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06-7-2021 21:12:25  #1


Love my 73 Sterling but

When I got it, it was so loud I had to get the platen recovered. It was noticeably louder in the center, as are several of my typewriters, but this was by far the loudest. I thought that odd, being also one of my newest.

Now with the new platen it is...still my loudest typewriter. It sounds like a machine gun even with 2 pieces of paper. So maybe that wasn't money well spent. There doesn't seem to be any sound insulation whatsoever on this machine. What gives?  I haven't opened up the bottom but I see nothing on any interior surface.

 

07-7-2021 08:34:14  #2


Re: Love my 73 Sterling but

You can add baffling to the machine. Oftentimes, the old stuff has been pulled off by a previous owner as it could begin to crumble. SC switched from the tar/jute baffling to a kind of foam rubber sometime in the 1960s and all those with the foam I have seen, needed it replaced as it was dried and turning to little bits of foam which make it necessary to tear down the machine and clean it.

Phil Forrest

 

07-7-2021 08:46:29  #3


Re: Love my 73 Sterling but

Phil_F_NM wrote:

You can add baffling to the machine. Oftentimes, the old stuff has been pulled off by a previous owner as it could begin to crumble. SC switched from the tar/jute baffling to a kind of foam rubber sometime in the 1960s and all those with the foam I have seen, needed it replaced as it was dried and turning to little bits of foam which make it necessary to tear down the machine and clean it.

Phil Forrest

I see no evidence that there ever was any. Obviously by the 70s they were cutting corners on some things, is it possible they left it out completely? I'll know more once I remove the bottom but I've shined a light inside and felt around and saw nothing...

     Thread Starter
 

07-7-2021 08:52:51  #4


Re: Love my 73 Sterling but

I just added peel & stick felt pads to my 1971 Olympia (Traveller Deluxe).  Bottom plate, side panels, and under the ribbon cover.

Changed the metallic, tinny sounds to a wooden-log sound when hit with a stick.

Even added some felt to the contact stops for the space-bar.

 

07-7-2021 16:43:16  #5


Re: Love my 73 Sterling but

For what its worth ,I have a 1970 Sterling (based on a repair slip just after purchase) and I don't find it any louder than my Galaxie12 or my Classic 12.  Its true all three have hard platens but I personally don't find the loudness level too objectionable but that's just me as I really never had any typewriter that was super quiet.  All three type very well BTW in my two finger typing style.

 

07-7-2021 17:22:10  #6


Re: Love my 73 Sterling but

I love the typing on this machine! I also love the color, and the the print is the prettiest of any machine I have. And I love the sound of typewriters. This could easily become my favorite. But damn, this thing is LOUD. I don't know that its intolerable but its the only one I have that I even notice the volume on.

I took the bottom off and there is no trace of any insulation now, and no trace suggesting that there ever was any. There really isn't any room for any on the sides, and you can't get at the inside of the sides anyway. Maybe I could put some on the inside of the bottom, if there is enough clearance, and maybe on the inside of the sliding ribbon cover, if there is clearance. I have some sticky felt sheets. 

     Thread Starter
 

07-7-2021 22:14:16  #7


Re: Love my 73 Sterling but

I typed on it some more tonight. It is loud but its tolerable. Last night I used it right after my SM9, which is probably my most quiet typer so the switch was jarring. Its noisy but I can live with it. I may try some felt if I continue to notice it.

     Thread Starter
 

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