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Hello,
I'm not very deep into repairing typewriters, but I wonder if it's possible to adjust single typeslugs without special tools. I have some typewriters, where typeslugs have different heights in vertical position. Most of the time it doesn't affect the function, so it's more an optical issue.
Any tips about how to get them in line again?
Thanks!
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Hi TW Love
The type slug alignment accuracy will tend to vary with the quality and or the age of the machine. It can be due to worn pivot points of the type bars ( more commonly used letters would wear more) or the slugs were never soldered perfectly at the factory. Many typewriter users see this as being part of the character of the machine, but if it is of a concern to you, the only real answer would be to get the slugs professionally re-soldered by a typewriter repair shop.
Other forum members may have different or better answers than mine. 'Uwe' and The 'Typewriterman' are wealth's of knowledge when it comes to this sort of question, hopefully they'll come in on this conversation and give some other insights. All the best,
Sky
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All of the major manufacturers had stringent quality control measures and I doubt that any of them would have ever let a machine leave the factory with less than perfect type alignment, certainly not with shoddily soldered slugs.
It's always helpful to know which machines are being discussed, but any typewriter that has seen a lot of use - or been subjected to some abuse - can have type alignment issues. Take a machine with perfectly aligned characters and let a little kid play with its keyboard for five minutes and see what happens. There are a number of specialty tools for working with type bars, but in their absence you can - if you're cautious, patient, and methodical - use a pair of needle nose pliers to do some forming and shaping work.
I would start with typing an alignment test with the machine. You can compare upper and lowercase alignment by typing letters with a definitive baseline; for example, try typing NnNnNnNnNn and AaAaAaAaAa and then use a ruler to see how well all the letters line up. You can of course create a full keyboard type sample as well to get a general overview (AaSsDdFf, etc.). However, I have read that the best and toughest test of alignment is to type the following line EXACTLY how it appears below:
"Amaranath sasesusos Oronoco initiation secedes Uruguay Philadelphia"
Apparently this combination will make obvious any alignment issues and was what quality control testers at the factory would use to verify a machine's alignment.
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Hello,
thanks very much for your tips. Really usefull to know.
But what I meant - my fault – was the lying position of type slugs. I'm sorry I'm not native english and I don't know how the part of a typewriter is called, where the type slugs lay on.
I'm sending a picture in the next post, where you can see what I mean.
Thanks a lot!
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You can see, that one slug in the middle is heigher than the others –
is this adjustable?
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Ah! That's something completely different!
Again, it really helps to know which make and model you're talking about (I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't know which machine is in your photo, but it appears to be an ultra-portable of some kind). It's very possible that in your case the linkage at the end of the typebar is bent a little, which is why the typebar can't fully repose. The proper way to fix this issue would be to reshape the offending linkage, which depending on the machine can be very easy or very hard. There is a cruder, less-advisable method, but it would be better to know what we're dealing with first.
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Uwe wrote:
I don't know which machine is in your photo, but it appears to be an ultra-portable of some kind)
I want to guess Skyriter, based on the tiny amount of wear on the metal in the center where the lid clasps. It is just a guess, but I am curious if I got it right.
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I wish I had a dime for everytime I've run into this.
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SoucekFan wrote:
I want to guess Skyriter,
Great job! I think you got it...
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I'm sure this is going to meet with disapproval, but I repaired a single raised slug on my Adler with a hammer and some pliers. I held the back of the slug with the pliers and hammered the front from the top. Amazingly, it worked to move the slug down.