The link to the picture won't work, but its on the typewriter database under the consul 231.2, my picture is there.  Cheers

Hi Beak,

Yes exactly, I'll have a good look at the margin stops to see if anything looks weird.

It happened on my SM4 and then stopped when I started trying to change the weakened pawl spring which is part of the escapement, although I can't imagine this had anything to do with it as I don't see how that would affect the margin stop at the very end. Maybe something moved and it fixed itself.  

I really hate intermittent faults.  At least if you know that your machines tab for example doesn't work, you can live with it, at least until a time when you can fix it, t when its something happening different every time, it makes me want to stop using the machine.

Thanks again

Richard

Thanks for your reply.

The margins are ok both sides in terms of the margin mechanisms/stops etc.

Going to just have to put this down to experience. 

The more I probe this machine the more it feels like its been made out of coat hangers.  Disappointing because a few people said the Consuls typed well but they are so choddy compared to other machines I have, I don't see how they could.  Even the low end ones people said were ok, but I would not have touched this 231.2 if I had known. I would make a more durable job at least in my garden shed


 

Hi,

I had to look up the word vacillating as I had never heard of this before nice word as yes, it describes my post well.

Thanks for repairing the image.

I understand why you raised this point because I did think the typing was ok, but it seemed to get sloppier the more I used it. Hence why I previously said it was good.

It's possible it has been played about with by kids with heavy hands but the outside is immaculate so this would surprise me if they had, but you never know. 

I think I was just surprised by how many adjustment I have needed to make on this machine to get it to a reasonable standard vs some of the much poorer looking (aesthetically) machines that have required no work.

Yes, I can understand that this machine would have been a lot tighter when it was new, but just based on the machines I have (albeit not on your scale), the quality (in my humble opinion) is much lower than on those other machines.  Not based on performance, but just based on what I can see inside the machine and the thickness or lack of for some linkages etc, generally observations around quality and choice of materials used 

Didn't mean to besmirch the Consul name and disregard its lineage.  Sorry if it came across this way, it wasn't my intention. Perhaps I'll be a bit more focused and less reactionary when something goes wrong on my machine.  I think it's just frustration when you get an intermittent fault.   I do appreciate all the advice that was given to me to try and help.

Anyway, its working better now I have made further adjustments, it's far from spot on but it sure is a nice looking machine!

Thanks Uwe

Yes, to be honest, I'm liking it a lot more now I've given it a final tweek.

So far, I have fixed the spacebar (which didn't work at all) by increasing the length of travel of the bar used in the mechanism, this was a case of removing its wing nut and inserting less of the bars thread into its holder. Now the travel is longer, it works beautifully as the mechanical actuates correctly.

Also, a screw was loose at the back of the margin release mechanism and the spring wasn't doing anything as it had shifted out of its holder. It is now releasing margins like a goodun.

I bent the paper rest a little and now it flicks out perfectly

All upper and lower case alignment is balanced now, although there does still seem to be play in the carriage shift mechanism and its unadjustable at this point.

Its alignment is not perfect but its a hundred times better than when I got it. Very satisfying to play around with.

Definitely a keeper.