, I might just cut the original part off and make the SG1 part serve the Torpedo and yet be easily removed when not needed.
But you are correct.... " Do No Damage "...
.
- Guth
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Oregon
- Registered: 20-12-2020
- Posts: 59
Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
The 18b is one of my favorite machines. Though there are often some differences that exist from one example to the next of most any given typewriter, I can say that the typing action on both of the 18b's I've owned was very much to my liking. My first 18b was a 1961 model and it featured this same color combination.
A word of warning for those considering one of these machines. I'm not sure if this was unique to the 18 series or not, but some of them developed a problem with the keys where the top surface began curling up in the "peaks and valleys" of various characters imprinted on the surface of the key. Letters such as the M, N, V, W, X, Y, were most prone to this issue. I learned this the hard way via the '61 model I owned. In researching the issue, I found out that a few other 18 series owners had noted experiencing the same problem. Fortunately you can't see anything like this in mikeytap's images as his example appears to be free of any such defects.
Find me at typewritemosphere.com
- mikeytap
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- From: Georgia, USA
- Registered: 25-12-2021
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
The 18b is one of my favorite machines. Though there are often some differences that exist from one example to the next of most any given typewriter, I can say that the typing action on both of the 18b's I've owned was very much to my liking. My first 18b was a 1961 model and it featured this same color combination.
A word of warning for those considering one of these machines. I'm not sure if this was unique to the 18 series or not, but some of them developed a problem with the keys where the top surface began curling up in the "peaks and valleys" of various characters imprinted on the surface of the key. Letters such as the M, N, V, W, X, Y, were most prone to this issue. I learned this the hard way via the '61 model I owned. In researching the issue, I found out that a few other 18 series owners had noted experiencing the same problem. Fortunately you can't see anything like this in mikeytap's images as his example appears to be free of any such defects.
Guth I had read about that issue with the keys distorting to being dished out. I also have an older 1954 Torpedo 18 that does not have the problem. Wondering if it may be peculiar to certain color runs or certain years. Both of my machines have the gray keys.
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Thread Starter- robmck
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- From: Seattle, WA
- Registered: 31-1-2022
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Re: Torpedo 18b, brought home. Quick review.
I've a grey-keyed 18b and the W is doing exactly this.
Anyone know how to fix it?
