1 of 1- lauhging-cavalier
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Offline - Registered: 28-8-2020
- Posts: 3
Silver Reed SP8700 carriage issues
Hi there - I've just discovered this forum and am slightly mindblown by how much info + advice is on here! I'm hoping somebody wiser than me will be able to help me out...
While fixing another problem with my Silver Reed SP-8700 I seemed to have messed up something with the drawband. I've had a look at some other posts and followed instructions for resetting the tension on the mainspring and drawband but I'm still having problems.
- The carriage doesn't advance if I press the keys (it doesn't move left)
- The backspace and carriage return buttons work fine (so the carriage travels to the right - to where I've set the margins)
- If I tilt the machine onto its left hand side, the carriage does advance when I type.
- I can slide the carriage freely to the right with my hand.
I've also included some pictures here- is the drawband even attached to the right place at the end? I'm not sure!
Any advice appreciated!
- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 925
Re: Silver Reed SP8700 carriage issues
The Carriage Return Cord looks to be properly attached from the pictures. However, you are talking about the drawband. Are you confusing the two ?
- lauhging-cavalier
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- Posts: 3
Re: Silver Reed SP8700 carriage issues
It would appear so. I thought they were the same thing from what I'd read! But I had also been wondering what would provide tension to pull the carriage in the other direction so this makes sense - thanks for providing clarity.
So should I be looking for a similar mechanism, but running from the left to the right of the carriage (looking down on the typewriter)? Or something else?
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Thread Starter- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 925
Re: Silver Reed SP8700 carriage issues
That is exactly correct ! The drawcord is attached to a wind-up spring drum (which is under a lot more tension than the carriage return cord drum) on the left of the machine, and will be attached to the right hand side of the carriage.
- lauhging-cavalier
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- Posts: 3
Re: Silver Reed SP8700 carriage issues
Wonderful - all sorted now! Thanks very much, always great to learn something new!
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Thread Starter- skywatcher
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- From: The Prairies of Alberta
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 737
Re: Silver Reed SP8700 carriage issues
Hi LC
Your handle has me curious, Cavalier as in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
