1 of 1- TypewriterLove
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Offline - Registered: 14-11-2016
- Posts: 10
Cranky carriage -– any ideas?
Hello,
can you please help me with this typewriter? It's an Optima Elite 3 and the carriage doesn't move proper. It works perfect on the left side and gets sticked after reaching the centre of the page.
I've uploaded some videos to demonstrate the issue:
What I've checked and seems to be alright:
- the blocking mechanism for transportation
- the typer has been cleaned and there shouldn't be any dirt inside
I'd be so happy if someone has tips on this!
Many thanks!
- TypewriterGuy
- Typewriter Talk Vet
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- From: United States
- Registered: 24-4-2015
- Posts: 1,250
Re: Cranky carriage -– any ideas?
Have you degreaser the rails yet? One of mine literally had a lump of solid grease on the center of one preventing the carriage from moving...
Back from a long break.
Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- TypewriterLove
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- Posts: 10
Re: Cranky carriage -– any ideas?
The typewriter has been cleaned but I will check them! Thanks!
Can it be something mechanical besides dirt at the rails?
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Thread Starter- beak
- Key Master
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Re: Cranky carriage -– any ideas?
I looked at your vids - could be any number of things! I'm no TW mechanic, but here are a few things to try until someone better comes along:
Get a torch and look along the rails and the notched rack - may be something foreign in there (you'd be surprised what people find in old TWs. Even a ball of greased fluff or an old scrap of paper can cause trouble.
Take a look at the drive band - the chord which pulls the carriage along - it may be catching somewhere. I had an Imperial66 which did something like this, and it turned out to be the metal end loop of the band hitting another part - just had to bend it back into correct shape.
Look at the drum from which the drive band emerges (it has a wound spring inside - like a clockwork toy). Don't take this apart, but watch to see if anything is fouling it as it turns.
From what I can see, the fact that you can push the carriage over the problem spot means that there is something interfering with the drive band as it pulls the carriage along.
Look also at all the teeth in the notched rack to see if any are bent or missing. Also look at the toothed wheel which connects with the toothed rack - look for missing or bent teeth.
Could be none of these things, but it something to do while an expert appears. Good luck.
Sincerely,
beak.
- TypewriterKing
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Cranky carriage -– any ideas?
Well, here I am! What'd I miss? Anyway, the first idea is a good 'un--take you a flashlight and shine 'er right down both sides of the carriage tracks. Even if cleaning fluid gets sprayed down 'em, there might be something left that might need tweezing out. The second thing is, like beak said, the spring drum cord might be caught on something--this happens pretty often. All the rest of what beak said is good too, but one I'd like to add is to see if there are any parts of the carriage rubbing or scraping along parts of the lower body? You could even have a dry or gunked-up escapement wheel, escapement mechanism, or both. I ran across this one several times on several machines, and a little cleaning and light oiling did the trick.
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- TypewriterLove
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- Registered: 14-11-2016
- Posts: 10
Re: Cranky carriage -– any ideas?
Thanks for all of your ideas! We'll check them one by one and I'll return here to give a feedback!
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Thread Starter